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Juleka frowned as she pushed open the door of the girls’ bathroom.
Rose was home sick with a cold.
This would be bad enough under normal circumstances.
But worse still, she'd lost her voice mere days before Kitty Section's performance at the Childrens’ Hospital's charity fundraiser.
Luka had suggested Juleka sing, but well…
“You know the songs off by heart, and I've heard you singing them with Rose, and to yourself!”
She had blanched.
“That's different! I can't sing in front of people I don't know. Why don't you sing it? You said Su Han was giving you a break to play in the fundraiser.”
Luka had smiled his infuriating calm smile.
“You know as well as I do that Rose's songs need a female voice for their melody. And you know I can't sing well enough in that range to do the songs justice.”
Juleka had given him an annoyed sigh and buried her face in her pillow.
She pulled her legs up to her chest as she sat on the closed toilet lid.
She had to admit it was a bit surreal being back at François Dupont after her last year there as a student, but Mayor Bustier had lent out her former school as a space for their performance during the holidays as part of the charity drive, and Juleka had to admit, there was something reassuring about the familiarity of the space.
She might not have a choice but to sing herself, as much as she'd rather focus on playing bass. She knew she'd been growing steadily more confident since she met Roaar - especially after Ladybug gave the Kwami's Miraculous to her permanently - but singing in front of a crowd of strangers was still too much to contemplate.
Myléne could sing well, but she was even shyer than Juleka when it came to public performance, unless there were trees on the line. Besides, she was already volunteering elsewhere in the fundraiser.
Marinette was helping Alix with decorations, and while she had heard Marinette sing decently enough, she'd always turned down performing in the band and got embarrassed from being on stage.
As for Alix… she was enthusiastic, but tone deaf.
She considered the boys, but Luka was right about the voice of Rose's songs.
Marc might be able to pull off the vocal range, but she had no idea if he could sing, and again he was pretty shy with people he didn't know.
“I could sing! I've even met some real unicorns!” Roaar said enthusiastically from her dress pocket.
Juleka smirked down at her and whispered her reply.
“Thanks, Roaar, but I don't think Ladybug would approve.”
Roaar grumbled and crossed her arms.
Juleka rubbed a thumb on her Kwami's head. “You can give me a private show later ok?”
Roaar brightened at this, but before they could talk further, Juleka heard the door open and someone started washing their hands.
She held her breath, waiting for whoever it was to finish and leave, when she faintly heard some familiar lyrics sung under the other girl's breath.
“You know I love unicorns, yeah nothing makes me feel better! I see their faces everywhere I go, dreaming about them every night. Hmm hmm hm hm hmm, and cute little fluffy cats.”
“Zoé…?” Juleka breathed.
“She can sing!” Roaar replied, and Juleka nodded. Sure, she got some of the words wrong, but they could work with that!
Juleka burst out of the stall.
“Zoé! You can sing!”
Zoé jumped, spinning to face her. “Juleka? Sorry, I didn't know anyone else was in here.”
Juleka went to grab Zoé's hands, but the other girl yanked them back.
“Wash your hands first!”
“But I wasn't- ugh! Fine!” Juleka splashed water on her hands.
“Zoé, Rose has lost her voice, I need you!”
***
“Hold still.”
Zoé did her best to follow Juleka's instruction as she expertly applied the makeup.
She thought back on the whirlwind of events that had somehow led her here.
One minute she had been in the bathroom washing paint off her hands, the next Juleka had burst out of one of the stalls begging Zoé to be lead singer for Kitty Section in the charity performance.
“But I'm helping Marinette and Alix with the decorations!” Zoé had protested futilely against a surprisingly determined Juleka as she was dragged to where Marinette and Alix were working on a banner.
She didn't know why, but Juleka had grown far more assertive since the end of the previous school year.
Not that she was complaining.
She rather liked this new Juleka.
“Marinette!” Juleka had said with determination. “I need Zoé to take Rose's place in the band!”
“Oh? Zoé, you should have said you wanted to sing!” Marinette had said it with that smile which still made Zoé weak at the knees.
“I-” she'd started.
“She's perfect. I need her!” Juleka had interjected, and Zoé found her heart beating just a little bit faster.
“Well I'm sure Alix and I can manage, Alix, do you think you can get Nathaniel to help too?”
“Sure thing, if I can pry him away from being all kissy kissy with Marc.” Alix had rolled her eyes, to a giggle from Marinette.
“Don't I get a say in this?” Zoé had put her foot down, literally.
Marinette haf frowned. “Of course Zoé! Don't you want to?”
She'd looked at Marinette, at Alix, and at Juleka's pleading, but also apologetic face.
“I do love the songs… and I did like that time I sang backing vocals for Adrien's song…”
She had pretended not to notice Marinette's cheeks flushing red.
“Ok great!” Juleka had said, before dragging her to the Liberty where the band was practising.
The days since then had been a blur of learning the songs properly, being fitted for her own Marinette designed costume, and practice, practice, practice!
Rose had tried coaching her via video chat - she was still on strict self-imposed quarantine, both to prevent her infecting the rest of the band with her cold, and to reduce the risk of her catching anything else.
Zoé didn't know the full story, but she had been told Rose had a weak immune system, so all precautions were taken.
Given how affectionate and touchy feely Rose was, being physically separated from her friends, and especially Juleka must be torture. Zoé had noticed her often clutching especially tightly to a black and purple unicorn plushy from the plushies piled around her on her bed.
Must be her mini Juleka. Zoé remembered thinking with a smile.
The problem of course with video chat had been that Rose couldn't talk, and text chat couldn't convey how the song should be sung.
It had been very cute to see Rose gesticulating how to articulate the lyrics though.
Rose really was adorable, and Zoé had had to hide her blush on more than one occasion.
What would it feel like to run her hand through that golden hair? Or kiss those pink lips?
Gah! Don't be such a thirsty lesbian Zoé! For once in your life! Juleka and Rose are a couple!
Now it was finally the day of the performance, and Ms Bustier's old classroom had been commandeered for the band to get ready, so screens had been erected to give them all privacy as they changed.
The boys had already finished their preparations, and had left Zoé and Juleka alone to finish theirs. Zoé was seated at the teacher's desk while Juleka did her makeup.
Zoé fidgeted with the shoulder pads and chest plate of her costume, which Marinette had made in seemingly no time, on top of everything else she was doing for the show!
She had round shoulder pads connected by a chest piece with the band's logo on it. Yellow was her primary colour, but Marinette had worked in pink and teal as well. There were also jagged lightning bolts which reminded Zoé more than a little of her Vesperia outfit, but that had to be a fun coincidence - there was no way Marinette knew - she'd always been so careful with Pollen.
For the show, they were all also wearing special outfits underneath the costume pieces, rather than wearing them over their normal clothes like when they rehearsed.
Juleka's was a minidress in her usual style, Luka, Zoé and Ivan were wearing colour coded body gloves decorated to continue their respective themes - Marinette Dupain-Cheng originals of course.
Zoé glanced down at her kittycorn mask and suppressed a smile. There was a single green slash across one eye, something Zoé had requested, her private little joke at her time as Kitty Noire.
“Hold still!” Juleka said again, firmly grabbing Zoé by the chin and turning her gaze back to her as she expertly applied Zoé's makeup.
“Close your eyes. I need to do your eyeshadow.”
Zoé did as directed, feeling the slight tickle on her eyelids as Juleka brushed on the eyeshadow, and Zoé found her heart racing again as Juleka went about her work. Why did she always have to fall for girls that were already in love with other people?
Juleka finished with the eye shadow, but she didn't tell Zoé to open her eyes right away.
Zoé started to ask is she could open her eyes when something warm and soft pressed against her lips, just for a moment.
Had Juleka just kissed her?!
She cautiously opened her eyes, but Juleka was grabbing an eyeliner pencil and not even looking at her.
She fought down the blush she knew was coming, but as Juleka did the eyeliner she didn't say anything, Zoé concluded she must have imagined it.
They passed a few moments in silence, and Juleka started applying some glittery mascara. As lent in close, her lips brushed across Zoé's.
Zoé's eyes were fully open this time so she knew she didn't imagine it, but she was certain it had been an accident - Juleka's beautiful face was so very close to hers as she precisely applied makeup after all - so Zoé didn't say anything, but she felt her cheeks burning.
Then it happened again. As Juleka shifted to her other eye.
Ok , she thought, just because it happened twice - maybe three times- doesn't mean anything.
Then Juleka reached up to brush Zoé's bangs out of the way, her hand lingering on Zoé's cheek for just a moment too long as she looked Zoé in her bright blue eyes with her own pinkish-orange gaze.
Zoé gulped.
“Juleka, did you-?”
She didn't get to finish her question, as Marinette barged in.
“Hey, are you two ready? It's almost showtime!”
Juleka gave Zoé an enigmatic smile and patted her head, before reaching down to pass Zoé her mask, and retrieving her own.
“See you out there Zoé.” She called over her shoulder in what Zoé thought was a sultry voice as Juleka affixed her own mask - curiously the only mask without a unicorn horn.
“Yeah just… just give me a minute.”
Juleka and Marinette exited together - Marinette fiddling with Juleka's costume as they went - and,
when she was alone, Zoé rushed over to her bag.
“Pollen!” She whispered. “Did you see that?”
The yellow and black Kwami poked her head out.
“Yes I did my Queen! It was very romantic.”
“But what am I meant to do? Juleka is with Rose! Would Juleka really cheat on Rose? Marinette said those two have been together forever, I don't want to break up the school OTP!”
“O… T P?” Pollen asked in puzzlement.
“Nevermind.”
“Need such feelings be exclusive? We Kwamis do not fail in love as humans do, but I have had many Holders who have fallen in love, are you only permitted to love one person? Do you not also have affection for Miss Rose?”
Zoé frowned, considering her Kwami's advice and was about to reply when someone called her name.
“Thanks Pollen, wish me luck!” She said as she hurriedly affixed her mask.
“Good luck my Queen! I look forward to seeing your bardic performance!”
Zoé smiled.
“Just stay out of sight ok?”
The Kwami nodded as Zoé hurried off to join the band.
As she followed Juleka and the others up to the stage set up in the courtyard, she wondered how she'd be able to focus on singing after what had just happened?
***
Juleka made her final tuning adjustments to her bass guitar as she stood on the stage, trying to distract herself from the turnout. The courtyard was packed, and many of the attendees were holding Kitty Section signs or wearing their merch - sold with all proceeds going to the hospital of course.
She smiled at her friends in the crowd before casting her gaze across the band instead, her eyes lingered on Zoé, standing in Rose's spot. But not replacing her, nobody could ever replace her Rose.
Why had she done that? Why had she stolen kisses from Zoé? She loved Rose, that would never change, and her love for her was no less intense now than it had ever been.
And yet… there was something about the American girl that fascinated her. She was generous, creative, and kind-hearted. It was genuinely hard to reconcile that with her being Chloé's sister.
She'd been struggling with her feelings since their first practice sessions, when they'd been in such close quarters in her bedroom, with Rose watching from her phone.
Rose had seen the spark before she herself had, but had held her tongue until Juleka had confided in her her confusion at the feelings.
She had been the one to encourage Juleka to pursue them.
Rose had enough love for everyone, but Juleka had always been unsure, worried her own love was a finite resource. And yet, with Zoé she felt her affection rapidly growing, but somehow her love for Rose did not decrease.
Juleka turned her gaze up to the mezzanine where Rose was watching with her parents, isolated from everyone, wrapped up warm, with a cat patterned face mask over her nose and mouth.
Rose noticed her and gave her a wave. Juleka smiled as Zoé steeled herself and strode out onto the stage. Juleka pushed her concerns down to focus on the song as Zoé brought the microphone to her mouth, and Juleka saw her assume the role of lead singer.
“Hello Françoise Dupont, we, are, Kitty Section!”
***
“That was wicked!” Zoé shouted excitedly as she went backstage with the band after the last encore and took off her mask, tossing it onto a table. Juleka smiled at the girl practically vibrating with excitement, bouncing on the heels of her feet.
“So, are you glad you said yes?” Juleka asked her. Zoé rushed over and excitedly grabbed Juleka's hands, bouncing up and down.
“Yes! It was so much fun! I loved it, I love you!”
She planted a kiss right on Juleka's lips, caught up in a surge of excitement.
Juleka blushed and smiled in surprise as a hush fell over the band.
***
Oh no, oh no I messed up.
Zoé pulled back and looked around at her friends’ shocked expressions, looking first at her, then past her.
Then she spun around and saw Rose.
She was standing bundled up in a puffy pink winter coat, a scarf, a facemask with a cartoonish cat’s mouth, nose, and whiskers printed on it, and a woollen hat with cat ears.
Zoé looked between Juleka and Rose in a panic.
“Rose, I'm so sorry, I never should have kissed Juleka. I don't know why I- I'll go!”
Tears stung her eyes as she made to run off, but Juleka grabbed her by the elbow, spinning her around to face her.
Juleka gave her a reassuring smile and glanced at Rose before looking Zoé in the eye.
“It's ok Zoé, you did nothing wrong.”
Zoé's panic gave way to confusion as she looked between Juleka and Rose, the latter girl giggling before coughing lightly into her mask.
Rose said something but her voice was barely above a whisper and Zoé missed it.
Juleka however had heard it perfectly.
“Rose said you don't need to apologise Zoé. It's ok.”
From somewhere she heard Kim laughing at the reversal of roles of Juleka interpreting for Rose, before Ondine quickly shushed him.
“R-really? You don't hate me?”
Rose shook her head emphatically. And made a heart with her mittened hands.
Juleka put her hands on Zoé's shoulders.
“The truth is, these past few days together, I've been feeling it too. I love you Zoé, and so does Rose. We'd both like you to be our girlfriend - if that's something you think you'd be comfortable with.”
Zoé couldn't believe what she was hearing, and opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to find the words. She looked around at her friends - Marinette and Adrien were smiling encouragingly. Alya gave her a nod and a thumbs up, Nino gave a tip of his cap, Myléne was hugging Ivan and gave her an encouraging nod and a shy smile, Sabrina had her hands clasped and seemed to be overwhelmed by the romance. Alix was shuffling uncomfortably but gave her two big thumbs up when she noticed Zoé looking at her.
Eventually she turned back to Juleka, her face flush.
“I- I think that Marinette said that it shouldn't matter if someone loves multiple people or- or nobody… and I think she's right.”
Juleka smiled and lent in to plant a kiss on the blonde girl's forehead.
“I think Marinette gave some very good advice, don't you Rose?”
Zoé looked at the other blonde, and even with the mask covering her mouth, Zoé could recognise one of Rose's full body smiles as she nodded and gave a thumbs up. She said something again, and again Zoé didn't quite catch it.
“What did she…?” Zoé began, turning back to Juleka and finding her face inches from her own, eyes below half closed lids studying her intently.
“She said… that you owe her some kisses… and I say, you owe her another one.”
Juleka lent in and delivered a tender kiss full on Zoé's mouth.
This time, Zoé didn't pull back and pushed up into the kiss, letting the warmth of it flow into her.
She felt a slight impact as Rose - bundled up as she was - hugged them both.
Faintly she heard the rest of the band cheer and whoop.
***
One Month Later
“Oh I love Unicorns!” Rose sang out, her voice fully recovered.
“Yeah nothing makes me feel better!” Zoé grabbed the microphone and responded in kind, smiling back at the other blonde as her hands covered Rose's.
The other girl grinned as she pulled the microphone back to her. “I see their faces everywhere I go!”
“Dreaming about them at the nights!” Zoé yanked the mic back to her, before looking back at Juleka on her bass, and her face softened as she and Rose held their free hands out to the third girl.
Together they sang:
“You know WE love unicorns! And that they make us feel better.”
Juleka danced over, still playing, and Zoé and Rose held the mic up for her as Juleka sang out, she looked at both blondes as she sang.
“I only want them to be mine, mine, mine! Dreaming about them at the night!”
Then, all three of them pulled in close around the mic to sing out the finale in unison.
“You know we love unicorns, and nothing makes us feel better!”
As the band played the instrumental grand finale, Juleka grabbed them both and planted kisses on their cheeks. Zoé tried her best to hide her blush under her kittycorn mask as she smiled broadly, and waved to the crowd of their friends on the deck of the Liberty.
When she'd first come to Paris, she never imagined she'd find a girlfriend, let alone two.
Marinette had been her first great love, and while she wouldn't consider her love unrequited, Marinette returned it in a different form, and the time had not been theirs. She still loved Marinette - she couldn't just switch off those feelings - but she knew Marinette's heart belonged to another, and Zoé could not be happier for the both of them.
But now, she had found new love in the most unexpected of places.
Before the day of the charity performance, she had never considered that it was possible for her to love and be loved by more than one person so completely at the same time, but in Juleka and Rose she had found two hearts that loved freely and without restraint or jealousy.
The love the two had for each other was bound so very tightly that it could sometimes be hard to know where one started and the other began, like a perfectly crafted duet they complemented each other perfectly.
And yet they had loosened those bindings, just enough to let her join their song.
It had been Rose's suggestion to change I Love Unicorns to a duet, when she'd refused to allow Zoé to step down or merely be a backup singer for the band upon Rose's return. Zoé had been reluctant to agree at first, feeling like she was intruding, until the rest of the band had assured her they wanted her to join.
As their friends rushed the stage, Juleka, Rose, and Zoé cuddled each other with that gentle yet intense warmth, and Zoé knew she was home.
On her first day in Paris, Rose had told her that she'd be safe with them, and in that moment Zoé knew the absolute truth of that statement.
As the three of them went below decks arm in arm to enjoy some post performance refreshments with their friends, Zoé found herself wondering if there was a word for a duet with three people?
If there was, then this was surely it.