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do you want to meet on top of the eiffel tower?

I was so nervous. What if she didn't want to?

I sit on the roof across from her balcony, seeing her move around her bedroom. The light from her room shined brightly against the dark night sky.

Sometimes I would sit here and just watch her (in a non-creepy way).

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, and swing onto her balcony.

A loud thump bangs beneath my feet, scaring Alya. She opens the door and smacks my shoulder. "You scared me!" she jokes, giggling.

I stare at her for a moment. Her hair was in braids and she wore a pink jumpsuit with little bunny slippers. "S-sorry, I just wanted to talk to you, if you're not busy," I stutter, intensely trying not to stare at her in admiration.

"It's okay, what did you want to talk about?" she asks, showing me in.

I step inside her tidy room and the familiar smell of flowers greets me. "Well, it's about... Rena Rouge," I tell her with a smile.

Her relaxed face turns worried. "Rena Rouge? If I did something, ple-"

"No no, it's okay! I wanted to ask you if you... wanted to become a part of our team?" I ask nervously. I pull out the Fox Miraculous from my yo-yo and hold it out to her.

"One with the team? Are you giving me my Miraculous permanently?" she asked, her eyes widened.

I smile slightly at her excitement. "If you want to, yes."

She takes it from my hand and clips the necklace around her neck. Trix comes flying out and Alya greets her familiar friend.

I turn around to leave but a hand grabs mine and pulls me in. "Thank you, Ladybug. I would love to," Alya bites her lip through a grin, squinting her eyes.

My heart beats faster as her strong arms hold me tight. "Good to have you as a part of the team, Rena Rouge," I whisper, hugging her back.

She lets me go and a little feeling in my throat stings. I throw my yo-yo into a neighbouring building and swing my way out of sight.

[•]

My desk chair squeaked with every movement I made. My arms wrap around my sewing machine as I shove some material through a needle.

Tikki comes flying out from the hidden miracle box with an excited energy. "Marinette, someone is calling Ladybug!" she says, spinning in the air.

"It's probably Cat Noir," I shrug, keeping my focus.

"It's not!" she giggles.

My head turns to her and I turn my head in question. "Rena?" I ask. Tikki nods and I smile. I call on my transformation, letting the tight suit cover my skin.

I open my bug phone to one missing message from Rena Rouge. I click the play button and let the message play. "Hey Ladybug, this isn't urgent but I don't want to be alone tonight, do you want to meet at the top of the Eiffel Tower?"

The message ends and I stare off replaying the message in my head.

"Do you want to meet at the top of the Eiffel Tower?"

I turn around to see my unfinished project laying underneath my bright light.

I take a deep breath, letting a huge smile take over my face. I travel up the stairs to my hatch and open it, feeling a cold breeze hit my face.

Throwing my yo-yo from a near building, I swing across Paris until the Eiffel Tower is in sight. My heart flutters as I fly through the air and onto the metal tower.

In front of me sits Alya as Rena Rouge, swinging her legs. I quietly walk towards her, watching her stare out into the city.

"Beautiful night," I gently say, sitting next to her.

She looks over at me, giving me a calming grin. "I'm sorry if I interrupted your busy life, I just feel like... I can talk to you," she begins, making my stomach hatch butterflies.

"O-oh well I'd hope you could," I joke, letting out an awkward laugh.

Why can't she talk to me as Marinette?

I stare at her, waiting for her to start talking. Her eyes shift sides sharply, gazing over the intensely lit city.

The light shines on her face, curving out every detail. The shape of her nose, the shine in her eyes, the colour of her lips. Her skin isn't perfect, but all the imperfections make her even more perfect.

She takes a deep breath before turning to me. "Marinette. She's my best friend, but there's something I can't tell her," she mumbles, unable to keep eye contact.

My eyebrows turn in question and I almost begin to speak but she interrupts me. "I'm afraid that if she knew the real me, she... she wouldn't accept me," she whispers soulfully, finally looking up at me with a sad smile.

I feel a tug on my heart, sad at the thought that she doesn't trust me in that way. "What makes you think she wouldn't accept you?" I ask, adjusting my body to copy her position.

She turns back to the city and lets her head fall. "She thinks I like boys."