Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1

Marinette’s stomach churned as she flipped through the photos on her phone for the dozenth time. Lila’s taunting green eyes bore into hers in every photo, leaning against Adrien’s arm and chest and shoulder. None of it made sense! Adrien knew Lila was a liar, so how had she weaseled her way into a photoshoot? Just when things were going back to normal, Lila pulled the rug out from under her feet again, leaving Marinette staring up at the ceiling in a daze.

“Marinette! You have a visitor!” her mother called up the stairs.

“Send them up!” she replied less than enthusiastically.

She darkened her screen with a sigh. Whatever Lila was up to, Marinette was going to get to the bottom of it. But how?

“Can I come in?”

She jumped up from her chair at the sound of his voice, heart shooting up to her throat. Timid green eyes peeked up through her trapdoor with a sheepish wince, like a puppy waiting to be scolded.

“A-Adrien?” She blinked to ensure she wasn’t dreaming. “What are you doing here? N-Not that you can’t come here because you can come here whenever you want just I- what’s up?”

“Well, after everything that happened, I wanted to come see how you were doing, and I feel like I should explain myself. Can we talk?” he asked politely.

“Of course.” Marinette nodded, gesturing to the chaise.

He sat down and leaned his elbows on his knees with a sigh.

“Okay, so I know you’ve probably seen the photoshoot, and I want you to know that it doesn’t mean I’m on her side. I’m not, quite the opposite, actually,” he said. “I feel like I should apologize to you. I used to think Lila was harmless, but she’s hurt people I care about more than once, and that’s not okay.”

“Adrien.” Marinette smiled. “You don’t have to apologize. It’s not your fault Lila has it out for me.”

“If I’d done something sooner all of this could have been avoided. This is my mess too, so I had to do something.” He averted his gaze. “I’m not proud of it, but before our shoot I talked to Lila and forced her to fix everything so you could come back,” he said. “I made her lie again, but it was to undo the damage she caused, so that’s not so bad, right?”

“You did that for me?” Marinette gaped.

“Of course.” He smiled. “You’re my friend, and Lila crossed a line. I couldn’t standby and do nothing while she ruined your life.”

Marinette bit her lip, the rapid beating of her heart warming her cheeks. Adrien was the reason she got to come back to school! He wanted her there, even if it meant stooping to Lila’s level. How was he so perfect?

“I wish there was more we could do about Lila. I don’t want her to hurt anyone else, but she’s so good at spinning the truth. Even if we tried to prove her wrong, she’d find a way to throw it back on us,” Adrien said.

Marinette leaned back against her chaise, pursing her lips. “What if we don’t prove anything?” Adrien quirked a brow, so she continued, “Lila lies with every breath, and she just bends the truth more when you try to question her, so what if instead of challenging her, we back her into a corner by playing along?”

“How so?” His eyes narrowed.

“It will be a lot of work, but with the two of us, we could probably pull it off.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Lila is always coming up with stories, illnesses, excuses, so what if we kept track of all of them and held her accountable? Like for her sprained wrist, we could give her a wrist brace that she has to wear, or since she was so worried about a napkin gouging out Max’s eye, we could put safety glasses in the cafeteria. This way it seems like we’re being nice and supportive to everyone else, but in reality we’ll be waiting for her lies to contradict each other—which they always do if you pay attention. Lila banks on other people’s obliviousness when she lies.”

“So, you want to get back at her by being nice?” He tilted his head to one side.

“It’s called kill em with kindness,” Marinette said.

“That’s wonderfully devious of you, Marinette.” Adrien grinned. “And I think it’s just what we need.”

“Lila has gone too far. If we continue to let her go unchecked, then this stunt won’t be her last. We have to back her into a corner before she finds a way to get me expelled permanently,” she said.

“I know. I shouldn’t have insisted on ignoring her before. I feel like everything is my fault.” Adrien covered his face with his hands.

“It isn’t your fault that Lila is a liar, Adrien. You were just trying to be the bigger person, but unfortunately for us, Lila is a special kind of despicable.” Marinette placed a hand on his shoulder. “But so long as we have each other, she can’t win.”

“You’re right. Thanks, Marinette.” Adrien pulled her in for a hug, and Marinette hoped he couldn’t feel how hot her cheeks were. “So, where should we start?”

“Well…” Marinette tapped her chin. “Here’s what I’m thinking.”

***

The following day everyone was buzzing about the photoshoot as expected, but Adrien only felt calm as he walked past his schoolmates. Lila was good. So good that she’d even fooled his father, but he wasn’t going to stand for her lies anymore. It was time to burn down Lila’s web once and for all.

“Adrien and I just have such a natural chemistry,” Lila was saying as he approached their group.

“Hey, Adrien, great photoshoot. You and Lila totally rocked,” Alya said with a grin.

“Thanks, Alya. My photographer is really good at giving direction during our shoots. Anyone can model if he’s behind the camera.” Adrien gave a modest shrug, shooting a pointed look at Lila.

“It was amazing getting to work with you, Adrien,” she said with that saccharine fakeness she was so good at, but Adrien’s attention was diverted as Marinette walked through the front doors.

“Marinette!” He rushed to meet her halfway with everyone else.

“Welcome back, Marinette!”

“We knew it was all a misunderstanding.”

“Yeah, you’d never do any of those things.”

Adrien cut through the crowd, gaze fixed on her with a bright smile, and pulled her into a warm hug.

“I’m so happy you’re back here where you belong, Marinette. How could anyone ever believe you’d do such horrible things?” he said. “It’s absolutely ridiculous. You’re so caring and trustworthy and genuinely kind. There’s no way you could have ever done those things.”

“Yeah, you’re like the last person on Earth to cheat or intentionally hurt someone, girl.” Alya agreed.

“I’m really sorry for any trouble my disease caused you, Marinette,” Lila said, clasping her hands together in front of her and curling her shoulders. “I hope you don’t hate me.”

“Not at all, Lila,” Marinette said with a gentleness that made Lila’s head snap up. “In fact, I brought you a brace for your knee. It was really scary seeing you fall down the stairs, and I wanted to make sure you were okay. Knee injuries can be so delicate; you should probably take it easy for a while. Such a shame too since we were all planning to go swimming tomorrow and now you can’t come.”

“Yeah…” Lila eyed the brace in Marinette’s outstretched hand and the friendly smile on her face. “Thank you.”

“You’re so welcome, Lila. I hope you and I can put this whole thing behind us,” Marinette said.

Their classmates cooed in adoration, praising Marinette’s kindness. Step one of their plan was well underway, not that Adrien was surprised. Marinette was really smart, so any plan of hers was bound to work out.

“Wow, Marinette, you really are amazing,” Max said.

“Isn’t she just the best?” Adrien nodded.

“I’m just trying to mend some broken bridges. I think Lila and I got off on the wrong foot because of a misunderstanding. I hope from now on that we can be friends.” Marinette held out a hand in good faith.

Lila flicked her gaze around to all of her classmates’ expectant faces.

“Of course, Marinette. I’d be happy to be your friend.” She smiled, shaking her hand just long enough to be convincing.

It was a maneuver Adrien was well acquainted with from watching his father over the years. Lila was good. He just hoped they were better.

“I’m glad.” Marinette’s tone gave nothing away.

Lila shot her a skeptical glare as the bell rang, but Marinette simply smiled sweetly. Adrien lingered when everyone else dispersed.

“I don’t know what you’re plotting, but just know that it’s never going to work,” Lila hissed when everyone was out of earshot.

“I don’t know what you mean, Lila. I’m just trying to be nice.” Marinette blinked innocently.

“Marinette’s extending you an olive branch, Lila. Just take it and put this whole thing behind you.” Adrien gave Lila a pointed look.

Remember our deal.

Lila rolled her eyes and stalked off, grumbling a disbelieving “whatever” as she went.

Adrien turned to Marinette with a smile.

“Phase one complete,” he said, and a smirk curled on Marinette’s lips.

“Onto phase two.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

“You know, when you made these plans with Adrien, I thought you were going to be nice.” Tikki chided in the bathroom several days later as Marinette washed her hands.

Their Lila plans had been running smoothly, and no on suspected a thing. Well, no one except Lila who for the life of her couldn’t figure out what they were playing at. She gave Marinette more dirty looks each day than she ever had before. Plus, Marinette was getting to spend extra time with Adrien. Their revenge scheme was the best thing she’d ever come up with.

“I am being nice,” Marinette said innocently.

“You put a ‘Coping with loss’ book on Lila’s desk yesterday.”

“She said her hamster died.” Marinette shrugged.

“And the safety glasses by the napkins in the cafeteria?” Tikki’s eyes narrowed.

“Max was worried about losing an eye.”

“You did your science presentation on tinnitus.”

“Well, after the music festival with Juleka’s mom, I was worried about our hearing.” Marinette snatched a paper towel from the dispenser and dried her hands.

“Your history report on the greatest liars and cheats in history?”

“I became fascinated with P.T. Barnum’s life after that movie and finishing with a comparison of Volpina and Rena Rouge was just a modern-day example everyone could identify with.” Tikki gave her a look. “I got a standing ovation for that presentation.”

“What about the fact-checking robot you petitioned Max to make?”

“For Alya for her birthday! I’m just trying to help her become a better journalist because I’m a good friend.” Marinette placed her hands on her hips haughtily.

“Marinette,” Tikki sighed.

“What? We can’t expose Lila, so we’re just playing along until she inevitably exposes herself, which I will watch with popcorn,” Marinette said. “It’s called kill em with kindness.”

“It’s called being petty.”

“Semantics.” Marinette waved it away, but when Tikki remained unamused, she added, “Look, I can’t beat Lila at lies. She just comes up with better ones, so I’ve come up with another plan that doesn’t harm anyone and keeps everyone from getting mad at me for calling her out. I mean, you saw what happened the other day when she got me expelled. Scarlet Moth almost made a comeback, and I was on the frontlines.”

“I guess we can’t let that happen again…” Tikki conceded.

“Exactly. Lila wants everyone to believe those things, so I’m just gonna let her keep falling down the rabbit hole until she eventually hits the bottom.” Marinette adjusted one of her pigtails in the mirror with a twisted grin. “If I happen to push her a little deeper along the way, then so be it.”

“That’s very underhanded of you, Marinette.”

“I don’t like it when people use my friends and threaten me.” Marinette folded her arms over her chest. “She almost got me akumatized multiple times now, and if it happens again, we can kiss Paris as we know it goodbye, and you’ll be under Hawkmoth’s control. Is that what you want?”

“Okay, okay, you’re right. Just be careful.” Tikki advised.

“Don’t worry, Tikki. Coming up with solutions is my superpower.” She winked. Her phone buzzed with an akuma alert. “Come on, we have a city to save. Tikki, transform me!”

***

“Ladybug!” Alya waved her down outside the Louvre after the battle, brandishing her cell phone. “Do you have time for a quick interview?”

“A little,” Ladybug said. “Make it quick.”

Alya pressed record. “Okay, my viewers want advice on how to stay positive to avoid being akumatized.”

“Well, I would recommend changing your perspective. Instead of being bummed out about failing a test, maybe see it as an opportunity to learn something and commit to studying harder next time. If you get into a fight with your friends, just take a deep breath and remember that if they’re your real friends, they’ll forgive you,” Ladybug replied. “And if you do get akumatized, don’t make a big deal out of it. Chat Noir and I will always be there to save you. Negative emotions are a part of life just like positive ones, and everyone can have a bad day, even me.”

“Next question, with the passing of Hero’s Day, my viewers want to know what they can do to help you and Chat Noir,” Alya said.

“Just do your best every day. Lift each other up instead of tearing each other down and do your best to help others who need it.” Ladybug smiled.

“My friend Marinette is like that, always helping others and helping us stay positive,” Alya remarked.

Ladybug stifled a smirk. Normally, she’d never draw special attention to her civilian identity, but…

“I think I’ve met her a few times. She’s alerted me of a few akumas here and there.” She tapped her chin. “Not everyone has superpowers like me and Chat Noir, but there are a lot of ways to help out in your school, in your community, or even in your own home just like your friend. I think that everyone should strive to be a Marinette.”

She pressed a hand to her earrings as they beeped and palmed her yoyo, flashing Alya a peace sign. “Gotta go before I change back.”

“Thank you for your time, Ladybug!” Alya bounced on her heels, clutching her phone to her chest as Ladybug tossed her yoyo over the roof.

“Bug out!”

***

When Lila walked through the library doors that afternoon, she stopped short when her eyes locked on Marinette sitting at a table with Max. Her blue eyes held that same taunting innocence that made Lila’s blood boil, no doubt she was pulling another one of her “nice” schemes.

“Oh, Lila, there you are.” She greeted with a smile, and Lila did her best to suppress an eye roll. “You haven’t been doing so well in class, so I’ve asked everyone to pitch in helping you catch up. Max is here to help you with your maths and science, Rose has agreed to help you with Literature, Sabrina can help you out with history, and Nathaniel said he would be more than happy to help you with the art project we have due next week.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary. Adrien agreed to help me with everything,” Lila said. “He should be here any minute.”

“Actually, he had a pop-up fencing lesson with Kagami this afternoon. She insisted because her mother is so hard on her to improve her technique, and Adrien is the only opponent who challenges her enough, so he just couldn’t say no.” Marinette explained.

“Adrien does score well across the board on all of his exams; however, his schedule guarantees an 87.96% chance that you won’t get sufficient help in order to pull your grades up before the end of the term. Marinette reached out to the rest of us to step in on his behalf so you don’t fail the semester,” Max stated.

Marinette smiled sweetly beside him, but Lila wasn’t an idiot. All of her little schemes were just revenge for getting her expelled. No matter, two could play whatever game Marinette was running.

“I’m so lucky to have friends like both of you!” Lila clasped her hands together.

“As class representative, I’m just looking out for the needs of everyone.” Marinette stood up. “I’ll leave you two to it. Thanks again for your help, Max.”

“No problem, Marinette,” Max said. “Oh, and I will have prototype designs for that software you asked me for later this week.”

“Awesome! You’re the best, Max!” Marinette smiled cheerfully. “Good luck, Lila, and let me know if you need any more help.”

Lila offered her a forced smile, face falling into a scowl as soon as she turned around.

“Have fun at movie night!” Max called after her.

“Movie night?” Lila quirked a brow.

“Yes, many of our classmates are convening to watch movies at Kim’s house this evening, but seeing as it’s a movie I’ve already seen, I agreed to help you catch up on your studies tonight instead.” Max explained, pulling out his textbooks. “I’ve assembled 100 maths problems for us to work covering each section of material that you missed while you were traveling, then I have a PowerPoint reviewing our particle physics unit from last term-”

Lila glared at the door Marinette had gone through, gripping her pencil with white knuckles. She wasn’t sure what game Marinette was playing with her, but she was definitely up to something. No matter, she wasn’t about to be defeated so easily. After all, she had Gabriel Agreste on her side.

***

“How did Lila react to Max?” Adrien asked as Marinette grabbed a juice from the snack table, sending her heart into a tizzy.

Even after plotting with Adrien every day, he still made her palms just as sweaty. And he looked so gorgeous with his hair combed back out of his mesmerizing green eyes. She almost forgot the question until he quirked a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

“I thought she was going to strangle me.” Marinette popped the tab on her drink and took a sip to hide her blush. “She went along with it because Max was there, but I’m sure she’s already plotting her revenge.”

“There isn’t going to be a lot I can do if my father decides to use her in photoshoots again, but I’ll help you in any way that I can outside of that,” Adrien said.

“What are you two whispering about?” Alya popped up behind them with a smirk.

“Uh, I was just asking Marinette if she wanted to sit with me during the movie.” Adrien grabbed a cookie and nudged Marinette with his elbow.

Sitting with Adrien! She hadn’t considered the possibility, but since he put it out there, it was definitely going to happen. They should have teamed up to be nice to Lila ages ago. It was the most time she and Adrien had spent together since they met, and Marinette wasn’t sure her heart was going to survive.

“Y-Yeah, I- of course. You don’t mind, do you, Alya?” She fumbled, knowing good and well that Alya not only didn’t mind but was enthusiastically in favor of the arrangement.

Alya shot her a knowing smile as if she’d read Marinette’s very thoughts. “Not at all. I was actually on my way to tell you that I want to sit with Nino.”

“Great. Then it’s settled.” Adrien waved as Alya retreated to her bean bag.

“How did Lila sneak past your father anyway? I thought he was some impenetrable wall?” Marinette asked as they moved to their seats.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Adrien shrugged, popping a popcorn kernel into his mouth. “Is it wrong I kind of wish she’d teach me?”

“Your dad let you come to this, didn’t he? That’s progress.” Marinette pointed out, but Adrien averted his gaze guiltily.

“I’m technically supposed to be meeting with my Chinese tutor right now, but I may have told him I lost my voice while also telling Gorilla that this was his address.” Adrien admitted with an impish grin.

He was even handsome when he was being devious.

“Sneaky.” Marinette praised.

His shoulders curled. “I feel kind of bad disobeying him, but all I want to do is see my friends. What’s so wrong with that?”

“Nothing, and I’m sure your dad will come around eventually.” She assured him.

“Thanks, Marinette. I really hope so.” He smiled, his gaze softening on her. “You really are the kindest girl at school. Lila won’t know what hit her.”

Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest, warming every inch of her skin. Adrien’s eyes really needed a warning label. All of her heart palpitations were making her dizzy.

“Ya know, Adrien, maybe if your dad ever allows it we could-”

“Lila, Max, you made it!” Kim called.

Marinette’s blood ran cold, sending a shiver up her spine. She and Adrien spun around, Lila’s triumphant green eyes glinting across the room.

“I’m a really fast learner,” Lila said, shooting Marinette a pointed glare. “Oh, Adrien, I ran into your father’s assistant on the way over. She was worried about where you were, so I told her we could check here for you.”

As if on cue, Nathalie entered behind Lila with a frown that made Adrien stiffen.

“Adrien, you’re supposed to be at Chinese right now.” She scolded. “If you come now, I won’t tell your father about this.”

“Yes, Nathalie.” Adrien’s face fell, and he shot Marinette an apologetic wince. “I’ll see you at school.”

“I’m sorry, Adrien. I didn’t realize you’d get in trouble.” Lila pressed a hand to her lips in an ‘oops’ manner. “Nathalie said your father was worried.”

“It’s okay, Lila. It’s my fault,” Adrien said, head hung low as he made his way out with Nathalie.

When the door closed behind them, Lila curled her shoulders and turned to everyone with a pout. “I’m sorry. I feel like I ruined everything. I didn’t realize that Adrien was here without permission.” She covered her face in the most convincing act of shame Marinette had ever seen. She had to hand it to her, Lila was a good actress—it made her a more powerful opponent.  

“Don’t sweat it, Lila. You didn’t know.” Nino assured her.

“I hope he doesn’t get into too much trouble.” She fretted, but Nino waved it away.

“Nah, Nathalie totally sticks up for him. If she says she won’t tell, then she won’t,” he said.

“That’s a relief.” Lila relaxed.

Unbelievable. Marinette shook her head. They knew Lila wasn’t going to take their nice act lying down, and it was only a matter of time before she acted. They needed a better plan to trip her up before she figured them out.

“Well, since Adrien had to bounce, why don’t you take his seat next to Marinette? You two have been getting along so great lately.” Alya suggested, pointing to the empty beanbag beside Marinette.

Lila flicked her gaze to meet Marinette’s with a grin. Ugh, the evening was not going how Marinette planned. Not at all.

“Do you mind, Marinette?” she asked, a challenging glint in her eye as if to say, ‘your move.’

“Not at all.” Marinette smiled sweetly as Lila paced over to sit down. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she checked it while Lila was busy chatting with Rose about Kitty Section.

looks like we have our work cut out for us. Adrien said.

So it would seem.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

“Knock, knock!”

Marinette paused her sewing, a wicked smile curling on her lips. Adrien climbed up carrying a plate of warm cookies, the hint of mischief that was becoming commonplace glinting in his eye. What she wouldn’t give for him to be her permanent cookie delivery boy. 

“From your dad.” He set them on her desk and pulled up a chair. “How’s your Ladybug sweater coming along?”

“Great! I was just closing up the seams now.” She smoothed over the red and black sweater that read ‘Ladybug’s bff’ on the front. “With her compromised immune system, I’d hate for Lila to catch a cold from the chilly weather in London on our field trip this week.”

“Wouldn’t that be a shame?” Adrien agreed, cupping a hand to his cheek. “Well, I successfully got M. D’Argencourt to give her some one-on-one time to make up her PE grade. He made sure she paced herself and didn’t put too much stress on that bad ankle of hers. It’s a shame she didn’t finish in time to get ice cream with all of us.”

“Well, school is important. We don’t want her to fail the term, do we?” Marinette said.

“Of course not! That would just be awful.” He nodded, and they both broke into a fit of giggles. “By the way, I have some good news.”

“Oh?” Marinette quirked a brow, grabbing a cookie.

“Guess when Lila’s birthday is?”

“Dunno, when?” Marinette shrugged.

“Some time in August, but guess what I overheard her telling Marc when he asked her to beta read their next comic since she’s such good friends with Ladybug?” He rolled his eyes. “She said she can’t help him because she’s going to Achu with her mother this weekend to celebrate her birthday.”

“But it’s only March.” Marinette’s eyes narrowed. “That brat totally blew them off!”

“Yeah, but it gave me an idea,” Adrien said. “Okay, so you know how we all planned a big surprise party for you this year?”

“How can I forget? My grandmother got akumatized,” Marinette said pointedly.

“Well, what if we threw Lila a party this Friday before she ‘leaves’ to go to Achu?” He suggested. “We could take lots of pictures and have proof that she lied when people find out when her actual birthday is. Or at the very least, she can’t use that lie again and will have to keep it going every year.”

Marinette tapped her chin. “What if we centered the party around all of her lies? We could have tons of recycle bins for her anti-pollution campaign, we can have the local shelter bring out a bunch of adoptable animals since she loves volunteering, and we can even get Jagged to send a bunch of signed posters for everyone.”

“You’re a despicable genius, Marinette. I’m a little scared.” Adrien shrank back in awe.

“Lila had it coming. She did get me expelled,” she said with a huff.

“Not arguing that. I just hope I never get on your bad side.” He chuckled. “So, what’s our first move?”

“First, we plant the bait for everyone, then we set the trap for Lila. Alya and Myléne volunteer at the animal shelter all the time, so I’m sure they can handle that, and Sabrina’s dad has an in with the city for the recycling bins.” Marinette listed.

“What about Jagged?” Adrien asked.

A sly grin curled on her lips.

“Leave Jagged to me.”

***

“Hello, Penny,” Marinette greeted the following afternoon outside Jagged’s suite.

The hotel corridor was quiet, but plucky piano chords echoed behind Penny, Jagged’s smooth vocals humming over them.

“Marinette, it’s good to see you, but what are you doing here?” Penny tilted her head to the side.

The music stopped abruptly, piano keys screeching.

“Did you say Marinette’s here? Rock on! Let her in,” Jagged called. “Yo, Marinette, you have to hear this new song I’m working on.”

Penny blinked in confusion but stepped aside, nonetheless. Marinette entered with an appreciative smile, heart hammering after being let in with such ease. Of course, Jagged praised her work in the past, but it was nice to know he still liked her. Marinette just hoped he liked her enough to fulfill her request.

Jagged perked up when she approached and scooted over to make room for her on the bench.

“So, what brings you by, Marinette?” He asked, gliding his fingers over the keys with practiced precision.

“I kind of need a favor, if you don’t mind…” She sat beside him, pressing her palms between her knees.

“Ay, of course. You can ask your ole Uncle Jagged for favors any time,” he said. “Just tell me what’s on your mind.”

Marinette took a deep breath and continued, “Well, there’s this girl at my school, and she’s kind of a huge liar-”

“Ugh, I hate liars. I dated a liar once. Great kisser, but he always needed attention. So annoying.” He wrinkled his nose.

“Tell me about it, except this girl is a bit more than just annoying. I called her out for lying a few times, but she always spins things back on me. Now, we’re sworn enemies, and she has it out for me,” Marinette said.

Jagged paused his playing. “D’you want me to feed her to Fang?” He quirked a brow.

Marinette considered it. “Nah, I wouldn’t want to make him sick.” She shook her head. “But me and another friend who knows about her have been plotting revenge ever since she got me expelled-”

“She got you expelled?” Jagged’s fingers slammed onto keys, filling the room with a discordant harmony.

“Yeah. My friend made her fix it in the end, but now we’re done with her lying and manipulating everyone, so we have a plan,” Marinette said. She gave him the run down, surprised by how intently he listened. When she finished, he stroked his beard with a pensive frown.

“Wow. This is all very high road yet secretly low road of you, Marinette. Rock on!” Jagged smirked, offering her a fist to bump. “I will totally help you.”

“Thanks, Jagged!” Marinette hugged his chest.

“Anything for my favorite little lady,” he said, ruffling her hair. “But I’ve gotta say, I feel like we can do better than posters. This girl almost ruined your reputation.”

“What do you have in mind?” Marinette tilted her head to the side.

“Well…”

***

“She’s coming!” Nathaniel called, running through the park entrance.

Everyone took their places, waiting for the birthday girl to arrive. Naturally, all of their classmates were enthusiastically on board with the idea when Adrien and Marinette proposed it. After all, why wouldn’t they want to celebrate the life of their beloved classmate? It was their most ambitious plan yet, and everything was coming together perfectly.

“I can’t believe we pulled this off,” Adrien whispered to Marinette. “I can’t wait to see the look on her face.”

“She’s going to lose her mind.” Marinette winked.

Alya led Lila into the park blindfolded just as she had done for Marinette, only this time, Lila had no idea what to expect.

“Surprise!” Everyone shouted when she removed the blindfold.

Lila’s jaw dropped, green eyes flitting between all of their faces in confusion.

“What’s all this?” she asked with a nervous laugh.

“It’s for your birthday,” Nathaniel said as if it were obvious.

“Yeah, you’re going to Achu tomorrow, so we wanted to celebrate today.” Alya explained.

The gears clicked into place, and Lila straightened, a bright smile tugging at her cheeks. She really was a pro. 

“Oh, you guys! You didn’t have to,” she said modestly.

“You’re our bud, and you do so much for the world. We wanted to make sure you had a great bday,” Nino said, wrapping an arm around Alya’s shoulders.

“You guys are too sweet. Thank you.” Lila placed a hand over her heart.

“Thank Marinette and Adrien. They orchestrated all of this,” Alya said.

Lila turned to them, smile faltering just a twitch. They waved to her with cheery grins that widened when Lila’s eyes narrowed. She recovered quickly, pressing her lips together to hide her scowl.

“We made sure to celebrate all of your achievements.” Adrien gestured to their spread. “We had the city bring in recycling bins to cut back on the garbage, and all of the party decorations are made from recycled materials, courtesy of Marinette.”

“We also asked a local shelter to bring by some adoptable animals for us to socialize,” Alya said, pointing to the pins of dogs across the sidewalk. “And finally, Marinette has a super epic surprise!”

Lila turned to Marinette, her eyes burning with a cold intensity under her elastic smile.

“It was no big deal, really.” Marinette waved it away. “He jumped at the opportunity when I told him it was for you.”

“Yo, Lila! Long time no see, huh?”

Lila blanched as Jagged approached with Penny and Fang in tow. Marinette crossed her arms over her chest with a smirk.

“Thanks for coming, Jagged,” she said sweetly.

“Of course. Anything for my two favorite ladies.” Jagged pulled them both in for a hug. “I’d love to personally give all of your little friends autographs, and Marinette even agreed to help me sing your favorite song of mine. You know, the one I wrote for you, Lila.”

“Uh, yeah, that’s so generous of both of you, but you don’t have to do that.” Lila insisted.

“Why not?” Adrien asked, shoving his hands in his pockets as everyone gave her similarly perplexed looks.

“Uh, I have a headache, so loud noises probably aren’t the best,” she said.

“Oh, is your tinnitus coming back? I have an ear plug, and I’ve started carrying around painkillers just in case you ever need it.” Marinette reached into her purse.

Lila stared down at the items in her hand blankly, and Marinette watched the webs weaving behind those calculated green eyes.

“Wow, Marinette. You sure think of everything, don’t you?” Lila said through gritted teeth.

“She’s so detail-oriented. It’s what makes her such a good designer. That’s why she’s one of my favorite little rockers. Second only to you, of course, Lila,” Jagged said.

“I’m just doing my part. We can’t all save African villages, but we can be there for each other.” Marinette clasped her hands together with an innocent beam. “I just wanted to make sure my amazing friend had a great birthday.”

“So thoughtful of you,” Lila cooed, though rage burned behind her smile.

“Alright then, who wants an autograph?” Jagged held up a pen.

Marinette and Adrien stood back on either side of Lila with impish grins as their classmates crowded around Jagged. With everyone else’s attention diverted, Lila dropped the smiles and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I don’t know what you two are planning, but you’d better watch your step,” Lila said under her breath.

“What’s the matter, Lila?” Marinette asked.

“Isn’t this what you’ve always wanted?” Adrien added.

“Drop the act. I’m not an idiot, and if either of you even thinks about starting anything-”

“Gosh, I didn’t realize inviting Jagged was going to upset you so much. I thought you two were good friends,” Marinette said, pressing a hand to her lips.

“I’m serious, you two. Call off the song, or else,” Lila said. “I’m not dumb. I know you’re going to get Jagged to diss me in front of everyone.”

“You really think we’d do such a thing? And on your birthday?” Marinette gasped.

Lila rolled her eyes. “I haven’t bought your whole nice act from the moment it started, but if you threaten me, I can get you kicked out of Paris for good.”

“That seems like an unkind thing to do to a friend. Marinette worked really hard to put all of this together, Lila,” Adrien said with a warning tone. He wrapped an arm around Marinette’s shoulders as her face fell.

“No, it’s okay. Lila doesn’t want us to sing, so we won’t. It’s her birthday after all,” Marinette said.

“I don’t know what you two are up to-”

“We’re just trying to be your friends, Lila.” Adrien flicked his gaze to the rest of the party-goers, then leaned into Lila’s ear. “But you might wanna tread carefully,” he said, giving her a pointed look. A smile broke over his lips again, and he patted her shoulder. “Happy Birthday, Lila.”

He and Marinette joined their classmates around Jagged to break the news.

“Oh, your throat is sore?” Alya’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah, just a tickle, but I’d hate to ruin the performance,” Marinette said. “But maybe it’s for the best. Lila still has a headache, and when I told her about it, she was totally cool with putting it off for another day.”

“It’s a shame. We must have worked too hard rehearsing it last night,” Jagged said. “Hey, here’s a thought. Why don’t you all come to my concert tomorrow? You can rest your chops tonight and perform with me tomorrow. All of your friends can come.”

“Wow, really?” Marinette perked up.

“Of course! I want to totally rock out with you, Marinette,” Jagged said, ruffling her hair.

“Oh, but Lila’s going to Achu tomorrow.” Marinette deflated again. “She won’t be able to make it.”

“Don’t worry, love. Lila gets to go to my concerts all the time. She won’t be too upset missing one chance to come backstage with everyone. Isn’t that right, Lila?” Jagged flashed her a wink.

“Uh, yeah. I get to sing with you all the time. It’s no biggie,” she said.

Jagged patted Marinette’s shoulder. “See? She’s cool with it, so whaddya say? Wanna rock out with your Uncle Jagged?”

“If it’s really alright then…okay!” Marinette beamed.

Their classmates crowded around her, expressing their excitement. Despite it being Lila’s “birthday” party, everyone was more interested in the next day’s promised event to care much for the sneaky vixen they were celebrating. It really was Marinette and Adrien’s best scheme yet.

---

Lila broke away from the rest of the party, ripping the party hat from her head and tossing it into a nearby trashcan with a growl of disgust. Marinette may have won that battle, but Lila didn’t intend to lose the war. She wouldn’t be so easily fooled next time.

“Ya know.” She jumped when Jagged draped an arm over her shoulder. “Marinette told me everything, and if it were me, I would have totally asked me to call you out in front of all your little friends today, but she didn’t.”

Lila averted her gaze.

“Marinette is one amazing little chick, and she’s like family to me. If anyone ever hurts her, they’ll have me to answer to, and they’ll learn that I’m not so nice,” Jagged said. “Just a little something for you to keep in mind. Because she’s miraculous, simply the best, up to the test when things go wrong- hey, ya know, now I could make a song out of that.” He patted her shoulder before pacing over to join Marinette and Adrien.

Lila closed her shaking hands into fists. If this was the game they wanted to play, fine. They were about to learn what a formidable foe she could be.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

“So,” Jagged said a few weeks later, dropping onto the couch in his suite. “How are things with little miss liar?”

Marinette sat scratching Fang under the chin, the croc melting under her touch. “Going well. We’ve successfully blocked her from going to the movies with us and from attending a party Nino threw,” Marinette said. “And I got her to wear a medical boot for a week because she claimed she hurt her foot to get out of gym class.”

“Is that all?” Jagged laughed.

“Well, yeah. That’s our plan. To keep inconveniencing her with her lies,” Marinette said.

“If you really want to get to this girl, you’re going to have to do better or else she’s going to learn your game and start fighting back.” Jagged shook his head.

“I guess you’re right, but we don’t know what else to do without stooping to her level.” Marinette pursed her lips. “Besides, even if we did, she’s way better at this than us.”

Jagged placed a hand on her shoulder with a smirk. “You’re forgetting one very important thing, love. You’ve got something that this girl doesn’t: You’re Uncle Jagged.” He jutted his thumb to his chest and waggled his eyebrows. “And he’s about to show you how to seek some good old-fashioned revenge.”

***

“Marinette? Is that you?”

Marinette sat up, lowering her sunglasses to peer up at Alya, Nino, and their siblings. She rolled onto her side, digging her toes into the hot sand as kids and teens scoured the banks of the Seine for the perfect spot to enjoy the beach.

“Oh, hey, guys! I’ve saved a spot for all of us,” she said, gesturing to the open area.

“Great, thanks. You’re amazing, but quick question, is than an alligator next to you?” Alya pointed to Fang sunning himself beside her.

“It’s a crocodile! Even I know that!” Chris corrected, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s a crocodile, but why is it here?” Alya rolled her eyes.

“This is Fang. Jagged is performing in Berlin tonight, so he’s busy doing show prep, and he really didn’t want Fang to miss the beach in Paris, so he asked if I could watch him today,” Marinette said, giving Fang’s belly a rub.

“And you said yes?” Nino quirked a brow.

“Of course! Fang is such a sweetheart, aren’t you?” She patted his scales affectionately. “He just wants to soak up the sun like all of us.”

“Can’t argue with that I guess,” Alya said as the kids crowded around to pet him.

“Marinette, hey!” Adrien called, the rest of the class following closed behind. “Thanks for scoping out this awesome spot.”

“It was no problem. I came early so Fang could enjoy the beach as much as he wanted today,” she said.

“Whoa, is that Jagged Stone’s crocodile?” Kim asked.

“Yep.” Marinette nodded.

“Whoa, Jagged really trusted you with Fang for a day?” Alix asked in disbelief.

Marinette winked over her sunglasses.

“That’s awesome!” Kim dropped his bag, rushing over to join the kids. “Hey, Lila, do you ever get to babysit Fang, since you and Jagged are so close?”

The girl who had all but blended into the back of the crowd upon seeing the crocodile stiffened as everyone turned to her, but she was a natural, so it didn’t frazzle her for long. “Oh, yeah. All the time. Jagged trusts me so much.”

“Yeah, he tried to call you about today, but you’re always so busy. I told him I wouldn’t mind, since we were already coming to the beach anyway,” Marinette said.

“That’s understandable.” Nathaniel nodded along with several other classmates.

“Anyway, let’s set up the volleyball net. I want a rematch with Alix!” Kim shot her a playful glare, the allure of the crocodile already lost on him.

“We can rematch all you want, but you’re still going down!”

Marinette smiled as her classmates all settled into their niches, Marc applying gobs of sunscreen to Nathaniel, Juleka and Rose setting up an umbrella, Nino and Alya helping the kids with a sandcastle. Lila picked a spot as far away from Fang as possible, which was fine because it left the spot next to Marinette wide open for Adrien to drop his bag.

“Do you mind if I sit with you?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Of course,” she said, cheeks hot from more than just the sun.

“I can’t believe Jagged actually loaned you Fang for the day.” He lowered his voice, glancing around at the class to ensure they weren’t close enough to overhear. “I mean, it’s so crazy that he wants to help.”

“Well, the part about a show in Berlin and Fang wanting to go to the beach are true. I get along with Fang so well that it wasn’t a big deal.” Marinette shrugged. “But Jagged told me that in order to really pull the plug on Lila, I need to start using my own connections.”

“Hmm…” Adrien tapped his chin. “Ya know, between the two of us, we can probably work our way around pretty easily.”

“Lila has lied about a lot of famous people.” Marinette pointed out, and a smile curled on Adrien’s lips. “What?”

“Do you want Clara Nightingale’s number?”

***

“Don’t be bemused, it’s just the news, and welcome back to Side-by-Side. I’m your host Nadja Shamack, and I’m joined today by teen fashion model and face of Gabriel Agreste brand, Adrien Agreste!” Nadja declared with every ounce of a reporter’s camera enthusiasm. “Thank you so much for agreeing to come on the show today, Adrien. How are you tonight?”

“I’m doing great. Thank you for having me, Nadja,” Adrien replied, leaning back on the couch casually.

“Glad to hear it! We’ve got quite the scoop for you all tonight because you have been quite the busy bee lately.” Nadja shot him a knowing smile. “You star in the animated Miraculous movie voicing Chat Noir. Not to mention, you just had a new spread come out for Gabriel’s summer line, so how do you unwind after a long day of being a famous teen model and voice actor?”

“Well, Nadja, there are a number of ways, but I love spending time with my friends the most. We actually just went to the beach recently while it’s set up here in Paris,” he said.

“Yes, tell us about that.” Nadja prompted.

“So, my school friends and I all decided to hit the beach together, and it was a lot of fun. We played volleyball, built sandcastles, ate lots of ice cream-”

“You did have some ice cream, didn’t you? There have been a lot of rumors flying around because some fans happened to notice you spending a lot of time with a fellow classmate in particular,” Nadja said with a smirk as a picture flashed on the screen of Adrien and Marinette smiling over ice cream on the beach. “Lots of people are speculating about the two of you online, especially after you posted this to your Instagram.” The image changed to Adrien’s post with Marinette and Clara at the spa. “What can you tell us about your relationship with Marinette Dupain-Cheng? Any rumors you’d like to clear up?”

“Of course,” Adrien said with a laugh. “Marinette is a good friend of mine. She’s super talented and a really gifted creator. She actually made the swimsuit and hat she wore to the beach, which is way awesome, and it was really cool because as I’m sure many of you know by now, she and Jagged Stone are very close—like he views her as family. So she was actually babysitting Fang at the beach while he was performing in Berlin, so we got to hang out with a crocodile all day, which was cool.”

“Was he well behaved?” Nadja asked.

“Very.” Adrien nodded.

“Now, you say that Marinette is a good friend, but is she a good friend, or a good friend?” Nadja quirked a brow.

Adrien sat back with a laugh. “Just a good friend,” he said.

“A good friend that you take to the spa with Clara Nightingale?” Nadja said pointedly.

“Like I said, Marinette is super talented, and she has invited me to hang out with her and Jagged a few times lately, so while we were at the beach, we were talking about how stressed we are, since she keeps pretty busy herself, and I normally go to the spa every other week because when you’re a teen model, facials are a must.” He paused to gesture to his glowing complexion.

“So, I invited her to come along. Clara happened to be in Paris that weekend too, and she loves Marinette, she actually asked about her recently. I don’t know how many people know this, but Clara wanted Marinette to play Ladybug in her music video until they changed ideas, so I texted her to see if she wanted to tag along, and she did. So, we all went and hung out and had an awesome time.” He shrugged as if it were no big deal.

“So, there is nothing romantic between you two?” Nadja asked.

“No, but she and I are great friends.” Adrien shook his head. “She is doing really amazing things for herself. I felt like I was the least accomplished person hanging out in the spa that day. Maybe someday you’ll have her on the show talking about her fashion line. I think she’s going to kill it.”

“I look forward to it,” Nadja said, “and since you two are just friends, teen girls in Paris can sleep tonight?”

“Yes, please get some sleep.” Adrien laughed, pressing his palms together.

Nadja turned to the camera with a smile. “You heard it here first. Adrien Agreste is still single,” she said. “After the break, we’ll talk more about Adrien’s role in the Miraculous animated movie, so stay tuned. We’ll be right back!”

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

Marinette laid back on her chaise, humming along to Jagged’s newest single Liar. Adrien’s interview had just ended, so she kept her phone nearby for his inevitable call. While she knew about the rumors spreading about them, she still hadn’t been prepared to hear Adrien tell the world they were just friends on live TV. Part of her hoped that teaming up against Lila would bring them closer, and it had—just not in the way she wanted. But it didn’t matter. There would be plenty of time for flirting after Lila was out of the picture.

When her phone buzzed, she lowered the volume on her playlist and answered. “Nice job on the interview.”

“Thanks. We’re in good shape for tomorrow. Clara told me she’s really looking forward to our shopping trip,” Adrien said. “I can’t wait to see the look on Lila’s face when Clara posts about her new fashion advisor.”

“Do you really think she’ll do it? I mean, I still have to impress her with my choices tomorrow. What if she hates everything I pick out?” Marinette bit her lip.

“Relax. You’ll do fine. I know you will.” He assured her. “Clara really respects you. She told me earlier that she’s hoping you two can be good friends.”

“For real?” Marinette shot upright.

“Yeah, for real.” Adrien laughed. “Funny how almost everything Lila lies about is coming true for you now.”

“Well, she has one thing on me. Jagged did write a song about her…” Marinette turned the volume up with a smirk.

I see through your disguise. Can’t touch me with your little lies.

Adrien chuckled at that. “Maybe we’ll make an honest girl out of her.”

“Doubt it. She loves the attention too much.” Marinette rolled her eyes. “But we’re the ones with the real connections, so we still have the high ground.”

“And we have each other. I promise I won’t let her mess with you ever again, Marinette. If she tries to hurt you, she’ll have to go through me.”

Marinette’s cheeks warmed, and she leaned back against the pillow, trailing her thumb over her lucky charm.

“Thank you. It means a lot to know you’ll always be there for me,” she said.

“Of course. You’re a dear friend, Marinette, and I know you’d do the same for me.”

She smiled up at her ceiling, pressing a soft kiss to the lucky charm as if it were his cheek. “See you tomorrow?”

“Let’s make Lila regret coming after you.”

***

Raindrops pattered against Lila’s umbrella on the abandoned street corner. Most people had moved inside to avoid the downpour, but Lila barely batted an eye. She had business to attend to.

Her mental clock ticked away the seconds until a silver car rolled to a stop to her left. She kept her eyes forward as the window rolled down, and Gabriel glared out at her. It wasn’t that he held any personal disdain for her—Gabriel glared at everyone.

“I’m growing impatient. Every time I turn around, I see my son with Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I thought you said you could handle her,” he said.

“I’ve run into a few hiccups, but I assure you, I can take her out for good. I just need more time.” Lila watched the droplets splatter against the ground, jaw clenching.

Focusing kept her from losing her temper. While it was incredibly tempting to snap, Lila couldn’t afford to lose Gabriel now. She wanted to scream about how Adrien was plotting against her. That Marinette had been playing dirty. But Gabriel didn’t care for excuses. He wanted results, so if Marinette was taking low blows, Lila would throw a few of her own.

“Perhaps it might help you to know that she and Adrien will be out shopping with Clara Nightingale tomorrow afternoon. Clara hopes that Marinette can give her fashion advice. She has dreams of being a designer, you know,” Gabriel said. “It would be a shame if something got in the way of those dreams.”

A smirk curled on Lila’s lips, the calm reassurance of Gabriel’s support relaxing her shoulders. “Understood.”

***

“Don’t be nervous.”

Marinette ripped her gaze away from the window and removed her fingers from her mouth. Wiping the chewed nubs on her pants, she let out a breath and began tapping her feet instead. Adrien gave her a soft smile and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“You’ll do great. Just relax,” Adrien said as they rolled up to Gabriel’s boutique.

Nathalie climbed from the front seat and opened the door for them.

Marinette took a deep breath as they climbed from the car. “You’re right. I can do this. Clara wants to be my friend, so everything is going to be totally fi-”

Her blood ran cold.

“Marinette? What’s wro- oh, no.” Adrien stopped in his tracks as Clara approached with the only person on the planet who could ruin this trip.

“Hey, Marinette, Adrien.”

Lila.

“Marinette, it’s so good to see you. This girl says she’s a friend of yours too.” Clara pulled her in for a hug.

“Thank you two so much for inviting me to come along on this trip. I’m such a big fan of yours, Clara, and when Marinette told me she was nervous about picking out your outfits today, I was happy to come along and assist,” Lila said, shooting Marinette a sly grin. “Marinette and I share a love of fashion, and we bounce ideas off each other all the time. Isn’t that right, Marinette?”

“I wouldn’t say all the time.” Marinette grunted, crossing her arms over her chest, and at Clara’s curious expression she added, “because you travel so much, right, Lila?”

“It’s true. There are so many countries out there that need our help. I’m just doing my best where I can.” Lila pressed a hand to her forehead in a ‘woe is me’ fashion.

“How very noble of you. I can sense a deep bond between you two,” Clara said.

Marinette suppressed an eye roll. Nothing bonded people more than mutual hatred.

“Well, there’s nothing to stand out here for, so let’s go in the door.” Clara shimmied ahead into the boutique.

Lila shot Marinette a pointed glare the moment Clara turned her back, and Marinette exchanged nervous looks with Adrien. Their trip had just gotten a lot more complicated.

An employee let them in, the boutique having been closed for their private shopping spree. The severity of the situation was sinking in with every step, and Marinette was starting to sweat.

Clara twirled around with a cheery squeal, completely unaware of the storm brewing between her guests. “I’m so happy having you all here. Nothing’s better than spending time with friends so dear.”

“The pleasure is all ours,” Lila said, linking arms with Adrien.

“Ya know, I’m kind of in the mood for coffee. Why don’t you and I go get some, Lila? Nathalie can accompany us.” Adrien tugged her toward the door, but Clara’s bodyguard stood in the way.

“There’s no need for that today. Nathalie, will you fetch some straight away?” Clara asked.

“Of course. You all carry on.” Nathalie nodded, oblivious to Adrien’s pleading look.

Adrien shot Marinette an apologetic wince, but she didn’t blame him. They expected Lila to pull a stunt eventually, so they would just have to navigate on the fly. It was risky, but Marinette had a plan. 

“Clara, why don’t we make this a little more fun? Why don’t Lila and I both pick out outfits for you, and you could choose the one you like better? That way you have more options.” Marinette suggested.

“You always have such great ideas, Marinette! On that anyone can bet.” Clara took her hands and twirled her around. “I have been wanting to change my style, so let’s see what you two compile. For my first look, let’s keep it easy, an evening dress that’s not too cheesy,” Clara said, shimmying off to the dressing rooms.

“Not so fun, is it?” Lila crossed her arms over her chest.

“I don’t know how you got in, but-” Marinette held up a hand to cut Adrien off.

“It’s fine. If Lila wants to play designer. We’ll let her.” She stalked toward a rack on the other end of the store, shifting through hangers as Adrien fell in beside her.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked.

“Look, Clara asked me to come on this trip, so obviously she respects my opinion. Not to mention your father, Audrey Bourgeois, and Jagged Stone have all praised my work in the past. I can beat her.” Marinette met his gaze head-on.

Adrien blinked, a smile curling on his lips. “Anything I can do to help?”

“No, I have to do this on my own.” She grabbed a couple dresses from the rack and headed for shoes.

 “You’ve got this, Marinette,” he said.

Marinette’s heart pounded as she assembled her outfit, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins only fueled her determination. Lila could challenge her in a lot of things, but fashion was hers. No amount of lying or deceit could take that away from her. She would beat Lila no matter what.

“I have your coffee.” Nathalie reappeared with two cups in a paper tray.

“Thanks, Nathalie,” Adrien said.

“Have you picked out your outfit, Marinette? I can take it to Clara for you.” Nathalie offered.

Marinette exchanged the garment bag for the tray. “Thank you!” She bowed, letting out a breath as Nathalie sauntered off.

“Don’t worry. Clara will see the one with real talent in just a few minutes. No way Lila beats you,” Adrien said.

Marinette offered him a smile, taking a sip of her coffee as they made their way to the platform outside the dressing room to wait.

“She’s trying on Marinette’s pick first.” Clara’s assistant announced.

Marinette held her breath as the curtains parted, but her jaw dropped when Clara stepped out in a lime green skirt, a neon orange tiger-print shirt, a pair of red heels, and a black feathered hat.

“What?”

“Marinette, your choices are a little off the wall. I’m not sure I’d have paired these at all,” Clara said, examining herself in the mirror.

“But that’s not-” She stopped short, shooting a cutting glare at Lila. Her fists shook, angry tears burning her eyes. Accusations formed on her tongue, but she bit them back.

Of course, Lila wasn’t going to play fair. She should have known better. Without even realizing, she’d played right into her trap. Lila was always two steps ahead of Marinette! There was no way to win because Lila already stacked the odds against her.

“This must be a mistake. Marinette didn’t pick any of those things. I was with her the whole time.” Adrien stepped forward. “Her bag probably got switched.”

“Well, I certainly didn’t pick that outfit,” Lila said, pressed a hand to her lips to hide her smirk.

Clara tapped her chin with a hum and turned to Nathalie. “You brought Marinette’s bag to me. Do you know where the real one could be?”

“I placed it on the rack for you, then I brought your coffee. I’m not sure what happened after that,” Nathalie said.

“Hmm… This is quite the mystery, but this outfit not being Marinette’s is something I’m glad to see.” Clara gave it one last disgruntled look in the mirror and stepped off the platform. “Having you come on this trip was such a delight, so I’ll give you another chance to get it right.”

“Thank you, Clara!” Marinette breathed a sigh of relief.

“In the meantime, why don’t you try on my outfit, Clara?” Lila said, casting an impish smile over her shoulder at Marinette.

“It would be my pleasure. Let’s see how your picks measure.”

Marinette crossed her arms over her chest and turned to Adrien as Clara retreated to the changing room.

“I should have known she’d try something underhanded like this to make her outfit seem better. I can’t believe I fell for it!” She slapped a palm to her forehead.

 “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on her next round and make sure she doesn’t switch your outfit out for something lame,” Adrien whispered as Clara emerged from the stall.

“Now this is what I’m talking about. This outfit is totally me, no doubt.” Clara hopped onto the platform and gave a twirl.

Marinette nearly blew her top. “But that’s-” She clamped a hand over her mouth. “A great choice. I would have picked the same thing.”

Only she had because it was hers. Lila hadn’t just swapped her outfit for a ridiculous one—she’d outright taken it. Marinette could beat her easily, and Lila knew that. Rather than just make Marinette look ridiculous, Lila took it one step further and used Marinette’s talent to make herself look better. If there weren’t so many other people in the room, Marinette would have transformed on the spot and ripped her head off!

“Lila, your understanding of my style is quite profound. Marinette will have to try harder next round,” Clara said, admiring the stolen red dress. “For my next look, I want something more hearty—an outfit that will make me the life of the party!”

Marinette stormed from the dressing area, and Adrien followed her to the men’s changing room on the other side of the store. Pulling the curtain closed behind them, Marinette leaned against the wall with a huff, cupping her cheeks.

“Lila was ready for that. She’s catching up,” Adrien said, taking the wall across from her and crossing his arms over his chest.

“She already caught up, and now she’s ahead of us.” Marinette shook her head. “We need to gain back some ground.”

“What should we do?”

Marinette drummed her fingers on her jeans before digging out her phone. Adrien didn’t question as she dialed furiously and pressed the phone to her ear. She answered on the third ring.

“Hey, girl, how’s your shopping trip going?”

“Alya, I need you to do me a favor.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

Adrien stalked across the floor to where Lila was sifting through a rack. She didn’t look up as he approached, but an amused smile curled on her lips.

“Marinette has such strange taste, don’t you think?” She held up a bright green blazer.

“I told you to leave her alone,” Adrien said.

“And yet every time I mess with her, you do nothing.” She rolled her eyes, returning the jacket to the rack. “You could end this whole charade right now by telling Clara you didn’t really invite me, but you’re not going to do that, are you? Because that wouldn’t be very nice.”

“I mean it, Lila. You’re messing with Marinette’s dreams, and that’s not okay.” She examined his stern expression with an amused smirk.

“So, what are you going to do about it?” she asked.

“Mess around and find out.”

The confidence in Lila’s eyes flickered for a split second under his glare, a glint of worry that gave Adrien enough encouragement, but just as quickly as it appeared, the fear faded, paving way for Lila’s taunting once more. Adrien turned and stormed back to the dressing area, relaxing his shoulders as he rejoined the group.  

Marinette was finishing her second outfit, and this time, she personally handed Clara the bag. Adrien stood guard by the curtain, shooting daggers at Lila when she approached, which only made her smirk when she thought no one was looking. He wasn’t taking any chances. Lila wasn’t going to ruin Marinette’s dreams. He’d see to it.

When Clara emerged, she skipped onto the platform and gave a twirl. “Now this is a party outfit that’ll make me dance! I’m so glad I gave you a second chance.”

“You look awesome, Clara. Marinette is super talented when you get to wear what she actually picked,” Adrien said pointedly.

“I couldn’t agree more. This outfit is one I simply adore!” Clara stepped down to take Marinette’s hands. “Your style is simply the best. When it comes to fashion, there’s no contest.”

“Thank you, Clara. That means the world coming from you,” Marinette said, that spark of confidence returning to her eyes.

Lila’s jaw clenched as Adrien high-fived Marinette. For added insult, he draped an arm over her shoulders while Clara tried on Lila’s outfit. It didn’t matter what Lila had picked; she was no match for Marinette when they were competing honestly.

“Hmm…” Clara hummed, twisting in the mirrors to see the dress from all angles. “A lovely choice, don’t get me wrong, but this outfit just isn’t my song. Your first choice was far more on the nose, but I’ve got to be honest, these shoes are hurting my toes.”

“That’s okay. Marinette is incredibly talented. The only reason I won the first round was because of that mix-up. I’m sure she’s got something amazing up her sleeve for this next round too,” Lila said, curling her shoulders in the fakest show of humility Adrien had ever seen.

“Then let’s not waste any more time. I can’t wait to try on an outfit so divine. Tonight I will be Nadja’s TV guest, so let’s see which one of you is really the best!”

---

As Marinette took off, Adrien shot Lila a warning look before following after her. It was cute that he thought he could intimidate her into being nice, but Lila had direct orders. Things were going exactly as planned, and those two idiots were falling right into her trap. Soon Marinette’s aspirations would be nothing more than a pipe dream.

When Nathalie emerged from the back with a garment bag, Lila sauntered over to meet her. “Is this my dress?”

Nathalie responded by offering Lila her phone, and Lila pressed it to her ear.

“Nathalie tells me everything is going according to plan,” Gabriel said on the other line.

“Of course, M. Agreste. Marinette thinks she’s getting ahead, but with your help I’ll make sure her dreams are crushed for good. Then she’ll be sure to stay away from Adrien,” she said like a dutiful student.

“Good. I’m counting on you.” Gabriel hung up.

Lila lifted the bag with a smirk. Marinette chose the wrong opponent to challenge, and Lila was about to prove that she didn’t lie about everything. She was going to take everything from Marinette. Clara was just step one.

---

“I still don’t trust Lila,” Adrien whispered while Marinette browsed the wall of shoes.

“Don’t worry about her. We’re onto her little game now, so it’s impossible for her to steal my outfit again, and we both know Clara prefers my picks to hers now without a doubt,” Marinette said, sounding confident.

Under normal circumstances, Adrien would have been proud. Lila, however, was not normal circumstances.

“I know you’re better than her, but I just have a bad feeling. I don’t trust her,” Adrien said, glancing at Lila in accessories out of the corner of his eye.

Marinette zipped her bag and turned to look him in the eye. “I’m not asking you to trust her. I’m asking you to believe in me.”

Her bright blue eyes glowed with determination, and although he couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in his gut, he nodded her on. Marinette was brilliant and amazing — Adrien knew that. She had a bright future ahead of her so long as nothing got in her way. And if Lila even tried, Adrien would make sure karma picked her up on the way back around.

“Alright, chickadees, let’s see what you’ve got for me,” Clara said, bouncing in anticipation.

Marinette didn’t spare Lila a single glance as she paced over to Clara, but Adrien hung back to make sure she behaved. Lila seemed to all but ignore him until the last moment when she shot him a playful wink that sent his blood boiling.

“Oh, Clara, since I know Marinette is probably going to win, will you try on my outfit first?” Lila requested innocently. “Naturally, mine will pale in comparison, so I want you to give it a fair shot.”

“Lila, that’s quite the humble stance. I’d be more than happy to give yours a chance.”

Adrien instinctively bristled when Lila passed off her bag. What was she up to? His stomach churned in knots, and he stepped closer to Marinette, gleaning comfort from close proximity as if he could protect her from whatever scheme Lila was trying to pull.

When Clara emerged again, every jaw in the room dropped, and Adrien’s mind whirled with a thousand thoughts at once. That dress wasn’t part of the normal collection — it was one of a kind. Adrien had seen it in his father’s office a few days prior. He wasn’t entirely sure how Lila got her hands on it, but it wasn’t by accident.

“This dress is so…so…” Clara gasped, abandoning her riddles and rhymes as she stared in awe.

Lila beamed, clasping her hands behind her back. “I really wanted to impress you this round, so I asked the staff if they hand anything special in the back. I truly care about your style, Clara, and I wanted to prove that to you.”

“Your attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile certainly make you standout, Lila. I’d love for you to be my new style consultant,” Clara said, clasping her hands together over her heart.

Adrien’s heart snapped when he turned to Marinette, her once confident demeanor now shriveled in defeat. Lila caught his gaze, tilting her chin up with a smirk. I win. She seemed to gloat, and Adrien’s hands clenched into fists.

“Clara, I know this dress is beautiful, and I’m not entirely sure how Lila found it.” He shot her a quick glare. “But designing is Marinette’s true passion, and in my professional opinion, I think she would make an amazing personal stylist.”

“It’s fine.” The voice was Marinette’s, and she turned to Lila with a small smile. “I’m really happy for you, and I know you’ll do an amazing job.”

She held her head high and threw on a smile despite the anger and humiliation she must be feeling. They were committed to being kind to Lila in front of everyone, but Adrien didn’t care about that now. Lila had taken something from someone who deserved it, and more importantly, she’d done it to someone Adrien cared about. If Lila was going to ignore his warnings, then he’d have to repeat them a little louder.

“Clara, why don’t you try on Marinette’s pick just for fun. She worked really hard picking it out.” Adrien suggested.

“While my search has come to an end, I’d be more than happy to wear something picked by a friend.” Clara brushed Marinette’s nose with her finger and climbed back into the changing booth.

Adrien marched over to Gorilla, yanking his collar down to whisper in his ear. Lila was going to learn the price of hurting people precious to him. He didn’t care if it wasn’t nice. Lila wasn’t a nice person, so just this once, he wasn’t going to be either.

With everyone focused on Clara, no one noticed when Gorilla clamped a hand over Lila’s mouth and carried her to the back. A single employee followed, opening the door to the private bathroom as Gorilla tossed her in.

“What do you think you’re-” Lila’s voice trailed off when Adrien approached, hands shoved in his pockets. “Is this the part where you try and intimidate me? It’s not going to work. I know your little niceness scheme is all an act, and I’m about to leave you both in the dust.”

“Maybe.” Adrien leaned against the doorframe with a shrug. “But you seem to have forgotten where you are. Did you really think you had the advantage in a shop named Agreste? In case you didn’t realize, everyone here works for me.”

“You’re too late. I’ve already won.” Lila shot back, crossing her arms over her chest. “Clara picked me, and Marinette will never make it as a designer.”

“Marinette is going to be just fine. I’ll see to that,” he said. “Clara respects my opinion, so she’ll listen to me.”

“And why would you convince her to pick Marinette over me? Doesn’t that contradict your whole plan to nice me into compliance?” Lila sneered. “As soon as we go back out there, Clara will still have picked me, so this whole conversation is pointless.”

“Who said you’re going back out there?” Adrien quirked a brow. He shut the door, and an employee locked it from the outside.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Lila beat against it, furiously tugging the handle.

“It’s such a shame you’re so busy, Lila. Clara will be disappointed to hear that you’re too busy volunteering to clean public restrooms to devote time to being her personal stylist. I’ll be sure to send Marinette your best,” he called from the other side. “Don’t worry. Someone will let you out after we leave.”

“Adrien! Let me out!” Lila screeched, but he was already walking away.

Clara was admiring Marinette’s outfit in the mirror when he returned to the dressing area, and he draped an arm over Clara’s shoulders.

“Marinette did an amazing job, don’t you think, Clara?” He shot her a wink.

“It’s true that Marinette has good taste. Not picking her would be a waste…” Clara hummed, tapping her chin. “But Lila’s pick is still on my mind. A dress like that deserves to shine.”

Marinette’s shoulders slumped, and Adrien pursed his lips. “I know you picked Lila, but I think you should reconsider.”

“Where is Lila anyway?” Marinette glanced around.

“Oh, uh, you see, Clara, Lila has a very busy schedule. Her parents are ambassadors, so she is always traveling. She pulled me aside while you were changing and expressed worry over being able to devote the time to being your stylist.” Adrien explained smoothly. “She was absolutely thrilled that you wanted her for the opportunity, but she just has so much on her plate right now.”

“I see. Well, that’s a real pity,” Clara said.

Marinette eyed him curiously as Alya burst into the room.

“Sorry I’m late,” she panted, doubling over to catch her breath.

Adrien stepped down to retrieve the pink sketchbook tucked under her arm. “Designing is Marinette’s true passion, and while she is good at pairing other people’s designs, creating her own is where Marinette really shines.” He offered Clara the sketchbook and nudged Marinette forward. “I know you had your heart set, but Marinette is incredible if you just give her a chance.”

“Wow, Marinette, your skills are certainly plain to see,” Clara said, admiring her sketches. “So, what do you say? Will you design clothes for me?”

“I- Yes! I would absolutely love to! Thank you, Clara.” Marinette gaped as Clara took her hands.

“The pleasure is all mine. Your designs are so divine. This deal is all set. I’m so happy that it’s you, Marinette!” Clara gave her hands a squeeze.

“What’s happening?” Alya quirked a brow.

Adrien smiled. “Marinette just became Clara Nightingale’s personal stylist.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

Lila jumped when the door to the bathroom opened, relaxing when she saw Nathalie. She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked a hip.

“How could you let Adrien lock me in here? He ruined everything!” Lila huffed.

Nathalie turned the tablet she was holding to reveal M. Agreste on a video call. Lila stiffened and cleared her throat.

“Adrien ruined our plans again. Marinette’s influence over him has caused him to act out,” she said.

“I thought you told me you could handle it. You’re supposed to be shielding him from bad influences, are you not?” Gabriel said.

Lila opened her mouth to retort but bit her tongue. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders. “I know a way to ensure Marinette stays away from Adrien for good. I won’t let you down this time.”

“This is your final chance. Disappoint me again, and you can consider our agreement terminated.” The screen went dark, and Nathalie tucked the tablet back under her arm.

Lila stormed out of the boutique, hands balled into tight fists. Adrien wanted to fight dirty, so she was going to drag him through the mud with her.  

***

“I propose a toast,” Alya said later that evening, holding up a glass of sparkling grape juice, “to Marinette for totally crushing it today in front of the Clara Nightingale and becoming her personal stylist.”

“Cheers!” The girls clinked their glasses together and took a sip.

Marinette bit back a smile. The day was certainly a victory for more than just impressing Clara. Lila fought hard, but Marinette fought harder. She owed a lot to Adrien. If it wasn’t for him getting rid of Lila and talking Clara into picking her, Marinette might feel a lot different. He was so protective of her amidst everything, a fact that made her heart skip. Could he be any more amazing?

“Now, onto our next order of business… Becoming Clara’s stylist is huge, but I couldn’t help but notice a certain handsome blond speaking very highly of you at the boutique this afternoon.” Alya nudged Marinette with her elbow. “You two have been spending a lot of time together as of late. I think it’s time for you to confess how you feel about him.”

“Yeah, you totally have a chance!” Mylene agreed.

“Adrien adores you,” Rose added.

Marinette’s cheeks burned, and she took a sip of her drink to cool off. “I mean, I don’t think he- We’re just, it’s not like that. We… Do you really think so?”

“Yes!” All of the girls said in unison.

“It’s totally the perfect time to tell him how you feel,” Alix said.

“We’ve got your back, right, girls?” Alya patted Marinette’s shoulder as the others chimed in their support. “Now, let’s talk strategy.”

“It’s such a shame Lila couldn’t be here tonight. She gives such good advice,” Mylene said.

Marinette sipped her drink to hide a smirk. “Yeah, it’s a shame she was too busy cleaning kennels at the animal shelter tonight.”

“We’ll be fine without her. She has way more important stuff going on than setting her friends up on dates. She can celebrate with us after Marinette finally asks Adrien out,” Alya said.

“True.”

“That’s fair.” The girls nodded in agreement.

“So, what’s the plan this time? Do I need to rip up a bouquet of roses again?” Alix asked.

Alya drummed her fingers when everyone turned to her expectantly. “Alright, here’s what I was thinking…”

***

Marinette burst out of bed the next morning, a smile stretching her cheeks. Today was the day! She was finally going to tell Adrien she loved him. They’d start dating, Marinette’s career would get off the ground after killing it as Clara’s stylist, they’d get married, buy a big, beautiful house to raise their three kids in, and Lila would spend the rest of her life cleaning fake animal kennels. Everything was coming together.

Breezing through her morning routine, Marinette skipped down the stairs to the kitchen. Her mother arched a brow when she took her seat at the table, humming jovially while she tore the lid on her yogurt.

“You’re in a good mood today.” Her mother stooped to kiss her forehead. “That popstar picking you to be her stylist is really exciting.”

“It’s a dream! I stayed up sketching tons of new designs. I can’t wait to show her,” Marinette said with a dreamy sigh. “I feel like everything is falling into place.”

Clara, Adrien… Life was perfect. Well, perfect outside of Lila, but after Marinette confessed to Adrien, Lila wouldn’t be an issue. They’d find a way to take her down together, then they’d get married and be together forever in their beautiful house with their pet hamster named-

“Surprise, my little fairy!” The front door swung open, and Marinette’s nonna strutted in. “I heard the exciting news about the famous superstar, so I flew out to celebrate.”

“Nonna!” Marinette jumped up from the table and rushed to hug her.

“I brought you presents, and tonight I will cook all of your favorites.” Her grandmother pinched her cheeks. “We’ll have a big Italian family feast.”

Marinette beamed and eyed the suitcase on the ground. “You said you brought presents?”

“You can have them after school, which you will be late to if you don’t hurry up,” her mother said pointedly.

“I’ll be here all day, my fairy. Have a good day at school.” Nonna kissed her cheek.

Marinette bounced upstairs to finish getting ready. Her day kept getting better and better!

The girls were waiting when she arrived at school, and a flurry of anxious butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she approached them. Confessing her feelings to Adrien was exciting in theory, but in practice, she was just as nervous as ever. But the girls were right. They had been spending a lot of time together, and it was the perfect opportunity to tell him. At least, that’s what she chanted to herself over and over while she got into position.

She held her breath when Adrien’s blond hair appeared over the stairs to the front entrance, heart hammering. Wiping her palms on her jeans, she made her move. His face brightened when he saw her, bringing a warmth to her cheeks, but as she opened her mouth to speak, another voice called out to him first.

“Adrien! There you are.” Lila strutted up to him, placing a kiss on his cheek and wrapping her arms around his neck. “It’s not nice to keep your girlfriend waiting.”

Girlfriend!?

Marinette’s blood ran cold, everything around her moving in slow motion. The girls stood in their positions dumbstruck as their plans grinded to a screeching halt. Marinette anticipated pushback for upstaging her in front of Clara, but this was low, even for her.

Aborting their mission, the girls moved to circle Marinette, while their other schoolmates congratulated Lila and Adrien. Adrien shot Marinette a panicked look, silently pleading for help, but Lila had them right where she wanted them. It was the ultimate challenge to their nice scheme. Would they go along with it or call her a liar? The glint in her eye said that she was ready for either.

Marinette’s mouth was too dry to speak, all of the water in her body bubbling in her eyes. Lila could take a lot of things from her, but she wasn’t going to let her take Adrien lying down. But what could she say in front of everyone to prove her wrong? Everyone would just think she was jealous, and Lila would probably expose her crush on him. That wasn’t how Marinette wanted Adrien to find out.

“So, when did you two… start seeing each other?” Alya asked, flashing Marinette a wince.

“Actually, we’re not really-”

“Last night.” Lila cut Adrien off. She retrieved a Gabriel-brand necklace from under her shirt with a smile. “Adrien gave me this necklace when he confessed. He told me it’s one-of-a-kind, like me. You really wanted me to know how special I am, didn’t you, darling?”

Adrien squirmed, biting his lip. “Uhh, yeah. You definitely have a special place in my heart, Lila.”

“Yo, congrats, dude!” Nino punched Adrien’s arm playfully, but Alya swatted his shoulder, shaking her head.

“Have you two kissed yet?” Kim asked.

“Well, not yet. We were saving it for a special occasion, but I’m too excited to wait. Aren’t you, my love?” Lila batted her eyelashes at Adrien.

“No, I can wait. I’d much rather do it in private.” Adrien removed her hands from around his neck.

“Aww, don’t be shy.” Lila giggled.

Marinette turned and stalked off to the locker room, hands balled into tight fists. Her eyes stung, hot tears trailing down her cheeks as she kicked open the door to the bathroom.

Vile fox! Ladybug should have exposed her in front of the whole school when she had the chance.

“Marinette!” Alya and the girls piled in after her. Her best friend pulled her in for a tight hug. “Come here, girl.”

“We’re sorry, Marinette. We didn’t know about Adrien and Lila,” Rose said.

“This doesn’t make sense. Lila swore to Nino that she wasn’t interested in Adrien.” Alya’s eyebrows knitted together.

“She lied,” Marinette said. She rubbed a tear from her cheek, grinding her teeth together until they hurt.

“Maybe she just didn’t want to make things any more awkward between you two. You guys were finally getting along, so maybe she didn’t want to cause any more trouble.” Mylene suggested.

“Either way, there’s not a lot we can do about it now. I’m really sorry, girl.” Alya rubbed her back. “You gonna be okay?”

Marinette shrugged.

The bell rang, and the girls all gave Marinette reassuring pats as they left. Alya was the last one out, hesitating in the door way with pursed lips before following the others. When the door shut behind her, Tikki floated out of Marinette’s purse.

“I can’t believe Lila told everyone she and Adrien are dating,” she said.

Marinette flicked on a sink, gripping the cold ceramic with white knuckles. “I can. She’s relentless. She won’t stop until she has everything she wants. I should have expected her to do something like this. I’m so tired of her pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes!”

“Well, you did provoke her by being petty. If you would have left her alone, she wouldn’t have fought back,” Tikki said.

Marinette opened her mouth to retort but slumped over with a sigh. “I know. I shouldn’t have played her game — she’s way too good at it. Now, poor Adrien is suffering the consequences. We need a way to fix this, but Lila’s too crafty.”

“If you expose her, she could become a very powerful opponent for Ladybug. It could be dangerous.” Tikki pointed out.

“Ugh, you’re right.” Marinette splashed water on her face with a growl, and Tikki passed her a paper towel. “I wish there was a way to deal with her that didn’t involve her becoming akumatized. I don’t suppose we could take down Hawkmoth in an afternoon?” Her kwami gave her a disapproving frown. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

“I’m sure you and Adrien will figure something out together. He’s still on your side no matter what Lila says,” Tikki said.

“I hope so. I feel like we’ll never be together at this point. It’s like something keeps pulling us apart every time we get close.” Marinette sighed, opening the clasp of her purse for Tikki and heading for the door.

“Hey.”

Marinette nearly collided with Adrien on the other side of the door. She jumped back reflexively, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw who it was, and at his sullen expression, her countenance sank.

“We got played,” he said.

“Yeah.” She pursed her lips. “What should we do now?”

Adrien shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’ll give it a day, then announce that my father broke us up. No one will have a hard time believing that.”

“And then what?” Marinette asked. “Lila made it clear she intends to fight back, and she’ll keep fighting until she gets everything she wants.”

“So, let’s tell everyone the truth. She more than deserves it now,” Adrien said.

His eyes were desperate, pleading. He wanted out of this as badly as she did, but it was no use. Lila had their kings cornered on the board, and they were running out of moves.

“I don’t know if that will help.” Marinette hugged her arms to her chest. “Maybe we were wrong to play her game thinking we could win. Lila will never stop.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We’re in over our heads. Maybe we should call it quits.” He flicked those green eyes up to hers, hopeful and timid. “Just because we’re not plotting anymore doesn’t mean we can’t still hang out. I’ve been having a lot of fun spending time with you lately.”

Marinette flashed him a weak smile. “Me too.”

The late bell chimed, and they both sighed. Adrien beckoned her to follow, and they headed to class, dejected. Even together, they were no match for Lila. She had won.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

“Welcome home, my fairy!”

Marinette shrugged her backpack from her shoulders, dropping it at the base of the stairs and heading to the fridge. When nothing appealed to her, she shut it and grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table, flopping facedown onto the couch with a moan.

Her grandma sat beside her, running her fingers through Marinette’s hair. “What’s the matter, my fairy? You were so full of life this morning.”

“It’s complicated,” Marinette mumbled into the couch cushion.

“I’ve never had a complication that couldn’t be fixed with a gift from your favorite nonna.” Her grandma got up to retrieve a wrapped box from the kitchen table.

Marinette sat up, taking a bite of her apple and accepting the gift. She tore through the wrapping as her grandma sat beside her. Inside was a sturdy, hand-knit pink scarf, and Marinette trailed her fingers over the wool, though she wasn’t in the mood to admire the craftmanship.

“My, my she still frowns. This must be very complicated.” Her nonna stood up again. “Well, complicated is no match for my world famous hot cocoa. It is world famous, you know. I’ve made it all over the world, and everyone loves it. Give me a minute, my fairy, then we will talk about complicated.”

Marinette laid back, chomping through her apple while staring at the ceiling. She wasn’t sure how much time past — twenty minutes, an hour maybe — before her nonna returned with two steaming cups of hot chocolate. Nonna wrapped the scarf around Marinette’s neck when she sat up, tucking her hair out of the way.

“Now, tell me about your frown,” she said.

Marinette took a sip of the hot chocolate, creamy and warm. It had been several years since she had her nonna’s hot chocolate. She was just a girl last time. While it did little to dull the ache in her chest, it did warm her up. She set the cup down and laid back against the couch pillows with a sigh.

“There’s this girl at my school that’s determined to make my life miserable, and today she announced that she’s dating the boy I like in front of everyone.” She picked at a loose thread on her pants as an excuse to avert her gaze.

“Ah, I see.” Her nonna nodded. “Well, my fairy, sometimes people do things that are out of our control, but you know, the most important thing in life isn’t boys, certainly not. I’m doing quite well on my own, you know.” Nonna tucked a loose strand of Marinette’s hair back into place. “What matters is the people who love you, my fairy. No matter what happens with boys, and believe me there will always be things happening with boys, you can always come home to mama and papa and nonna and even your grouchy grandpa from time-to-time.” She lifted Marinette’s chin. “We love you very much, no matter who hurts you.”

Marinette smiled. “Thanks, Nonna.”

Her nonna pulled her in for a tight hug, squeezing until she could barely breath. Marinette protested with a laugh, and Nonna let her go, pressing a squeaky kiss to her cheek.

“Now, I’ve got to start on our big feast. Would you like to help, my fairy?” She stood up and headed for the kitchen.

“Sure.” Marinette removed the scarf and placed it back in the box. A name had been stitched into the seam, and Marinette flipped the scarf around to read it.

1. Rossi

Rossi?!

“Hey, Nonna? What’s your friend’s name? The one that made this scarf?” she asked.

“Ah, that’s one of my oldest friends. Well, my oldest friend that’s still with us. You lose a lot of friends as you get old, my fairy. It’s the way of life,” Nonna said while she retrieved a big pot for dinner. “That scarf was knitted by my dear friend Francesca. We went through school together. She and her husband own a wine orchard now in the countryside back home. Come to think of it, I think she has a granddaughter about your age. Now, what was her name? Lia? Lola? Layla?”

“Lila?”

“Yes, that’s the one. Lila. Do you know her?” Nonna pulled vegetables from the fridge. “Come cut these tomatoes for me, my fairy.”

Marinette jumped up to help, chewing her cheek. “Lila’s in my class.”

“Oh, how wonderful. Are you two friends?” Nonna flicked on the faucet to fill up the pot with water.

“Uhh…” Marinette turned her back while she chopped to hide her grimace. “Something like that.” She paused, a grin stretching over her lips. “Hey, Nonna. I want to thank your friend for the scarf. Can I ask you to deliver a letter?”

“I can do better than that. I will invite her over to tea tomorrow. She loves getting out every now and then, so I’m sure she’ll be happy to come,” Nonna said.

Marinette bit back a smirk. “Perfect. I’ll start on my gift tonight.”

“Oh, such a sweet girl.” Nonna pinched her cheeks.

The next day, Lila’s nonna, Francesca, invited them over to her daughter’s apartment for tea. The girls were going to hang out at the Couffaine’s houseboat for band practice, but Marinette declined an invitation. She suggested inviting Lila in her place. Alya was concerned with how well she was handling the Adrien situation, but Marinette insisted that she was fine. Her bff reluctantly accepted her proposal, and the girls invited Lila.

Marinette met up with her nonna at home, and they headed to the Rossi residence together. She was perfectly cordial with Lila’s grandmother, who was lovely despite what a wicked wench her granddaughter was. How the two were even remotely related was beyond Marinette. By the time Lila made it home from seeing the girls, Marinette and her nonna were well acquainted.

“Ah, my stella, come in!” Francesca smiled when Lila walked through the door.

Her green eyes narrowed, darting between Marinette sipping her tea calmly and her nonna.

“Nonna, what a surprise to see you here with Marinette.” She stooped to kiss her cheek and cast a stern look to her mother. “You didn’t tell me nonna was coming, Mom.”

“Oh, she popped over when Gina invited her. Marinette wanted to make your nonna a scarf to return the favor for the one she made. Isn’t that sweet?” Mme. Rossi explained.

“Yeah,” Lila said through gritted teeth.

“You never write to me, stella. Your little friend has been telling me all kinds of stories about your time here in Paris,” Francesca said.

Lila stiffened, nearly spilling the tea as she poured herself a cup. “Stories? What kind of stories?”

“My goodness, she tells me that Paris is under attack every day.” Francesca cupped a hand to her throat in awe. “These awful creatures called balumas.”

“Akumas.” Marinette corrected, taking a smug sip of tea when Lila shot her a glare.

“My, yes, how awful. I never realized how dangerous the city was when your mother brought you here.” Francesca fanned herself with the ends of the scarf Marinette knitted her.

“Lila was just telling me this morning how uncomfortable she is in Paris because of all the akuma attacks,” Marinette said matter-of-factly.

“It’s true. The school is often closed for weeks at a time because of the akumas. I’m worried that Lila’s grades are suffering from being out so much.” Mme. Rossi frowned.

Francesca set her cup down with decided force. “Then she won’t stay in Paris another minute. I’ll take her home to the orchard and oversee her education myself.”

Marinette and Lila’s jaws dropped in unison.

“No!” Lila shrieked.

“I cannot sleep at night knowing that my stella is in danger. What with all of these superheroes and monsters flying around every day? No, we will leave tonight.” Francesca stood up.

“I’m really sad you’re leaving, Lila, but I understand. I know how unsafe you feel here, so I think it’s for the best,” Marinette said.

“Nonna, please. I’ll miss my friends far too much.” Lila pressed her palms together.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to write to you and keep you updated on everything going on in Paris.” Marinette smiled sweetly.

“Oh, what a sweet girl you have, Gina.” Francesca cooed.

“Mom, tell her I can’t go!” Lila grabbed her mom’s wrist.

“My bella, I wish more than anything that you could stay, but Nonna is right. It’s not safe here, and I’m always so busy with my work. You’re by yourself so much. If you go home to the orchard, you’ll be with my parents every day. You won’t have to be alone anymore.” Her mother smoothed her hair. “Come on, I’ll help you pack your bags.”

“But-” Lila blinked. She spun around on Marinette, who lifted her cup of tea with a smirk.

Checkmate.

“Marinette, could you be a dear and help me call a cab?” Francesca handed over her phone. “These apps can be so hard to navigate.”

Lila could be heard pleading with her mother in the other room, but after a few minutes, they both emerged with packed suitcases. Marinette and her grandma accompanied them down to the street where their cab awaited. Lila’s mother pulled her in for a tight hug, proclaiming that she would miss her terribly. When they were finished, Francesca turned her to Marinette and urged her to say goodbye. Lila begrudgingly pulled Marinette in for a hug, spine stiff, hands balled into fists.

“Don’t think you’ve seen the last of me. I’ll be back,” Lila whispered.

Marinette patted her back. “Take care. Paris won’t be the same without you.”

It will be much, much quieter.

Lila glared through her as her mother helped her into the cab and shut the door. They waved as the car drove off, and Marinette and her nonna bid Mme. Rossi good night. She bit back a smile as her nonna revved up her motor cycle and drove them home.

***

“Whoa, did you hear about Lila?”

“Yeah, she moved away, like for real.”

Marinette let out a deep breath walking through the courtyard the next day, finally relaxing her shoulders. She hadn’t expected Lila’s grandmother to bring her back to Italy, but she wasn’t going to complain. Now, she only had one brat to worry about at school, and that one was much easier to manage. How anyone could be so horrible that Chloe Bourgeois became the lesser of two evils was a mystery Marinette was content to leave unsolved. Mostly, she was just glad Lila was gone.

A warm hand grabbed her wrist and tugged her toward a secluded corner of the courtyard, bright blond hair filling her vision. Her heart skipped when Adrien glanced around to make sure no one could hear them. With the assurance that they were completely alone, he quirked a brow.

“What did you do?” he asked.

“Well…” Marinette trailed her fingers over her new scarf. “My nonna happens to be good friends with Lila’s nonna. When we were having tea with them yesterday, Lila’s mom might have mentioned that Lila didn’t feel safe in Paris because of all the akumas, and I might have fed into that enough to convince Lila’s nonna to bring her home to Italy.”

“Marinette, that’s diabolical.” Adrien gaped.

“Well, I didn’t think her nonna would actually bring her back home. I was kind of hoping more for like a house arrest or changing schools!” Marinette defended, but Adrien shook his head with a smile.

“You’re incredible.” He chuckled. “I think it’s safe to say that Lila and I are officially broken up now. I’ll tell people it was all a publicity stunt to clear my name. Thank you for everything, Marinette. I’m sorry I didn’t do something about her sooner. We could have avoided this whole mess.”

“Something tells me Lila would have found a way anyway.” Marinette shrugged. “I’m just glad we won’t have to deal with her anymore. I don’t see her grandmother letting her out of her sight until Hawkmoth is defeated.”

Adrien’s gaze softened, and he leaned down to press a soft kiss to her cheek. “I’m really glad to have a friend like you, Marinette. We’ll be okay so long as we always look out for each other.”

Marinette’s cheeks warmed when he took her hand and gave it a squeeze. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders.

“Hey… do you want to get nice cream, I-I mean, ice cream with me today?” she asked.

Adrien tilted his head, a smile breaking over his lips. “Yeah, I’d love to.”

She smiled, heart fluttering as Adrien toted her off to the locker room when the bell rang, barely cognizant of anything else going on. The wicked witch had been locked away in the tower, and Marinette could finally ride off into the sunset with her prince. For the first time since Lila had moved to their school, Marinette could finally relax. Well, at least until she needed to focus on not spilling ice cream on Adrien on their date, but something told her that even if she did, everything would be alright. And as it turned out, the cure for lying was a little kindness.