Work Text:
Lila lied.
Again.
Everyone believed her. Again.
Car rides to Malibu
Strawberry ice cream, one spoon for two
It felt as if she was trapped in a constant loop. Everyday Lila would lie, Alya would shout at her and Adrien would hold her close and listen to her cry from the bruises that she had after Lila would assault her, sexually, physically and mentally. Miss Bustier Turned a blind eye to all the visible signs of being bullied that Marinette showed. Chloe had started pitying her and started being kinder to Marinette. Hell, they had almost become best friends since Sabrina decided to abandon her for the pathetic liar.
And tradin' jackets
Laughin’ 'bout how small it looks on you
Marinette couldn't lie that she enjoyed when Adrien hugged her in the locker room and kissed the top of her head when she told him about what all Lie-la had pulled on her throughout the day. But the unendurable pain of loosing her BFF and getting physically hurt had made her numb to all those emotions. There was always a constant sting in her heart when she would see Alya with Lie-la, doing all those things that they did when they were friends.
Watching reruns of Glee
Bein' annoying, singin’ in harmony
I bet she's braggin' to all her friends
Sayin' you're so unique
Her and Luka breaking up due her 'duties' did not help her vulnerable state at all.
It was astonishing that despite everything Alya did not forget to check up on her because she was 'worried' that Marinette was changing slowly. She hadn't been wrong though. The old Marinette saw the best in people and helped them reach their full potential, she was always that happy-go-lucky person in the group and her eyes always shone whenever someone talked to her. Now, that luster in her eyes had dimmed considerably to the point where it could be classified as 'dull'.
So when you gonna tell her
That we did that, too?
She thinks it's special, but it's all reused
She was surprised on how she hadn't gotten akumatised by now but assumed it might be the little goddess who refused to have her bug akumatised.
She was taking a stroll on Pont des arts when she saw Lila and Alya having a Ice-cream on Their spot. It was not just any place, it was Their place where They used to hangout. When she went closer, she heard Alya ask between laughs, " how did a telephone propose to his girlfriend? He gave her a ring! Get it? ring?" And Lila tipped her head back laughing. It was THEIR joke, it was something they made to exchange a few laughs between themselves, not even Nino knew about this joke and Alya decided to tell that lying bitch about it.
"I am that easily replaceable huh?" Marinette whispered to herself with melancholy
That was our place, I found it first
I made the jokes you tell to her
When she's with you
She continued to walk forward silently without sparing them another glance. She was practically invisible in Luka's hoodie and a pair of leggings she had thrown together with it. She felt a pang in her heart whenever she saw them. Today though, she just felt empty. She was slowly going to move on. Even though nothing would be the same as before, she would try to become her old self again.
Do you get déjà vu when she’s with you?
Do you get déjà vu? Huh?
Her mind wandered once more to them. She wondered if Alya was reminded of her every time she and Lila did something they used to do. She wondered if Alya only put on a façade of happiness and crumbled underneath whenever Lila asked her to go to their spot. She wondered if sometimes Alya used to call Lila 'Marinette' because of similarity between their behaviors. Of course, Lila was the exact opposite of Marinette in every possible way but Alya didn't know that. All Alya saw was an innocent girl being bullied by her ex-BFF while the opposite was the case. She hated the fact that she thought Alya and her were meant to be friends because of how their personalities brought the best out of the other person.
Even after she knew Marinette was Ladybug she refused to believe Lila lied, though she took off all of Lila's interviews from the ladyblog. She described all the almost flawless lying as the 'new kid syndrome'. Eventually, Marinette took away the Fox miraculous from her and found a way more capable and competent owner for it. Alya was seething during that time because Marinette changed numbers, refused to show up to school and Alya was banned from the bakery because Marinette told Tom and Sabine about Lila's lies and how Alya supported her. Tom wanted her to switch schools instantly but she asked them to let her go to her current school so that she could have the satisfaction of exposing the liar. It led to Alya being akumatised again due to ignorance but Chat and Ladybug defeated the akuma within 20 minutes.
Do you call her, almost say my name?
'Cause let's be honest, we kinda do sound the same
Another actress
I hate to think that I was just your type
On another day, she saw Alya playing the guitar and singing their song with Lila and all their classmates cheering on them except Cloe and Adrien, who were looking at Alya with a disapproving look . It caused Adrien to follow Marinette to the locker room and cry on his chest for an hour straight.
And I bet that she knows Billy Joel
'Cause you played her Uptown Girl
You're singin' it together
Now I bet you even tell her how you love her
In between the chorus and the verse
Lila lied again. This time she said that Marinette had stolen her designs and Alix and Kim ripped up her sketchbook while Alya begged them to stop and Marinette just stood there numb and frozen. She was grateful that Adrien and Chloe stood by her, Adrien's hand on her waist as he pulled her into his chest to hide her from the scene of her sketchbook being shredded to pieces. Next period Marinette saw Alya shouting at Lila on why she never told Alya that the designs were hers in the first place. Lila somehow had proved that the designs belonged to her, like Marinette cared anymore. Those were just some doodles for inspiration. And the cycle repeated. All she remembered was Alya shouting, her going to the bathroom and Lila hitting her and assaulting her and then the most magical part of the day, when Adrien confessed to her and they shared a loving kiss in the locker room.
Marinette was slightly happy after a long time. The kwamis were relieved to see the small smile on the young guardian's face.
That was until Marinette heard Lila and Alya passing by discussing about Alya and Marinette's favorite show. They one they watched during their slumber parties, the talks, the way Lila sounded so mesmerized, it didn't affect her. The small smile she had never wavered and she surprised herself a little, but she was finally moving on and she was happy. She needed to get some rest tonight or a furious Chloe Bourgeois would sue her for missing a spa day, she slightly chuckled at her thoughts and let her eyes close as she drifted off to dreamland.
So when you gonna tell her
That we did that, too?
She thinks it's special, but it’s all reused
That was the show we talked about
Played you the songs she's singing now
When she's with you
The next day, she messaged Adrien ' good morning' and got out of her bed. She got a reply a minute later, responding to her text. She smiled again. It was obvious that Adrien panicked and sent her the text in confusion of what seemed to be the most appropriate way of greeting his new girlfriend.
She walked outside and saw Adrien waiting for her. She raised a brow but didn't complain as they walked to school hand-in-hand or sometimes even waist-in-hand.
She wasn't sure if she was mistaken but heard Alya calling Lila ' Marinette'
Do you get déjà vu when she's with you?
Do you get déjà vu?
Do you get déjà vu?
She was having her 'spa day' with Chloe, basking in the serene silence that surrounded them. She was enjoying the view provided to her from the window. Adrien had messaged her that he would pick her up for a date at 7 from her house, she had been excited for the first time in several months. As she relished in her thoughts, she saw two familiar figures holding strawberry ice creams and laughing. She identified them to be Lila and Alya. She felt it it again. Nothingness.
Play her piano, but she doesn't know
That I was the one who taught you Billy Joel
A different girl now, but there's nothing new
I know you get déjà vu
A week later, Marinette and Adrien made their way to the school as usual, Adrien holding her waist (She tried not to become a blushing mess). Little, by little, the old Marinette had started to peek out and Adrien helped her through it.
They were surprised to find Alya shouting at Lila for lying to the class and angry spectators swore at the liar while she just sat there, crying crocodile tears. What surprised them the most was innocent Rose swearing at Lila. And when the couple caught their attention, they flocked around the couple, rivers of apologies flooding from their mouths. Alya was crying and Nino was on the verge of tears too.
I know you get déjà vu
I know you get déjà vu
Opening her eyes again, she faced the thousands fans who had flooded the concert stadium. She looked behind her to find Adrien and Luka give her encouraging smiles and she hit those last few notes as their performance came to an end. The cheers from the fans were almost deafening. Marinette and her kitty (they revealed their identities to each other. Chat knows that Alya knows Mari's identity) shared a loving kiss backstage as Kagami and Luka still acted like high-school crushes around each other. Time eventually healed Marinette but she never became friends with her class again.
That was till Alya showed up unexpectedly with Chloe backstage. She had tears in her eyes as she said," You did great, Mari"