Thank you for all the comments so far =^.^= I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it!
The afternoon was not going well for Marinette.
First she was roped into a study session during fourth period with Alya and the girls, which was not a bad prospect in all honesty: but then Lila turned up. Secondly Lila was telling everyone about her plans for the weekend… including being on the set for Adrien's new fragrance advert. Marinette had managed to keep her head down up until that point, but Lila soon found a way to bring her into the conversation.
"Marinette," the false Italian spoke with her voice laced in saccharine, "I'm sure you could come too, if you really wanted with you and Adrien being such good friends." The chipper teen glanced at all their peers with a modest smile, "I will be sure to put in a good word with Mr Agreste for you."
It would have been easy for Marinette to supply her with some sort of blunt rebuttal; informing the teen that she was, in fact, already going; that Lila was full of it and she did not need her help… but she knew how that would look. The ravenette could hear Alya's words in her head already:
"Girl! I know she lied about being your best friend when she got here, but she was only being nice. There was no need to be like that when she was only wanting to help you. How was she to know that you were already going?"
No.
Marinette was not going to give her the satisfaction. If Lila was going to be there, Marinette knew she would be open to accusations if anything went awry. Part of her thought that Lila was already aware that she was going, not that she had any idea of how the Italian would be privy to that knowledge, but it would just be easier to make up an excuse and tell Adrien she would not be able to go and explain why; no doubt he would understand.
If she turned up and Lila did not, that would also leave her open to being accused of pushing the Italian out: the ravenette could not leave herself open to an attack of any kind. It would be better to tell a little white lie and just see Adrien another time. There would hopefully be other opportunities for her to attend a shoot: it was no big deal.
So the ravenette smiled pleasantly, even though she would have preferred to go ten rounds with Shadow Moth. "Thank you Lila, maybe another time though as I'm busy tomorrow." It was convincing enough for those around the table to believe there was nothing going on under the surface; Marinette even felt a smirk playing on her lips as she had not given Lila an opening to cause trouble.
"If you're sure?" The olive eyed brunette tried again, but Marinette had already turned her attention to her phone under the table and failed to look up.
"I am, thanks for the offer though."
Marinette: Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Lila's going to be there tomorrow and has offered to 'pit in a word' to get me on set. I'll just come another time if that's ok? I don't want anything to happen and I *know* she has an ulterior motive, I can just feel it.
Marinette: Put*
A few minutes went by and Marinette guessed that Adrien must not have had his phone to hand. He had been for lunch with Nino after all, and according to Alya, they then joined Kim and Max to work on a new application for Markov in the computer suite on the other side of the school. Adrien had already asked her in person if she was free for him to pop by that evening, and Marinette was certain she would hear all about it then.
The teen still could not stop checking her phone though.
Marinette sighed when ten minutes had gone by and there was still no word from Adrien, and resigned herself to waiting until they saw each other later to apologise properly for bailing on the blonde. The teen occupied herself with staring blankly at her open textbook and blocked out Lila's latest claims about what she had been discussing with one of her mother's oldest friends: Bono.
"…kins, I am talking to you!"
"Sorry Chlo, I'll catch you later."
The shrill shriek of frustration brought Marinette out of her 'studies' and caused the teen to turn and see her unmasked partner striding towards her. With Adrien's green peridots fixed on her, Lila's sickly sweet greeting fell on deaf ears as he crouched next to the secret heroine.
"I need a huge favour."
It took Marinette a moment to realise that their table had gone deadly quiet as they were all waiting to see how she responded. Although their blossoming friendship had been obvious, it was still a novelty for her friends to see her becoming comfortable around the blonde: something Alya had been ecstatic about. Marinette's cheeks burned with all eyes on her as Adrien successfully hid his smirk; not from Marinette though, she could see it in the way his eyes danced with amusement.
"Su-sure, what uh, do you need?"
"Well," he ran his hand through his hair and disheveled it slightly so it fell into his face a little, "you know I've missed a few lessons this week because of work commitments."
Marinette nodded and ignored the light tinge that adorned her cheeks while trying to hide her own smile as she had an idea as to where this was going.
"I've been having a look at Nino's notes and I can't make heads nor tails of them…" he sighed with exaggerated exasperation; Marinette had to purse her lips to stop the giant smile appearing. "Being as I can understand your writing, and I'm swamped tonight with a meeting-" he winked discreetly, "-would you please bring them to the shoot tomorrow-"
"I can bring mine Adrien," Lila smiled brightly, and although Adrien stayed pleasant, his eyes hardened before he turned his head to face her. "Marinette's busy, I've already asked her to join us and she said she already has plans."
"I appreciate the offer Lila, really, I do-"
His sarcasm was not obvious, but Marinette picked up on it straight away. With a brief glance to Alya who was also glancing under the table to her lap, Marinette saw hazel eyes narrowed thoughtfully: the ravenette figured the reporter could also tell he was not being one hundred percent sincere.
"-but I can remember you asking for my help with catching up because of all the time you've missed, so I wouldn't want to put more on you." One of his hands found placement on Marinette's knee under the table and gave it a squeeze, igniting a deeper blush which Alya knowingly cocked her brow at. Luckily no one else seemed to notice, and Adrien turned his attention back to his raven haired friend.
Lila was not deterred. "We can help each other then."
Adrien pursed his lips with poorly hidden annoyance and stood up quickly while holding his hand out to Marinette. "May I?"
"Uh-"
"Sorry, but my knees are hurting."
Before Marinette, or anyone at the table for that matter, knew what was going on, Adrien gently, but abruptly, pulled the teen out of her seat, sat down himself, and pulled her onto his lap. Marinette bit her lip in an attempt to stifle her squeak of surprise and sat rigidly as Adrien turned his attention back to Lila.
Her friends gasped and Rose even swooned with happiness.
Marinette died.
She was sure she looked like a human tomato by that point.
She had been this close to him as Chat before, and in more compromising positions, but her heart still hummed in her chest. Her blue eyes fixated on Alya's, who sent her a smug wink alongside encouraging finger guns, which the blonde did not seem to notice as he addressed the lying Italian.
"That does sound like a good idea," he hummed in mock thought, "but I wouldn't have the time to commit to helping you." Lila went to interject but her own surprise at his actions seemed to have momentarily disconnected the 'bullshit' function in her brain. "And with you needing to be brought up to speed in so many areas, perhaps arranging a study session like this with the girls each week would be more beneficial. I wouldn't want to have to squeeze you in between shoots and fencing and Chinese… on top of school: that wouldn't be fair to you Lila."
A beat went past where no one spoke.
"Now then," the blonde turned his attention back to a very red faced Marinette on his knee where his hands were now resting on her hips. "About tomorrow-"
"She's told us she's busy."
There was no disputing the irritation that Lila was obviously feeling if her dry tone was anything to go by. Alya piped up:
"Lila," hazel eyes amusedly assessed the teen on the heartthrob's knee and slowly turned to look at the disgruntled Italian. "I think Marinette can speak for herself, I'm sure whatever plans she has can be rearranged if Adrien really needs her notes." She winked at Marinette, "being on a shoot is a great opportunity too, right Mari?"
Marinette nodded as words failed her.
"There you go then," Alya concluded with a pointed look at Lila while the others at the table seemed to avert their gazes away awkwardly, "looks like Marinette's going tomorrow doesn't it? And you did offer to put in a good word for her so she could join you, so it's win-win right?"
Lila nodded in agreement, but her hard eyes said differently.
At least Adrien had the decency to act sheepishly, "actually Lila, I've spoken to Nathalie, and I'm only allowed one person tomorrow so…"
The Italian smiled understandingly, but the gesture did not meet her eyes in the slightest. "No Adrien, I completely understand, I-"
The bell rang, signaling lesson change, cutting Lila off and Marinette jumped up from Adrien's lap, "I… lockers, I have lockers, yeah."
"Oh my god girl!"
Alya caught up with a fleeing Marinette just as the ravenette reached her locker. "What was all that about?"
"I-I-d-d-"
"Jeez!" The blogger shook her head and chuckled fondly, "you're still speechless!"
Marinette nodded mutely while she fumbled with her books.
"Adrien seems… different…"
Bang.
"Do-does he? Ow~" The dark haired teen rubbed the back of her head when she emerged from her locker with a radiant blush adorning her cheeks.
Alya smirked and rolled her eyes knowingly at Marinette's attempt to deny the obvious. "Fine." She shrugged, "if you don't want to talk about it now, we can talk about it later. Come on," the blogger linked the ravenette's arm with hers and pulled her towards class, "we don't want to be late."
Marinette paced her room after getting the snacks ready to be put out while Tikki hovered nervously. The rest of the powerful beings were staying out of the way and secretly taking bets on how long the Guardian could keep up this charade. After Adrien put her on his knee, the heroine was surprised that her legs had been able to support her, let alone get her as far as the lockers: and now she was required to meet him and pretend as if she knew nothing.
"Tikki," Marinette whined, "this is so hard!"
The tiny being squeaked, "why? He's just Chat Noir."
Marinette deadpanned at her little companion.
"But he is!" Tikki exclaimed, "he's the same partner you've always had, he's just being a little bit more~"
"Chat," Marinette replied bluntly, "he's being more Chat around me."
Tikki shrugged and nodded in agreement, "so what's the issue?"
Marinette said nothing and just rolled her eyes while blowing out a haughty huff through her nostrils and crossing her arms.
Tikki smiled with smugness, "something tells me his Chat Noir side is more charming than you'd like to admit."
"Spots on."
It was still relatively early for patrol, but Chat Noir was already waiting at the agreed meeting point. Ladybug noticed he was checking his baton as she landed silently behind him, and could not figure out why he appeared impatient.
"Hey Kitty," she greeted on approach, causing her partner to turn around with a bright smile.
He bowed exaggeratedly, "M'Lady," and reached for her hand, "I was hoping you would be early."
Ladybug's brow furrowed as she allowed him to place a kiss to her knuckles, "why's that Chat?" She tilted her head teasingly, "you got somewhere you need to be?"
Her hand was released and the blonde rubbed at his neck sheepishly, "actually, yeah, I do." Before Ladybug could ask, the blonde commented: "you know that person who knows my identity?"
Ladybug winced internally, "yes Chat."
"Well," he grimaced, "Something happened today and I really need to speak to them."
Ladybug panicked, she needed to stall him so she could get home before he arrived on her balcony. "O-oh, okay, but I just-"
Chat smiled, "don't worry LB, I'm not gonna make a habit of bailing on you." He grabbed both of her hands in his, "I just need to make sure they're okay as I didn't get chance to speak with them properly afterwards."
That was true. Marinette had been in such a flustered state after Adrien had perched her on his knee that coherent words had pretty much failed to formulate on her tongue for the rest of the day. She proceeded to arrive to class late, and then left as soon as the bell went, with little opportunity to speak in between. The whole incident had been embarrassing to say the least, especially when she knew that all of their friends had been talking about it in one way or another since. The ravenette did not loiter outside of school to find out exactly what was being said, but the look that Nino shot at her, as she dashed for the door, inclined her to guess that Alya had filled him in.
She seriously hoped that Lila was not going to orchestrate some wild claim in an attempt to sully her name because of it either.
"Al~right," she sighed, "but uh, can you make sure that whatever's happened isn't going to uh-" the ravenette had no idea how to get her point across in her current guise.
"Don't worry M'Lady," he winked, "you can trust this person. I promise they will never say anything about my identity if that's what you're worrying about."
It was not, but Ladybug could see why he might think that she would think that, if something bad had happened between him and his confidant. She hoped he could not see the way her cheeks warmed at the compliment he paid to her alter ego, but the teen smiled reassuringly to make sure her partner knew that she trusted his judgment. Besides, the ravenette was confident she would keep his secret, but the notion that if someone else found out and would possibly use it as a blackmail tool did give her a worrying thought.
"Chat?"
He squeezed her hands, "yes Bugaboo?"
"Just make sure no one else finds out please. Y-you may trust this person, but people knowing… is never a good idea."
"I understand," he smiled warmly and dropped her hands then extended his baton, "I'll see you in a few days, if Shadow Moth doesn't send us an Akuma before then."
He flashed her a two fingered salute and Ladybug watched him vault across the rooftops; her house was in the opposite direction of the way he went, so at least he was being cautious. Without a second thought, the polka dotted heroine headed in the direction of the bakery which luckily, was part of her patrol route.
Thank you for reading! I hope you've enjoyed what I've written so far. Chapter 18 is just being penned now, so fingers crossed the whole thing will be finished in plenty of time =)
Thank you for your reviews, follows and faves! What are your thoughts on where this is going?
Take it easy!
Lady Rhi X
