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Chapter Text

Things were getting tense in Madam Bustier’s class. With Lila spreading her tall tales and Adrien enabling her behavior, the fashion designer has been regulated to the back of the room by herself. Though she was still invited to events and parties, she planned them after all, Lila’s presence at the gatherings made them unbearable to the young heroine. Slowly but surely, Lila was following through on her threat.

Marinette had never felt so alone.

During lunch, Marinette’s phone trilled from her purse. Marc and Nathaniel, both of whom had sought out the girl for her fashion advice, watched as she excused herself from their table to answer the call outside. No one else paid much mind to Mari as they were either stuffing their faces or listening to another round of Lila’s bullshit. Lunch ended with Marinette still on the phone and the rest of her class filing into Mendeleiev’s classroom. Just as the strict instructor began to close the door, Marinette came barreling in wearing the biggest grin and screamed in excitement. Her arms wrapped around the person closest to her, which just so happened to be the teacher, startling the older woman. “Miss Dupain-Cheng, what is the…”

“I got commissioned by a high profile client! They’re offering me €125,000 to make costumes for a big event!” Marinette squeezed her professor tighter. “I’m so excited!”

Titania Mendeleiev was shocked at her student’s outburst, but collected herself enough to return the hug. “Congratulations, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I’m happy for you.”

Marinette released her teacher and skipped to her seat while her classmates chattered zealously around her, pestering her with questions and begging for details. Marinette held up her hands and waited until the noise died down. “Unfortunately, I agreed to a confidentiality contract that I’ll be signing after school. My client wants to keep this under wraps and until I’m given the okay, I can’t share any details with you.”

Disappointed groans filled the air. Alya stood up, her eyes glowing in anticipation. “Come on! We can keep a secret!”

Marinette peeked a glance at her school nemesis and arched a brow at the scowling sausage haired liar. “Alya, the moment I get approved, you’ll be the first person I tell. If I break my word and go around blabbing about my client against their wishes, it would damage my reputation and credibility as a designer.”

Adrien nodded in agreement. “She’s right, Alya. Confidentiality contracts are no joke. Breaking one could land Marinette in a lot of legal trouble and could ruin her career.”

Marinette did not miss the cunning smile of the scheming vixen and began strategizing on the best ways to keep Lila from wrecking her career. She smiled at the aspiring reporter and patted her shoulder. “As soon as I get the approval, I’ll give you an in depth interview that’ll blow the other ones out of the water.”

Alya huffed half heartedly and accepted Mari’s offer. Classes progressed as usual and the ravenette was bolting out the door as soon as the final bell sounded. She chanced a few glances behind her and happened to catch Lila’s sausage link hair and knew the girl meant to follow her. As she approached Le Grand Paris, Mari asked the doorman to keep Lila from entering the hotel as she felt threatened by her. After a nod of confirmation, Marinette entered the hotel and trekked towards the conference room Clara Nightingale had mentioned.

Things were starting to look up.

Chapter Text

Four months passed with Marinette being pestered for details every day by Alya. Each time was met with rejection and Alya’s demands eventually tapered off with her lack of cooperation. She didn’t even allow others to see her sketchbooks. Lila had once stolen one from her locker and tried to claim it as her own designs, but Marinette had grown smart and kept only spare sketchbooks in her locker. Upon opening the book everyone saw the clean pages and joked with Lila about how her memory loss had caused her to forget her real drawings at home.

One day, Marinette came into class wringing her hands and with a harried look in her eyes. She approached Alya with a wary smile. “Hey Alya.”

“Someone’s early for once.” The months of her silence about her commission put a strain between her and the young blogger. With Lila spreading her poison, Alya began criticizing Marinette for keeping secrets from her friends.

Marinette gulped and pressed on. “I wanted to talk to you about my big commission.”

Just like that, all of Alya’s bitterness evaporated into thin air. She sat up and beamed in excitement. “Really?! Are you finally allowed to talk about it?”

Relaxing slightly, but still tensed for trouble, she nodded. “Actually, I’m here to offer you an opportunity. My client is ready to start releasing information about the… event and they were looking for good news outlets when I suggested the Ladyblog. Basically, your website will be the first source of information for a high-profile event.”

Those in the classroom were startled by the scream that came from the resident reporter. “Are you SERIOUS?! Thank you, girl! So when do they want to schedule the interview?”

She tensed again and shuffled her feet. “Well… my client and their legal team looked into your blog to see if it would be a good fit for their target audience, and it is, but they have a few conditions you need to meet if you’re going to get the contract.”

Alya did not seem bothered. “Sure, girl! Name them.”

Marinette swallowed her anxiety. She knew Lila was a touchy subject and bringing it up around Alya always ended in a fight and the reporter storming off. But Marinette knew this chance would be amazing for Alya and a star feature on her portfolio. “They were worried about some misinformation you have posted on the blog. All they want from you is to take down the videos and they’ll be happy to have you as their first source.”

Alya’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Which videos?”

Marinette inhaled and braced for impact, sensing the fight brewing in the air. “The interviews with Lila.”

The blogger groaned in annoyance. “Really, Mari? Are you so petty that you’d use your secret commission to make me take down some of my most watched videos? You really need to let your little grudge against Lila go. If you could put your jealousy aside, you’d see that Lila is a really cool person and you two would make the most amazing friends!”

Marinette paled and shook her head. “You don’t understand, Alya! Lila lied about my client in two different interviews, lies that could damage my client’s reputation if the mainstream media were to get ahold of it.”

Alya banged the table with her fist. “Lila is not a liar!”

“Alya, please listen to me!” Marinette fought the tears and sobs to try and talk sense into her friend. If she didn’t, there would be very real consequences that Alya would have to face. “I know you want to see the best in Lila, but you need to understand that publishing things on your blog without confirming them could land you into trouble. This is a big opportunity for you and I…”

“Do you have any proof that Lila lied?” Alya crossed her arms and glared at the franco-chinese girl with barely restrained intolerance.

Marinette, fed up with always being the accused party, pointed a finger at the blogger. “Where’s your proof that she’s telling the truth? Have you ever asked Ladybug if she and Lila really are best friends?”

Alya rolled her eyes. “Lila said not to bother as Ladybug would just deny it to protect her.”

Marinette choked at the blatant stupidity that came from her classmate’s mouth. “Protect her?! There is a video of Lila proclaiming their friendship on a public social platform that is open for all to see, including possibly Hawkmoth! It’s a miracle that he hasn’t kidnapped Lila or her family yet to use against Ladybug! It’s actually kind of suspicious now that I think about it.”

The last part was said quietly to herself, but Alya still heard it. “Now you’re accusing her of working with Hawkmoth?! How low can you sink?!”

The designer remembered every rumor Lila had ever spread about her, but she didn’t want to fight. “Alya. I’m begging you. Please… take down the videos. If not for me and our friendship then do it to save your credibility as a reporter! Those videos could kill your career before it even begins!”

By this point, Alya was seething with fury. “My credibility has never been better, thank you very much!”

Marinette thought of the various and numerous comments that had torn every story Lila told to shreds. But of course Alya didn’t care about them. Her shoulders slumped in defeat as she took in the stubborn fire in her friend’s hazel eyes. “So you’re not going to take down the videos. Not even if it meant being the first source of a celebrity?”

Alya sneered in response. “I stand by my friends, unlike some people I know.”

She looked around and saw no support among the group. Adrien looked on in disappointment while everyone else was either hostile or not paying attention. Knowing that there was no support for her there, Marinette spared Alya a parting glance. “I tried to warn you. Remember that when the devil comes to collect his dues.”

“I’m shaking in my boots.” Alya spat back.

“Goodbye, Alya.” Marinette turned on her heel and padded towards the door. Mm Bustier tried to stop her, but Marinette blew past her with a muttered, “sick day.” thrown over her shoulder. The class watched her disappear, some with a pending sense of foreboding swirling in their bellies.

Lila broke the silence with a sob. “It’s my fault she left, isn’t it?”

As the others comforted her, Lila reveled in her triumph. Marinette had finally realized where she stood in the class and had given up. Hopefully the little goodie-goodie would fling herself off a building like Marina Cortez did back in Rome.

Chapter Text

Next Monday, an hour after school, Aurore Beauréal made her debut on KIDZ+ news hostess in a segment called “Shooting for the Stars”. It was to be a segment of the news that focused on the exceptional youths of Paris and what they were doing to pursue their dreams and/or helping their communities.

The blonde was beaming at the bashful ravenette. “Ladies and gents, let’s give a warm welcome to Marinette Dupain-Cheng, otherwise known as the personal designer and honorary niece of Jagged Stone: MDC. Marinette, thank you ever so much for being the first on this set.”

Mari blushed and waved her off. “I’m happy to be here. Keeping my client’s secrets have been killing me, but now I can finally get it off my chest. Well, some of it.”

Luka stood in the shadows of the room, out of the way of the camera but in Marinette’s view. The designer’s blush deepened when he shot her a wink. She’s so glad she asked him to join her. Just having him near made her more relaxed. Her attention snapped back to Aurore who was practically bouncing in her swivel chair. “And who is your secret client? Give me details!”

Marinette was glowing with pride. “I was asked to design all four of the outfits in Clara Nightingale’s newest music video that dropped just last night!”

“Gasp!” Aurore narrated, “You made those dresses! They are absolutely gorgeous! And the Chat Noir themed suit. Wow! For those of you who haven’t seen Clara’s latest hit, here is a clip from it right now.”

The large panel behind the two lit up with colors and Clara Nightingale’s voice played through the speakers as she sang about the stress of living a double life being a shy bully victim only to put on a mask to become a confident heroine. Each costume was cycled through at least once for the viewers to see Marinette’s fashion prowess. The girl in question grew sad as the song played on, the lyrics plucking at her weary soul.

Clara’s track was cut off and the interview resumed. Aurore clapped her hands as she started gushing over the outfits. “It’s no wonder you were hired! You have such an eye for detail and a unique sense of style! When are you opening commissions to the public? Tell me because I want to be the first to request that lovestruck dress, the one she wears when singing about a crush.”

This is where things got tricky for Marinette. Her contract made it clear what she could and couldn’t mention and she didn’t want to land herself in trouble by accidentally spilling something that her bosses didn’t want yet leaked. She would have to tread carefully from this point on until the interview concluded. Better safe than sorry. “Actually, I’ll be too busy to take on any commission for the next year or so as I’ve been asked to help design the costumes for Astrucc’s latest live action project.”

On the lawn of a well tended park, Alya was watching her phone screen in growing horror as she realized the kind of bomb Marinette had just dropped. The rest of the class muttered among themselves, some happy for the opportunity for their friend to grow in the world of fashion and others talking about the news of another Ladybug movie. Alya’s chest ached as she realized what kind of publicity she had missed out on in denying Marinette’s request. If she’d known that Marinette would spill news about Clara’s music video and the prospect of a new film, she would have taken those videos down without a second thought. Possibly sign away the rights to her first born while she was at it. News like this was always a big deal and would’ve increased the traffic on her blog ten fold. Now she could only watch as Aurore was the first to report the news.

Aurore squealed with delight and turned to the camera. “You heard it here first, kiddies! The director of the animated Ladybug movie is in the process of making a live action one, and this young lady right here is going to be making the costumes!”

Marinette giggled, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. “It’s still in the early stages, but yes I’ll be helping to design and assemble the outfits for the movie.”

“I can’t wait to see them!” Aurore placed her chin upon her fists and stared at Mari with big, blue puppy eyes. “Can you tell us anything about the movie or the plot?”

Marinette crossed her forearms in front of her chest. “No can do. What I can say is that there will be new heroes, new villains, and one heck of a reveal.”

Aurore clapped her hands again. “It’s amazing to see someone so young doing such amazing things. Marinette, you are going to become the biggest name in fashion one day. I just know it. And that is unfortunately all the time we have today. Keep shooting for the stars, Marinette. Next week, we’ll get to meet the makers of the Ladybug comic that has been rapidly growing in popularity. Back to you, Alec!”

“And cut!”

Aurore stood at the director’s call and ran up to hug Marinette again. “Thanks again sooo much! I owe you like a million favors! If you ever need me to hide a body, I’ll bring the shovels and be your alibi!”

Marinette returned her enthusiastic embrace with a few pats on the back. “We’re cool. I’m just glad everything fell into place like this.”

Aurore rolled her eyes and pulled back. “Don’t think I don’t know that it was a certain someone who brought up the idea of this segment to the big dogs and suggested me as the host. You went through a lot of trouble to get me here and I am forever grateful. Yeah it’s just a segment on the news and I’m certainly no weather girl, but it’s mine. And I have you to thank for that.”

Marinette blushed and then hugged her again. It was nice to have a friendly interaction with a peer again. She caught sight of Luka sauntering towards her wearing a dreamy smile. ‘Friendly interactions with people that don’t make my heart flutter.’ Mari thought to herself as Aurore pulled away.

“You know that Alya Césaire is the maker of that Ladyblog. Why didn’t you have her interview you?” Aurore noticed the way Marinette tensed.

Exhaling slowly through her nose, Marinette struggled to keep her voice steady. “Alya has decided the views were more important than research.”

The blonde flinched. “I didn’t want to say it, but the Ladyblog has become kind of notorious around here. It was a valid source of news that the station used about Ladybug, but ever since that video of Lila was posted and then another…”

“You know Lila is lying?” Marinette gaped at her friend.

Aurore scoffed, “Like it’s hard to figure out. Most of her stories are easily disproved with the slightest bit of research and she’s constantly contradicting herself. I’m actually disappointed in Césaire. She did such good work until that witch sank her claws into her. She’ll have to do a major overhaul of her website if she wants to get even a fraction of her credibility back and build up her reputation, if that’s even possible.”

Luka winked at Mari again before wrapping an arm around her waist. “Well we have to get going. I’m taking Marinette out for some celebratory ice cream.”

Aurore looked between the two and a wicked smile began to bloom across her face. “Ice cream, huh? It wouldn’t happen to be the special ice cream from André, would it? The one that is said to be magical in that two people who share a cone fall in love and stay together forever?”

Marinette blushed a ruby red. “Shut up.” She didn’t mean it. She was excited for this date with Luka. The ravenette could proudly say that she had set aside her unhealthy crush on Adrien and embraced this new relationship with calm and understanding Luka. It helped that he actually listened to her and cared more about her feelings than some lying snake who was out to make her life hell. She leaned into his side and felt her flutter when he gently squeezed her in response.

“Okay, you crazy kids. Don’t have too much fun!” Aurore waved them off and went off to go talk to the director. Marinette and Luka left side by side into the general location of André’s ice cream cart.

Chapter Text

The next morning saw Marinette being surrounded by her fellow students at Francois Dupont, all asking her about Clara Nightingale and the upcoming movie. Marinette happily talked about working on set with Clara, talking into Aurore’s phone for the use on her own blog, and diverted any questions about the movie claiming secrecy. She managed to escape and stumbled into homeroom only seconds before the bell.

Alya was there waiting for her. “Girl! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were working with Clara Nightingale! And that commission with a movie director would have blown up my blog! If you had said who you were working for, I would’ve deleted those videos on the spot!”

Marinette would not be afraid of Alya’s anger anymore though her heart did ache for the friendship they once had. “That’s kind of the point, Alya. Not only was I bound by a confidentiality contract so I couldn’t have said anything if I wanted to, but I wanted you to take down Lila’s interviews because you trusted me to look out for you. Did you really think I would use my commission as a cover to damage your blog out of spite?”

Still sore over her missed opportunity, Alya refused to budge. “Well ever since Lila showed up, you’ve been nothing but a petty bully! Forgive me for not trusting your word when it comes to Lila.”

“Trust my… Are you joking?” Marinette pointed at the tabloid blogger with her face twisted into a scowl. “I spent hours tracking Ladybug down to beg her into giving you an interview!" More like hours spent convincing herself to sit in front of a camera for all of Paris to see, but Alya didn't need to know that. "I’ve fixed and made you clothes when you asked, I babysit your sisters when you want to have a date night with Nino, and I designed the background to your blog at your request! I may get caught up in something and forget the time which usually has me running late to all kinds of events, but I am doing my best! Despite my growing list of clientele and trying to establish myself as an independent designer, I am always willing to do favors for my friends even when it cuts into my time!”

She held up her hand and ticked her fingers with each item listed. “I have made banners, signs, posters, props, costumes, accessories, clothes, and gifts without ever asking for anything in return: all of which would cost everyone here hundreds of thousands of euros in a professional setting! I was content to do all of those things for my friends because I wanted you all to be happy. I was trying to be a good friend! Then when this lying sausage link shows up with all these fanciful stories and promises of a bright future, you all flock to her like a bunch of mindless sheep. When I asked you all to research her stories, begged you all to return the favor by just listening to me, you all spat in my face and dismissed me as some jealous hussy!”

Her classmates slumped in their seats as the guilt settled like rocks in their stomachs. It’s true that Marinette had done a lot for them, taking the time to craft and design things for them all because they asked. They always promised to pay her back, but they would put off the payment day after day until it slipped from their minds entirely. Mari had never mentioned anything so they let it go.

Marinette lost all of her steam and curled into herself. With a heavy sigh, she started for the seat in the back. “You made your choice, Alya. And I’ve made mine.”

The designer’s words rang with a sense of finality. Marinette was done. Done with the arguments, the fighting, and the glares. She had tried to protect Alya, even if it was only for the shadow of the relationship they had, but it was all gone now. That bridge was burned when Alya chose Lila. Now she would let the chips fall where they may. The semester would be over in just a few months, so Mari would bide her time and transfer out for the next semester.

At lunch time, Marinette was stopped by the call of her name before she could make her get away. Turning, she saw her classmates walking towards her, excluding Alya, Lila, and Adrien. They looked crestfallen and regretful. It was Juleka who spoke first, shockingly enough. “Hey Marinette. I… well… all of us thought about what you said in class earlier. It made us realize that we haven’t been the best of friends.”

Alix scuffed the ground with her shoe. “Yeah. It’s super nice of you to make things for us and you really should be paid for the time and effort you put into it.”

“We’re sorry, dudette.” Nino pulled the brim of his hat down as if ashamed to look his old friend in the eye. “I guess we all got so caught up in Lila’s stories and all those promises she made us that we forgot about all the good things you’ve done for us already. I feel like a super mega idiot now because I’ve known you for so long and know you better.”

Max was particularly embarrassed. A napkin! Heavens above, he felt stupid. “I was… inspired to do some research on Lila after your interview and found numerous inconsistencies with her stories and even no data at all about the various charities she started. You tried to warn of us of Lila’s true nature and we were too dazzled by her that we pushed you aside. I am most ashamed of my behavior and would understand completely if you never wanted to communicate with us again.”

Rose was sniffling, “Could you ever forgive us, Marinette?”

Marinette forgave them, but their friendships were never quite the same.

Classes flew by and children went home for the day. Alya was play boxing with all of her sisters when there came a knock at the door. She thought nothing of it even when her mother called her over. There was a man suited in a pricey suit with perfectly groomed brown hair. He wore a perfect poker face and wielded a briefcase. One of his eyebrows arched as he glanced down his nose at her. “Alya Césaire?”

“Yeah?” Alya was confused but in no way alarmed by his presence. That all changed when he handed her a manilla packet. “What’s this?”

His mask of boredom did not waver. “You’ve been served. My clients, Clara Nightingale and Jagged Stone, are suing you for a number of atrocities you’ve committed against them. I will see you in court.”

Alya was too shocked to move or call after him like her mother did. She was too busy thinking about how silly this all was. Perhaps this was a prank Marinette had pulled to get back at Alya. Or maybe there was another Alya Césaire and this was all a big misunderstanding. It’s not like she had done anything worth getting sued over.

She was pulled out of her thoughts and back into reality by her mother. Nora, the twins, and her parents were all crowding around her with expressions varying from worry to anger to disappointment. Nora stood tall with her arms crossed glaring down at her sister. “What did you do, Foxy?”

The nickname hurt worse than usual. Ever since Miraculous Queen had outed her identity, Alya knew she could never use the Fox Miraculous again. Her family had been both proud and frightened for her and Nora had taken to calling Alya ‘Foxy’ to reference her brief stint as a hero. It both tickled and hurt her as it made her think of the sense of freedom she would never feel again. The way it fell from her sister's mouth, cold and laced with venom, struck her heart like an arrow.

Her mother took the package and ripped into, scanning the words quickly and growing paler with each pass. “Mon dieu, Alya. What have you done?!”

Father looked over the paper next. “Libel, slander, and defamation of characters? Alya, what is this all about? And look there! It says that your blog is to be taken down and investigated for further slander!”

Alya’s mother pinned her with dark eyes, her nose flaring with suppressed rage. “Alya Nicole Césaire, have you posted anything about those celebrities on your blog?”

The girl flinched under the angry glares of her parents wondering how she had even gotten to this point.

Across town, on a nicer block, Lila was sitting pale and unmoving in her living room as her mother ranted in italian clutching her own lawsuit in her fists. Both of them. With more on the coffee table. Lila ruminated on her recent past and realized that maybe collecting money for those charities she made up probably wasn’t the best idea she ever had. And she supposed that allowing that idiot to post videos of her lies on her public social platform wasn’t exactly her brightest moment. But how was she supposed to know that the goodie-goodie was the real honorary niece to Jagged Stone, or that she was working with Clara Nightingale? How in the hell was she supposed to know that Marinette Dupain-fucking-Cheng would notify the two celebrities of her interviews on the Ladyblog lying about them, and then those two going on to have her investigated?!

She shot a glare at the letter in front of her, cursing Gabriel Agreste to hell just as vehemently as she did Dupain-Cheng. It was sent with the rest of the lawsuits, including one for sexually harassing Adrien Agreste, detailing how the Gabriel brand would no longer keep such a troubled youth in their employ and wished her well in her future endeavors. Basically corporate talk for farewell and fuck you.

Lila knew that her impending court date would mean the desolation of her kingdom of lies if that interview hadn’t done so already, and all the blame rested at the feet of one Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

“YOU WILL LOOK AT ME WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOU!!!” Her mother’s screams had Lila sitting at attention again. How easily she forgot that Cadenza Rossi was descended from two military families. Though she was normally kind and professional, she could turn into a terrifying hardass at the flip of a switch. Lila learned to fear her mother as she began to illustrate all things that would happen to her after the government was through with her. She cried real tears for the first time in years when her mother threatened to send her to live on her grandfather’s grape farm back in Italy. Not even a winery, just a the farm that grows the grapes for wineries. The remote, no WiFi, wake-up-at-the-ass-crack-of-dawn-and-do-chores-all-day farm that was run by the retired Army Lieutenant Roberto Rossi.

Dion Damocles was facing his own hell alongside Caline Bustier. The Board of Education had been informed of their abuse of power at Francois Dupont and had investigated the issue. Now both staff of the school were being interrogated and questioned about why they had discarded all kinds of protocols that allowed a girl to commit truancy, get special treatment for medical conditions she didn’t have, and got another innocent girl expelled and reinstated with a false claim of a fake disease that forced one to lie. Not only would Damocles and Bustier be fired, oh no, they would also be charged for child neglect and in Bustier’s case even abuse. Apparently, placing so much responsibility on a teenage girl’s shoulders while allowing her bullies to torment her made for a toxic environment and probable mental and emotional trauma.

Meanwhile, Marinette and Luka sat on the Liberty together with Jagged. Luka and Jagged harmonized as Mari sketched out a new design for her uncle’s show next month. Her heart still contracted in pain every now and then, and her shoulders still carried the burden of Guardianship and heroism, but she felt lighter than she had since her wrongful expulsion orchestrated by Liar-la.

Jagged peeked over Marinette’s shoulder and beamed at the drawing. “That jacket is so rock n’ roll!”

She laughed with gleeful pride. “Only the most rock n’ roll for you, uncle Jagged.”

The rockstar ruffled her hair and chased after Fang who he noticed had begun chewing on a lawn chair. Luka pressed a kiss to the top of her head and smiled gently. “After Penny picks up Jagged, would you like to join me for dinner?”

Marinette returned his lovestruck grin with one of her own. It was too early to label what was between them. Her crush on Adrien has since perished, left behind to die as he turned away to tend to the liar, and her heart was healing. But Luka was here giving his affection and demanded nothing while she took the time to heal. “I’d like that.”