Chapter Text
Paris was a husk of its former self. The once-vibrant city, filled with warm lights and bustling streets, had been reduced to a silent, flooded ruin. The Eiffel Tower stood half-collapsed, a broken skeleton against the endless swirl of pale blue clouds overhead. Water had overtaken the lower levels of the city, reflecting the eerie glow of the sky in its rippling surface.
Jess had grown used to it, she didn’t have a choice. Her apartment, once a temporary home, had become her fortress, her shelter, her world. What little she had, she had scrounged together. Storage bins lined the walls of her Lounge Room and Dining/Kitchenette, filled with scavenged supplies. Rainwater collected in makeshift barrels on the balcony for drinking and baths. The scent of old wood and dust clung to the air, a reminder that nothing was fresh anymore.
Jess climbed through the window of her Lounge Room where she kept her makeshift raft moored, her boots making a soft thud against the wooden floor. The straps of her satchel dug into her shoulder, the weight of her latest supply run pulling at her muscles. She had been out longer than she intended, the search for food and medicine proving harder with each passing day. She dropped the bag onto the floor with a sigh, rolling her shoulders to ease the tension.
"You’re back late."
Jess turned to see Kitt, her tiny white Panther Kwami, perched on the edge of a storage bin, her small tail flicking in disapproval. Her hazel eyes were sharp, scanning Jess for any signs of injury.
"Yeah," Jess muttered, rubbing a sore spot on her arm. "The store near the theater was already flooded, I had to go further out."
Kitt’s ears flattened. "That’s dangerous, Little Hunter."
Jess exhaled sharply, running a hand through her tangled black hair, the overly dry feel under her fingers telling her it was time to rinse it again, only able to do that since hair products were no longer a thing. "I didn’t have a choice, supplies are running low."
Kitt hovered closer, her tiny paws pressing against Jess’s hand. "I don’t want to lose you too."
Jess’s chest tightened, but she forced a small, reassuring smile. "I’m fine, Kitt. Really."
Kitt didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t argue.
Jess moved toward the balcony, drawn by the familiar hum of the wind outside, passing through the Dining/Kitchenette to the glass door on the far wall. The air was cold, crisp, carrying the distant scent of rain and electricity when she pushed it open. She pushed the ripped curtain aside and stepped out onto the small, battered balcony.
That’s when she saw it. A bundle, neatly placed just outside the door.
Jess’s brow furrowed. She crouched, carefully untying the cloth. Inside was a can of food, medical bandages, and a folded blanket. Her heart skipped a beat, she hadn’t found these. Someone left them.
Jess’s emerald-green eyes darted upward, scanning the rooftops. And then, she saw him.
Chat Blanc. He was perched on the edge of a half-collapsed building across the flooded street. His silvery-white hair moved slightly with the wind, his icy blue eyes locked on the horizon, not looking at her, but not unaware of her either.
Jess’s grip tightened on the bundle, her mind racing. Why? Why was he doing this? He had been watching her, staying close, making sure she was safe, but this? This was something else. Something…human. She hesitated before standing, lifting the bundle slightly. "Thanks."
For a moment, he didn’t react. Then, slowly, he turned his head toward her like the wind had carried her gratitude across the flooded street to his ears.
Their eyes met across the distance, hers guarded but curious, his unreadable.
Instead of answering, Chat Blanc gave a lazy flick of his wrist, a silent acknowledgment. Then, before Jess could say another word, he turned and vanished into the night.
Jess stood frozen on the balcony, the cold air pressing against her skin. She looked down at the supplies in her hands. A can of food, bandages, a blanket. A gift, a sign that, despite everything, there was still something inside him that cared.
Jess swallowed hard and exhaled slowly, tightening her grip on the bundle. She didn’t know what it meant, she didn’t know if it meant anything at all. But she wasn’t going to throw it away, not yet.