Chapter Text
“Actually…”
“Really?” Lila raises an eyebrow of incredulity as Marinette looks her up and down appraisingly. There’s a pause, and then Marinette comes to a conclusion.
“I could probably even lift you,” Marinette claims matter-of-factly. Lila folds her arms, clearly doubting Marinette’s statement.
“Yea, sure, maybe when you have a Miraculous giving you super strength or whatever,” She replies, eyeing Marinette’s frame in turn. The French Asian is one of the more petite girls Lila knows. Her limbs are slim and she’s not even that tall. And Lila, with her sedentary lifestyle of sitting and playing on her phone, is definitely thicker than her. She’s pretty certain Marinette could really only carry her with the aid of the kwami.
“You don’t think I can carry you?” Marinette sends Lila a sly grin and pushes up one of her sleeves, showing off a bit more of her arm. She curls it, and Lila is surprised to see a slight definition of Marinette’s bicep. “I’ve been hauling sacks of flour since I was born! Carrying you would be nothing,” she says confidently.
“Babe, this isn’t anything I’m insecure about, but my body’s a little denser than a sack of flour,” Lila retorts, gesturing to herself. Chubby, plus-size, whatever term is being used nowadays, Lila is just going to be heavier than Marinette. Marinette rolls her eyes.
“So what?”
“So… you probably can’t do it,” Lila answers, but there’s a slight nagging doubt to her own words. She wonders if she’s wrong. Marinette has surprised her in a myriad of ways before.
“Frankly, I’m offended, and I hope you’ll let do it anyway so I can prove you wrong,” Marinette says, rolling up her other sleeve, “and with no kwamis involved. I don’t need to be Ladybug, I’m plenty strong on my own.”
Lila blinks, and Marinette is striding towards her confidently.
“Wait, what?” Lila says in surprise, “I mean, sure, but don’t say I didn’t wa- ah!”
Lila’s words are cut off by Marinette speeding up, bending slightly forward, and tossing her girlfriend over her shoulder with ease. Lila flails for a second, now partially upside-down, trying to keep her face from hitting Marinette’s back.
“See, like a flour sack,” Marinette says, one arm curled up around Lila’s waist, and another resting on the backs of Lila’s legs.
Lila flushes at the proximity of her girlfriend, brain short-circuiting for a second.
“You are such a show-off,” Lila mumbles, pressing a hand to her forehead.
“What was that I heard? An apology? Sorry Marinette, I was wrong ?” Marinette says, patting the small of Lila’s back. Lila gently head-bangs against Marinette’s back.
“Listen, I was expecting a bridal carry or something like that,” Lila protests, “not this crude sack carry-”
“Oh, you think I can’t carry you bridal style?” Marinette says, taking it as a challenge.
“Well- ack!” Lila’s interrupted again as Marinette seamlessly leans forward to take Lila off her shoulder and wraps an arm around her knees to pick her up in a bridal carry. Lila flushes harder, and huffs indignantly. This definitely isn’t everything Lila’s ever wanted.
“Told you so~” Marinette says gleefully, holding Lila tight.
“It’s not my fault you look like sticks, okay,” Lila says, crossing her arms again. She turns her head away, cheeks red as a ladybug.
“Well, these sticks are the ones holding you. And they can keep doing that in the future,” Marinette says, and Lila looks back at her with a smile.
“They better,” Lila says back, leaning into the hold, “Thanks. Maybe I’ll take a nap here.”
“Hey, you don’t get to relax yet! I think I deserve a kiss.” Marinette hefts Lila gently, “if you want.”
“Only if you don’t stop carrying me!” Lila says, and reaches up a hand to cup Marinette’s cheek and pull her into a kiss.
“Definitely,” Marinette answers, and smiles against Lila’s lips.