A/N 26/04/20 EDIT: I just tweaked the pacing, dialogues, mistakes and tried to make this much more better to read lmao. I still think this is one of my worst written fic for the fandom because come on...
Lila getting busted in the classroom? .
Despite that, thank you all for loving this fic~
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~(x)~
Thirty-six hours.
She has been awake for:
Thirty.
Six.
Hours.
She, along with the ever so loyal Chat Noir have taken down sixteen akumas in a span of three days. Just after battling the first five, the duo were knackered beyond words, grumpier than edgy brutes in Hollywood films and definitely stuck with panda eyes, covered by their masks. One and a half day in the sudden burst of villains, it was adios to sleep for the dynamic duo. Chat Noir dropped the puns in exchange for a more...colourful set of vocabulary, which Ladybug would have scolded him for on a normal day; they're meant to be role models for the children after all.
Moreover, her infamous clumsiness from her civilian side has gradually seeped into her vigilant half, making the fights harder to battle and probably causing her partner more distress than help. Scratch that- she definitely caused him a lot of distress. She collapsed from a roof into La Seine from exhaustion after releasing her cleansing light. The dirty, freezing water and the sound of Chat's desperate screams gained her another twelve hours of consciousness. (The ten minute lecture and yelling from him afterwards may have helped too but no way in hell was she going to admit that).
"I can't go to sleep just like that Chat...I have school in a few hours..."
"Then skip it! Tell your parents that you're sick or something- just PLEASE get some sleep, Bug."
"I have an important test-"
"Important my ass- your health is top priority here!"
"So is yours!"
"I'm used to staying awake for so long-"
"LISTEN UP NOIR! IF I'M GONNA SLEEP, SO WILL YOU. IF YOU STAY AWAKE, SO WILL I. SO STOP YELLING AT ME-"
Of course, the pair were interrupted by another god forsaken akuma and they violently swore at Le Papillon and his never ending madness. Ladybug muttered out very morbid things such as how she was going to skin the old man alive once she gets his miraculous or something like that.
This was all two hours ago.
Marinette was on her last legs now as she struggled to get up the stairs to her form room. Quickly chugging on her tenth energy drink, Marinette disposed the can somewhere secretly (they're banned in school after all) and flopped down onto the nearest desk. She inhaled sharply, reaching for the travel mug she secured in her bag, filled with the most sweetest, sugary, coffee one could ever have. Tikki mustered up the energy to pat Marinette's collarbones with her frazzled paw, hiding in her dark turtleneck collar rather than the purse for once in order to warm up.
A few more minutes passed by but they felt like seconds to the heroine in disguise, nuzzling her mug. She internally prayed that taking three showers in a row managed to get rid of the disgusting river smell out of her hair before dashing out of the house. That thought process was interrupted when she clipped the mug's lid off.
She smiled for the first time in twenty-four hours and pursed her lips for a sip.
"Girl? You're early again? Wow!" Alya's energetic voice was like a slap against her face, almost causing the poor girl to drop her life saving beverage. She sent her best friend a pitiful pout, ignorant to the rush of her classmates heading to their seats. The mass majority of them gave their class president a surprised look, wondering if pigs will start flying next at the sight of her early presence. Though, there was some tension by the others, no thanks to the recent incident between Lila and Marinette's 'supposed' stealing and bullying.
"Mmhm..." Marinette warmed her cheek with the mug, hoping that the brunette could take a hint and let her indulge in the diabetic level of sugar. She almost didn't feel Alya's fingers smoothing against her pale forehead, brushing away the dark fringe with a frown on her face. The brunette then placed a hand on Mari's flushed cheek, shaking her head like a worried mother hen.
"Marinette, you don't look very well. You haven't been well for days. I think you should go home..." Alya was prepared for Marinette's spiteful snort, countering the blue eyed glare with her fond hazel pair.
"I studied my butt off for this physics test and won't rest till I get it over and done with. Maman and Papa said that if I get full marks, they'll lift the energy drinks ban off me." The Asian pursed her lips childishly and ignored Alya's gaping face before going in for the coffee which has been torturing her poor nose with its sinful scent.
With a speed that could rival a blue hedgehog, Alya swiped the mug out of Marinette's hands. The latter reacted quite late, blinking a few times with confusion before realising what happened.
"Alya-aaaaaa..." Marinette flopped tiredly on the desk, chibi tears running down her eyes whilst she pathetically reached out for her saving grace. "Ple-eeeeeease..."
"If your parents have banned you from energy drinks then I bet that they won't appreciate you drinking coffee either." Alya's frown deepened at Mari's cries.
"Let DC have her caffeine, Césaire." Kim whooped from the back, joined by a few agreements by Nathaniel, Mylène and Rose. "She looks like shit, no offense 'nette." The boy only received a thumbs up from Marinette and a scowl from Alya.
Alix simply observed with her lips sealed. Confusion wracked through her head as she evaluated everything that took place right now as Max would with a difficult question.
Marinette was too tired to give a damn.
"I don't know Lê Chiến, I've been tailing our heroes for the past few days with little sleep so I think maybe I should drink this instead and send my girl home." Alya chuckled and ate up the sight of Marinette's torn face.
"No-ooooooooo! You can't drink up the only thing I'm living for! Don't you understand? Without that cup, that specific cup of coffee, I will no longer go on. All my happiness and dreams will be crushed! My will to breathe this wretched polluted air will be dissipated and then you all will have to pay for my funeral and live on without me because ALYA DRANK MY SOUL!"
Marinette was so tired, she was delusional. The filter was gone and her limp form pretty much melted on the desk with sadness.
Alya almost gave in.
"Well~!" Nino's voice suddenly piped up from the doorway, walking in with a dead looking model following him like a chick. "Guess our lil' Dudette robbed my seat, again. What next? You gonna rob my locker too?" Lahiffe snickered when Marinette flipped out her middle finger at him, refusing to lift her head up from the table.
A few others giggled as well whilst Nino dramatically fell to his knees, yelling how he was so 'wounded' and couldn't believe that the sweetest girl in the world had the balls to do that to him!
Adrien on the other hand, let his lips upturn for the first time in today, fondly and shook his head. He definitely knew how the girl was feeling- oh boy.
If anyone could relate to her now, it was him.
He made way to her, encasing his hand over hers, beckoning her to lower her finger with a playful tut. Marinette shivered at the feel of his silver ring pressed against her flushed skin.
"Now, now, it's rude to pull a gesture like that. No matter how much Nino deserves it," Adrien ignored his best friend's betrayed 'Hey!' and laughed warmly. Seeing Marinette woke him up more than the pathetic cup of coffee in his hand. He felt his heart skip a beat when she slowly lifted her head up to meet his gaze.
Dazed sweet blues met sparkling apple greens.
"Can I toss him out of the windows instead?" Her tone was so innocent, it was like she was asking if she could borrow a pencil. Adrien giggled out a 'No', his smile never leaving and squeezed her hand. Marinette dropped her head back down with a groan that sounded like 'Coffeeeeee...'.
"Alya?"
"No, Adrien."
"She looks like she really needs it,"
"What she needs is a warm, toasty bed with fluffy pillows and her giant monster teddy, M. Cat."
"Nino-oooo, please help me persuade your girlfriend. I'm too tired for this..."
Adrien collapsed on the seat, right next to Marinette, playfully flopping against her. He sipped his cup, eyes still closed. On any other day, Marinette would have freaked out back when the duo made eye contact let alone skin contact.
Now?
She's way too tired to think let alone move or speak. Nino and Alya bickered back and forth whilst the rest of the class (save for Chloe who scoffed) cooed internally at Marinette and Adrien.
"I'd let you have my coffee but this is as bitter and black as Mme. Mendeleiev's soul," He earned a cute snicker from his twin tailed friend. She unconsciously moved closer to the blonde, clutching his cardigan's sleeve, half asleep. Adrien relished every touch, beaming. Though he could have sworn that Rose piped out a 'So cute!' at the back. The thought left as soon as it came.
He focused on Marinette's sweet scent and her addicting warmth, tempted to sleep against her again.
That's what friends do, right?
"I wouldn't be...able to take a sip of that without...gagging," Marinette shook her head quickly to stop nodding off. "Mine has fifteen teaspoons of sugar, lots and lots of cream, caramel, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and sprinkles..." She admitted quietly, blind to Adrien's choked face.
Maybe it's a good thing Alya took that away from her!
"Are you trying to give yourself a heart attack? Diabetes? A food coma?" His shock was quickly washed away from one glance at her pitiful eyes. "D-Don't cry please-"
"I just wanted to stay awake..." She peered at her coffee in Alya's hand so longingly, bottom lip jutted out. The stupidly familiar urge to kiss those soft looking lips blared in Adrien's mind like a siren but he immediately pushed that thought back with great mental strength to ensure that he didn't freak Marinette out. "I also really like...sweet things..."
Is it possible to melt from such cuteness? Adrien couldn't help but flutter internally and coo.
"You're sweet enough already, Princesse," Quickly, Adrien slapped his hand against his mouth, eyes widening at how the words slipped out. He blinked rapidly a few times before sighing in relief. Marinette didn't seem to have caught it and the others were too busy watching Nino and Alya argue.
Curse his sleep deprivation...
"Princesse...?" The model gulped as Mari continued. "Heh...I really like that nickname...reminds me of Chat Noir," Her lips curled into a peaceful smile and her eyes glazed even further as thoughts of her silly but sweet Chaton filled up her mind. Adrien's demeanour softened, the subtle 'o' of his mouth curbed into the sweet smile his lips loved turning into when Marinette's around.
"He has good taste. It's very fitting for the most awesome, amazing, kind girl to have the title of une princesse," The boy mused. He gave a cheeky wink which prompted Marinette to roll her eyes playfully.
'Yes! Look how comfortable she is around me now! This is what I've been waiting for ever since I came here! A proper one on one Marinette time~!' Adrien celebrated internally like he's won the lottery.
"Then, since Alya and Nino act like a married couple all the time," His eyes flickered to the still squabbling pair, fussing over Marinette, before back at the petite girl. "They could be your parents, the King and Queen,"
Marinette hummed with amusement, her lips turning into a familiar smirk. For some reason, he knew she was going to banter back.
He couldn't explain why.
"Then Chat Noir could be my Knight, considering how he's always used the 'I'm your Knight in shining leather' comment," Adrien felt his cheeks involuntarily redden. "And you could be..."
The older teen leaned closer to her face, heart racing like a humming bird.
"I could be...?"
"...my..."
"Your?"
"...mon prince-"
"MARINETTE!"
Blonde boy and Noir girl snapped out of their bubble, along with the rest of the class. They all simultaneously gasped as the Italian transfer student leaned against the door timidly, like a deer in the headlights.
Her left cheek had a huge, painful looking purple bruise and her arms were covered in bloodstained bandages.
Everyone looked at her with concern and mutters whilst Adrien cocked an eyebrow in suspicion and frowned.
Marinette merely blinked.
"You...you're de-akumatised now...right?" Lila clutched her arms, hugging herself as if she was cowering before Le Papillon himself. Almost the whole class flinched and took a double take before gawking at the designer.
Alya narrowed her eyes in solid confusion, Nino cocked his head and scrunched up his nose but Adrien...
He was fuckinglivid.
A solid ten minutes before class, six days after her last stunt, this brat dares to antagonise Marinette again!?
However, Marinette let out a dumb "Eh?", blinking repeatedly.
"I-I know you were mad about how I caught you cheating a while ago...but I didn't expect you to be akumatised and attack me yesterday night!" Lila burst out crying, covering her face with her tattered looking hands as her sobs wrenched through her body. "Why didn't Ladybug's healing powers work...why am I still hurt!" She clutched her cheek, enacting how much pain she's in.
Perhaps a week or two ago, the class would have leapt for Lila's side and helped her seek proper medical aid. However, everyone had a feeling that something's not right, something's not adding up. This feeling has been building up ever since Lila's arrival but they all seemed to have brushed it away...
Until she got Marinette expelled.
"I got...akumatised?" Marinette rubbed her eyes and blinked at Lila again. Any other day, the girl would have leapt for her own defense and started a yelling match.
Right now, she was way out of it.
Sweet, innocent Rose furrowed her eyebrows too and her clenched her fists till her knuckles whitened.
"Hold on- hold up! I've tailed every single akuma that's happened so far. There's only been sixteen these past three or four days and none of them involved you or Mari." Alya slammed the coffee down on the desk, oblivious to the Asian girl's twinkling eyes and soft "coffeeeee~". Adrien kept a protective grip on Marinette's upper arms, venturing closer, trying to keep her behind him, as if shielding her.
His eyes turned acidic and rage boiled over.
"That's because she lured me out in the outskirts! She had giant needles and she looked so scary-" Lila let out a loud whimper. eyes darting back and forth on every student in the room. "It took hours for Ladybug and Chat Noir to defeat her!"
"Oho? I want giant needles...then I can stab Le Papillon with it and then I can finally sleep at night~" Marinette was painfully oblivious to her class' incredulous stares as she made googly eyes with the coffee. Nino sighed and took away the mug, placing it on Mme. Bustier's desk and then glared at Lila suspiciously.
No one paid mind to Marinette's suffering.
"Certainly I can't catch every single akuma, however, we've only seen the cleansing lights sixteen times. Thus, either you were hallucinating-"
"I wasn't! Where'd you think I got these injuries from!?"
"-Or! It was a something else that attacked you. Some freaky criminal from the sounds of it. Ladybug's powers can't heal you if you were injured from anything other than an akuma." Alya then marched towards Marinette, sheltering her from Lila's gaze too. "This girl has a terrible sense of direction, always getting lost at the metro so it's impossible for her to have dragged you to the outskirts and make it in time for school."
Marinette simply sighed, paying zero attention to them.
She tried using her mind to get the coffee closer to her but turns out, she's not telekinetic.
If Lila was smart, she would have agreed with Alya and made up a story of the supposed criminal that attacked her. It would have bought her the coddling she wanted at the very least and kept her on everyone's good side.
However, it seems that Le Papillon's akumas kept her up at night too, costing her sleep and making words slip out of her tongue before her brain could fully comprehend them. Perhaps a quarter as delirious as Marinette right now? Not that Lila seemed sane enough from the start...
"I swear on my sweet, dead grandmother's life, Alya! It was Marinette! I know it was! Would I ever lie to you?" She clutched her chest and pleaded. "Even Rena Rouge and Carapace fought her too. Marinette was so strong...so evil...I think she's working with Le Papillon..."
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Silence.
Not a single sound was heard.
Everyone held their breaths.
Internally, Lila panicked. Why wasn't everyone jumping to her side? Why was everyone so quiet? 'Dammit- why isn't everyone berating that damn blue eyed bitch and catering towards me!?' She hissed in her mind.
"Now that I think about it," Max broke the silence. Adrien, Alya and Nino immediately whipped their heads towards him, eyes wide with multiple emotions. Each of them were coming up with ways to make his death look like an accident along with Lila's if he bought the lie.
"I think I saw that horse boy running around too...what was his name again? Peggy...Pugo..." Max could have fooled strangers with his confused, calculating expression but his close friends knew way better.
Game on.
"Yes! Peggy! He was there too!" Lila exclaimed and then whimpered loudly, bringing her arms together, as if she was in agony. "He saved me! Otherwise...I'd have...lost my head...Marinette was so close to..."
"Is that so?" Adrien's voice was like thunder.
It wasn't that he was loud, no; he was very startling instead. A tone which no one but Lila has heard before when he threatened her not too long ago. An icy chill was sent down everyone's spine and his emerald eyes gleamed with bloodlust. "Please do tell us more, what did our everyday Ladybug do in her as an akuma?" He wrapped an arm around Marinette possessively.
Alya and Nino stood closer to them.
Lila's face almost darkened with indignation but she quickly fixed it with the kicked puppy expression. She took a step back, clutching a fist to her chest.
"W-Why are you guys acting like this...Max? Alix? Rose? Are you seeing this? I think those four are against me now too-"
"But at least that weird monkey one was around to help you, right? If Marinette was THAT strong then I bet Ladybug and Chat Noir called the entire cavalry." Alix rested her chin on her clasped hands, glaring at the four people down. Only Lila missed the playful bump Kim and Max gave on her back.
"Y-Yes! Also the lizard, the hare and the erm...pigeon? Marinette almost won...she could have devastated Paris- no...the world! I think that's why Ladybug wasn't able to use her cleansing light- she was beaten black and blue..." Everyone else started to mutter, causing Lila to almost smirk victoriously.
'Yes...that's right, keep this up,' She cackled in her mind.
"Excuse me!" Marinette finally shouted, standing up with her hands on her hips. Lila's heart almost burst in excitement. Finally some fuel for her fodder! More ways to isolate Dupain Cheng! "The only devastation here is how no one's letting me drink my coffee! Nino just give me it!"
.
Marinette didn't expect the smack upside behind her head from Alya, making her yelp in surprise.
The bespectacled girl grabbed Marinette by the shoulders and yelled.
"YOU IDIOT GIRL! YOU'RE BEING ACCUSED OF TRYING TO MURDER ROSSI AS AN AKUMA WHILST PULVERISING TEAM MIRACULOUS IN PROCESS YET ALL YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IS A PUDDLE OF CAFFEINE FOR A DUMB MOCK TEST THAT WON'T AFFECT OUR GRADES!?"
She shook her shoulders harder, muddling Marinette's mind up even further. Adrien stammered, trying to break them up whilst Nino and the class watched the show with delight.
They didn't miss the appalled expression Lila threw.
The way everyone brushed her off...the poor, injured...pitiful girl!
"A-A-A-AL-Y-A-A-A!" Alya finally stopped her torture and let Marinette flop into her arms unconscious. The Asian let out a groan, swirls in her eyes and the class burst out laughing.
"You did it Alya! You beat the akuma! You're a true hero!" Rose squealed out as Juleka chimed with a "Way past cool". Playing along, Alya straightened out the collar of her polar shirt, mock pride on her face with a smug smile plastered on. She handed Marinette back to Adrien's waiting arms and stalked towards the back of the room.
"W-What-" Lila didn't get a chance to finish her sentence.
"Miraculous Alya Bug!" The brunette hollered, tossing a pen in the air with a cheesy grin. Kim and Alix made whooshing noises, as if to mimic the sounds of rushing magic ladybirds and everyone else cheered. "Your injuries should all be healed up now Lila! Good on ya~ now, Nino, it's time to bring that Theo artist from whatever Lycée he's from and get him to make a statue of me for the park-"
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?"
Lila was now huffing and puffing.
Raw animosity shone in her eyes, hands clenched into fists by her sides, knuckles whitening and teeth gritted. Adrien didn't try to hide his devilish smirk and the oddly quiet Chloe folded her arms, awaiting for the girl to show her true colours.
Alas, lack of sleep made a slower, more frustrated and crazed Lila.
"I'm here, injured, traumatised! Ladybug was almost killed! This...THIS WITCH-" She pointed venomously at the knocked out Marinette in Adrien's arms despite the model's warning glare. "-tried to kill ME! And you all don't care!? You're all worse than Chloe!" More crocodile tears ran down her cheeks...
Though they ran down as purple drips, somehow cleaning away... the bruise?
My, what magical tears indeed.
Mylene and Ivan quickly opened a group chat (sans Lila and Marinette) to arrange years worth of apologies for their class president. They could be old and grey at one point but they'll still find a way to beg for forgiveness from the sweet angel.
"You see Lila, everyone knows that's not true," Adrien purred out, sitting down against the chair like a spoilt royalty with a beautiful girl in his arms- who would kick everyone's asses in one go anyways. He summoned a bit more of his inner Chat Noir so that his confidence didn't waver.
"How would you know!? You weren't there, Adrien!" Lila hissed, banging a fist against the door. Weren't her arms in agony again?
"I suppose, but," He tucked a hair behind Marinette's ear with a Cheshire grin.
"I was with her, all night,"
Everyone let out a dramatic, yet fake gasp, clutching their cheeks as Chloe let out a little cry "Adrikins how could you~!", one arm over her head whilst Sabrina fanned her with a book.
Lila paled and sweat dripped down her face. She shook her head slightly, taking a step back.
"W-W-What do you mean? What were you doing?"
"Well, what else would two, unsupervised teenagers be doing all night? Why do you think we're so tired?" He played with Marinette's hair, smile widening. His peripheral vision caught Alya with her phone whipped out, probably not too long ago.
"T-That's a lie...you're just saying that to protect Marinette...your father would never let you out of the house at night, let alone with a no named wench like her!"
"Do I need to show my hickeys as proof?" Adrien had a big bruise on his collarbone from falling onto his roof when coming home, lack of sleep messing with his coordination. It was dark enough to be mistaken as a love bite and the boy was never more grateful for it than he was now as he shamelessly advertised it, perfect teeth biting on his perfect lip.
"Whoa du-uuuude- keep it child friendly here!" Nino winked. The rest of the class kept up with the melodramatics and cackles till the blonde cat spoke up.
.
"Enough of my love life now," Adrien's smile was wiped off and the dangerous frown was back on.
Lila gulped as everyone else followed suit.
Some were close to exploding on the spot whilst others wore a look of pure disappointment and sadness. An army of negative emotions directed at her.
"Can't you see? The gig's up Lila. You've lost. We all know you've been bullshitting from the start- well some of us anyways," His gaze swept over the class who looked terribly sheepish and guilty for a moment before reverting back to their intimidating stances. "Take a seat over there," He beckoned to the lone chair that Chloe kicked out at the front, quickly adjusting Marinette to rest her head on his lap so that she remained hidden.
It took Lila everything to not fidget on the spot as the tension and intense rage that radiated from the object of her obsession grew bigger and colder.
"What if I don't want to." The Italian sneered, itching to run down the head teacher's office and come up with a way to save her sorry ass. If there's one thing she refuses to do, it's to accept defeat. No matter how high the odds are against her. "I didn't do anything wrong after all-"
"I believe you don't have a choice, Rossi." Adrien admonished, hands clasped against his mouth similarly to Alix not too long ago. A sleep deprived Adrien was a dangerous one. "Don't make me pull a Chloe Bourgeois here and make your fucking life miserable by getting my father involved. I'm tired as hell and no one has got the time to humour you anymore. Take. A. Seat."
Keeping her steely gaze on his frame, Lila made way to the chair, plopping down and crossing her legs, trying her best to look powerful and threatening without paying mind to her 'wounds'. She was too tired to keep up with the pathetic act anymore and frankly, it was a breath of fresh air.
"Now, you're going to sit there, keep your mouth shut till I've finished talking, you got that-"
"You think that's going to work on me, Adrien? Hah! My mother is an ambassador so you can't really do anything to me. You can google that for all I care, not like the rest of you googled whatever else I've said," Her smile was like a snake slithering, making everyone else feel uncomfortable and gross. A few seconds of the real Lila's colours and they all already wanted to pummel her to the ground.
"Did I say you could talk? Did my earlier threats fall on deaf ears? Do you love the sound of your voice so much that you're unable to comprehend simple french words from anyone else?"
"I-"
"I said keep your mouth shut."
His tone felt like a cataclysm to her heart. Immediately she snapped her mouth shut and dug her fingers into her knees. The looming presence of everyone else didn't help either. The weight of the situation finally crept up on her and the girl realised...
She's not going to get out of this one.
"Alright, so where was I...? Oh that's it!" Adrien leaned back. "I'm going to cut the chase. We're not mad because you lied, we're fucking pissed because you hurt Marinette and dared to do so again. I want you to fess up every single thing you've done in order to hurt someone so that we can record it and send it to the higher authorities. We want you out of our lives asap and I specifically will do anything to ensure that." His eyes were like ice now.
For the first time, you would recognise Adrien as Gabriel's son because of the near identical coolness and a spine stiffer than the strongest of steel. Not because of the brand.
"..."
"Rossi."
"..."
"Rossi." Agreste repeated, eyes practically glowing in distaste.
"I..."
"..."
"I didn't do anything. Anything you can prove anyways." Lila pressed, trying her best to regain control of the situation but the boy in front of her is not the wielder of the mantle of destruction for no reason.
"Either you speak now or else I'll fish out the evidence myself and you will be utterly finished." He promised.
"..."
"SPEAK."
.
.
.
"From the moment I arrived, I kept touching you and clinging onto you...thought you'd make a great toy for me to control. Guess I should have dug my fingers in deeper to kill that disgusting spine of yours."
"Ah yes, some good old sexual harassment. Keep talking." The rest of the class paled in the background, horrified that they let something like this happen right under their gullible noses.
"I stole your useless book! And threw it away like the garbage it is!"
"...you utter bitch... Père took me out of school because of you."
"That's not even the best part! I also threatened Marinette in the bathrooms to take away all her friends, especially you. That I'd make them all turn their backs on her and she'll be alone forever. Hah~ That almost worked, didn't it?" She smirked at the rest of the teens, eating up the look on their faces. Yes, this was so much more delicious than their past fawning and awes when she had them wrapped around her little finger.
Alix was seething on the spot, desperate to break Lila's nose. The grip that Alya had on her phone almost snapped the device in half, distraught with the suffering Marinette has been through.
"That was the day I gave her that stupid advice of taking the high road huh? Should have realised how much of a psycho you were back then instead of being scared for Marinette of you turning into an akuma and trying to kill her." His instincts screamed to cataclysm Lila right this second and judging by the way Plagg was growling in his shirt pocket, the kwami would encourage him. "Regardless, your threat didn't really work, hm? She kept fighting,"
"And that's why I faked my injury, hid the cheat sheet in her bag and put my necklace in her locker. That's all you need to know before your tiny brains explode." Lila was about to stand back up but a hand clasped her shoulder from behind. She didn't need to look up to know that the perfect manicured nails belonged to the mayor's daughter. The Italian didn't even bother hiding the disgusted grimace that her lips twisted into.
"I didn't dismiss you yet, and also," Adrien leaned forward. "You're hiding some things, you know why I know? Because I have connections. You're better off spilling it yourself than me getting my hands dirty, Rossi."
"...you have got to be fucking kidding me."
"Rossi."
"That day when your fencer friend got akumatised..."
"The day you lied and forced yourself into my house? Yes, carry on,"
"I teamed up with her akuma..."
"How and Why."
"..."
"Tell us."
Everyone took a bated breath, cold sweat dripping down their heads, anger grinding in the pit of their stomachs whilst Marinette remained blissfully asleep on Adrien's lap.
"I worked with her akumatised form to take down Ladybug and give her Adrien because I hate, HATE Ladybug! I don't regret anything I've done! Never have, never do and never will! I will rise to the top and take you all down one by one! You watch! You will all be begging at my feet, wishing that you kept your mouths shut and kept me as a lifeline! I'll start off with getting rid of that Cheng bitch to make you all suffer!"
.
.
.
The whole class erupted in an uproar.
Obscenities were hollered out.
Threats were exclaimed.
Students were restrained.
Agreste watched Rossi with hate that could rival Le Papillon's for Ladybug and Chat Noir.
Chloe struck her hand out, poised to give the brat a good smack-
"QUIET!"
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.
.
A hand grasped Chloe's wrist while another tipped the cool cup of coffee down her throat.
Marinette slammed the travel mug down, gently putting Chloe's wrists back to the girl and then turned towards the class. Her eyes flickered to Lila's bewildered form for a split second and then back at everyone else.
"First off, thank you Adrien, for bringing the truth to light. I suppose waiting and planning for the right moment was a better idea than going out yelling and screaming." Marinette gave him a smile full of saccharine, making his heart skip a beat or two.
"You shouldn't be thanking me. I'm the one who let it get this bad in the first place...besides, you'd have concocted up something similar had it been anyone else getting harassed by her."
"You're not perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Besides," She glanced back at the fuming girl behind her. "You've acknowledged it and sought a solution to fix it, rather than covering it up and lying," Lila's teeth were basically scraping each other.
"Marinette..."
"Second! As much as I'd love to beat her up for real like you guys, we are much, much better than this. Control your emotions or else Le Papillon will control you," Murmurs filled the room and everyone began to try calming down. "If I really was akumatised, Lila," Marinette began.
"I would have finished the job. So I think it's wise to not try and get me under Le Papillon's influences again,"
Her eyes were like daggers, piercing Lila's weak frame, making the liar freeze on the spot.
"What do you mean again?" Adrien felt a rock hit the bottom of his stomach as he clasped the girl's wrist. The way Marinette flinched caused his paranoia to stir. "Marinette...?"
"Erm...when I got expelled? And also during the bathroom threat? But it's okay! I managed to outrun the bathroom butterfly- wait...
...I outran the butterfly but Lila got akumatised the next minute..." Marinette's eyes widened threateningly, turning back to said girl. "You walked away all smug...so how did you get akumatised?"
Lila didn't answer.
"You're working with Le Papillon...?" Alya gasped, lowering her phone as shock built up in her face.
.
.
.
SLAM!
The force of Adrien's hands against the table as he shot up shocked the class once more. Alya moved in quickly to grab Marinette and keep her out of the way.
"Get out and never come back! If I ever see your face anywhere nearby, you're dead!"
Lila immediately tripped out of the chair, feeling like she's been shot a thousand times by everyone's blood lusting looks, more frightened by the model and the designer. She scurried towards the door, only to crash into M. Damocles.
No words needed to be exchanged by the looks of his infuriated eyes. A few other teachers, including Mme. Bustier and Mendeleiev crowded her. They all wore the same blistering look, beckoning Lila to follow them to the headmaster's office.
They heard everything.
"I'll be back in a bit class," Mme. Bustier spoke. Her voice lacked the usual cheerfulness and motherly tone.
With that said and done, the classroom door was closed.
Lila was gone.
Marinette has received justice.
Whoa...
.
.
.
A dizzy spell suddenly hit Marinette and Adrien, causing them both to stagger on the spot, quickly supported by their best friends as the event of what just happened came crashing down on them. Adrien was quick to recover, having managed to catch catnaps in between battles to have some level of awareness whilst Marinette took a few minutes to regain her bearings.
"Yo what the fuck just happened now..." Kim broke the silence. "The day started off good with DC getting all loopy and Agreste Jr. getting chummy with her and boom! Jr. turns into a kickass, scarryass, motherfuckin'ass interrogator and DC pretty much admitted that she can easily kill someone!? I THOUGHT YOU TWO WERE THE CINNAMON ROLLS OF THE CLASS?!"
"Kim, you know Maman has been teaching me various forms of martial arts since I could walk. It will only take me five seconds to snap your spine in half from where I am...well, when I'm lucid anyways," Marinette squinted slightly, almost swearing that she could see stars. The others turned to Adrien for his explanation.
"...I guess watching Naruto does have its perks when trying to act a bit like a badass..." He itched his nose shyly, his cheeks flushed slightly at everyone else's groans. "YES I'M A FILTHY WEEB. DEAL WITH IT." He folded his arms defiantly but wasn't deaf to Nathaniel's and Juleka's little "Yay join the weeb club" whisper. "...And I suppose Père has rubbed off on me too," This, everyone accepted.
Adrien turned around to face his friends, eyebrows furrowed and sleep clouding his vision. He really was dead on his feet and at this rate, he would happily drape himself on the dirty floor for at a good twenty minute catnap.
However, one thing didn't leave his mind.
"Marinette, why didn't you tell me?"
"Hm? What?" She yawned quietly.
"That you were almost akumatised when she threatened you?" Marinette picked up some cool anger in his words, recoiling back and then put her hands on her hips. Her eyes narrowed.
"I don't know and I don't care. I don't need to tell you everything, hmmph!" Truth be told, Marinette's pride didn't allow her to be seen as a scaredy-cat or a coward, so, she kept mum. She was also pretty hurt from everyone's actions and behaviour beforehand too and she felt really bad at the idea of making them even more guilty.
"What. Kind. Of. An. Answer. Is. That?"
"I don't appreciate your tone Monsieur,"
"And I don't appreciate yours either Mademoiselle,"
"Well tough."
A beat went past as the duo stubbornly glared at one another.
Rolling his eyes, Adrien sauntered towards her, hands in pockets and one eyebrow cocked. The stance and swagger was so identical to Chat Noir that Marinette swore for sure that she's hallucinating.
"It's okay to not be okay you know," He spoke softly and then gestured out to the rest of the class who observed. Everyone wore a weak smile. "In order to progress, we need to communicate. You're always looking after us, catering to our feelings. Let us do the same. We really want to make it up to you," He let a hand rest on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "We don't want to let down our everyday Ladybug again."
With a sudden determination, he leaned forward and quickly brushed his lips against her cheek. Marinette's face softened and her mouth opened in a cute gape as Adrien stared back with a flustered expression.
"...Please?"
Tears flooded Marinette's eyes, causing everyone to rush forward, hoping to calm her down. The tears never stopped streaming, no matter how many times the girls dabbed her eyes with napkins and held her hands.
"I...I..." Marinette began. Everyone leaned in eagerly.
"I..."
.
.
.
"I just realised how I never got to savour my coffee..."
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.
.
Everyone literally dropped on the floor with a groan. Of course, she wasn't lucid. She probably was never lucid from the start!
Before anyone else could say anything, Alya pushed Marinette on Adrien's back, commanding him to take her home.
"Yeah sure...I think I need a day off too..." He held the snoring girl on his back, piggy style before letting out a yawn.
"Don't try anything funny with my girl~" Alya teased and ignored Chloe's bristled comments. On a normal day, Adrien would have denied this and claimed that Marinette was just his friend.
This isn't a normal day.
And Adrien is tired and grumpy and sarcastic.
"Then perhaps I shouldn't mention about how yesterday was such a wild ride~"
"Agreste!"
"Bye!"
"I'm being serious!"
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.
.
"...Okay, for real though...Did DC and Agreste bang yesterday night or naw?"
"Kim. Shut up."
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.
~(x)~
A/N: You see, I wanted to give it a go with exposing Lila? I really do like fics where she gets caught, however, some of them are really childish or bash the other characters I love in process. Originally this was meant to be a crack but somehow...you got 6K of bullshit instead lol I shouldn't write when I haven't slept... Thank you for reading!