It was turning into a lousy week. Lila had decided out of the blue to sink her talons into Adrien again. Marinette had made plans to study with him again that very day, but Lila's medical woes coupled with Adrien's too-good-for-this-world soul had torpedoed those when the time came. Now when she saw him it was almost always with Lila at his side or hovering close enough to pounce, and pounce she did. She never once gloated or gave Marinette a side-eye that would give up the game though. It would be so much better if she could just hate Lila openly for playing a cruel game, but she couldn't even get that satisfaction.

Felix had apparently been a bust. While he still sat and talked with Lila at school, he seemed to vanish whenever he might be useful as a distraction. Marinette was left to wonder if all hero karma was instant, or if she was just lucky.

She was so lost in self pity and loathing that she didn't even scream when hands grabbed her at the corner of the school, yanking her back around to the side and pinning her briefly against the wall with one over her mouth. All that came out was a delayed squeak that would have made Mullo proud.

Marinette tensed, blinking up into… those lovely green eyes. Adrien's gaze darted to the side and up the street both ways before he smiled and removed his hand from her mouth. "Sorry Marinette. Free time's a little harder to come by than normal, and I figured stealth might help things." he gave her a conspiritus wink but all Marinette's brain was telling her was that he was still leaned in close, forearm planted against the wall over her head. Sure it made sense to hide his face but… ADRIEN.

"I um, yes. Squeaky, I mean Sneaky. Yes. umm. Hi Adrien." She put on a smile,"How are you?"

He answered the panic-driven question honestly, "Actually, not bad really. Lila's running me ragged a bit, but she's being nicer all around so that's a plus." That put horrible images into Marinette's head, she wondered if it would be Louie or Clyde, but Adrien's next question blew all speculation out of her mind. "So, you're going to the bonfire Alya and Nino are organizing?"

"Bumfire? Oh, Bonfire! The party! Yeah." Marinette couldn't stop the giggles. He was still so close. She realized she was slowly sinking and locked her knees. "They told me you were going and so…"

"So, you wanted to go together?" he finished for her. His voice! Arrrghh, why was it so dreamy? She needed space. This was too much.

"Yeah! I mean, as friends. A pair of people, you know. Two people going to a party just having fun. They said it's only for pairs, and well, I figured it would be terrible if you couldn't go because you didn't have anybody so I signed right up. No way a friend of mine is going to be left out in the cold if I can help it!" Marinette put on her biggest smile while internally screaming. Oh my God Shut Up Me.

Her response made him pause. Then he did push off from the wall, straightening and giving her modeling smile #16 "You're always too good to me, Marinette. The best friend any guy could ask for."

"There you are, cousin!" Felix's too-loud voice interrupted Marinette's gathering thoughts. They both turned to see a smiling Felix standing at the corner looking around at them. Mere seconds later the sound of running and a panting Lila peeked around behind Felix

"Adrien!" she beamed before her features fell into a near swoon.

Felix reached out a hand to steady her. "I found her curled up on the wall by the stairs."

Lila raised herself up a little, leaning on Felix's arm. "You'd be so proud of me Adrien, I made it all the way to school today on my own. I think the medication might finally be getting close to right. The stairs though." She put a hand to her face,"The stairs were just too much. I was waiting for you, hoping you'd help me the rest of the way. I didn't want to bother your cousin since he's just visiting and we're coworkers."

Adrien hurried over to relieve Felix of Lila and Marinette quietly contemplated several things that would have made Master Fu very disappointed in her. She did have one good shot though, and she was going to take it. She waved to Adrien as if nothing was wrong and called,"See you at the bonfire Adrien!" in the sweetest tone she could muster.

She didn't even get the satisfaction of seeing Lila's reaction with the two boys blocking her view, and by the time they were out of sight she already regretted it. Being petty was stupid. Lila was petty. Chloé… had been petty. Marinette was most certainly not! Mostly. She took a deep cleansing breath and headed around the corner herself to start the school day.

Things improved almost immediately. Luka and Chloé were walking up the stairs but when he spotted her Luka waved then leaned in to say something to Chloé. She smiled and patted him on the cheek, a silver chain bracelet on her wrist catching the morning sun. One chaste(for them) kiss later he was on his way over grimacing good naturedly after a rump pinch and Chloé continued inside with a little roll to her step.

Luka met her at the bottom of the stairs,"Good morning Marinette." His hair was still the new look but all the rest of him had reverted, even that adopted swagger had returned to his gentle presence.

"Morning Luka." she beamed up at him with genuine affection. Things had come a long way since their breakup, and longer still since their little faux pax. Somehow instead of hurting, having Luka off the menu had come to mean he was that much safer to talk to.

"I saw the trio heading up and now you, stepping out a moment later. Is there trouble in Marinette World?"

It still wasn't easy, just easier. Marinette rubbed the back of her head and looked at the ground. "Kinda? Maybe? I guess? Lila's just been hanging around Adrien a lot. I know I shouldn't be jealous, but well…"

"You are." Luka finished. He reached out and hooked her shoulders with an arm, drawing her into a side hug and turning them both up the steps. "Have you ever considered asking Adrien out?"

Marinette let out an exasperated sigh,"Why do people keep asking that lately?" she gestured up the steps,"Nino asked me just the other day. Why is everyone so interested?"

"Well, it's definitely not because you've made a lot of good friends who care about your happiness," Luka teased. He hadn't let her go yet and she wasn't hating it. He maintained the contact smoothly even as they ascended the steps. Marinette had to resist the urge to lean in. He might be calm and confident but she was anything but right now.

"It's not as simple as that, Luka. He's so busy. I'm so busy. So much is changing. I feel like I've become a new self at least three times in the last year. What if he does say yes but then I change and he doesn't like the new me? What if he would say no to this me, but only if I waited until I was a little more together he would have said yes? It's just never the right time."

"Marinette, look at me."

She did so, really registering how much he'd grown in the last year.

"Now close your eyes."

She did so again, trusting him.

"Now imagine the Luka you met."

Marinette conjured the skinny aqua guitarist who had charmed her with a presence so open and innocent she couldn't help but want to be close.

"Now open your eyes and look at me."

Marinette did, the two images, her mind and her eyes tried to overlap but it was a lost cause. It wasn't even just the obvious changes. While still gentle there was a fire to Luka's gaze now. His touch against her shoulder wasn't timid and exploratory, it was insistent, yet still yielding. "You've changed a lot too." she murmured.

Luka grinned,"Imagine me when we broke up. When you first heard I had met Chloé. Even me at Chloé's debut."

Those last two still itched in the way an old scar might, lingering but familiar. Marinette shook her head, "still not the same." She had an idea where he was going with this now.

Luka nodded,"And if they'd been here or I'd been there, I'm not sure any of it would have happened. Yet, it has and it continues to happen. Chloé still loves this me, maybe even moreso, than the me I was when we started dating. If you're good together, you'll grow and change together. If not, then no amount of waiting will change that."

Luka added with a laugh,"As for being good enough. I think you're a far better offer for Adrien than me or my girlfriend were for each other, and we still muddled through."

They weren't a solution. They were even words Marinette had told to others in one form or another, but it was nice to be reminded, and Luka's mere presence lifted her spirit too. "Thanks Luka." On impulse she wrapped both arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest for a squeeze.

Luka patted her back soothingly for the length of the hug and when she stepped back he leaned down, brushing his lips against her cheek in a gentle kiss. "Any time Marinette."

Her cheeks pinked. He hadn't even hesitated. Marinette nudged him gently. "Don't get me in trouble again."

Luka smiled at that, turning to head up the stairs towards the homerooms. "Oh don't worry. I'm pretty sure you couldn't bring yourself to do the things it'd take to make Chloé jealous these days."

Marinette pinked further and ducked her head, eliciting a hearty laugh from her musical friend.

She was almost the last one to arrive. Adrien was up top, holding out Lila's chair for her. Felix was down saying something to a stretching Chloé that had her laughing too loudly before he too ascended to his seat. Nino gave Marinette an apologetic look she didn't quite understand until she sat down.

Alya leaned in. "Someone spilled the beans about our little party and Miss Fox overheard. She and Felix invited themselves. I was going to uninvite them with extreme prejudice but Adrien pulled his white knight routine. Don't worry though girl. We'll be sure you get your alone time with Adri- Marinette, are you okay? You're turning green."

Marinette just buried her head under her arms. Heroes really did suffer instant karma.

"How are we battling over a mirror? Isn't there another in this cavernous building?". Felix stepped aside while unknotting his tie, allowing Adrien to step in and fluff his hair for the umteenth time.

"I never really noticed we didn't have more around before." Adrien replied in good spirits. "I never needed more than one.". He stepped aside and Felix stepped back in.

"If you didn't spend so much time on your hair it still wouldn't be a problem." He regarded himself in the mirror as he tied on a new tie, turning to catch the light against the sheen. Satisfied, he tightened the knot and stepped back out.

"Isn't that the fifth tie you've tried on?" Adrien jibbed back.

Felix glanced away. He ran a hand back over his hair but refused to look into the mirror to check it. He could check in the car later. "I have a meeting with a minor princess, appearances matter."

Adrien's eyebrows shot up,"Really?" but his usual demeanor reasserted itself and he shrugged with a smile,"And here I thought my modeling was a big deal."

Felix wondered what other lies he could get away with. He had found this one amusing but not very believable himself. "I have to keep myself busy. You seem to be rarely present as a host." A little guilt was always good.

Adrien didn't disappoint. "Yeah, I hadn't expected to be so busy. Lila just needs my help a lot these days. Hopefully she'll be up to her usual self soon."

Felix scoffed, no need to make it too easy. "You are too naive, cousin. Isn't it obvious she is just making it up to capitalize on your time?"

Adrien's cherubic smile faltered but recovered. "Now you sound like Lila yourself. She was always trying to say things like that about Marinette when she arrived."

"I wouldn't be surprised if both she and I were right."

Adrien ran a comb through his hair once, changing nothing that Felix could identify but nodding as if satisfied. He set the comb down with deliberate care and when he spoke his tone was nothing Felix recognized. "You know I didn't have many friends growing up Felix. Now that I do they are precious to me." Adrien raised his eyes, fixing Felix in the mirror with a stare. "I don't like when people talk badly about them."

It was such a cold look, Felix begrudgingly raised his opinion of his cousin slightly. He put on a conciliatory smile. "Of course, cousin. I am sure you know them better than me."

Adrien's cold look melted into his usual smile, a dangerous trick, that. Felix recalculated how much he could reveal around his cousin. "Now if you want to talk lies; a princess, Felix?"

What else would his cousin let slip today? Knowing Adrien had fangs was problematic, but such things were best revealed only when sinking them into prey. "A little humor, to see if you were paying more attention to me or your hair." Felix pulled his watch out his pocket, a deliberately anachronistic thing of gold and steel with gears where electronics now reigned. He checked the time and returned it. "It is your blond friend. She seems to have quite a few pretenses."

"Chloé?" open worry in that single word. Felix's little ploy might offer more than one target for akumatization when it bore fruit. "I thought you found her annoying."

Tread carefully, we want Adrien off balance, not suspicious. "I did, without a doubt. But she is, as you have mentioned, one of your few friends. I thought I would make an effort during my stay. She has proven an amusing distraction in your absence." There, a little more guilt to occupy the mind.

It seemed to have worked. Adrien went from casual to moderately pensive. He pulled out his phone to check the time himself before answering. "Just be careful around her okay? For once in her life she's settled in. Her and Luka are perfect together."

Felix allowed the laughter to bubble up. The natural reaction was enough to startle Adrien in it's rarity. "A Bourgeois? Me? Perish the thought!" Felix wiped away a tear of mirth. "Your little red haired friend has shared a few details. You have quite the dramatic little circle here, I wish no part of it." Felix stepped away from the mirror and checked his cufflinks. "Even if there were something worth pursuing in the mix."

Adrien recovered his shock and smiled with a shake of his head. "If you say so, cousin." He scooped up his workbag from the desk as he headed for the door and said over his shoulder, "Don't forget to put away the other four ties."

Felix glanced down as the door closed. He checked the mirror, checked the time again, and picked up the second of the discarded ties, switching it for the one he wore. It meant nothing.

"Adrien!" Lila's greeting came even before he had stepped out of the car. He shouldered his workbag and returned her enthusiastic wave with a casual one. He had a reprieve as the makeup artist who had been trying to do her eyeliner got into a little row with her over moving around.

"Hey Lila." he greeted as he dropped into the folding chair beside her. He took a breath and sat up, arms on the rests in a poised still position he had learned from years of practice. His own makeup descended and began work.

Lila's work was done first and she immediately leaned over the arm of her chair, smiling openly,"This is my first time doing footwear modeling. Any pointers for me?"

Adrien didn't speak, didn't move, he only allowed his eyes to track in her direction. That smile, it was a loaded thing, he knew. When she had first shown up Lila had been the middle of quite a few problems. Her relationship with the truth was sketchy at best. The biggest problem wasn't that she lied. It was that sometimes she seemed to believe her own lies. She could wear innocence so easily because she honestly seemed to think she was doing the right thing. When Adrien's makeup artist paused he spoke, "Don't fight with the person applying your makeup." he grinned then returned his face to an impassive state when the artist leaned in again.

She pouted, but returned her smile quickly,"Hiking boots! They're not exactly high fashion for the Paris streets are they? Do you hike much, Adrien? I bet you could climb a mountain in a single day. I used to hike a lot before the blood sugar thing."

There it was again. Felix's words prodded Adrien. It really didn't matter if she was lying or not yet. She hadn't caused anyone harm, and she seemed happier lately. Yet, it did matter. A sideways glance again met that hazel gaze. Adrien wanted her to be telling the truth. Everything would be easier if she could just put the lies behind her. Another pause in makeup, "Lila, we need to talk after the shoot."

That made her shrink, and she didn't have an immediate answer. Knowing he'd done that stung. Adrien leaned around before makeup could start again,"Don't worry, it's nothing bad." he reassured, flashing a smile. Now who is lying?

The shoot went smoothly. They were perched on rocks. Sitting, climbing, standing, draped across each other, and individually. The boots clashed with their clothing, but Adrien figured that was deliberate. Modeling itself was a stream of little lies for the eyes and mind. Lila behaved surprisingly well, though Adrien was forced to admit she had been getting better even before today. She was still a bit too familiar, and some of her more overt flirting could be awkward to push aside but they'd found a working relationship at least.

Left alone to change their shoes, now was the time. Adrien glanced at Lila, who was completely focused on the bootlaces that seemed to be defeating her. She always scrunched her nose and squinted when she focused completely on something, it was cute-

Adrien shook himself, where had that thought come from? It was fair he supposed, his father had picked her to model. Still, it was surprising. Maybe he could leave off the questions for another day.

"Are you going to walk me home today?" She asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

Well, there it was, he could ask now, or at least push the issue. "I can have my driver drop you off, we don't have to walk at all."

Lila tensed for a moment, then relaxed and leaned in to lay a hand on his forearm,"But it's so nice walking with you."

"What about your blood sugar?" He knew his tone was turning cold, too much like his father's.

Her hand on his arm squeezed slightly, she gave him a brave smile. "I think I can do it. I want to try."

Adrien reached down, gently removing her hand, from the look on her face he might as well have slapped her. "Lila, is this condition real, or is it one of your lies?"

She shrunk back into her chair, protesting softly. "Adrien…"

His response, delivered in an echo of admonishments he had been on the receiving end of, "Lila."

Emotion worked its way up across her face. She turned away,"If it was, would that be so bad?" There was a tremor in her words.

All of his carefully stoked indignation fell apart. Adrien's tone softened instantly. "Yes Lila, you know lies only hurt people. You know what happened before."

Lila fiddled with her purse, unzipping it and fishing out a tissue she clutched in her hands. "I'm not hurting anyone."

"Lila." It was his turn to break the plane, to reach out and touch her shoulder to try to turn her back. "Why would you lie about this?"

Her eyes were awash, she dabbed them as she turned to face him,"It's so hard to get time with you when we're not working. I'd lie to be with you."

There's no way Lila could know the impact those words had. A rush of emotion and he was standing in front of city hall, Kagami standing heartbroken before him. The vision faded and a vermillion gaze became hazel. Lila was not Kagami, she didn't have the claim on him Kagami had back then, but the thought of causing that again chilled him.

"Lila…" Adrien brought his hand back and rubbed the back of his head, he suddenly couldn't look at her. "We can hang out sometime. You don't need to lie, you just have to ask."

"Can we?" A bitter edge mingled with the sadness. Lila squeezed the tissue in her hands and looked down. "You tend to spend your spare time these days chasing illusions."

It was easy to catch her meaning, and the possibility she could be right stung. But, was she just playing? That was the problem with lies; broken trust always held sharp edges. But looking at her trembling before him, was he being fair?

He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it. "Adrien, we've worked together for a year now. I-" her whole body rose and fell as she took a deep breath then raised her gaze to him,"I think we make a pretty good couple."

Adrien froze. This wasn't Chloé voicing some childhood claim. It wasn't even some fan's desperate crush. He was shocked and flustered by the unexpected intensity.

"Lila," he swallowed. How do you let someone down gently?

"We make great partners. We work well together but," He reached out, placing one hand over both of hers and giving a gentle squeeze as he shook his head. "We aren't a couple."

He heard the words coming out of his mouth, and knew immediately where they'd come from. He took a sharp breath, as if he could suck them back in. He could do better, *anything* would be better.

Too late.

Shock twisted to sudden anger, Lila slammed her fits down on the arm of the chair,"Why not!" She fumbled in her purse,"Is it because of this? Because you don't believe me?" A small orange bottle. She wrenched off the lid and dumped pills back into her purse then threw the bottle at him.

Adrien caught it against his chest, looking down then back up. She was already out of her chair, running down the street. Adrien jumped up after her, but what could he say? Instead he looked to his bodyguard,"Follow her! Give her a ride!"

His bodyguard blinked in mute confusion.

"If she passes out alone she could be hurt! I'll be fine!"

Whether Adrien's sincerity worked, or if it was just his bodyguard's natural inclinations, he stuffed himself into the driver's seat and took off down the road without another hesitation.

Adrien was left lost, confused, and feeling as if he'd done something horrible. He felt the bottle in his hand and looked down.

Lila Rossi

Metformin 1350mg

Take once Daily

Adrien stared at the prescription. Was it real? It could be fake and he wouldn't know it. Was she that invested? One part of his mind followed that train of thought until another asked. When will it be enough? Are you looking for truth, or a way to not be wrong?

If this was true, was anything else? Everything else? If it was, what was he supposed to do? Did he make his Ladybug feel like this? Adrien closed his hand around the bottle, scooped up his work bag and turned for home.