Chapter Text
Adrien glanced at the clock on the wall. Five more minutes and then he would be done for the day.
It was Friday and, for a change, there was nothing on Adrien’s schedule. As much as he liked school, he was looking forward to some video game time with Nino and then maybe a late afternoon run as Cat Noir.
“Okay, that will be all for the day, class,” Ms Bustier said lightly. “Please remember your essays on Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt are due next Friday and please read chapters three and four for our literature discussion on Monday. Have a good weekend!”
Adrien stretched and began putting his stuff away in his bag while everyone else made a mad dash for the door, ready to start their weekend. He hoped he could catch up with Nino in the courtyard, since they had a slightly different schedule this year than last and didn’t share their final class of the day.
“Maybe I can ask Nino if we could invite Alya and Marinette over too. Marinette has been looking tired and sad lately and maybe she would like some hang out time too. Especially since she has been dealing with Lila at school. Just some fun playing video games with friends would be nice,” he thought. “Father and Nathalie have had me booked pretty solid for the last month or so with the photo shoots and getting ready for that fashion expo last week. Boy, am I glad thats over!”
Adrien stumbled as he left the classroom. Looking down, he found the culprit… a loose shoelace. Stepping away from the doorway, he ducked down behind the wall of the class room to tie his shoe. It was the end of the day and all his fellow classmates were currently streaming down the stairs and out the doors towards home, athletics, or to hang out with friends. That was why the two voices he heard from the classroom were loud and clear.
“So, how are things going, Marinette,” Lila asked with an unpleasant edge to her voice that Adrien knew all too well.
“What is it you want now, Lila,” Marinette asked wearily, as if this was a regular interaction that she dreaded. He immediately became more alert. Ever since Marinette had told Cat Noir that Lila had been threatening her, he had been careful to stay closer to Marinette at school when he could to keep an eye on her. But he hadn’t caught Lila even speaking to her over the last two weeks and he hadn’t known exactly what else to do about the situation. Now, Lila was showing her hand and he had a front row seat.
“I was just wondering,” Lila mused casually. “If … oh, I don’t know… you might be feeling a little… lonely, perhaps?”
“And why would you be concerned about that?” Marinette’s voice sounded so tired and hurt that Adrien felt his throat tighten in sympathy. “You’re the one convincing everyone that I’m nothing but a jealous cheat and whatever else you can come up with.”
“Oh, that was just the beginning,” Lila replied smugly. “I’ve warned you, Marinette. You chose not to believe me and that is going to cost you more than you can imagine.”
“Lila, if it was just me you were threatening then I would tell the truth about you to anyone who would listen and take whatever fallout you’ve cooked up.” Adrien has never heard Marinette so angry before. Lila was threatening her… after he had warned her to leave Marinette alone … maybe had been threatening her this whole time… He clenched his fists in anger over what this lying snake had been doing to Marinette under the noses of everyone all this time.
“Ah, but it’s not about you, is it,” Lila almost purred. “On the off chance you actually try to convince anyone that I am not telling the absolute truth, then I will tell Mr Agreste that Adrien is being bullied and taken advantage of at school… that his so-called ‘friends’ are bad influences. He will pull Adrien out of school just like that!” Adrien heard her snap her fingers. “And it would be all your fault.”
Adrien growled with anger at Lila’s manipulations and felt an answering vibration from his shirt pocket.
“Are you okay, Plagg,” he whispered
Looking into his pocket, he saw his kwami looking less like a black cat and more like a black hole. He radiated anger and sucked in the light around him in return, his eyes burning an angry green.
“No one threatens my kitten or his friends and gets away with it,” Plagg hissed. “You have to do something about this, Adrien.”
“But I-“
Marinette was talking again. “You know, Lila, for someone trying to convince everyone that you and Adrien are secretly dating and so in love, you seem pretty ready to throw him under the bus to hurt me.”
“Oh, poor, naive Marinette. I don’t need Adrien to go to school to date me. After all, I am a model for Gabriel Agreste. I’m his muse. I would still see him all the time. Besides, Gabriel is a man of business and he would probably make Adrien date me rather than deal with potential scandals… now, wouldn’t he? All I need is for Adrien to spend enough time with me and he will realize how superior I am to anyone he has ever met. Then I will have him wrapped around my little finger. You will be left alone and miserable and Adrien will be mine!”
He nearly retched at her words. She was staking her claim on him to Marinette… Marinette of all people… making him sound like nothing but a piece of meat to be bought and sold at auction … as if he wasn’t human. Sure, he was a model and a certain amount of that came with the job, but he hated it. He had always hated it, but to hear Lila spew out such vile words to Marinette made his blood boil.
He thought he had hit his quota for shock before, but he heard a loud thud, like a fist being slammed into a desk.
“How dare you,” Marinette seethed. “I don’t care what you say or what his father says or does! Adrien isn’t yours or mine! He is his own person! He is free to choose what he wants to do and who he wants to spend time with! He has spent his life being locked away and ignored or being trotted out like a prize pony for his father and you want to take away the only freedom he has? I won’t let you! Don’t you dare! If you so much as…”
“Ah ah ah,” Lila chided nastily. “All it takes is pushing this one button and you will never see Adrien again. Do you want me to push it?”
There was a long moment of silence then a defeated sigh. “No, Lila.”
That tore it! Acting on instinct, he slung his messenger bag over one shoulder and stood, striding confidently back into the classroom, a soft smile on his face that he knew wouldn’t reach his eyes.
“Oh, there you are, Marinette,” he said, gently. He reached for her hand and took it in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze, noticing her slight wince at the contact. “You haven’t forgotten about our date, have you?”
Marinette’s eyes went from angry to completely confused in less than a second. “D-d-date,” she squeaked as she looked from his hand holding hers to his eyes. “D-d-did we… you…”
He chuckled lightly, all the while intentionally ignoring Lila’s presence. “I knew I should have asked in person. You were probably sewing last night and forgot all about it, didn’t you, my sweet?” He looked down into her sky blue eyes and smiled. “Come on, Marinette,” he mentally cried. “Help me sell this so I can get you out of here!”
As if she had heard his thought, she pulled out a sweet, confident smile and leaned her head against his shoulder just so, giving the illusion of intimacy without actually invading his personal space. “You’re right, of course… my prince,” she whispered, her eyes cast down and a deep blush spreading across her cheeks.
“She is good at this,” he thought with awe and approval.
“Adrien,” Lila cooed sweetly, but he could hear the venom hidden in the honeyed words. “Don’t you think we should look over those shots we took together last week? I would so appreciate your help in selecting the best shots for my portfolio.”
He pretended to start and looked at her directly for the first time. “Oh, Lila. I didn’t see you, but then…” He glanced down at Marinette with an adoring look on his face, at least that is what he thought Giuseppe was trying to say when he said to think about his love. “I don’t really see much of anything when Marinette is around.” He took Marinette’s backpack from her hands and threw one of the straps over his shoulder. Then he tucked his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Ready to go, my sweet?”
She nodded in such a soft, contented way that it even made his heart flip over. She leaned her head on his shoulder again as they left the classroom, and he could hear Lila growling behind them.
“A-adrien,” Marinette murmured softly. “I’m n-not sure how much you heard, but -“
“Shh, let’s find somewhere more private to talk about this,” he whispered in her ear as they walked down the stairs and across the courtyard. “Lets go to your place. We can talk and figure out what we’re going to do about Lila. Thank goodness I don’t have any lessons today.”
“Y-yeah,” she replied shakily, her shoulders slumping against him.
He gave her waist a slight squeeze, like a hug, ignoring the whistles and hoots from Kim and Alix as they passed. “Don’t worry, Marinette. I’m not going to let you go through this alone anymore.”
He escorted Marinette home, making a brief stop to explain matters to his bodyguard. The big man listened carefully and then glowered at the stairs to the school where Lila had just emerged. The bodyguard patted Marinette on the shoulder gently with a crooked smile. She couldn’t help but smile back. Then he cocked his thumb in the direction of the bakery and nodded once.
“Come on,” Adrien said, tugging at her hand. “Let’s get out of here before she corners us again.”
They ran across the street, to her family’s apartment, and up to her room. Marinette slumped onto the chaise to catch her breath and Adrien plopped down beside her.
“Are you okay, Marinette,” he asked gently, knowing how Lila could wind her up. She stared at him blankly. It was only then that he realized her eyes were red from crying and she was as pale as moonlight. “Marinette?”
She looked down at his hand that was still holding hers. As his gaze followed her, he swallowed hard and his stomach squirmed. The back of her hand was streaked with drying blood. “You broke the skin over your knuckles?” His eyes were wide with surprise. Marinette had been so angry at Lila threatening him that she had slammed her fist into the desk hard enough to hurt herself. Going to her vanity, he wet a cloth and started cleaning the blood away from her hand. “Do you have a first aid kit?”
She pointed with her good hand to her bottom desk drawer. He used the ointment he found to salve the cuts and wrapped them in bandages as best he could.
“I’m sorry,” he said releasing her hand after finishing his ministrations, leaving his oddly cold and empty. “I know I probably came on strong back there and I’m sorry for that. Normally, I would ask before taking your hand or putting my arm around your waist. I’m not the type of guy who just assumes that is okay, but I heard Lila bullying you and it was the first thing I could think of to get you out of there.”
“Oh… it’s… it’s okay,” she mumbled, her pale cheeks flushing dark once more. She wiped her eyes as if pushing back tears. “How much of that did you hear?”
“All of it, I’m pretty sure. I stopped outside the classroom to tie my shoe and heard Lila start threatening you. What is this all about, Marinette? How long has this been going on?”
She tucked her head down in shame. “R-really, Adrien. Its fine… not a -“
He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked at her sternly. “No, Marinette. It isn’t fine. It isn’t okay. Cat Noir told me about needing me to watch out for you at school because of Lila, but this is the first time I have ever seen her try anything. How long has she been threatening you?”
She sighed and fiddled with her fingers in her lap. “Since she came back to school,” she said softly.
“That long,” he exclaimed. “And you didn’t tell anyone?”
She shrugged and shook her head with such a sad look on her face that he pulled her into a tight hug. She stiffened for a moment, then curled herself tighter against his chest.
“Not even Alya believes me, so whats the point,” she sobbed, hot tears soaking into his shirt.
“But Cat said-“
“I-I thought she did, but when I brought it up to her after talking to Cat?” She shook her head.
“But why didn’t you tell me? I already know how manipulative Lila can be. Why didn’t you let me know? I could have helped you.”
“And have everyone turn on you as well? I couldn’t do that to you.” Then, in a softer voice,” I know how important your friendships are to you, Adrien. Besides, you’ve been really busy lately. There were the photo shoots and the fashion expo last week and that is on top of all your regular stuff. I didn’t want to be a bother.”
He sighed in exasperation and shook her shoulder gently. “But that is only recently! Lila has been back for almost a year and you have been, what, suffering in silence? Why?”
“Cause there is nothing I can do about it, Adrien. I won’t have you taken out of school because of me. I won’t! It is too high a price to pay!” Her hands balled into fists and slammed against her knees, the tears flowing down her cheeks in a steady stream of anguish.
He ran his hands up and down her back, holding her close. “You’re my friend too, Marinette. Let me help you. Please?”
She wiped her eyes with her fists like a little child and Adrien felt an intense desire to transform into Cat Noir, snatch Lila, and hang her from the Eiffel Tower by those stupid side pigtails of hers. No one should make Marinette cry! No one should ever hurt her! She was strong and brave and had such a caring heart that she was more worried about Lila hurting him than she was about all the hurt she had borne in silence! It was all he could do to not growl in frustration, though he could still feel Plagg vibrating with angry energy in his shirt pocket. He was almost smug to think of the justice he and Plagg could win for Marinette, but no. That wouldn’t be justice. That would be vengeance and down that path lay darker things than Lila’s lies.
“I can’t,” she whispered, sobbing. “You’re…. you’re too special … I’m mean… you’re my … friend. I can’t let her take your freedom away… not for me.”
His heart clenched tightly at her words. Marinette had been suffering in a misguided attempt to save him from Lila using whatever weird connection she had with his father to pull him from school and cut him off from his friends. And he wouldn’t put it past Lila if she thought she would benefit from it. A fierce anger burned in his chest. No one messed with his friends. Not if he could help it and he could. After all, he was Cat Noir and he had means that went beyond what that lying snake had at her disposal.
“Tell me,” he said sternly. “Tell me everything she has been saying about you.”
“B-but, its not just about me.”
“Then tell me all of it.”
So Marinette told him about how Lila had been spreading rumors about how he and Lila had been dating in secret - to avoid his fans and his father’s attention - and how Adrien was so in love with her. How Lila claimed that Marinette had found out about it and was jealous and was making Lila’s life miserable with her petty interferences. “And, the worst part is that everyone seems to believe her! Even Alya and Nino!”
Adrien stood and paced the length of her room, running his hands through his hair in agitation. “The problem is what she’s saying is a bit too realistic,” he said. “It makes sense that if I started dating another model without my father’s permission then I would keep it secret - not that I ever would date another model. Most of them are arrogant so-and-so’s who only care about themselves and the scheduling conflicts would be a pain in the neck. But surely Nino knows how I feel about Lila! I have never spent any significant time with her outside of modeling and why my father hired her I have no idea!”
Marinette gave out such an unladylike snort that he stopped his pacing and goggled at her before bursting out laughing. She flushed in embarrassment before giggling herself.
“Sorry, but those pictures she did with you were awful,” she said, her shoulders relaxing at the release of tension.
“Really,” he asked surprised. “What do you mean?”
She fiddled with her fingers again, a clear sign she was nervous. “Nothing! I mean, not you, of course, you were great, but there was nothing… there, you know? Like… physically…you could be …” She clasped her hands together in front of her. “But emotionally?” She spread her arms to full extension.
He barked a laugh. “Ha! In modeling or acting, they call that chemistry and you’re right! There is absolutely none between Lila and me.” His eyes scanned the room and noticed that the fashion pictures she’d had of him all over the place last year were gone, replaced by only a few more casual pictures of their friend group, him with Nino, and one with the two of them talking at the fountain in the park. “Was that why you got rid of all my pictures?”
Had it hurt her to see him having to deal with Lila and she took the pictures down because they reminded her of her tormentor? The thought sent a trickle of ice down into the pit of his stomach.
She shook her head. “No,” she said, a bit too loudly. Then she lowered her voice. “No. Thats not it.”
He took a step closer to better see her face. “Then what is it, Marinette?” He might not like all the attention and garbage that came with being a model, but it had always given him a bit of a thrill to know someone as kind, smart, sweet, and caring as Marinette was one of his fans.
She looked at him steadily for a long moment, her eyes full of worry. “I started out with them … but…” Here she dropped her head, refusing to meet his eyes any longer and her voice was barely a whisper. “I got to know you better. I know this isn’t what you want. That your father has never given you a choice about it. That you hate being a model and everything that comes with it. How could I love what my … friend… hates?”
His throat tightened. Marinette’s eyes were dark and full of emotions that he couldn’t easily read. She was the only one who knew how much he hated the attention and the mess that was his public life, how much he wanted to just be a normal teenage boy. Tears welled up in his eyes and he wrapped her in a fierce hug.
“Thanks, Marinette,” he said hoarsely. “You’re the only one who really sees me.”
For the first time since he had swept her out of the classroom, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. “Thats why I took the pictures down and why I didn’t try to fight back against Lila’s rumors. I refuse to be the one who takes your freedom away from you.”
They stood there for a long time, wrapped in each others arms and taking comfort from being seen and heard. “Her arms feel good like this,” Adrien thought, feeling her warmth and breathing in the scent of her lavender shampoo. Despite everything that had happen this afternoon, having her there made him feel full instead of his usual empty. He was so used to the empty feeling in his chest that having it be partially full around his friends had felt like a relief. Only fighting side by side with Ladybug, or the rare times she flirted or joked with him, had ever given him more. Marinette’s concern, her fear for him, her friendship, and her genuine heart all filled him to overflowing. “And more than that, she sees me! The real me! She sees me behind both the masks I have to wear and cares about me anyway! Wow!”
“You’re amazing, Marinette,” he murmured into her hair.
“You are too.” Her voice was soft and sad once more. Right. There was still Lila to worry about. “I’m not going to let her hurt Marinette anymore!”
Reluctantly, he let her go and led her back to the chaise.
“Okay. Now that I am all caught up, we need a plan on how to keep Lila from ruining our lives.” He gave her his confident, Cat Noir grin and held out his hand to her. “Are you with me?”
She looked from his hand to his face and gave a weak smile. She took his hand in both of hers and held it tight. “Always.”