Chapter Text
You could say that Lila Rossi was not having a good first day in Paris, but that’s an insulting understatement.
Her day was an absolute shit fire, thank you very much.
It had started out wonderfully, her lies and fantastical stories quickly gained her the admiration of her peers, an interview with a popular blog in Paris, and the attention of a cute blonde boy who happened to be the most popular boy in the city. She expected to ride this popularity ride until she had to move towns. Again. How was she supposed to know that Ladybug herself would call her out on a date with her not-crush Adrien Agreste? As though being humiliated wasn’t enough, then a creepy butterfly-themed terrorist took advantage of her emotion in another (failed) attempt to get jewelry from children.
Yes, she was salty. If she ever saw Hawkmoth, she’d punch him in the face.
Her mood only got worse as the streets began to get darker and the ache in her feet got worse. Her phone had died over an hour ago, and she was lost.
This had to be one of the worst days of her life.
She slumped down on a bench by the Seine, yanking off her heeled boots to rub her aching feet. As she was cracking her toes, something- rather, someone- landed nearby, and any relief she had felt was washed away by severe annoyance when she spotted the red and black-spotted feet. “What do you want?” Lila sneered, not bothering to turn to the hero or wait for a reply as she reluctantly slipped her shoes back on. The Italian had hoped to sit for another few minutes, but she stubbornly refused to spend another second in her presence.
“It’s just, I, uh… I thought you’d be at home by now.” The awkwardness in the hero’s voice was such a stark contrast to the vitriol it had had earlier that day, and it caused Lila to pause, though it was quickly shaken off when she stood up and her feet began aching even worse. These shoes hadn’t even been broken in yet, but she wanted to look good on her first day.
And look how it turned out.
“It’s only my first day in Paris, why the hell would I know my way home from the Eifel tower?” Lila snapped, balling her fists as she began to power walk across a bridge. “And my phone is dead, so its not like I can call someone or anything!” This way looked familiar… kinda. To her great dismay, the insect decided to follow.
“Oh! Um, would- would you like some help?” Ladybug was tugging on a pigtail nervously, though Lila didn’t notice this. However, this did cause her to finally stop and whirl around, and by this time the other girls’ hand was firmly by her side.
“Why would I want help from you?” The Italian yelled, stomping her foot and regretting it immediately. Ladybug rose her hands up placatingly with a panicked expression on her face.
“I don’t mean me!” The blue haired girl rushes out. “Well, I mean, I do, but- Fuck, anyway- I could call Chat Noir, or you can use my yo-yo to call your parents? Crime has gone down since Chat and I started our… our thing, but it’s still dangerous to walk alone at night, especially for pretty girls like you. Not that it’d be your fault or anything, I, uh-“
The other girl’s habit of rambling was getting kind of annoying, but it was rather fun watching her turn as red as her suit. It also gave her time to think of her options, since it was easy to tune the hero into background noise. Her mother was working late at the embassy, and she hadn’t seen her dad since the divorce six months prior. “Call Chat Noir,” she said with a flick of her hand. “…please.” She grumbled out the last word, but her family had spent years drilling manners into her. Ladybug gave a small smile as she flipped open her compact.
‘Sorry I can’t come to the phone, M’Lady. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!’
“Damn,” muttered Ladybug, but before there was even a beep, she got an incoming call. “Salut, kitty -“
“Good evening, My Lady!” the boy chirped from the other side of the line. “And it’s quite a beautiful evening indeed… Purr-haps you’d like to join me later for dinner?” Ladybug gives a sigh, obviously used to and tired of this sort of behavior.
“Actually, Mlle Lila needs a ride home, and…” Here, the hero looks towards Lila with uncertainty, so she grabs the compact from gloved hands.
“Because I’m pissed and my feet hurt and your partner isn’t exactly in my good graces,” She glares acidly at the cat hero, who looked like he was in some sort of box or closet. Faint piano music could be heard filtering through the speakers.
“Didn’t LB apologize?” He asked in confusion.
“Fuck her apology, she humiliated me!” Lila growls, and Ladybug immediately began scanning for any akuma as guilt flowed through her veins.
“But-“He tries again, but is cut off by his partner.
“Chat, she has no obligation to accept it,” she says, still searching the skies. “Can you take her home or not?”
“Well, I’d love to help, but my dad will be checking on me any minute.” To his credit, he did look very remorseful, fake cat ears drooping and everything.
“I understand,” Ladybug sighs but smiles. “Good luck, kitty!”
“Thank you, my lady!” He grins and signs off.
Ladybug turns to the other girl. “Is there anyone else I can call for you?” Lila shakes her head, and the hero frowns lightly and looks to the side before apparently coming to a resolution. “Lila, I know I apologized earlier, but I wanted to do it again. The way I acted was, well… it was super bitchy, and unbecoming of me not only as a hero, but as a person. I’m sorry that I hurt you.” Her bluebell eyes looked directly into Lila’s olive-green ones, and she was taken aback at the eye contact.
“Whatever,” she scoffs. “Just drop me off at that park from earlier, I’ll be able to find my way home from there.”
The hero takes Lila’s attitude in stride. “Traveling over the rooftops would be fastest, so hang on to me tight.” Reluctantly, Lila wraps her arms around Ladybugs’ neck while the hero wraps an arm around her waist. “Ready?” At Lila’s tight nod, she shoots out her yo-yo, and then they were swinging above the streets of Paris. The Italian is sure she let out at least one scream, but who could blame her? The only things keeping her from dying were her own shaking arms and the one arm of the hero (whom she didn’t even like). Given how close the two were, Lila was able to smell Ladybugs’ shampoo; it smelled like fresh flowers and open air.
‘Whatever,’ she thinks to herself, and ignores the light flush on her own face.
When they finally, finally, land, Lila has to hold herself up using the iron fence thanks to her shaking legs.
“Well, uh… bonne nuit. Get home safe.” Just as Ladybug was turning to leave, dreading her pile of homework, Lila mutters something.
“Thanks.” The fact that she’s looking at her knees when she says this means that Lila misses the small, soft smile the hero shoots her way.
“Anytime!” she chirps. “Bug out!” The whistle of displaced air signals her departure, and Lila can finally walk the short way home. Later, as she was relaxing in a bubble bath, some of the other girls words finally hit her.
‘Did… did Ladybug call me PRETTY?!’
Marinette sighed as she finally finished her homework, leaning back in her chair and stretching. She then sits there, staring out the window in deep contemplation.
“Come on, Marinette, you should get ready for bed!” Tikki chirps, doing her best to guide her wielder towards the bathroom.
“I know, I know,” the girl placates, standing up and stretching again, clock reading half past midnight. “I was just thinking… of doing something nice for Lila tomorrow.”