AN: So. Got like 41 reviews over six chapters. That's like nearly 7 reviews per chapter. I'm impressed with everybody's effort. This story also has, btw, like 6000 views. I'm pretty impressed with everyone and myself for creating a story that you guys are enjoying so much.
Okay, question of the Chapter:
Which side character would you guys like to see in the next chapter?
Replies to Guest Reviews:
Tomatech, Chapter 6: Unfortunately, your face will be well acquainted with your hands. I will explain the reasoning behind that decision in the following chapters.
PromptGiver: Thank you for your reviews, I'm glad you're invested in the story.
Magazine Clippings
In all honesty, Marinette should have seen it coming. Lila was a sneak, and their classmates were sheep. She didn't know why she thought Sabrina would be different, or perhaps she hadn't thought of Sabrina much at all. Maybe that was the problem. Marinette should have known that Lila would have spies. She'd just never thought Sabrina would be one.
In a way, Marinette supposed that it made sense. Chloe and Sabrina's relationship had always been…odd. Marinette and the two girls had been in the same class for years, so Marinette had ample time to study their dynamic. Chloe was, well, Chloe. Bossy and rude and demanding, it was unsurprising that she didn't have any friends besides Sabrina. Although, to call Sabrina a friend didn't really sit right in Marinette's mind. There was something…off in Sabrina. Marinette wasn't sure what it was, but she knew it made Sabrina easily manipulated and loyal to the wrong kinds of people. Marinette supposed that made Sabrina an attractive asset in Lila's mind. A servant like Sabrina, who was smart enough to get Lila good grades on homework and assignments but so starved for 'friendship' that Lila could wrap Sabrina round her little finger…Marinette could see why Lila would want Sabrina under her thumb.
Despite herself, Marinette couldn't help but feel bad for Chloe. She'd just lost her only friend in the world. To a liar no less. Marinette knew the feeling all too well, except she'd gotten Alya back. Sort of. It was almost like Marinette had gone back in time to before the beginning of the year, to before she'd become Ladybug. Before she began standing up for herself. Before she had any real friends. Sure she'd been friendly with everyone, and had always made her peers gifts, or she'd bring in treats to share, or lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on, but they weren't her friends. It suited them just fine to let her trip over herself trying to make everyone else happy, while Marinette went uninvited to sleepovers or the movies or the park. Marinette had fought back desperation with relentless positivity, but now that she'd finally tasted true friendship, only to have it snatched away….
Marinette wouldn't let herself fall into Hawkmoth's grip by thinking about it. She still had Kagami, and Luka, and maybe she could finally persuade Adrien to join the cause. And Chloe…
Chloe had gone home during lunch. When the girl's absence was questioned, Lila sweetly informed the teachers that Chloe had complained of a stomach ache and left. Marinette didn't protest the lie. She couldn't afford to.
Lila seemed to be doing her very best to give Marinette an aneurysm. Lila forced Marinette into conversations, smiling dumbly and fluttering her eyelashes like she was trying to use them to take flight. The image of Lila flying off into the sunset, using her eyelashes as wings, nearly made Marinette choke as she forced down her laughter.
But no, despite the absurdity of Lila's facial expressions, Marinette could not forget her goal. She had to make it through the day pretending to be on Lila's side. She had to. There was no way that the class would ever forgive her if they found out about the manipulating Marinette had to do, the lying she had to do, to get back on their good side. She'd be chased out with accusations of hypocrisy and jealousy. Of using her friends to get what she wants. What's best for Marinette.
The bell to end the school day finally rang, after what felt like decades smiling through Lila's lies.
"Marinette, you should come swimming with us!" Alya's voice in Marinette's ear made her jump.
"Oh." Marinette smiled apologetically. "I was actually just going to check on Chloe, make sure she's not too sick. And that she gets her notes." And that she hasn't been akumatised, Marinette didn't add.
Alya made a face. "You're not really friends with her, are you Marinette?"
Marinette shrugged, packing away her things. "Not yet. But I've come to realise, that maybe everyone does deserve a second chance."
"Even Chloe?" Nino cut in, turning about in his seat.
"Even Chloe." Marinette affirmed and stood. "Maybe I can join you guys tomorrow after school, for ice cream or the park or something."
"Okay, girl." Alya shared a look with Nino, and Marinette rolled her eyes.
"Seriously. I just want to check on Chloe and get a head start on this week's homework, we can hang tomorrow." Marinette slipped her backpack on and stepped away, effectively ending the conversation.
No one stopped Marinette as she left, but no one was hostile towards her either. Whilst not perfect, it was a significant improvement on the death glares she was met with on Friday. With no one stopping her, the trip to the Grande Paris was uneventful and relatively short.
Marinette was stopped by the doorman who was rather surprised by Marinette's reason for being there.
"You're checking on Miss Bourgeoise?" He drawled, raising an eyebrow.
Marinette nodded. "And bringing her today's notes."
"We always have warning of Miss Bourgeise's guests." The doorman sniffed and raised his nose in the air, looking down it at Marinette.
Marinette scowled. "Don't you have a list or something, of people Chloe's let in?"
The doorman scoffed and removed a tablet from his jacket. "Of course. If it'll make you leave I'll even check. Name."
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." The doorman's brows both raised nearly into his hairline.
"You are on the list." He stepped aside. "I- do you know where Miss' room is?"
"Yes, thank you." Marinette smiled and breezed past the doorman, through the hotel, until she was outside the door to Chloe's suite. There were no obvious signs of an akuma, but Marinette would be cautious regardless. She knocked lightly on the door.
"Finally!" Chloe's voice came from within. "Just put it on the table." With a shrug, Marinette took the acknowledgement as a welcome and slipped inside the suite. Marinette popped her head round the doorway separating the other girl's bedroom from the entryway and gasped.
Chloe was perched on a stool in front of her duchess, eyes hyper focused on her reflection. She'd poked her tongue out in concentration and held a section of her hair out taught, her other hand held a pair of wickedly sharp scissors aloft. Surrounding her, scattered throughout the room in various states of wholeness, were magazine clippings of…Marinette flipped the nearest over with her toe, hairstyles. The smell of something burning made Marinette wrinkle her nose.
"Chloe?" Marinette ventured. Chloe's arms faltered and her eyes met Marinette's reflection.
"What are you doing here, Dupain-Cheng?" Chloe's tone burned but her eyes lacked the same heat.
"Just checking on you." Marinette set her backpack down and smiled innocently. "Is something burning?" Chloe wordlessly pointed behind Marinette, onto the balcony. A smoking pile of ash the size of a small cupboard stared back at Marinette.
"You've been busy." Chloe rolled her eyes.
"What gave you that idea?"
"A few things," Marinette chirped. She eyed the scissors in Chloe's hand. "Giving yourself a makeover?"
"I decided it's time for a change." Chloe's answer was vague, but Marinette wandered closer to peer at the picture Chloe had for reference. It was a short bob with skewed bangs, given volume by loose waves.
"I think it'd suit you." Marinette met Chloe's reflection's eyes and smiled. "I can help if you want."
"Only because I don't want to call up my professional." Marinette smiled and shook her head.
"Whatever you say, Chloe." Marinette gently tugged Chloe's ponytail loose and ran a brush then a fine comb through, working out minor tangles and straightening out the weird shape left by the hair tie. Marinette leant over Chloe's shoulder again, to peer at the picture, before leaning back to consider Chloe's reflection in the mirror. Chloe's loose hair brushed the seat of the chair.
"How short do you want it?" Marinette asked at last. She held her pointer finger a bit above the join of Chloe's neck and shoulder. "Here?"
"Shorter." Chloe replied boldly. Marinette raised her finger to level with Chloe's chin. Chloe nodded. "Do it." Marinette separated half of Chloe's hair, held it taught, and made her mark. Thick locks of blonde hair slipped from Marinette's grip to land quietly on the hardwood floor. Another quick cut, and the other half of Chloe's hair matched the first.
"How's that?" Marinette asked, running the comb through again. Chloe ran her hands delicately over her hair.
"Don't make the ends too even," Chloe replied, tilting her head and watching the way her hair hung down in a thick sheet. Marinette nodded, muttered a few words for luck, and copied a technique she'd seen on Instagram to make the ends less square and more natural looking. Quick, short snips in the same direction as the hairs themselves, and the ends were more choppy. Chloe pursed her lips as Marinette dusted some of the trimmings away. "Not bad, Dupain-Cheng. But you're forgetting something."
"I'm getting there, Chloe." Marinette turned the chair so that she and Chloe were facing each other and began on the bangs. She parted Chloe's hair far on the right, and flicked the portions apart so that one side had more than the other, and the larger section hung partially over Chloe's left eye while the smaller framed her face. "How much do you want over your eye?"
"Like in the picture," Chloe replied, eyeing the scissors in Marinette's hand. Marinette brought the picture round and examined it once more. The large bang was artfully choppy towards the end, but smooth over the eye. Long enough to be brushed behind an ear, but slightly shorter than the rest of the hair.
Marinette took a steadying breath and cut the bang as best she could, so that it was thick beside Chloe's eye and tapered off around level with her lips. Marinette brushed the bang aside with her free hand, pushing it aside and then letting it fall back into place naturally. Chloe blushed at the contact, and turned her eyes down to her lap. It left Chloe's eyes fairly unobscured, but for small, short strands that sat apart from the majority of the bang.
Marinette beamed at her handywork and turned Chloe back around so she could see herself in the mirror.
"What do you think, Chloe?" Marinette was rather proud of it herself, having never cut hair on anyone other than a doll before. Chloe brushed her fingers over her bangs, along the edges of her bob. She sniffled. Marinette drew into herself. "It's-it's okay, Chloe, we can call someone up and they can-"
"I love it." A soft smile tilted the corners of Chloe's mouth up, softening her whole face. Marinette sighed in relief, collapsing onto the floor. Chloe brushed at her eye before smirking at Marinette in the mirror. "Did you think I was crying?"
"Well I uh I've never cut her- I mean hair before and-" Marinette stood abruptly. "I didn't want you to be upset."
Chloe rolled her eyes, but she was almost smiling. "Suuure. Thanks, Dupain-Cheng."
Marinette quirked an eyebrow at that, but smiled genuinely. "Anytime, Chloe."
"Now." Chloe wrinkled her nose and peered at the hair on the floor in distaste before pressing a buzzer on her duchess. "I need a maid."
AN: Awww who doesn't love some girly bonding?