Marinette was processing what had happened in the last few, eventfulminutes in a private corner of her own, because a, she was trying to run away from her so-called old friends and b, she reallyneeded the time to process this or she was going to explode.
Unfortunately, her seclusion didn’t last long because, in a few seconds, Nino and Kim were rushing up to her, begging for her forgiveness.
“Marinette,” Kim yelled, as he came to a stop in front of her. “Marinette, I’m so, sosorry, words can’t express how sorry I am, pleaseMarinette-”
On top of his voice, Nino was alsovoicing his apologies, “Mari, how can I make this up to you? I swear to always believe in you; I’m sorry I’ve been such a bad friend-”
All in all, it was sounding like a mess, and Marinette was beginning to back away from Nino and Kim.
Marinette laughed nervously, which, surprisingly shut the two of them up (she was expecting some more drastic measures to be taken). “So, um, I don’t really know what to say, because you know, I’ve made my feelings pretty clear before. We’re not friends anymore.”
Nino and Kim looked at her with devastated eyes that did nothingto sway her decision.
An awkward silence descended on the trio of the once childhood friends.
Marinette looked around furtively, looking for an exit.
Spotting the hallway behind her, Marinette took the opportunity to escape. “So, because things got really awkward here, I’m just going to pretend I got a superimportant text and go somewhere that’s not here, so…bye!”
The last word echoed lightly off the walls as Marinette raced down the hallway.
Looking behind her every now and then to make sure they weren’t following her (you could never be toocareful), Marinette didn’t notice the orange girl until she practically barreled into her, the two of them stumbling.
Marinette opened her mouth to apologize profusely, but when she saw whoshe bumped into, she closed her mouth with an irritated snap.
What a lovelytime to run into her oneenemy that probably wants her deadby now.
Lila Rossi felt her anger burn beyond its limitations as she set her gaze on the baneof her existence.
Marinette Dupain-fucking-Cheng.
As Lila’s gaze rested on the ‘innocent’ girl, every second made her anger burn brighterand more insane.
By this point, Lila was practically snarlingin anger and the urge to just endMarinette’s miserable existence was naggingLila painfully.
“You,” she hissed poisonously, her eyes flashing with hatred. “You little bitc-”
“Idon’thave time for this.”
Dupain-Cheng’s voice was icy and emotionless, and it made Lila feel a thousand times smaller, though she tried to hide it.
Feeling her anger spark even more, Lila resorted to more..physicalmeans,attemptingto shove Marinette back.
“I’ll make you pay, you little home-wrecker,” Lila pulled her arms back to shove Marinette.
She even wouldhave, had Marinette’s own hands not gripped her arms to the point of pain.
This time, when Lila looked at Marinette’s face, she was properlyintimidated.
“Listen up here, Rossi,” Marinette hissed, her nails digging into Lila’s skin. “Let me make this clear. Against me, you are nothing. Believe me, in your time at our school, I could have killed you a hundredtimes over, so be gratefulthat you’re even alive.”
“You’re lying,” Lila said, although the tremor in her voice bellied her true feelings.
“I can assure you,” a frosty voice said, one that Lila recognized very well, having been the one to expose her, “That she is very much telling the truth. I have seen her do it herself. Do not underestimate her, as you did before, Ms. Rossi.”
Damian Wayne looked at Lila with nothing but disdain and anger in his eyes, and suddenly, Lila felt like shrinking and falling into the ground because goddamn it, these two were scary.
“Now,” Damian said clearly, gently prying Marinette’s hands from Lila’s now-crushed sleeves. “Let me be perfectly clear. You will notlie from this second forward about me, Marinette or anyother member of my family. If you do so, Wayne Enterprises will sue you for your entire worth - which is quite meagre by the way - multiplied by a hundred. By the end of it, your life will be ruined permanently and you’ll be spending the rest of it rotting in a jail cell.”
Safe to say, Lila was terrified of Damian now.
But maybe she could salvage the situation? Damian said only the Wayne family…
“And,” Damian continued. “I dosuggest not lying about any celebrity, because, Ms. Rossi, currently, I believe you are 'trending’ and your parents are being floodedwith lawsuits.”
Lila’s jaw dropped open in shock.
“Do what you will with that,” Damian smirked at her one more time before grabbing Marinette’s hand and walking away dramatically.
Lila stood there in silence for what felt like hours, until her sharp ringtone cut into her subconscious.
serendipity | +3.9k | lila salt, adrien salt, alya salt
summary: the last time damian al-ghul saw marinette was when they were twelve. he didn’t think he would see her again. so, it’s a huge surprise when he stumbles upon her in WE while exposing the liar of the class from France.
the confrontation | +0.8k | lila salt, mild class salt [part 2 to ‘serendipity’]
summary: what a lovelytime to run into her enemy that probably wants her deadby now.
soulmate au | +1.8k | lila salt, adrien salt, alya salt
summary: tradition says that your soulmate will have another tattoo, something that relates to you. when they meet you, it is said that the tattoos start glowing a bright gold.
summary: he was a handsome man, she would give him that, but according to her father - the one of the most important lords of the kingdom - he was extremely stand-offish and cold. she didn’t know if she would get along with him.
summary: damian glared at her fiercely and she shrunk back. “i can assure you, lila rossi is most definitely not my soulmate. perhaps you should check everything she has said on google. it does exist you know.”
summary: tim and marinette attend marinette’s class reunion.
the recording | +1.5k | little angst, fluff, salt; [part 2 to ‘an…interesting reunion’]
summary: the recording (can be read as a stand-alone)
the gala | +1.6k | lila salt, adrien salt, alya salt, class salt [platonic]
summary: timothy drake-wayne was not happy. he had to lead the (according to dick at least, and he was inclined to believe him because he had never seen dick so unhappy) class of dimwits from france because it was his turn. He had put it off all week and now he had to do it as the CEO of WE.
summary: “you really should have sat down,” sighed anarka. “lad, your father is bruce wayne.”
no pairing
oneshots:
the exposé | +5.3k | lila salt, adrien salt, alya salt, class salt
summary: lila was having the time of her life at WE. the class was fawning over her, ready to do her bidding whenever she wanted, however she wanted. she could spout out a ridiculous lie and they’d believe it; they were completely and irreversibly under her spell. but then, of course, things hadto go wrong.
summary: marinette wakes up in a hospital, paralyzed.
what a liar! | +1k | lila salt, class sugar, fix-it fic
summary: lila rossi mentally prepared her plethora of lies as she entered her new class. the only thing was, she wasn’t aware they possessed brain cells.
summary: “i mean,” marinette says frustratedly, ready to tear her hair out - you will never believe the number of rants she has told chloe and kagami and the nights she has spent obsessing over it, “i’m in love with both of you!”
summary: damian glared at her fiercely and she shrunk back. “i can assure you, lila rossi is most definitely not my soulmate. perhaps you should check everything she has said on google. it does exist you know.”
Said girl stirred a little, mumbling, “5 more minutes, maman.”
“Marinette!”
Yet she did not respond, rolling over to cover her ears with the pillow next to her.
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, if you do notwake up right now you are going to miss your flight to New York!”
Sabine Cheng stifled a laugh at her daughter’s high-pitched shriek.
**
Marinette grumbled as she picked herself up from the ground.
Amazing start to the day, rolling off your bed and falling down.
“Cheer up, Marinette!” Tikki said, unfailingly happy in the morning (as always). “You’re going to go on your America tour today!”
Her chosen brushed her teeth faster, while simultaneously trying to make sure she had everything ready. “Tikki, am I missing anything?” she asked frantically.
While looking at the list Marinette made, Tikki smiled fondly at her chosen, hoping that the Rossi girl and Marinette’s ex-friends didn’t ruin the trip Marinette had worked so hard to organize.
Since Bustier couldn’t be bothered to, it fell onto Marinette to plan the senior trip. It was supposed to be educational and fun, in a way, since they would be required to write an essay about their trip. It counted for more than 50% of their grade.
With help from her friends (Alix, Kim, Max and Chloe), in no time, Marinette had developed an outline of what places they could visit.
Theoriginalplan (before it was presented to the class) was to go to New York, Metropolis, LA and then finally California.
But nooo, Lila Rossi just hadto see her so-called soulmate, Damian Wayne (“Marinette, how could you?” “How could I what?” “How could you just exclude Gotham because I want to see my soulmate?”), billionaire Bruce Wayne’s son.
Despite Marinette’s warnings, Mdm. Bustier forced her to change the itenary so that Lila could see her ‘soulmate’ (“Marinette, please change the locations.” “But Mdm. Bustier, Gotham is one of the most crime-ridden-” “I will not stand for your petty grievances, Marinette. Change it at once.”) and so the list had become:
California, New York, Metropolis and thenGotham.
Nevertheless, Marinette beamed as she waved to her parents, feeling excited.
“You can stop waving now,” Chloe remarked dryly, filing her nails. “They’re out of sight.”
**
You might be wondering, what happened to elicit such a changebetween their relationship.
Lila.
That was one thing Marinette had to thank her for. She showed Marinette who her realfriends were, a.k.a Chloe, Alix, Kim and Max.
Chloe didn’t believe Lila from the start (“Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. Does she expect meto believe that Jagged Stone, the one who lives in my hotel every monthowns a cat? Everyone knows he’s allergic to them!”) but Max was disillusioned when some of the things Lila said didn’t line up – “I got tinnitus from saving Jagged Stone’s cat from an airplane!” “You would’ve become deaf. Not suffer from tinnitus.” “Don’t be silly, Max!” – case in point.
Kim and Alix, on the other hand, came to know when Lila mixed her names up (“I know Michael Phelps – he’s such an amazing skater, Alix. I could give you some tips from him!” “Michael Phelps? Isn’t he a swimmer?”) and (Marinette snorted when she heard that) said Michael Phelps was a skater.
That certainly didn’t earn her any points with thosetwo.
In the end, Marinette could say she would take her life right nowthan the one before because until Lila came, she never really noticed how whinythe class was.
She shuddered when she remembered the never-ending requests they had – and they expected herto do it for free.
Thank god she got away from them.
**
In response to Chloe’s statement from earlier, Marinette mock-glared at her. “I know,Chloe. I was about to stop.”
“Sure, Mari,” sniffed her best friend.
Marinette protested feebly. “Really!”
“Uh-huh,” Chloe continued to file her nails, completely uninterested.
Before Marinette could retort, the door burst open and two balls of chaos rolled into the car with one poor Max.
“Ha! I won, Kim, you owe me 30 Euros!” Alix crowed triumphantly.
Kim, as expected, disagreed. “No way, pipsqueak! Iwon.”
“I did.”
“No, I did.”
“I did.”
“Can you both pleasesit properly?” Chloe pushed them with a surprising amount of strength. “You’re wrinklingthe car leather.”
In response, the two of them stuck their tongues out.
Marinette snickered at the expression on Chloe’s face – exasperation, pureexasperation.
Maxfinallyup righting himself, stood up unsteadily as he walked to the only empty seat next to Marinette.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Kim said, pulling Max onto his lap.
Max squeaked, his cheeks turning a fiery shade of red.
Alix cackled, “Poor Max. Kim, you reallyshouldn’t do that. You’re going to give the poor boy a heart attack.”
Marinette sighed happily for her friends. She was honestly elated that Kim and Max had found their soulmate in each other. They were just adorable!
She fairly beamed when Marinette saw the love-sick smile on Chloe’s face. It meant she was talking to Kagami.
Alix hadn’t found hers yet and according to the girl herself, she wasn’t really bothered by it either because she was ace.
Marinette just wished she could find hersoulmate.
Soulmate bonds – in their world – came in different types. For example, Chloe and Kagami’s bond was the word bond. Each had a word or a phrase written circling their wrists (“Excuse me, you dropped your phone.” “Thank you”) and whoever said those words was their soulmate.
Kim and Max had the string-bond – one of the strongest bonds in existence. The bond only surfaced when it decided whether the two people were readyto become lovers.
Marinette had the aura bond – one of the most difficultbonds to find your soulmate with. Basically, her aura and her soulmate’s aura – when they meet – would touch each other and glow.
It was extremely rare to witnesssuch a bonding and even rarerfor someone to find their soulmate with it.
She often wondered whether she would ever findher soulmate. At first, she thought her soulmate was Chat Noir, after all, wasn’t he her other half?
But their auras did not connect when they met.
“Marinette?” She snapped out of her thoughts when Chloe shook her arm. “Come on! We’re at the airport!”
**
After checking in – and successfully avoiding Lila’s attempts at sabotage (“Oh my gosh, Marinette! Your ticket is ripped to shreds, you can’t come!” “Well, it’s a good thing I made two copies then, isn’t it? Just in case I lost mine.”) – Marinette sighed and resigned herself to listening to Lila’s bullshit for the next few hours.
Unfortunately, she and Alix had gotten the seats rightbehind her and Alya.
“-and then Prince Ali took me out on a date!” Lila was babbling.
Alya gasped theatrically, right on cue. “Oh my gosh, girl! How did it go?”
“Well-”
Marinette groaned and resisted the urge to throw herself out of the window. “Kill me now,” she said tiredly, “Please.”
Alix didn’t look like she was faring any better and glared at the idiots in front of them. “Why did we have to get stuck with them?”
“I don’t know,” Marinette banged her head on the table in front of her. “But what I doknow is that the next few hours are going to be torture.”
**
By the time the plane landed, Alix was eyeing the knife in her hand murderously, clearly plotting Lila and Alya’s murder, and Marinette had scribbled uselessly on 2 clean pages of paper because Lila’s voice was interrupting her inspiration.
“FINALLY!” Alix screamed, running around like a maniac. “FINALLY, WE GET TO LEAVE THOSE-” Yelling some extreme profanities, she continued, “BEHIND!”
Even though the attendants were eyeing the two of them like they were crazy, Marinette didn’t care because finally.
How did anyone believe Lila anyway?
**
The next day, Marinette argued with Chloe the better color for her new sketchbook at one of the gift shops near the Statue of Liberty. “Red it better because it’s so bright but not toobright. That way, if I don’t know where it is, I can just look. For. RED!”
Snatching the yellow one off the shelves, Chloe held it in front of Marinette’s eyes. “NO! Yellow! Red would just mergeinto your room because it’s pink, while yellow would be more obvious!”
“But yellow is too brightfor the night!”
Offended, Chloe gasped. “How dare you-”
Seeing as they were dragging the attention of other customers, Alix snatched both the books from their hands and put it on the counter. “Both of them, please.”
As they walked out of the stationary shop (Chloe and Marinette still arguing) the three of them spotted Lila, Alya, Mylene and Rose walking out of a boutique loaded with bags.
“I can’t believe they’re going shoppingwhen we’re supposed to be taking notes for the essay.” Alix muttered glaring at them with disgust.
Chloe smirked icily. “It doesn’t matter because when they fail the essay, it’ll be theirfault.”
Marinette and Chloe agreed to disagree in favor of scorning Lila and her cronies.
**
California was the funpart of the trip. With its beaches and just right weather, Marinette and crew set up their site somewhere on the beach.
They spent most of their days running around, playing games and in Marinette’s case being completely oblivious to the boys flirting with her.
Nevertheless, she couldn’t help wonder whyHawkmoth wasn’t striking. It had been 3 days now and yet there was no akuma. Perhaps he was giving hera break since Chat Noir didn’t show up to half the fights anyway.
It certainly wasn’t because Gabriel Agreste was frantically planning for his spring line of which the developments got delayed due to his…terrorizing activities.
They were in Metropolis now and Marinette was currently stuck inside a sideways bus.
How, you ask?
She saved a young girl from being the hostage of the villain. Unfortunately, because she wasn’t Ladybug then her reflexes weren’t as fast and now Marinette was stuck inside the bus being the villain’s hostage.
Just a regular day for her.
Along with Chloe, Alix was yelling, “Mari, what is wrong with you?”
“Marinette, is her name?” asked the terribly-dressed villain (seriously, was he color blind or something?), “Alrighty then! Superman!” he bellowed suddenly.
Superman appeared almost immediately and distracted the villain.
While,Superboypulled Marinette out and set her beside her friends where she was promptly pulled into a bone-crushing hug.
“Guys,” she gasped, exaggerating only slightly(read:a lot), “Can’t….breathe…need…to…breathe!”
Finally, they let her go and just before Superboy was about to take off, Marinette called out, “Thank you!”
In reponse, he merely tipped an imaginary hat.
**
Marinette muttered angrily while Kim and Alix rough-housed with each other blow some steam.
How could they? She fumed. How f*cking could they?
Their ‘class’ had left them behind in Gotham Park. And Mdm. Bustier (someteacher) hadn’t even bothered to do attendance to check if everyone was there.
Marinette would even go as far as to bet that Lilawas the one to engineer this.
“Look OUT!”
Yelping, Marinette tumbled down laughing when a Great Dane came jumping on her, licking her face.
Giggling, she ran her hands through his fur making no move to get up.
“Marinette!” Chloe gasped, running to her, “Are you okay?”
Still playing with the unnamed dog, Marinette giggled out a “Yes,”.
“Ms, I am sosorry,” a masculine voice gasped, evidently from running. “Titus, no. Bad-”
Marinette sat up slowly. “It’s fine, your dog – Titus, is it? – is really very cute.”
“Cute?” Surprise laced his tone. “Most people describe Titus as scary. I haven’t seen him take to someone so fast.”
Standing up with Chloe’s help, Marinette brushed her outfit and made eye contact with the man.
Her breath suddenly whooshedout of her chest.
And slowly, slowly but steadily, her pinkish red aura reached out and merged with his dark emerald one.
As Marinette watched in wonder, the two of them slowly formed a beautiful, breath-taking gold turning brighter and brighterand then it was gone.
The only sign it had been there was a little heart made out of a puff smoke – one side red, the other green.
“Oh my god, Mari,” Chloe breathed. “I think that’s your soulmate!”
You think?
◇─◇──◇─◇
When Damian went to walk Titus that afternoon, he expected it to go normally.
He certainly didn’t expect Titus to run off and then meet his soulmate all in one go.
Nevertheless, he swallowed thickly and introduced himself, “My name is Damian Wayne.”
His soulmate’s friends looked at him in shock but his soulmate didn’t have any such reaction. If she was surprised, she was doing a damn good job of hiding it. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”
“Marinette,” her glasses friend said, “Don’t you know who that is?”
She turned to him curiously. “He’s my soulmate, Max.”
The girl – familiar from somewhere, he thinks – slaps her forehead and pulls Marinette to her side while whispering something in her ear.
“Oh!” Marinette’s cheeks suddenly colored and she said, “I didn’t know you were theDamian Wayne, I just-”
Suddenly feeling nervous, Damian interrupted her. “It’s fine,” he said slightly harshly. “It was actually kind of refreshing to meet someone who didn’t know who I was.”
She started blushing all over again and he distantly thinks, it’s cute.
“What are you doing here, anyway?” Damian moved forward to try and dispel the awkward silence that had descended upon them. “I’ve never seen you here.”
“Well,” Marinette stutters, “We were actually on a school trip, but our teacher acci-”
“Since Mari’s too nice to tell you it objectively,” Her blonde friend interrupts, “I will. We were left behind by our teacher. Chloe Bourgeois.”
Chloe holds out her hand, eyes threatening and Damian takes it, equally cold.
Somehow sensing the tension between them, Marinette continues, “And we were supposed to go to WE but because they left us behind-”
“-we’re stuck here,” finished a pink-haired girl. “Alix Kubdel.”
Nodding towards her (she certainly seemed better than Chloe), Damian sends a small smile to his soulmate (his heart beat faster at the thought that he found his soulmate). “I can take you to WE if you want. But how did your teacher just forgetyou existed?”
Exchanging looks with her tall friend, Marinette gestures towards him and says, “Kim will tell you.”
**
By the time they have reached WE, Damian is fumingresisting the urge to go and murder this Lila Rossi and Adrien Agreste and the rest of their idiot classmates.
Whotells someone letting a pathological liar, lie and lie is taking the ‘high road’?
What kind of friends ditch someone who did so muchfor them just like that?
And the liar. Damian seethed at the thought of her. How dare she, how dare she targethissoulmate.
“Woah, Damian, man,” said Kim – the tall one, “You might want to calm down. You’re scaring the people.”
Breathe Damian. Breathe.
Inhaling with great difficulty, Damian said, “I am going to murderyour class and teacher. And I won’t even make it look like an accident.”
Chloe finally looked at him with something other than wariness as she murderously said, “I’ll help you.”
Marinette panicked looking at their serious expressions. “No! You guys can’t do that!”
“Watch me,” Damian snarled.
◇─◇──◇─◇
Richard Grayson considered himself to be a good person.
So,whothought he deserved this?
This being a class (and teacher) without braincells because they believe every damn word out of a patheticliar’s mouth. Seriously, hadn’t they heard of something called Google?
Oh, and as if thatwasn’t enough, the teacher had forgotten about 5 students and stated, “They are troublemakers anyway, we can start without them,”
Was she insane?
She was a goddamnteacher! Didn’t she know it was her jobto make sure they straightened out?
Gritting his teeth, he said with a patience did notfeel, “Mdm. Bustier, we cannotstart the tour without your missing students. You will have to findthem and get them here.”
So, here he was.
Waiting for the idiot of the teacher to try and get her students to WE.
Needless to say, he was elatedwhen the WE doors slammed open and Damian came striding in (even though he looked like he was about to murder someone).
“Lil’ D!” Dick yelled, hoping Damian saw the pleading in his eyes, “Come meet the class we’re touring today!”
Growling, Damian walked right passed him and glared icily at the class. “Which one of you is the liar?” he hissed, glaring at everyone.
When no one responded, Dick volunteered himself, “That one.”
Damian shot him a slightly thankful look and advanced to her. “You,” he spat. “Lie about my soulmate one more time and I’ll end you.”
Turning her nose up at him, she sniffled theatrically. “How dare you say that to me? My soulmate is Damian Wayne and he’ll have the Wayne lawyers on you in seconds.”
By now, everyone (employees included) had frozen, watching the drama eagerly. But when Lie-la said that.
Most people burst out laughing immediately, and Dick would have too, had she not said Damianwas her soulmate. “What do you mean, Mdm. Rossi, that Damian is your soulmate?”
Smirking triumphantly, her olive-green eyes sparkled maliciously as she said, “Damian Wayne is my soulmate.”
Woah.Shereallyhadn’t done her research. “Mdm. Rossi,” Dick said coldly. “Damian is not your soulmate.”
“And how would you know that?” An ombre-haired, glasses-wearing girl glared at him.
“Because,” he said coolly, “I am his brother andyou do realize that Damianwas the one to tell you to stay away from his soulmate?”
Lila paled and Dick felt satisfaction course through him.
But then he registered what Damian said. He had found his soulmate.
“Wait, Damian,” Dick asked turning to him, “Just whois your soulmate?”
“I am,” a female voice said. A short blue-haired girl with pale skin walked next to Damian and held out her hand. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng,”
Dick smiled at the girl and shook it firmly. “Dick Grayson.”
“But that’s not possible,” cried out the glasses-wearing girl, Alya. “Lilais Damian’s soulmate!”
Damian glared at her fiercely and she shrunk back. “I can assure you, Lila Rossi is most definitely notmy soulmate. Perhaps you should check everything she has said on Google. It doesexist you know.”
Alya quickly pulled out her phone and was probably searching up everything Lila told her.
The rest of her class watched her in tense silence and then backed away slowly as they saw the unbridled fury grow in her eyes. “You.” Alya hissed. “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU!”
◇─◇──◇─◇
Marinette jumped when she felt a hand touch her elbow.
It was Adrien. “Marinette,” he hissed, “What are you doing? Why are you exposing Lila?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Adrien,” she said loudly, drawing the attention of Damian. “Maybe it’s because she’s been lying about me?”
“But she wasn’t-”
“Hurting anyone?” Marinette glared at him coldly. “She was, Adrien. Me.And you and your ‘high road’ bullshit can go and rot in hell for all I care.”
“Wait,” asked Nino, hurt evident in his expression. “Adrien knewall this time?”
Chloe smiled icily. “Yes. He didn’t wantto expose Lie-la because she wasn’t ‘hurting anyone’,”
And then suddenly, the entire class was rounding on Adrien, who was frantically trying to explain his actions.
In the chaos, no one noticed Lila advance closer and closer to Marinette.
She jumped onto her and screeched, “MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG,I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!”
Lilaattemptedto try and choke Marinette but said girl was quicker, stronger and smarter.
Marinette quickly backed away and flipped her onto her back, pinning Lila’s wrists together.
“Let me go!”Lila was thrashing around trying to get out of Marinette’s hold.
“Mdm. Rossi, you are under arrest for assault and attempted murder,” came the cool voice of an unfamiliar officer.
As one of his men handcuffed Lila, Damian wrapped Marinette into a warm hug. He opened his mouth to say something but Alya interrupted him.
“Marinette!” she called. “I’m so sorry! Can you give me an interview with theDamian Wayne?”
Marinette goggled at her, unable to process what she said. Turning to Chloe, she asked, “Did she actually just saythat?”
“Well?” Alya tapped her foot impatiently and Marinette glared at her.
“No,Alya, I will notgive you an interview with Damian,” she hissed.
Alya looked gobsmacked. “But…why? I’m your best friend!”
“Best friend?” Marinette laughed. “Best friends don’t leave each other when the next shiny thing comes around. Best friends don’t ditch other. Best friends don’t believe a liar over each other. And besides,” she added sweetly. “Youare not my best friend. Chloeis.”
Chloe beamed at her.
“Alright,” Dick clapped. “I know this must be a nasty shock-”
summary: lila rossi mentally prepared her plethora of lies as she entered her new class. the only thing was, she wasn’t aware they possessed brain cells.
As Lila Rossi stood outside her new class, she mentally prepared her plethora of lies. She could literally taste the victory she was going to feel. After she wooed Adrien Agreste (he was going to fall head over heels in love with her), she would rule the class.
Lie No. 1: I must sit in the front with Adrien because of my tinnitus. I got it when I saved Jagged Stone’s kitten from an airplane. It nearly died! Because Jagged loved his kitten SO much, he wrote a song about me.
Lie No 2. I’m besties with Ladybug! We met at an akuma attack and-
“LILA! Are you even listening?” asked her mother.
Lila almost glared at her for interrupting her. Almost. “Of course I am Mama, I just zoned out a little because I was so nervous.”
Her oh-so-gullible mother’s expression softened considerably. “Don’t worry mio caro, your teacher her, Ms Bustier-” The lady beside her waved at Lila, “says that the children in her class are absolute angels. You’ll get along great!”
Lila smiled with the utmost glee - not that her mother could see it - the class would be so gullible, they’d be at her beck and call! “Of course Mama.”
“Now Lila,” said her new teacher - she seemed to be a pushover, “Why don’t you go inside and introduce yourself. I’m sure my class will welcome you with open arms. I will just talk to your mother for a few seconds.”
Lila nodded dutifully. Mrs Rossi pulled her into a hug and said “Addio mio caro!”
Addio indeed.
◇─◇──◇─◇
Lila stepped into the class. All the chatter inside suddenly ceased. There were about 10-11 students looking at her curiously. She could see her ticket to money and fame - Adrien Agreste - sitting at the front. Time to rule the class.
She pasted her sweetest, fakest smile and said “Bonjour! My name is Lila Rossi! I have just joined. My mother is the ambassador so I have joined late.”
Most of the students smiled and introduced themselves, while one - the one sitting behind Adrien - said “Bonjour Lila! My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, why don’t you sit next to Nathaniel in the back?” Nathaniel waved at her.
Lila’s smile became a little fixed. Dammit, she had to sit next to Adrien! “Actually,” she simpered. “I hate to cause an inconvenience, but I suffer from tinnitus so I can’t hear properly from the back.”
The brunette beside Marinette said “Oh? How so? I mean like if you want to tell me of course.”
Lila smiled. Finally someone was falling into her trap!
“Oh no of course not! I got tinnitus by saving Jagged Stone’s kitten! It ran under an airplane and I went to go get it out because, well, obviously, I couldn’t let it die like that! As a thank you, Jagged wrote a song for me! And then Ladybug heard about that and came to meet me. We became besties just like that!” she bragged.
The rest of the class was speechless. They were totally going to fall for it. Hook, line and sinker.
“That’s like…wow dudette.” said Nino.
Lila cackled internally.
Hook.
“That is so cool, Lila!” said Alya.
Line.
Lila didn’t notice the glint in Alya’s eyes though.
Wait for it….aaaaaand…
“What a LIAR!” cackled Alix. The class burst out laughing with her.
And sinke- wait…what?
Lila forced her eyes to fill with tears. “What are you guys talking about? How could you say that to me?”
Kim rolled his eyes at her. “Stop with the crocodile tears Lila, we don’t believe you.”
Alix chimed in with her own input. “Everyone knows that Jagged Stone has Fang-”
Lila, seeing an out, said “That was the kitten’s name! Fang!”
The class stared at her. “Who is a crocodile.” Alix finished.
Oh.
“And no airport security is so lax that it would let a kitten go onto the runway, let alone a girl.” says Adrien. Her ticket to fame.
“And, there is a reason the airport people wear earmuffs on the runway Lila.” said Max.
“I’m NOT lying, you guys.” said Lila, stamping her foot like a 3 year-old.
“Oh because it’s totally legal for a 35 year-old man write a song about a minor.” said Mylene sarcastically.
Well shi- Lila didn’t think of that.
“And anyway Lila, even if we believed your pathetic lies, we wouldn’t even care,” said Rose.
“We’re all successful people Lila, and we have our own connections too. We don’t need your fake ones.” said Juleka smoothly.
“Say for example, Juleka and Adrien. Those two are models. Adrien for Gabriel and Juleka for MDC.” says Marinette. “Rose has Prince Ali on speed-dial. Kim and Alix have several sports figures looking for them as interns. Max has created one of the best AI’s and tech companies are fighting for him.”
Chloe adds her own bit. “Not to mention my daddy’s the mayor. And Sabrina’s daddy is the Chief Police Officer.”
“Me and Mylene are getting known in movies!” says Ivan excitedly.
“I’m the co-owner of the Ladybug and Chat Noir comics, and me and Marc are almost sold out!” adds Nathanial.
Nino grins smugly and says “DJ Nino at your service. I got chosen over XY.”
“Plus Alya is the creator of the Ladyblog. Everyone knows she’s the closest thing to a civilian best friend Ladybug has. Chat Noir is her best friend.” said Adrien.
Lila finally sees someone they missed. Marinette. She smirks at them and says “And what about Marinette hmm? She doesn’t have any connections.”
Adrien surprised her by laughing. “Oh you know nothing. Marinette has more connections than anyone of us.” Said girl was blushing tomato red. “Let’s see..” said Adrien, counting off his fingers. “She’s Jagged Stone’s personal designer. Designed his famous glasses and album covers you know? Then, she designed for Clara Nightingale and Prince Ali and did you know? She’s the M to the DC that’s taking over the fashion world. She’ll be ruling it by the time she’s of age.”
Still blushing, Marinette smirked at her. “So you see Lila, your lies mean nothing to us.”
That was when Ms Bustier entered the classroom. She smiled kindly at the class and asked “I hope the class gave you a good welcome Lila?”
The class nodded at her. “Oh yeah,” said Alix smugly. “It’s one she’ll never forget.”
◇─◇──◇─◇
At the back, was when everything processed for Lila.
At her realization, her heart stopped beating for a minute.
Imagine The Squad getting older and getting their driving License, and of course Gabriel buys one which would fit the high standard of his brand. The Gang sits together and talk about the car they want and may effort and Adrien just seems so down, and they ask what is wrong? He tells them that his dad got him a freaking BUgatti Veyron! And Marinette is just delighted, since she knows her cars! Nino and Alya equally impressed and ask why he is so sad about that and he just says: I just wanted a VW Beetle
((@frostedpuffs gave me the idea of him wanting a Beetle. Which i know just got was a ref to Ladybug. I am so dense! XD))
(Fics I read throughout the day yesterday and enjoyed)
[X]He Runs Away In The NightbyClaycastles(@claycastles)
Nino finds Chat Noir crying outside his window at midnight. If he had known inviting him inside would have led to this, he definitely still would have done it.
Ninonoir lots of identity shenanigans, good times. Or well debatably good times for Adrien, the physical abuse side of things gets ticked up about a notch or two in his home situation.
⚠️spoilers: there is a single line about Marinette’s “stalker ish” habits around Adrien from Nino that could be grating to some people, it can however be read as friendly ribbing, which I decided to take it as⚠️
Adrien needs to get out of his house for the night. After breaking out of his own room, the only obstacle between him and a hug from Nino is the fact that Nino’s bedroom window is three stories off the ground.
Cute, Adrino (not intensely shippy) , Adrien again not doing so hot here, had a fight with his dad and isn’t thinking straight through most of it and is being kind of reckless
!!!! Both of them just: there’s no way a guy like that could be interested in me (N: man he’s never going to notice me, A: but are you sure, like 100% you mean it, you actually like me?) I laughed, there were definitely parts where I was like Adrien’s gonna make a break for the window. anyways
Nino has the vibes of someone who’s unironically choosing oatmeal raisin over chocolate chip and getting absolutely decimated for it
Marinette asks her parents to sell oatmeal raisin cookies specifically for Nino.
Doesn’t change the fact that peeps mock him for choosing such a “boring” cookie. But hey, the Dupain Cheng oatmeal raisin cookies are the best boring cookies in the world.
