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Mme. Bustier stared at the envelope in front of her, rubbing her eyes. She had to be dreaming.
Because someone had donated enough tickets for the whole class to RDC’s latest fashion debut~ for his newest fashion line, the fall season debut, no less. But blinking didn’t make them go away.
She touched them almost reverently. Tickets to RDC Designs fashion shows were phenomenally expensive by now (of course at first they hadn’t cost much, back when he was unknown, but everyone knew his name~ or rather, his initials.
RDC was possibly the biggest mystery of the decade, second only to Ladybug’s identity (after Hawkmoth had been defeated, his and Chat Noir’s identities had been exposed). The designer had quickly risen to the top, complete with endorsements from well-known celebrities such as Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, and even the infamous Audrey Bourgeois. RDC could use a picture of you and design something that fit you perfectly, brought out your best features and minimized your worst (of course, it was best to send measurements). He had even created an Akuma clothing line that made their monstrous clothes seem fashionable after being redesigned in a way. Every season, he would debut a new line based on that season.
How, exactly, had tickets~ hundred dollar tickets~ end up on Mme. Bustier’s desk? AND enough for her whole class? This was worth tens of thousands of dollars. However it had happened, there was one course to take. She quickly fired off a group email. It appeared they would be having a class reunion.
She didn’t notice Ladybug slipping out of her window with a satisfied smile.
~~~~~
“Are you sure, Marinette?” Tikki asked for what seemed to be the hundredth time since she had come up with her plan.
“Yes, Tikki,” she answered again. “Lila’s lies have to be revealed. It’s wrong to let her lead people on like that. Sooner or later, someone’s going to get hurt.”
Yes, her method was a little spiteful. But frankly, she deserved a little spite after she had been cast aside by her classmates the moment something shiny and new, aka Lila, had come along. Not to mention how annoyed she’d been when they STILL expected her to make them gifts for free, which in retrospect, she definitely should not have done even back when they were friends. It set unhealthy expectations of her. The first time it had happened after they had started excluding her, she had scoffed and asked if they were joking. When she realized that they were serious, her jaw had dropped open and she told them (admittedly rather rudely) that if they wanted dresses (and tuxes) for the upcoming dance, they could pay for them just like her commissions were being paid for.
To be honest, some good had come out of the whole fiasco. Aurore, Kagami, and Luka had proven to be true friends. And when she had gone to Gotham for inspiration and met Damien, well, only good came out of that.
Just them, her doorbell rang. She leapt up, a grin on her face.
“Angel!” Damien’s voice filled the cozy apartment. “I’m here.”
“I can see that,” she responded, but the huge smile on her face gave her away. She hugged him.
“When’s the show?”
Damien has flown in from the States just to be with her for her new clothing line’s debut. She chuckled nervously.
“The day after tomorrow.”
She had come a long way since lycee, when she’d had pigtails and, to be honest, been a pushover. Once she got over her obsession with Adrien and stopped wasting time doing things for her so-called friends that she actually should have been paid for, her designing had taken a big leap up. She was now known as RDC, although only a select few knew it. Now she was planning to reveal herself to the public along with her newest fall line.
Damian pecked her cheek. “I know it’ll be a success. Everyone loves your designs!”
“Yeah, but I hear people on the streets. They all think I’m a man! What if they stop liking me because I’m a woman? What if they don’t believe me? What if-”
Damian cut her off. “First of all, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I’ve seen the way men look at you. They’ll gobble you up. And it doesn’t matter what gender you are. It does not impact your creativity.”
Marinette smiled fondly at him. “Thanks, Damian.”
He grinned and asked, “Do I get a kiss for that?”
Marinette pretended to consider. “You might’ve, but not anymore for asking.”
He pouted and she chuckled. She kissed him on the cheek and said, “That’s all you get for now. I’m working on a project for the debut.”
~~~~~
Damian Wayne smiled fondly at his girlfriend. Her lips were pursed while she worked, and there was a small crease in between her eyes. He wanted nothing more than to smooth them out, but he knew better than to interrupt her while she was working~ last time he had, he’d been thrown out and pelted with a book.
They had met two years ago when Marinette haz gone on a trip to Gotham for “American inspiration”. She had been working on a national country line of clothing, with clothes from each country’s style while with a dramatic twist that made it different from traditional clothing. He had fallen in what would count as love at first sight.
She did look different from what they called lycee; he had seen pictures of her short with pigtails. Since then, she’d had a mini growth spurt and while she wasn’t tall by any means she wasn’t too short, about 5’6”. Her hair had been grown out and she usually kept it in a braid. He treasured the special occasions when she braided flowers or ribbons into her hair as well. Her face had matured into that of an adult as well.
He knew she was stressed about the upcoming premiere; she was going to reveal herself, after all. He knew that the identity of the mysterious fashion designer was a big mystery, pretty much as big as Ladybug’s identity (who he also knew was Marinette; be a superhero for long enough and you’ll recognize someone else leading a double life). But his angel didn’t know that he had a surprise for her too.
Marinette glanced at him. “What’s so funny?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re smiling.”
“I was just thinking about how RDC is this great, mysterious guy and here you are, looking like an angel, but hardly mysterious.”
She smiled. “I’ll have you know I am very mysterious, thank you very much.”
He tweaked her nose in response, and she batted him away with a spare piece of fabric. “You’re lucky my pin box isn’t in reach,” she warned him. He winced. Last time she actually had attacked him with a pin box, resulting in several little pricks all over his body and stinging whenever he moved. It hadn’t been serious, but it had been a nuisance.
“All right,” he conceded, “My mysterious angel.”
She grinned tweaked his nose in return.
~~~~~
CBustier: Hello to my old class. How have you been doing? I’ve been fine, but I do miss you. Someone just anonymously sent me a set of tickets to RDC’s next fashion debut. There are enough for the class, so I believe this would make a wonderful class reunion. Please reply and let me know if you can make it!
ACésaire: Hi Mme Bustier! I’m fine. I can totally make it!
LRossi: Oh, I sent you the tickets. I thought it would be a good class reunion too! I guess I forgot to sign my name.
NLahiffe: That’s awesome, dudette! I’ll be there!
[Skip everyone else responding except Marinette]
AAgreste: Nathalie gave me the go ahead.
NLahiffe: Awesome, bro!
LRossi: Marinette didn’t respond. Is she still so mad at me? 😢
ACésaire: I don’t know, I haven’t heard from her for a while. But hey, it’s her loss!
NLahiffe: I kind of feel bad for her, dude.
LRossi: Alya, wanna come over?
ACésaire: Sure!
CBustier: So everyone’s going to be there except for Marinette? Okay. I’ll sell the last ticket.
~~~~~
The class met in front of the building where the reveal was taking place. Lila, frankly, looked the same, except older. Alya, however, had put in excess weight around her middle and looked twice her age. Nino was taller and his chest was slightly broader. Rose was still petite, Juleka had grown her hair out of her face, Ivan was still huge, Mylène had dyed her hair gold, and Kim, sadly, had bloated out after his swimming career ended (courtesy of listening to Lila). Max was now wearing contacts and ran a partly successful gaming company, Nathaniel had published several comics but they had failed and he was now in debt.
The class surrounded Lila, asking after her and thanking her profusely for the opportunity to come to one of RDC’s shows. She smiled and played it off as nothing.
“Oh, it was just a stroke of luck,” she said, smiling demurely. “My company was giving out tickets to the best workers and, you know, they chose me. I’m so grateful that I got to take all of you!”
“Girl, what company gives out free RDC tickets? I need in on that.”
Lila smiled. “Actually, it’s my fiancé’s company. Maybe you’ve heard of him? Damian Wayne.”
Everyone gasped. “You mean the Damian Wayne? Son of Bruce Wayne?” Alya asked.
“Yes,” Lila said shyly. “Damiboo wanted to come, but he got held up in the office.”
“Aww,” Alya said, disappointed. “It would’ve been awesome to meet him.”
Lila smiled sweetly. “Maybe next time.”
“Everyone,” Mme Bustier said, “It’s time to go in.”
As they went inside, they all looked around except for Lila. “Aren’t you curious about everything?” Alya asked her.
“Actually,” she said, “RDC’s shown me around before. We’re close friends. We’ve actually had lunch together several times.”
Nino almost choked. “You know RDC?” He asked. When Lila nodded, he said, “Dudette. Who is it?”
“I’m afraid I was sworn to secrecy,” she said, sounding regretful.
Alya said, “Hey, this looks like a building Marinette would’ve liked. The old Marinette, I mean. The one who was nice and didn’t bully people.”
Lila smiled regretfully. “Too bad she couldn’t make it. Has anyone heard from her since we graduated?”
Alya shook her head. “Last I checked,” she said, “She was failing as a designer and married to some failing businessman.”
Lila shook her head sadly. “I feel sorry for her.”
Alya snorted. “I feel bad for her husband. Having to put up with her.”
Just then, an announcement came over the loudspeakers. “Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The fashion show is about to begin.”
~~I’m bad at clothes so let’s skip~~
The last model went back inside. As chatter rose up, Alya turned to Lila. “That was THE BEST ever! Thanks so much, girl!”
The other classmates expressed similar sentiments. Then another announcement came over the loudspeakers. “Will everyone please stay seated. RDC has decided to reveal herself. Some of you may know her from older times, but she goes by Rinet as a designer.”
There was a lot of murmuring in the audience. Her? The classmates turned to Lila, confused. But before they could ask, the lights dimmed again and out came...
none other than Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
~~~~~
Marinette took a deep breath. “Hello, everyone!”
The shocked silence turned to cheers. “Marry me, RDC!” Someone shouted from the audience.
Once the cheering waned, she began. "I want to thank everyone for being here tonight. It truly is an honor to be able to see everyone wearing clothes that I designed, knowing I've contributed in such an incredible way to almost everyone's everyday lives.”
The crowd cheered again.
"With that said, there are a few people out there that I definitely want to thank."
The crowd quieted.
"First of all, my former class and in particular, Lila Rossi, who I sent tickets to for today's show."
She could see the class murmuring and looking at Lila. Marinette's smile grew sharp.
"I want to thank her for showing me who my true friends were. She pushed all of my class against me, but it showed me why they weren't really my friends and allowed me to stop making my life about doing free things for them and focus on my designs more."
The crowd was looking at them by now, and few people were even glaring. Lila shrunk back in her seat.
"But as a result of that, I did find my own supportive group of friends: People who knew me better than my classmates and actually trusted me. I would like Luka, Kagami, Félix, and Aurore to come up."
Yes, she had said Félix. A few months after the incident with the videos, Félix had come back to Paris to stay for a while. As she'd gotten to know him, she found that he wasn't malicious, just mischievous, and they had become fast friends.
As the four made their way up nervously, she gestured for three mannequins to be brought up.
"I designed three custom articles of formal wear for you three. Kagami, Luka, Aurore, you two can wear these on normal days as well. Félix," she smiled, "You wear formal wear every day anyway."
He turned red but grinned.
When the mannequins were uncovered, Kagami was the first to react. "It's beautiful," she smiled, hugging Marinette.
[Skip the descriptions ]
"And last but most definitely not least," she said, "I would like to thank the person who has been the most supportive of them all, since he met me anyway," that got a few laughs, "my boyfriend, Damian Wayne."
The crowd cheered again.
Damian came up with a big grin. "Hey, angel," he said softly.
His mannequin was brought up. Uncovering it, it was another custom designed suit. For Damian. He looked at it almost in awe, and then turned to her.
"I was going to save this until later," he said, "but I can't resist."
He dropped to one knee. The audience held their breath. "Angel," he asked, eyes soft. "Will you marry me?"
Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Finally, she squeaked out, "Yes!"
He picked her up and kissed her. The crowd cheered.
(Along with some catcalls.)
"All right," she said, pulling away from the kiss but laughing. "Put me down."
He obliged. Her friends watched from nearby, smiling. Mme Bustier's class was looking slightly confused but glaring at Lila. The audience started to file out as the lights came back on.
~~~~~
Lila was pissed.
Her life had finally been going well. She had a rich boyfriend who thought she was working today. Her "class", or sheep, were still dutifully on her side. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was out of her life. Their class had anonymously been donated tickets and she could take credit (but frankly, who would be dumb enough to donate hundreds of dollars worth of tickets? Anonymously?) and she got to spin a lie about a rich famous boyfriend.
And then Marinette Dupain-Cheng stepped back into her life and unraveled everything.
The class was asking questions, accusing her of lying. Even Alya, her top sheep, was looking at her accusingly.
"Okay," Alya said. "You lied about knowing RDC. You lied about having Damian Wayne as a fiancé. What else? Oh, yes, getting us the tickets. Was everything else a lie? Did Marinette ever even bully you?"
Lila snorted. Okay, her reign was at an end. Might as well make a few truthful points. "Yes, and it's your fault. You met me, I spun some stories that frankly could've been disproven with some research, but you all gobbled it up like turkeys. Except for Dupain-Cheng, but honestly all I ended up doing was showing her that none of you can be trusted. You knew me for what? A day? And you knew her for almost a year? And you threw her aside. That isn't on me, it's on you. All of you.
"And Adrien knew too. Why don't you ask him?"
The class was silent for a moment, taking in what she said. Then it exploded.
"ADRIEN KNEW?!" Alya shrieked. "HOW COULD YOU?"
"Not cool, dude. Not cool," Nino said disappointedly.
Rose looked close to tears. "Why didn't you tell us?"
Mme Bustier looked frightened that someone would reveal how incompetent she had been.
And Lila made her getaway~
"Oof!"
She ran into Damian Wayne. Who was holding Marinette's hand.
As soon as the class saw Marinette, they rushed her, all expressing some variation of "I'm sorry" except Adrien and Lila. That's why they were the only ones who noticed she was frowning.
Marinette said something to Damian, who nodded and bellowed, "SHUT UP!"
The class was immediately silent. Marinette took a deep breath and spoke.
"I know you are all sorry. But I can't forgive you, and I'm not sorry about that. The fact remains that most of us had been friends for years, but the moment Lila came along and told you what you wanted to hear, suddenly I was bullying her. It didn't matter that you should've known I'd never do something like that. You took me for granted. And when you stopped being my friends, you still expected me to do the same things; make you clothes, bring you treats, organize every class event. By myself."
Some of the class looked down in shame.
"Maybe I can forgive you one day. After you've shown me that you really are sorry and something like this won't happen again. But I can't forgive you right now."
There was silence. Then one voice spoke up.
"What about me?" Adrien asked. The class looked at him in surprise.
"What about you?" Marinette asked.
"Well, I didn't fall for her lies. Right?" He spread his arms in a gesture that seemed to shout Hey, I'm awesome, hug me. "So I guess there's nothing to forgive."
Marinette's eyes narrowed. The other classmates backed up a little, but Adrien seemed oblivious. "What do you mean there is nothing to forgive?" she asked with a little venom in her voice. Adrien looked a little scared now.
"Um, I mean that I was on your side. Right?"
Marinette advanced toward him a little, voice low. "No, you were not." When he opened his mouth to protest, she cut him off. "You said you were on my side. But you definitely didn't show it. You stood to the side and watched as everyone believed her lies and, in fact, bullied me.”
Damian took her hand again, muttering, “Don’t attack him, angel,” into her ear. She took a deep breath and then looked at him with pity.
“The others were misguided and oblivious. But you were a coward and an enabler. With time I might forgive the others. But you?”
He held his breath a little.
“You I will never be able to forgive.”
~~~~~
Nino felt terrible. He had alienated his childhood friend and the worst part was his role was almost like Adrien’s; he hadn’t entirely believed Lila, but he hadn’t said anything because Alya believed her and he had loved her. But that was a long time ago. They had broken up a couple years ago, and to be honest Alya pretty much ignored him ever since.
That was why he was currently on his way to Marinette’s apartment, hoping she was home.
When he got there, he knocked on the door. Marinette opened it smiling, but her smile waned when he saw him.
“Hi,” she said, voice guarded. “Do you need something?”
Nino shook his head. “Um, I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”
Her mouth opened, but before she could speak, he plowed on, scared that if he stopped now, he wouldn’t be able to start again.
“I really didn’t believe all of what Lila said, but Alya did and at the time,” he shrugged a little, “I loved her a lot. So I just went along with it. But I know it was wrong and I probably should’ve stood up to her or called her out or supported you or something, but I didn’t and I’m really really sorry for that even if you hate me as much as Adrien now.”
He said the last part in a rush, as if afraid that she would close the door on him. Now he stood there awkwardly, waiting for her reaction.
After what seemed like an eternity, she finally smiled. “You were always one to go with the flow, Nino. And people will do crazy things for love.” She held the door open wider. “Come on in.”