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“I’m so sorry for bothering you, Bridgette! Again!” Ladybug cried, walking out the balcony doors as Bridgette followed. Bridgette let out a small laugh and rested a hand on Ladybug’s shoulder, prompting Ladybug to face her. She had the biggest, most beautiful smile Ladybug had ever seen on anyone. Even Adrien.
“There’s no need to apologize. That’s why I’m here. If you need help, I’m always happy to lend a hand. Us Ladybugs have to stick together.” Bridgette said, softly. “Just make sure to knock next time.” She teased, sticking her tongue out at Ladybug, causing Ladybug to blush in slight embarrassment but also giggle in delight. Bridgette pulled her hand away and laughed a little more. “Had to nearly lock my husband in a closet when you detransformed on me.”
“Please tell him I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to him! Does he like baked goods?” Ladybug asked, struggling to hide the humor it gave her. Bridgette shook her head and fixed Ladybug’s hair a bit.
“It’s okay, hon. I can make it up to him myself. Besides, he’s not a sugar fan.” She winked at Ladybug and pushed her forward a little. “Now go home! You have school tomorrow!” Ladybug smiled back at Bridgette and thanked her once more as she climbed onto the railing. She gave Bridgette one last little wave before jumping off the balcony and swinging through the city.
When she landed on her own balcony, Ladybug took a deep breath before detransforming again. “Someone’s happy.” Tikki said, smirking at Marinette. Marinette simply rolled her eyes and climbed down into her room, closing the trapdoor behind her. Tikki phased through, after her.
“She’s so nice, Tikki. I’ve never met anyone that nice before. Well, except Adrien…” She mumbled the last part, glancing at her Adrien desktop wallpaper. “I wish I had met her sooner. I could never do this whole guardianship thing without her.” She walked over to the miracle box and pressed a few buttons, a code Bridgette had helped her figure out, to open the box. Call it paranoia but she did this almost everyday to make sure she remembered how.
“I wish I had known how much happier it would have made you.” Tikki said, giving Marinette a sad smile. “I’m really sorry, Marinette.”
Marinette smiled, closed the miracle box, and held her hands out for Tikki to sit in. “It’s okay, Tikki. I don’t blame you.” She gave Tikki a little kiss. “Even kwamis make mistakes.” She let go of Tikki and hopped into her chair, spinning it around and pulling it closer to her desk. She grabbed some paper and a pencil and began sketching. “Tikki?”
“Yes, Marinette?”
“What does Bridgette like?” She stopped sketching the decent looking jacket she had planned and scrapped the idea, tossing the paper into her garbage can. She snuck a few glances at Tikki, who seemed to be pondering. “Does she like hats? Jackets? Skirts?” Marinette questioned, rapidly sketching another concept onto another piece of paper.
“She always liked… umbrellas.”
“Umbrellas?” Marinette dropped the pencil and turned to look Tikki in the eye. “I… I don’t know how to make an umbrella…”
Tikki giggled. “Why do you want to make her an umbrella?” Marinette blushed a little and played with her pants.
“It’s just… She’s helped me so much and I really drive her home life mad whenever I show up. I doubt her husband likes me… I feel like I owe her something.” Marinette mumbled, not looking Tikki in the eye. Tikki floated over to her and placed her small paw on Marinette’s cheek, prompting Marinette to look at her.
“You’re such a wonderful girl, Marinette. You don’t have to feel like you owe Bridgette something. I know for a fact Bridgette loves having you over.” Tikki gave her a large smile before flying away and coming back with a black umbrella. “But I do know how stubborn you can be.” She set the umbrella on Marinette’s desk, “So give her this umbrella. You don’t need to make one, Marinette.”
Marinette gave the umbrella a look and had a fond smile on her face. “This is the umbrella Adrien gave me… Remember that, Tikki? When I thought he stuck gum on my seat but it was actually Chloe.” She giggled. She stroked it a little, thinking about it fondly. Tikki simply hummed in respone. “But… It’s just a plain black umbrella... There’s no way she’s going to like it.”
Tikki took a seat on Marinette’s shoulder. “She will. Trust me, Marinette.” Marinette nodded and patted Tikki on the head with her pointer finger.
“Thanks, Tikki.”
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The next day Marinette went through school slightly distracted. She barely made small talk with Alya. She hadn’t even stared at Adrien. She was too busy thinking about the umbrella. It was just… so plain. Bridgette wasn’t plain. She didn’t deserve a plain black umbrella. Even if that plain black umbrella came from the most handsome boy she knew. But Bridgette didn’t know Adrien like she did.
Half way through the day she had pulled out a pack of sticky notes and kept scribbling ideas down. Each one she didn’t like she tore off and stuffed in her bag. Occasionally Alya would steal one she had discarded because she liked it. Marinette really didn’t care. “Why are you trying to design an umbrella, anyway, girl?” Alya asked, looking through the collection of sticky notes she saved from Marinette’s black hole of a bag.
Marinette sighed in frustration and ripped another sticky note off the stack, placing it to the side. “It’s for a friend. She’s been helping me out with um… a project I’ve been stuck on…” Marinette mumbled, too tired to come up with a detailed lie.
“And… she likes... umbrellas?” Alya asked, eyebrow raised. “Why umbrellas?”
“I don’t know, Alya!” Marinette cried, out of frustration. Alya jumped a bit back in surprise. “Sorry. I just… I can’t come up with any good ideas.” Alya gave her a big smile and rubbed her back.
“You’ll come up with something, girl! Any one would be glad to have one of your originals!” Alya pulled her into a small side hug and Marinette let a smile escape. Alya looked her in the eyes and laughed a little. “How do you make an umbrella anyway?”
Marinette giggled and pushed Alya off her, sticking the pack of sticky notes in her bag along with the pen she had been using. “I don’t know. I was going to decorate the one I already have.”
“You don’t have an umbrel-” Alya cut herself short, eyes growing wide. She stood up and started frantically waving her arms around. “No! No! Don’t tell me your using the umbrella Adrien gave you!”
“Yes? It’s just an umbrella, Alya.”
“An umbrella the love of your life gave you!” Alya cried. Marinette stopped and looked to the ground. She didn’t think about that. Of course she remembered but she hadn’t considered that giving it away meant she was… giving it away.
She shook her head. There was no point in keeping it. Her parents had other umbrellas she could borrow. She could always buy another umbrella. It was plain and boring. She hadn’t even used it since that day. It was getting no use. What’s the point of keeping something you’ll never use? Besides, Adrien liked someone else. There was no need to keep something that would just remind her of how she never got the boy she loved.
Marinette stood up and put the bag back on her shoulder, smiling at Alya. “It’s fine, Alya. It is just an umbrella. I’m not using it and I really want to give her a gift.”
“Buy another umbrella then.” Alya suggested. Marinette considered but shook her head again.
“I really want to give her a gift as soon as possible. She deserves it. I already have an umbrella, I might as well use it. All it does is sit in my closet collecting dust anyway.” Alya rolled her eyes and wrapped an arm around Marinette as they walked back to class.
“Why is my bestie so sweet?” She asked no one in particular. “Am I ever gonna meet this friend of yours?”
Marinette blushed and messed with one of her pigtails. “I’ll have to ask her.”
“It’s okay, girl. I’m just teasing. I don’t need to meet her if she isn’t comfortable with it. I’m just glad she’s making you happy.” Alya chuckled and gave Marinette another quick hug. “And I’m sure you’ll figure out something for that umbrella. You’re Marinette, after all!”
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Ladybug had never been more nervous in all her life. After school she had rushed home with an idea in her head she didn’t want to lose. She lost track of time as she embroided the umbrella with some water proof material. She sewed a small ladybug trail around the rim of the umbrella, ending with the ladybug following a black cat. She thought it might be kind of cute. A subtle nod.
But as Ladybug made her way over to Bridgette’s apartment, carrying said umbrella, as the sun began to set, she grew less confident in her design. She had never made any gifts for anyone besides her best friends and her parents. She wondered if Bridgette would even like it.
It also didn’t help that part of her didn’t want to give the umbrella up but she elected to ignore that.
Gracefully landing on the balcony, Ladybug took a deep breath and knocked on one of the doors. It had clouded glass but Ladybug could make out a blond figure getting off the couch and leaving the living room. For a moment she panicked. Was Bridgette not home?
Slowly two cloudly figures walked out of another room and separated from each other. The one she could make out as Bridgette walked up to the balcony doors and opened one. By the time the door was fully open, the other figure was already gone. “Thank you for knocking this time, Little Bug.” Bridgette said, smiling brightly. “Come in.”
Ladybug walked inside and took a few glances around the room. “Where did your husband go?” She asked.
“I asked him to leave the room. I wasn’t sure if you wanted him here. Did you want to see him?” Bridgette asked. Ladybug looked at her feet and blushed. She felt kind of bad for making her husband so unwelcomed in her presence but at the same time she appreciated it. She just wasn’t ready for him to know. Not yet.
“You didn’t need to. It’s okay. I didn’t plan to detransform but I did come to give you this.” She said, a little too quick. She held out the umbrella and offered it to Bridgette. “Um… Tikki said you liked umbrellas so I grabbed the only one I had and I decorated it.”
Bridgette took the umbrella and examined it. She opened it and smiled at the design. “That’s so cute. Thank you! I love it!” She said, holding the umbrella away from her, in favor of giving Ladybug a hug. Ladybug hoped that would have made her feel better but it didn’t. She was happy Bridgette liked it but it was still hard to give it away.
Bridgette pulled away and frowned at Ladybug. Ladybug wondered if she had given away she wasn’t totally happy with letting that umbrella go. But the frown left as quickly as it came and Bridgette smiled once more. “Follow me. I’m just gonna put this with my other umbrellas.”
“Other umbrellas?” Ladybug asked, awkwardly. Even though Tikki had said Bridgette liked umbrellas she had never considered Bridgette would have more. In hindsight, that was silly. Of course they were bound to have a few umbrellas for use.
She followed Bridgette into her bedroom. Bridgette’s husband was sitting on the bed, reading a book. Marinette felt very awkward in the room. She felt she really shouldn’t be there but the man didn’t even glance her way. He just flipped the page in his book.
Bridgette walked over to her closet and opened it to reveal not only jackets and shelves of storage but 3 umbrella holders, each full of umbrellas. “Let’s see…” Bridgette mumbled, trying to find a place to fit the umbrella, Ladybug assumed.
Ladybug glanced over each, awkwardness forgotten. There was so many different kinds. Parasols, umbrellas with spots, one covered with pictures that looked to be of Bridgette and friends. There was another one that was a bunch of obnoxious colors and another that Ladybug assumed, if opened, would resemble a cat. There was flower-printed umbrellas, ladybug umbrellas, and one that seemed to consist of an unflattering photo. Ladybug wondered why she had kept that.
“Ah!” Bridgette cried, startling Ladybug. She turned to face Bridgette, finding she had set the umbrella Ladybug had given her aside, in favor of the one she had pulled from her collection. One that was far more boring compared to the others. “I wanted to show you this.” She said, closing the closet, picking up the umbrella Ladybug had given her, and leaving the room.
Ladybug followed Bridgette out and over to the couch. Bridgette patted the couch and Ladybug took a seat. “Why did you want to show me an umbrella?” She asked, awkwardly.
“This isn’t just any umbrella!” Bridgette cried. She pushed the umbrella open and the umbrella didn’t look any better than when Ladybug saw it the first time. It was just a plain red umbrella. Ladybug peaked out from behind it and looked Bridgette in the eye, blushing awkwardly. “Am I… supposed to see something?” Bridgette giggled, setting the umbrella down, still open.
“I know. It’s kind of plain, huh?” Ladybug nodded. “But it’s my favorite umbrella.”
“Why?”
“Well, it was the first umbrella I collected but that’s not only why.” Bridgette looked down at the umbrella, a loving look in her eye. “I got it from someone very special to me.”
“Oh?” Ladybug asked, heart beating a little faster now. It reminded her of the umbrella she had given up. “Who?”
“A very special boy.” Bridgette said, turning her head to look Ladybug in the eye. “He was never known to be very… social, but I always liked him.”
“Did you have a crush on him?” Ladybug asked, catching onto the subtle hinting. Bridgette giggled.
“Yes, he was my first crush. I really liked him but he didn’t really like me, at least, he had always given me that impression.” She leaned back against the couch and had a far away look in her eye, as if she had transported somewhere else. Or to some other time. “The day he gave me that umbrella I had given up on him. I know that sounds sad but I gave up on trying. There just wasn’t any sign he was ever going to let me in and I felt like I was bothering him.”
Ladybug looked to her feet and thought about her love for Adrien. He always gave her opportunity to let herself into his life but she was too afraid to try. She couldn’t understand how Bridgette could’ve been so forward.
“It was raining. I didn’t have an umbrella or a jacket. I always forgot to check the forecast. I stood under the cover of a roof, contemplating if I should make a break for it. But then someone bumped into me and I jumped.” She laughed at the memory. “It was him, holding out a red umbrella. He didn’t really look me in the eye. He was blushing a little. I don’t think he was used to doing anything like what he did that day. He told me to take it. He said nothing else. He just told me to take it.”
Ladybug started playing with her fingers, glancing at Bridgette every once in a while. The story by itself, sounded boring, but the way Bridgette told it, with that look in her eye… It sounded like a fairy tale.
“I thanked him and he just grumbled. I asked him if he had another one. He couldn’t just walk in the rain. He didn’t say anything and I insisted we share it. I didn’t even think, I just told him we should share it until he got home. I wish I could describe to you the look on his face. He was surprised. I think it was the happy kind of surprise but he was always hard to read.” Bridgette paused a bit, pondering a little, as if she was trying to remember the details. “He said he had a coat in his bag and then he walked away. I knew he lied but that meant so much to me. The next day he came to school with the sniffles but he didn’t complain. I offered to give him his umbrella back. He just told me to keep it. So I did. And I know it's silly but I would carry it everywhere. To the point people began to believe that I really liked umbrellas.” She laughed. “And I kept getting umbrellas and I loved every single one. They all have their own little story.”
Marinette smiled. Then she giggled. She didn’t know if she could handle getting a bunch of umbrellas. Bridgette was surely something else.
Bridgette pulled herself out of her trance and looked Ladybug in the eye. “I don’t like umbrellas. I like the stories they have behind them.” She reached over and closed the red umbrella and set it to the side, picking up the umbrella Ladybug had come here with. “This umbrella has a story for you, doesn’t it?”
“Y-yeah… But it’s hopeless. He’s never gonna like me-”
“-Don’t think of it like that. Keep the story. It doesn’t matter if the person who gave you it isn’t always there with you. You still have a piece of the story you shared with them.” Bridgette said, setting the umbrella on Ladybug’s lap. Ladybug looked down at it, surprised. “I think its really cute, Little Bug but it isn’t my story to keep.”
Ladybug let a tear slip down her face. “Thank you.” She almost mumbled. “Thank you!” She threw her arms around Bridgette. “I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll-”
“-It’s okay, Ladybug. You don’t owe me anything. The best part is getting to know you.” Bridgette said, rubbing her back.
Ladybug pulled away, wiping the tears from her eyes. She played with the umbrella and laughed a little. “The funny thing is, I thought it was just a plain black umbrella. I wasn’t using it so why would I keep it? But… I never wanted to give it up.” She sighed. “I wanted to let him go and I thought the umbrella was keeping me from that but I’m my only obstacle.” She smiled. “A very special boy gave me this umbrella. He’s the exact opposite of the boy in your story. He gave me every opportunity to talk with him but I was too scared and I lost my opportunity. The day he gave me this umbrella was the day I fell in love with him.”
“That’s a lovely story. Why would you want to give that away?” Bridgette said, wiping another tear from Ladybug’s cheek. “And there’s always another chance. You’ll be able to talk to him one day, I bet.”
Ladybug nodded. “Thanks.” She pushed open her umbrella. “I think I ruined it.” She said, looking at the little bug chasing the little cat.
“No, you made it better. Now it has two stories.” She smiled and stood up, helping Ladybug to her feet. “You better head home there’s-”
“School. I know. Thank you, Bridgette.” She gave Bridgette another quick hug before walking over to the open balcony door. It had gotten so dark outside. “I’ll see you later!” She cried, jumping off the balcony, Bridgette waving back at her.
When Ladybug got home she detransformed and smiled at Tikki. “You said she liked umbrellas.”
“So it was a little white lie.” Tikki said, in sing songy voice. Marinette giggled and gave Tikki a little hug before looking at the umbrella one more time and setting it by her desk. “To be fair, it is a nice story.” Tikki hummed as Marinette climbed into her bed, rolling her eyes.
“Goodnight, Tikki.”
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Somewhere on the other side of the city, in a little apartment, sat a woman on a couch. Another person took a seat next to her and she gave him a small smirk. “Why didn’t you tell her I gave you it?”
The woman gave him a quick peck on the cheek, standing up. “That wasn’t needed for the story...” She softly whispered.
“Why didn’t you tell her you married that boy?”
The woman stood up, picking up the red umbrella and placed a hand on his shoulder. “That’s another umbrella.” She calmly said, before walking away.