AN: This kind of takes off from "Reflekdoll," with Juleka's interest in becoming a model. What a coincidence, her friend owns a fashion house and needs models…
Tomorrow I will begin publishing a new multi-chapter story titled "The Fashion Disaster," and this one-shot gives some useful background to that story.
To anonymousfriend27: I will keep that in mind… :D
To GuenZhenXuan2020: Lila doesn't have the Butterfly Miraculous at this time; Sabrina received it after Hawk Moth's defeat. As far at Lila's story after this, you'll have to wait and see!
It took all of her concentration for Marinette to not sew her finger into the seam of the dress she was altering when the tent flap was thrown violently aside and someone burst inside. As it was, Marinette still pricked her index finger and only avoided getting a drop of blood on the fabric by millimeters as she pulled the finger away and stuck it in her mouth. She turned around in confusion that quickly turned to surprise and concern at the sight of the model with her face buried in her hands.
"Juleka?" she asked hesitantly, setting the dress aside and standing up from the folding table that was serving as her on-site workstation. "What's wrong?"
"I-I just – I can't do this!" she moaned, shaking her head back and forth and fighting back sobs.
Marinette wrapped her arms around Juleka's shoulders, careful not to let her pricked finger touch the blouse Juleka was supposed to be modeling at that very moment. The prick still stung a little, but she couldn't see any blood at least. She squeezed Juleka's shoulders and allowed her to cry into her shirt. "Shh…" she soothed. "It's okay. I'm nervous, too. Today's been nothing like our last photo shoot together. It's okay to be anxious and scared; I'm pretty sure Adrien was nervous for his first professional shoot, too."
"Still am," Adrien interjected, sticking his head into the tent. He grimaced. "Marcel may be the best photographer we have, but he's got a serious diva complex about his 'art.'"
Juleka tensed in Marinette's arms, and she glared at him over her shoulder. His lip curled in apology, and she quirked an eyebrow at him in understanding before he quietly ducked back out of the tent. "Sorry about him," Marinette finally said, putting as much comfort in her voice as she could. "He means well, but sometimes his timing could be better."
"He's not wrong, though," Juleka admitted, straightening up to look at Marinette. "I was just trying to comply with the pose that M. Brohm asked for, when he exploded! He said my smile was all wrong, that my hair was out of place, that I was mocking him and his art…"
Marinette scoffed. "That man," she muttered heatedly. "No one treats my friends that way. I don't know anyone more dedicated to this than you!"
"Maybe I am dedicated," Juleka replied, hanging her head, "but I guess I'm just not good enough to do it."
"Of course you're good enough," Marinette insisted, leading her over to the second worktable and sitting her down in front of the mirror. "Did you know I only have one picture on my desk at Agreste? It's one of you and Adrien at that photo shoot we did last spring. And it's not because of Adrien–"
Juleka smirked at her. "What, you don't have enough pictures of his face on your bedroom wall?"
Marinette blushed beet red and couldn't speak for a full minute. "That's not – I don't – I got rid of those!" she finally squeaked.
Juleka simply arched an eyebrow at her. Then they both collapsed onto each other's shoulders in a fit of giggles.
"I really was hopeless, wasn't I?" Marinette admitted when their giggles finally subsided, wiping tears from her eyes.
"You kind of were," Juleka agreed. "But we loved you for it. Most of the time," she amended, smirking. "Do you still have his schedule taped up in your bedroom?"
"I do," Marinette told her, quickly adding, "but with everything we both have going on these days – and he doesn't have Nathalie to keep his schedule straight for him anymore – it's more an act of self-preservation than anything else!"
Juleka snorted. "Sure it is."
Marinette sighed and shook her head fondly, rummaging through the makeup kit for wipes as she did so. Juleka sat still as Marinette touched up the places where she'd smeared her makeup.
"I'm sorry about your shirt," Juleka said quietly, looking at her and frowning.
"This?" Marinette asked, glancing down at the smudges of mascara and blush on her shoulder. She laughed easily. "It's nothing; I'll change when the shoot's finished. Besides, Mme Legrand says it doesn't matter what the designer looks like at the shoot; all that matters is the design. And that includes the model wearing the design." She leaned back to examine her work. "See? All set!"
"Thanks," Juleka said, looking intently into the mirror. "I guess I should go back out."
"I'll come with you," Marinette decided, standing up. "We don't need this dress for a little bit, so I've got some time to watch you and Adrien work."
She followed Juleka out of the tent and saw Adrien posing for another round of photos. He saw them coming and nodded to M. Brohm. The photographer turned around and waved them over.
"Ah, Mlle Couffaine! I hoped I had not scared you off! We simply must get this shoot moving along!"
Marinette felt Juleka stiffen next to her and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. She flicked her eyes at Adrien, who immediately left the platform and walked over to them. When he reached them, he wrapped an arm around Juleka's shoulders and guided her back to the platform.
"Don't worry about him," Adrien muttered to her, rubbing small circles on her back. "We'll get through this together."
"Is it always like this?" she muttered back.
"It gets easier," he assured her. "You be a pro in no time. Meanwhile, though…" he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I've… gotten a little out of practice lately. Too much sitting behind a desk, I think. Could you help me figure out this next pose?"
"Oh, um, sure," Juleka said, giving him an odd look but following where he directed her.
Marinette smiled at Adrien, who winked at her over his shoulder. Then Marinette turned and strode toward M. Brohm, putting on her most serious Ladybug face. The photographer gave her a surprised look as she approached.
"Can I help you, Mlle…"
"Marinette." She smiled, but without putting any warmth into the expression. "I'm helping Mme Legrand in the alterations and fitting tent for the shoot. It's incredible to see how a professional photo shoot functions! We fit the models, the makeup people touch up their makeup, they come out here to take the photos, and then we do it all again for the next outfit! It's so exciting when everything runs smoothly! But I do have a question for you."
M. Brohm's gave her a look of confusion. "And what is that?"
"Is it common for your models to run away in tears? Because, you see, your second model was in the tent with me for about 20 minutes because she was too upset to continue."
"Ah, heh," M. Brohm scoffed. "That girl did not understand what I am doing here. I am–"
"–doing your job," Marinette interrupted, "which is to take amazing photographs of our amazing models wearing our amazing clothing. But–" she held up a hand to stave off his spluttering protest. She kept her voice calm even as she narrowed her eyes and allowed some anger to bleed through into her expression. "–that only works when the models are comfortable and relaxed, not when they're having a nervous breakdown."
"I'm sorry?" he asked indignantly.
"This model has had exactly one modeling photo shoot before now," Marinette confessed, softening her tone, "so she is a little nervous. And when you start talking about your art and telling her she isn't good enough, can you imagine what that feels like? Juleka wants more than anything to succeed at this, but she needs coaching and encouragement, not yelling and mocking. I have a picture from her first shoot on my desk back at the office, and it turned out great – certainly not as professional as your photographs, of course, since it was just a few friends at the Tower. But do you know why it turned out great? Because the models – your same two models today – were comfortable."
M. Brohm furrowed his brow. "What are you saying, Mademoiselle?"
"I'm simply asking you to please, help my friend," Marinette told him, a pleading expression in her eyes. "She will give you the amazing, professional photos you want, but she needs your help. Will you help her learn to be a model?"
M. Brohm's lips parted slightly in surprise. "I-of course I will help her," he finally said. His eyes brightened and some of his excitement returned. "And together, we shall create the best photographs you can imagine!"
"Thank you so much, Monsieur!" Marinette beamed at him. "Well, that dress isn't going to alter itself. Good luck with the rest of the shoot!"
Marinette turned around to return to the fitting tent, only to see Mme Legrand standing by the entrance and holding two paper cups of tea. She was shaking her head and grinning as Marinette walked over and accepted the one she held out. Mme Legrand put her hand on Marinette's shoulder affectionately as they walked into the tent together.
"You know, when Adrien first asked me to use this internship to mentor you in the fashion industry, I was skeptical," Mme Legrand admitted when they were alone. "I thought, 'you're putting too much on the girl too soon. Her designs are phenomenal, no doubt about that, but there's so much more to being a Lead Fashion Designer than that.'
"Have I told you yet how unfair it is for you to be so mature at 16?" She chuckled ruefully, glancing back out the tent door as she did so. "I've been working in the fashion industry – for this company, even – since before you were born, and I've known Marcel almost that long, and I've never seen this side of him before. That's the first time I've seen him looking both chastened and excited at the same time!"
"I just wanted to make sure Juleka has a good experience." Marinette shrugged. "Last time she modeled for me, it went so badly she got Akumatized."
"Well, I don't think you have to worry about that for two reasons, dear. For one, Ladybug and her friends took care of your future super-villain-in-law." Marinette could see the ghost of a relieved smile on her lips at that. "And for another…" Mme Legrand pulled the flap back to show M. Brohm animatedly demonstrating the proper pose. Adrien was over-exaggerating the pose, windmilling his arms comically to keep his balance, while Juleka fought back giggles at their antics. "I think this is the most laid-back I've seen a photo shoot since the first time Emilie brought baby Adrien to one!"
"Wow," Marinette breathed. Juleka looked… relaxed, even happy. "I just… told them what they needed to hear."
"That's not such a common skill in our industry," Mme Legrand told her. "All designers are good with fabrics. Unlike some designers I could mention, you, however, are also good with people. And that can make all the difference."
In case you forgot, Mme Legrand is Agreste's lead designer introduced in "Tit for Tat" chapter 1, who is Marinette's mentor and the only person at the fashion house fully aware of Marinette and Adrien's relationship (and that she is essentially grooming Marinette to officially become Agreste's new lead designer in a few years). It hasn't really come up before now, but Adrien and Marinette in this universe are not exactly the "power couple" they were presented as in the "Chat Blanc" alternate future. Partly this is because Adrien took a months'-long break from modeling after Gabriel's arrest in order to focus on keeping the company afloat (and because he wanted to actually have a life). The company's reputation also took a nosedive after the arrest, so he isn't the media's "golden boy" anymore. They probably were hounding him for a few weeks, but a benefit of Gabriel outing him as Cat Noir in front of the other heroes at the beginning of their final battle is that the heroes were even more motivated to help fend off the paparazzi!
Long story short, their relationship isn't exactly a secret, but (as mentioned in "Tit for Tat") it's not common knowledge at this point, either, particularly at the fashion house.
