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Language:
English
Series:
Part 1 of Purple Hyacinths
Collections:
Miraculous: Tales, Best of Miraculous Ladybug
Stats:
Published:
2021-03-17
Completed:
2023-04-01
Words:
76,195
Chapters:
17/17
Comments:
191
Kudos:
386
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44
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11,717

Crybaby | Miraculous Ladybug [DISCONTINUED]

Summary:

She is done looking for love where it does not exist; she coughs up dust in attempts to drink from dry wells.
[Miraculous S2 Rewrite with Chloe Bourgeois Redemption; discontinued]

Notes:

I enjoy hurting my comfort characters and then showering them with love along the way. This story is triggering and will include very touchy topics. Please, read the tags before continuing. I cannot be held responsible if you continue to read, knowing specific topics trigger you. In my version, all the students are sixteen to eighteen because that makes more sense (in my opinion) and fits the story better.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: Her Paper Crown

Summary:

There's no one to love her if she builds her walls too high

Chapter Text

"Mommy, I want to look just like you," a young Chloe clamored, bright blue eyes glistening with sheer excitement. The toddler trailed after her mother, clutching her drawing to her chest. Just a moment of Audrey's time is all the six-year-old wanted. She wanted her mother to adore her. 

  Chloe wanted to be worth something to Audrey. 

  The older woman glanced down at her beaming before rolling her eyes, annoyed at how hyperactive the blonde was. God, couldn't she just shut up and take the hint that Audrey didn't care? Instead, Audrey faked a smile, lowering herself to Chloe's level, and patted her rosy, plump cheeks. "You want to be just like Mommy?" the mother cooed, lowering her white sunglasses. 

  Chloe nodded her head excitedly. "Yeah! Mommy's the best, and Mommy's very pretty!" the young girl chirped, gripping the paper in her tiny hands. She was happy ecstatic when Audrey noticed her. That was all she wanted, her mother's warm glance of approval. "I wanna be rich and famous and pretty just like Mommy! Everyone in Paris knows who Mommy is!"

  Audrey bit back a wicked laugh, covering her taunting smile with her fist. Looking away for a split second, the fashion queen ruffling Chloe's short curls. "I'm afraid you aren't on my level, ClaudiaChloe," she corrected. 

  Chloe frowned, lowering her hands. "What does that mean?" she questioned, knitting her eyebrows. 

  "It means you aren't good enough."

   So, Chloe would change; she would change for the sake of her mother. Her polite mannerisms? Tossed out the window without a second, she adopted a cruel personality, taunting those she deemed weak and pathetic. It was amusing watching her classmates' faces twist and turn as she mocked them, tearing into the fabric of their being. 

  Any chances of making friends failed as Chloe announced that nobody was good enough to be her friends—Sabrina was the only exception as Chloe deemed as a mere worker bee in her large hive. She supposed Max and the idiotic Kim could be considered her "friends," but like Sabrina, they were only around because they benefitted her. She could care less if they wanted to be around. 

  They weren't good enough for her, anyway. 

  She "matured" faster than the rest of her female peers. She showed off a nice set of curves; plush pink lips coated with a thin layer of nude, matte lipstick and an ocean blue eyeshadow dusted over her eyelids. White, skinny jeans, a yellow cardigan, ballet flats, and tight, black-and-white shirts became part of her daily wardrobe. She became a walking cliché, but she could care less as long as she got her mother's attention, the attention she starved for and desired. All she wanted was to be good enough for her mother, to be loved and cared for by the one parent, at least. 

  Occasionally, Audrey would pop in from New York, spending a week with her, critiquing Chloe's appearance. "You're getting big, Claude—Chloe. You ought to work on your body image more," Audrey would point, pinching her daughter's sides. Chloe had some fat in some areas, but it was normal for a girl her age. But Audrey wanted it changed so Chloe would get rid of the fat. She began fasting, cutting her meals in half or skipping meals entirely. 

  When that didn't work as fast as she'd like, Chloe began eating cotton balls, trying to fill her stomach, and convince her body that she was eating. This routine led to her throwing up, hunched over the toilet as she forced a finger down her throat. It was a painful experience, but it was worth it; all Chloe wanted was Audrey's attention. Her figure began slimming down but at the risk of Chloe becoming weaker. Her ribs were threatening to poke through her skin like pins, but she worried little about it. Her progress made Audrey acknowledge her for once. 

  "See, this looks so much better. You could become a model at this rate if you don't bloat again," Audrey stated, squeezing Chloe's shoulder before retreating to her bedroom. Chloe felt the butterflies swarm in her stomach, a smile spreading across her face. Was she good enough to be a model if he kept off the extra weight? Who cares if it was a backhanded compliment; Audrey finally recognized her daughter's potential. 

  Rolling the scrunchie out of her hair, Chloe let her hair pool around her shoulders, frowning at the split ends. She would need to schedule another hair appointment soon; her hair was somewhat healthy, still glossy, but thinning out. If she took more hair supplements, her curls would be thick and healthy in no time. 

  She pranced in front of the mirror, smoothing her hands down the side of her torso, smiling. She had the body every girl would kill to have; Chloe would flaunt it like it was nobody's business. Especially in front of Marinette, that fat little piggy. 

  Her stomach gurgled, demanding food. She frowned, pinching her sides. No, if she ate anything, she would gorge out on food, and all her efforts would have been for nothing. Instead, the blonde strolled into her bathroom, rummaging through the cabinets before she found the glass container of cotton balls. Without hesitation, Chloe shoved two cotton balls down her throat, wincing as the dry material traveled down her throat, gripping the counter before she could breathe again. 

  Those should hold off her hunger for a bit; a small salad later wouldn't hurt, she concluded, tucking the glass container back underneath the sink, and waltzed out of her room, peering over the balcony. 

  She felt like a queen, staring down at the lowly peasants who bustled about in the streets. Chloe was on top; she deserved the best—she is the best. Sabrina should be lucky that Chloe considers her a friend and offers her hand-me-downs from time to time. The ginger should be grateful that the blonde even takes time out of her day to deal with someone as unsightly as Sabrina.

  The sun kissed her pale skin, peeking out from behind the clouds as Chloe basked in the warmth. It was a beautiful evening; she would say, running her fingers along the edge of the railing, allowing her body to relax. "I should tan more; I'm getting too pale," Chloe grumbled, frowning at how pale her skin had become. Maybe she would make Sabrina get a tan, too. The ginger was too pale for her liking, and they would clash if they went out together. 

  Stretching out her arms, Chloe made a note to start tanning tomorrow and retreated inside, popping her fingers. She still had homework to finish, and Sabrina left Paris for a few days. The ginger claimed it was because her father was looking for a better-paying job, and it was a possibility that they were moving soon. "Excuses, excuses," the blonde mocked, rolling her eyes. 

  Chloe was convinced Sabrina had just grown tired of her presence and asked her father to move. She wouldn't be surprised at this point; almost everyone in the school hated her. 

  Her phone chimed, followed by a text message flashing across the screen. She picked it up, unlocked her phone, and read the statement over. It was from her beloved Adrien; he wanted to let her know that he would be out of school for a while. His father, Gabriel, demanded that he attend a fashion shoot in Japan. 

  Ugh, great, now her first friend was leaving her, too? Was this the universe giving Chloe the middle finger? Giving her a giant fuck for everything she had done in the past years? For bullying Marinette and the rest of her peers, for mocking their appearances and self-projecting? It wasn't shocking if this were karma paying her in full; Chloe was a terrible person after all. 

   I hope you have fun in Japan, at least, Adrikins. Bring me back a souvenir >3 I love you, she messaged, shutting off her phone and tossed it onto her bed. God, she sounded desperate—maybe she was from how she threw herself at Adrien. he was the only one who didn't shy away from her. Of course, she had to be kind to the others, and she made an attempt, but only because Adrien asked her to change. 

  Rolling onto her stomach, Chloe flipped through her books, bored and unamused. She, without a doubt, was an intelligent girl, but she didn't apply herself. The only thing that matters is your social standing; you won't need that useless garbage if you follow in my footsteps, is what Audrey told her, hammering it into Chloe's brain. She would force Sabrina to do the work, stating that she didn't care and just wanted a good grade. Sabrina never complained except for when they had been paired with Marinette. Chloe had to do the work for once; she complained but begrudgingly filled out her work portion. 

  "Mademoiselle," Butler Jean spoke, opening the door, smiling at his young mistress. "Your mother wanted me to tell you that she wishes to see your presence after dinner—something about your measurements," he finished. 

  Chloe hummed, barely lifting her head from her work, and dismissed her butler. "Yeah, yeah, I'll see her after dinner. She could have told me herself instead of telling you to come to tell me," She snapped. It wasn't Jean's fault, and she felt guilty that she snapped at him, but it hurt that Audrey—her fucking mother—couldn't come and tell her that she wanted to see Chloe after dinner. It's not like Chloe would eat much; it all went to the toilet once she made it back to her room unless Jean decided to check up on her. 

  Shutting her textbook, Chloe rolled onto her backside, shielding her eyes with her arms, exhaling. Her life was falling apart, but it's not like anyone would believe that. Come on; she was a rich girl. Money could solve her problems; that's the narrative society painted. Rich people can buy their happiness, or they don't get to feel sad. 

  Maybe counseling would help? How laughable would that be? Chloe could see the headlines now: Daughter of Fashion and Paris's Mayor in need of counseling. She would be the laughing stock, and no one would take her seriously. 

   Mental health is a poor person's problem. That's just an excuse for people to feel sorry for themselves. 

   "I'll ask Daddy to buy me another dress," Chloe mumbled, swinging herself over the edge of her bed, padding across the room. She decided to change into something more appropriate for dinner; a plain tee-shirt and her white capri pants wouldn't be appropriate for a dinner setting. Her yellow halter dress with her ballerina flats would be perfect.

  Yellow was a pretty color on her, after all. 

  Chloe waltzed over to her walk-in closet with a joyful hum, quickly dressing in her halter dress and flats. It fit perfectly, the skirt flowing around her narrow legs and hips, swishing when she twirled. She was perfect; Audrey would have to see that she was trying, that Chloe wanted to be just like her. 

  And she would. Chloe would make her mother proud or die trying.