Please don't hate me.

I have struggled with these two prompts as CP can tell you! So I've shoved them together and written this little one shot. I hope you like... and seriously:

Please. Don't. Hate. Me.

9&10: Pine Cones and Gingerbread

'I can do this, you're Kwami damn Ladybug, you can do this!'

She took a breath and knocked.

Marinette stood waiting at the door with her breath caught in throat.

'I think I'm gonna be sick.'

She was nervous, but on the surface she was calm and ready.

'This is what needs to be done.'

Box of gingerbread in one hand, bottle of wine in the other and her heart beating wildly in her chest.

It was too late to back out now as footsteps echoed on the other side of the wood, signaling someone coming to answer. The sound of a chain unlatching and the handle being pulled down reached her ears, when the door opened to reveal the one and only Miss Lila Rossi.

"What do you want?" Her usual snarl lacked conviction as the Italian scowled at the floor.

The brunette had been chased out of school when her lies had finally caught up with her. Although Marinette had bad feelings towards the girl, the way she had failed to bounce back told Lila's target enough.

She was human.

Perhaps not the best human, but still, a human.

"I wanted to see how you are," Marinette replied honestly, "I've been where you are, and I know what it's like to be alone-"

"You had Adrien." The Italian shot back bitterly. "I tried to break you up," her olive eyes narrowed suspiciously, "are you here to gloat?" She spat, "because I'd rather have pine cones shoved up my arse!"

"That can be arranged," Marinette dryly replied with pursed lips before she inhaled deeply, and let out a levelling breath.

"No, Lila. I am not here to gloat."

The sincerity in Marinette's voice caused Lila's features to soften.

"I honestly just want to see how you are."

Lila looked to the side, avoiding Marinette's empathetic gaze, "really?"

"Really." Marinette smiled and held up the items in her hands, "I brought wine and gingerbread."

Lila scoffed with bitter regret, "gawd~ you really are perfect aren't you."

"Far from it," Marinette straightened up, "we all make mistakes, and it's never too late to make amends for our actions."

Lila debated Marinette's words for a while. She had not seen or heard from anyone since the incident, and quite frankly, it was nice for someone to check on her. Even if it was Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

"Fine~" Lila relented and moved out of Marinette's way to let her in, "the living room is just to the right, I'll get glasses."

Once in the living space, Marinette sat down and placed the gingerbread on the table in front of her, Lila joined her quickly and handed her the corkscrew. "Does Adrien know you're here?"

"He does," Marinette replied as she casually poured the wine into the two glasses and passed one to Lila. "And Alya, Nino, Chloé-"

"Gawd," Lila ran her hand down her face, "are they expecting a phone call every half hour to say that you're still alive?"

"No," the bluenette smiled pleasantly, a hint of knowing in her tone "they think I'm an idiot but they trust that I know what I'm doing."

Lila relaxed back into the big grey cushions on the back of the sofa, "what exactly are you doing?"

"I'm apologising."

Lila almost spat her wine out. Wiping the little that had escaped off her chin, she composed herself. "What? Why?" She looked incredulously at Marinette who was still smiling at her pleasantly, "I have been an absolute cow to you, why would you need to apologise?"

"Because I should have understood when you joined our class that you were probably just trying to make friends, to fit in and impress us." Marinette took a sip of her wine while Lila's eyes widened. "Instead I labelled you a liar and never really looked at why you were doing what you were doing. That was wrong of me."

Lila was mute.

Marinette continued: "starting in a new school has got to be difficult, and we all cope in different ways when thrusted into stressful situations."

A lone tear trailed down Lila's cheek as she closed her eyes and bowed her head as she leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees. The Italian found a comforting hand on her forearm and looked disbelievingly at the young woman sitting in her living room.

"But I got you expelled."

"Yeah~" Marinette replied dryly with a hint of mirth shining in her eyes, "I'm willing to forgive and forget, if you are willing to be honest."

Lila went to open her mouth but Marinette put her hand to stop her.

"Just listen, please Lila."

The young lady nodded and another tear stained her cheek.

"When you tell me something," Marinette continued, "I will wonder if you are telling me the truth, but as long as you are honest, there will come a time when I won't wonder and I will take your word as it comes." The bluenette noticed Lila's glass was looking rather empty so gave her a top up.

"It's about taking that first step Lila." Marinette smiled and took out some gingerbread from the box on the table and held it in front of Lila, "so how about we start by breaking gingerbread, together." Marinette smirked, her Kitty would be proud.

Lila questionably smiled at Marinette who handed her one half of the treat. Taking it gingerly, she held it in her lap and toyed with it before looking back at Marinette, "you're serious about this, aren't you." It was not a question, Lila could see just how determined Marinette was to make things between them right.

"I am," Marinette bit into her half, "like I said, it's never too late to make amends."

The Italian smiled genuinely at the peace offering and nodded her head. Her bottom lip quivered emotionally as she brought up the piece of biscuit to her mouth and took a bite. "Thank you Marinette," and she gestured for Marinette to stay quiet for a moment, "but there are a few things I need to say before we go any further."

Marinette nodded understandingly and continued to drink her wine.

"When I arrived here four years ago, I had no idea what I was coming here too." Lila kept her head down while she spoke, the way she spoke in earnest, caused Marinette to put her hand on her shoulder in a reassuring manner as she scooted closer. The Italian placed her hand over Marinette's in a way of thanks to her for what was happening.

"I lied about a lot of things, I lied about knowing famous people, I lied about what I had done, I lied about where I had been and I lied about injuries I had." She let out a bitter chuckle, "the only truth I may have told, is the fact that I am a compulsive liar."

Olive eyes rolled with shame and they landed on compassionate blue, the Italian felt so thankful, but the next bit was likely to break the mending process. She needed to tell the truth though, and this confession may prove how serious she was in accepting this immense gesture from Marinette.

"I spied on Adrien."

"I know."

Lila thought as much. She nodded and prepared herself for the fall out from the next confession.

"I helped Hawkmoth too."

Lila gulped, Marinette was still understanding in her mannerisms as an arm rested across the Italians shoulders.

"I know."

"How do you-" Lila's head shot up, causing Marinette to scoot away slightly but still close enough to put her hand on her forearm again.

"I didn't know for definite," the bluenette averted her gaze to her own emptying glass and poured her own top up, "but I had my suspicions."

"And you still came?"

"It's all in the past Lila," Lila's brow furrowed and Marinette tilted her head from side to side while she assessed what she had just said. "The recent past, granted, but I've been in the position of having no one apart from Adrien, and I know it's an awful place to be."

"Let me guess," Lila narrowed her eyes with feigned skepticism, her lips twisted into a smirked purse, "you wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy."

"No, I wouldn't." Marinette insisted, "and I want to make this right between us. We have half a year of school left and you're part of our class."

Lila shook her head at the idea of going back into the same classroom. "Oh I don't kno-"

"I do, come on."

Marinette stood and held out her hand for Lila to take, which she hesitantly accepted.

"Where are we…?"

"I've got some friends I want you to meet" Lila was pulled to her feet by a determined Marinette.

"But they-"

"-trust me, come on! We need more wine~" Marinette pulled her playfully to the door, "grab your coat, it's cold out there."

"I hope that's not a euphemism." Lila chuckled, a little giddy at how fast things had happened, finally accepting that this was reality as she pulled on her coat and flicked her hair out of the collar.

Grabbing Lila's keys, Marinette passed them to an unsure looking Lila and took the Italian's hands in hers, "trust has to go both ways, learn to trust me and I will learn to trust you." Marinette smiled broadly, "do you think you can trust me."

"Yes."

"Let's go then!"

Did I do right? Did I do wrong? Gawd, please tell me your thoughts on this one as I'm still unsure about it. It's definitely better than the other tripe I wrote though I can tell you!

Thank you for reading, reviewing, following and faving!

Take it easy (^.^)

Lady Rhi X