idk wat chapter titles r anymore sorry

its been a month wats up ive been playing overwatch all day everyday

Beep.

Ladybug was torn between impressed and distressed that Lila had come out right in front of the akuma and saved not only her, but Chat Noir as well. Not many civilians would throw themselves into the thick of things to help out the super heroes; besides, it was Ladybug's and Chat Noir's duty to protect them. Lila had turned that dynamic right around, which was just that cool but also a bit infuriating. Lila had put herself in danger, even after Ladybug had told her to stay put. And when Ladybug's eyes had landed on Lila right as she was on the brink of panicking, a jolt of extreme panic lanced through her.

But alongside that panic came relief and appreciation. That she was able to get out of that situation and fight back. That she was able to take down the akuma.

Ladybug raced through the mall, searching for somewhere with no people to detransform. She only had two minutes left, but the mall was full of civilians who were getting out of hiding and applauding her as she swung past. Her last hope would probably be going back to the clothing store she had left previously, because not many people had been in there and she could just leap into the dressing room, where Lila had hopefully returned and would receive a lecture.

She swung in through the entrance of the shop and thankfully found it empty. Everyone had probably fled to a more secure place. Ladybug jogged over to the back where the dressing rooms, mind racing with words she would tell Lila once she saw her. Even if she was glad that Lila had saved her, she was far more upset that Lila had put herself in danger like that. Ladybug had been so scared that something would happen to her.

She managed to make it to the dressing room without detransforming and she pulled the door open to reveal Lila sitting on the bench in the corner. Ladybug steeled herself and stepped in, closing the door behind her.

"Marinette!" Lila exclaimed, jumping to her feet at the sound of the door. A smile appeared on her face. Before Ladybug could compose herself, entirely, her mouth was already moving.

"What were you thinking?!" She stepped forward, emboldened by her mask. Ladybug wasn't yelling, exactly, but she was speaking forcefully. Lila's smile fell as it was replaced by a confused expression.

"W-what?" Lila said, eyebrows suddenly drawn together as one of her feet moved back, bumping into the bench.

Beep.

"Why did you come out?" Ladybug burst out, recalling the sheer terror she had felt earlier.

"You're mad at me? Why?" Lila struggled to say, her eyes wide and disbelieving, and Ladybug blinked, realizing she had been acting without thinking. Lila wore a hurt expression, and Ladybug mentally backtracked, pushing aside her anger.

"Lila, look." She began to say, suddenly feeling ashamed. She was stuck in her Ladybug persona, and it was too easy to express her emotions when she had a mask on. It was too easy to lose her cool.

And then Lila was looking away, and Ladybug felt all of her resolve from earlier drain right out of her body. Lecturing Lila was not going well, and likely would not ever. Several seconds passed as Ladybug tried to form sentences in her head.

Suddenly Lila took several steps past Ladybug.

"I have to go." Lila mumbled, and Ladybug was shocked to see tears brimming in her eyes. The girl had grabbed the door handle and Ladybug leaped to action.

"Wait!" She reached out a hand, catching Lila's wrist, and tugged her back gently. Ladybug felt a jolt go through her as she saw Lila's expression when she turned. Lila looked like she was crushed. Suddenly Ladybug was back in the park, foot planted firmly on the bench to separate Lila and Adrien as she spat out accusations. Perhaps trying to lecture Lila as Ladybug wasn't the best way to go about it.

Ladybug shook her head to dispel that image, and instead she pulled Lila down into an embrace, holding her tightly. Her hands landed on Lila's soft hair, and she used one of them to stroke it lightly in comfort.

"I was worried about you, Lila." Ladybug whispered into Lila's ear, and then she felt Lila sag in her arms and push her head down into Ladybug's shoulder. "I don't want you to put yourself in danger." Ladybug felt Lila's arms go around her middle. She held onto Lila like she would never let go, squeezing her in her arms.

Beep.

And in a rush of sparkles, it was not Ladybug who was holding Lila, but Marinette.

"I'm sorry for yelling." She said quietly, and she moved her hands to Lila's shoulders as she moved back. Marinette wanted to look at Lila as she spoke, and she was filled with relief when Lila looked up at her.

"I'm sorry for crying all the time." Lila said, and then laughed as she wiped a tear off. "I just… I thought you didn't like me anymore. You looked so mad."

"Of course I still like you." Marinette replied sternly. "That doesn't mean I can't get worried when you're in danger."

"But-"

"No buts on that, Lila. I am grateful that you saved me; you were really cool. But it's not worth it to come out in front of an akuma like that. You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Marinette explained, and Lila frowned. "Ladybug and Chat Noir can handle themselves." She continued.

"That's right. You should have some more faith in us." Tikki suddenly said, and Marinette realized she'd forgotten all about the kwami, who was sitting on the bench and watching the whole ordeal with amusement on her face.

When the super heroine had entered the dressing room and fixed Lila with that look, it has for a moment felt like Lila's heart stopped. Like her blood had slowed to a sluggish crawl that stuck in her veins as she realized Ladybug hates me. For a moment, she had seen the red mask and forgot that behind it was a girl who liked fashion and holding hands, remembering only anger.

This was when the alarms in Lila's head went off, telling her to get out before she burst into tears. She had to go, she had to run away and never come back-

Suddenly Ladybug was just there, stopped Lila from Lila. Ladybug's arms were holding Lila and her mask was pressed into Lila's shoulder. She was saying things into Lila's ear, hugging her tightly. Slowly Lila felt herself calm, and then she was clinging to Marinette and not Ladybug, relief flooding her system.

"I was worried about you, Lila." Marinette was saying. How many times had Lila heard that? (the answer is uh, like zero.)

She didn't know what to say, but she knew that she wanted to stay there, wrapped up in Marinette's comforting arms. But when she felt Marinette's hands move to her shoulders and push her back slightly, she had to look up into Marinette's earnest blue eyes. Lila blinked rapidly to try and clear up the tears in her own.

"I'm sorry for crying all the time." She said, reached up to wipe away the wetness. "I just.. Thought you didn't like me anymore. You looked so mad."

But Marinette was quick to assuage her, explaining her anger.

"Of course I still like you. That doesn't mean I can't get worried when you're in danger." She said, and Lila's eyes widened.

"But-"

"No buts on that, Lila." Marinette stopped Lila from saying anymore again, and then she drew Lila back into a tight hug. "I am grateful that you saved me; you were really cool. But it's not worth it to come out in front of an akuma like that. You nearly gave me a heart attack!" At that, Lila felt Marinette squeeze her a little tighter. "Ladybug and Chat Noir can handle themselves."

Their conversation fell off for a brief moment as they remained together. Lila exhaled, thinking about what Marinette said. She wondered what would have happened if she hadn't helped Ladybug.

"That's right." A small voice suddenly said, and Lila leaned back, looking around. "You should have some more faith in us." It continued, and Lila realized that the small red creature she kept seeing was sitting on the bench and talking.

"Uh." Lila said.

"Hi, Lila." It greeted, smiling amiably.

"Tikki, please-" Marinette, blushing, reaching to take hold of the… kwami.

"Hold on." Tikki replied, dodging the hand before turning to face Lila again. "Could I speak to you?" She asked.

Lila blinked, still coming down from the angst of earlier, and then looked at Marinette, who looked equally confused.

"I… sure?" Lila answered, and Tikki smiled.

"Marinette, could you wait outside for a second?" The red creature turned her head to glance at the miraculous user, who made a baffled expression. This probably wasn't a common occurrence.

"Umm… ok…?" Marinette said, and then Lila was alone with the kwami.

"So…" She began, glancing away. "What are we talking about?"

Tikki cut straight to the chase.

"I know you think you need to impress Marinette. That's why you're acting like someone you're not." Lila's first instinct was to feel insulted, but she pushed that down in favor of listening to the tiny flying creature. She had always known of its existence but she'd never had much of an opportunity to actually talk to it. Her? Them? Lila was intrigued.

"Uh." She said, staring at the kwami, unsure of what to say. Then she realized that the creature appeared to be giving her advice. Lila had never expected to get an inspirational talk from a tiny flying red blob. And yet here she was.

"Look," Tikki tried, flying closer to Lila. "You don't need to keep acting like this."

"Acting like what? I act the way I am." She replied defensively, still feeling a bit attacked. Tikki sighed and flew closer, making her tone gentler.

"Lila, you think that your real self isn't good enough for Marinette." She told her, and Lila almost flinched, because out of everyone in the world, it happened to be the tiny flying creature that pierced through everything to the bullseye.

"I am good enough." She argued. "I'm beautiful and I'm cool. I'm perfect for Marinette."

"You are." Tikki affirmed. "But are you trying to convince me, or yourself?"

Lila halted to a stop. Because she knew that she was always too aware of her personality around Marinette. That she was always making sure to act in the precisely right way. That she was trying to be the cool and suave Lila she had created to cover up the lonely girl who never had real friends.

"I want you to know that you're perfectly fine the way you are, Lila." Tikki said. "And I want you to know that Marinette thinks so, too."

Lila frowned, uncomfortable. She felt vulnerable.

"You might not agree with me." Tikki continued knowingly. "But it's important that you hear that."

Whatever Tikki was-an ancient being, a god, whatever- Lila wasn't so sure she agreed with it.