Chapter Text
Afterglow by Taylor Swift
Meet me in the afterglow
It's so excruciating to see you low
Just wanna lift you up and not let you go
Juleka developed a new bad habit in Paris, which was staying up far too late.
She said 'new', but really, it was just one she had previously kicked. As a teenager, she often spent far too much time on Tumblr, shit-posting for the fun of it until the early hours of dawn. She'd write angsty poems and song lyrics that she'd end up making into music.
When she took on the Tiger, all staying up until four in the morning instantly stopped. She had no energy for that when all of it was being used saving the city. How could she?
However, now that she had nothing to do except be Purple Tigress and interrogate civilians, it was a bit easier to spend her nights scrolling Tumblr, which really just ended up being superhero fanart most of the time. When she wasn't on the team, it was a nice way to stay connected, and now that she was on the team, it was… flattering, to say the least.
The public had a reaction she'd have never expected after her first day back in action: they rejoiced. Years-dead fan-pages kicked back up, paparazzi were suddenly taking photos of her, teenagers wanted autographs on their TigerPig fanart, the works.
Oh, and that. TigerPig. As it turned out, having a public relationship and not announcing it ended really left something open and hopeful in the air, at least for them. She'd had at least three people come up to her in the past week thanking her and Rose, telling her how much it'd helped them come out publicly that she already had. Having an openly queer superhero meant so much to Paris.
Her relationship with Rose, no matter how real it was anymore, meant so much. Too much for her to willingly let it go,
Juleka's new habit wasn't all bad — for example, now, she was two weeks into her new schedule, she was awake in bed on her phone, and she got a text from Rose Lavillant.
She tapped just on instinct and what she saw was… wow. It was a sight so familiar but so different.
Tastefully framed and cropped in a mirror picture was Rose's bare midsection, under-boob and pubic hair just barely visible. Her frame was just as thin as before, though she'd definitely become more toned, abs more visible now. It was a very clear message: 'Come over and find out what else there is to see.'
A very clear message very clearly not aimed at her.
Me: wow rose
Me: how cruel is this
Read by Rose Lavillant
Well, Juleka's next act wasn't anything she would do in her right mind, but she really wasn't. The sight of Rose, her Rose, made her breathless and dizzy.
She transformed into Purple Tigress, if just to gain her confidence, then unzipped the zipper on the front of the spandex. Her chest and midsection were revealed, only a bra on her now. She went to her private bathroom, where a large mirror sat hung on the door. She pulled up the camera on her phone, used the device to carefully obscure her face, then took a picture. Without any further thought, she sent it.
Me: if we're comparing
Rose: Wow.
Rose: Were you training?
Me: yes
Me: just taking my break lol
Me: so good timing I suppose?
Rose: I would say so
Juleka paused as she de-transformed. How was she going to work in the morning if they kept up like this?
Me: so who was that photo meant for
Me: out of curiosity
Rose: Just a hookup
Me: lucky girl
Me: you have fun
Rose: That was the hardest I've came in months.
Rose: So it's not a high likelihood.
Rose: <3
Juleka felt pride sweltering in her chest, and with that confirmation, she allowed herself to plunge two fingers into her wetness and let her enjoy herself for the first time in a while.
The next day, it felt almost like it didn't happen. The two arrived at the Patisserie at about the same time, discussed their suspects for the day, discussed the random things on their minds, discussed their fans, discussed everything that wasn't the pictures from the last night.
When they de-transformed for lunch, everything was normal. They went over plans, built up a better suspect list, and checked with the rest of their team. Marinette announced a progress meeting, and naturally, it was mandatory that she go.
One thing of note was that, over the last two weeks, Juleka had been dodging any live TV interviews. She never did well with them, not as Juleka Couffaine or as Purple Tigress.
As she sat down in that chair in Adrian's basement, she felt Ladybug looking at her. Well, her and Pigella.
"So," she began, "I understand there's been some concern about workload distribution. I understand that I gave some pairings… easier assignments than others, if just to test working compatibility. Right now, we don't know what happened to the Black Cat, or whose hands it's ended up in. It's scary, yes, but no cause for panic. So, because of this, I'm going to allow some of us to switch suspects, switch partners, and work with their preferred workload." She paused. "Adrian and I are going to need a week off to assess some things in our personal lives. We're going to give all of our suspects to the rest of the team. I trust that you'll all be capable enough to handle it, and if you need us, you'll call."
Before King Monkey could rush over to volunteer for even more work that they logically couldn't do, Viperion held his arm in front of him. Purple Tigress chuckled at the sight, and she could hear Swallowtail doing the same.
Pigella spoke up, flashing a smile to Ladybug, "Does anyone mind if I share my idea for a plan?"
"One more thing, and then I'll hand the floor to you." Ladybug looked directly at Juleka. "Everyone needs to participate in press interviews. The public are terrified. We need to soothe them, we need to promise that we're doing everything we can."
"Right," Juleka whispered. "Sorry."
"Just try to be better about it?"
She nodded. "Thank you, Ladybug."
Rose took a deep breath. "So, let's talk strategy."
Juleka, in her personal career, almost never agreed to live interviews. She liked to agree to questions beforehand, and she liked to have a say in the final edit. If that wasn't the case, she walked. It was how she and Luka ended up doing interviews on their own YouTube channel, rather than with a bigger outlet.
Now, though, she was sitting in a studio with a news reporter, cameras rolling and all of Paris watching, with only the mask of Purple Tigress to hide her anxiety behind. She knew that with just one wrong word, her entire city would fall into a perilous fear.
The interviewer was a simple news personality with a cookie cutter smile and no real personality in her words. She asked the questions, she gave media-trained responses, and that was it. Juleka couldn't even remember her name, if she was being honest.
Next to her was Pigella, sat with her hands in her lap, smiling politely.
"So, Purple Tigress, we understand that you and Viperion have been away from your duties for a while. Any reason?"
That was another thing. The gossip. Everybody wanted a headline, and these questions were specially designed to pick at it. The people in charge never cared whether or not this would really make people feel better — they saw themselves as invincible and everyone else as insignificant anyway.
"Well," she began, voice slightly shaky, "as a part-time superhero, I only come out in times of need. While we're not facing a Chrysalis-level threat this time, I refuse to leave my fellow superheroes overworked right now."
Pigella smiled. "We appreciate it very much, too. I'm not sure what we'd do without you and Viperion."
The interviewer let out a fake giggle. "That's another thing: what is the relationship between Purple Tigress and Viperion? Is the re-emergence of you two at the same just a coincidence, or is there something more between you two?"
Juleka would've gagged at the implication if she wasn't on Live TV. "We're both part-time superheroes, and if I'm being honest, decent friends too. There's nothing more between Viperion and I than that."
The interviewer smiled again, and glanced at the card in her lap. "And what about you two? Pigella and Purple Tigress? Rumors have been spindling for years about your relationship to each other. People online often assume that because of your affectionate nature, you're in a relationship. Any comments?"
"No," Pigella said sternly, "We're not in a relationship."
Juleka felt pure pain in her stomach, but Purple Tigress kept speaking, "Which isn't to undermine the fans or their queerness. We're both very much activists for queer rights, as are everyone else on our team."
"Of course," Pigella agreed. "I've seen a few different things on social media from fans, and we've signed some very cute things from them too, but we really do just work together."
"Ah," the interviewer answered simply, clearly disappointed. "So just friends, then?"
"Just friends," Purple Tigress agreed. Juleka glanced over and saw Rose. She saw the migraine forming, saw her brain stop to function. She looked down at her watch and widened her eyes dramatically. "I'm so sorry, but Ladybug needs us. Emergency meeting, you understand."
"Of course." She flashed her pearly whites nervously.
Purple Tigress looked into the camera. "Before we go, I want to send this message to all of Paris: we're all doing our best to make this city a safer place. If you see anything suspicious, call the number on screen, and report it to us."
She flashed a smile, grabbed Rose's arm, and rushed them out of the studio as fast as possible. They found their way to the Patisserie nearby and de-transformed in the upstairs room with Tom and Sabine's permission. Juleka wasn't the bravest girl, but if Rose needed it, she would probably go up on stage in front of a billion people out of costume and out of her persona just to get it for her.
"What- what does she need?" Rose asked meekly.
"Nothing," Juleka answered quietly. "Just noticed you were having a bad time. Figured you'd want to get away from the bright lights."
"Thanks." She slumped into the floor, head in her arms. "How do you… why…" she groaned in frustration. "You should go."
"What?" Juleka almost laughed at how stupid that was. "Why would I go?"
"I just- this is a lot. For anyone."
"I know. Trust me, I know how much it is. That doesn't mean I don't want to be there for you." Juleka slumped down next to her. "Even if we are 'just friends'."
"Yeah… I guess 'just friends' don't send each other pictures like that, do they?"
"No, probably not," Juleka answered, though she was grinning wholly. "I guess we've always been kind of strange, though, haven't we?"
Rose laughed, just for a moment, but that was all Juleka could ask for. She just needed for her girl to smile.
"We have."