Marinette brushed back her bangs, looking out into the Paris night. Situated on top of the Eiffel Tower, the view was unrivaled.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" A voice said, and Marinette turned to see none other than Adrien Agreste standing beside her. The two were alone. Moonlight touched their silhouettes gently, allowing each of them the pleasure of seeing the other.

Adrien still looked just as wonderful as ever. His eyes shined and his cheeks slightly reddened in the night. He turned to Marinette, a bright smile on his face that normally would have transformed her in a nervous wreck.

"It is." Marinette answered truthfully, and Adrien turned back to cast his eyes on their city. But Marinette continued watching Adrien, watching how the wind tugged as his air and how his smile reached his eyes. She thought of how he had touched her heart. How she had wanted nothing more than to take his hand into hers. How she had wanted to press her lips to his.

How she didn't feel any of that anymore. How her desire for Adrien only extended to their keeping of a good friendship. Marinette turned away again, seeking the beauty of the tiny lights winking in the sky. Adrien was kind and helpful and he was a wonderful friend. But that was all he was to her. A friend, and nothing more. A dear friend, perhaps, but that was all.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" A different voice said from the other side, and Marinette's eyes widened as she looked to see who it was. And this time, it was a girl with long brown hair and brown skin. A girl dressed in orange and black with bracelets of all kinds wrapped around her wrist. Marinette felt her heart leap.

"Lila!" She breathed and moved towards her. Marinette reached out a hand to take the other girl's.

She wasn't prepared for when her hand just phased through Lila's.

Like she was an illusion.

"Lila?" Marinette called, worry striking through her voice as the girl suddenly became translucent. Lila looked down at herself, unsurprised as patches of her dissolved into nothingness. Marinette grabbed frantically at the rapidly disappearing body, trying to hold the dust-like particles together. "What's happening?"

Lila didn't say anything, only sighed mournfully and turned her head back out to the view. Marinette froze, fear lancing through body as Lila's head began to vanish as well. She reached out one last time, trying to stop the process futilely. Her hand passed through whatever was left of Lila, grasping at nothing.

And Lila was gone.

Marinette gasped awake, fingers grasping at her comforter as her heart thumped in her ears. It was still dark outside, and not even Tikki was awake.

That dream was a bad omen if she ever did see one.

Marinette reached for her phone, her first thoughts going to Lila, but stopped midway. Lila was probably asleep. And even if she wasn't, Marinette wasn't sure anymore how much Lila would even care. It was just a dream.

Her hand fell back down on the comforter, and Marinette turned on her side and tried to go back to sleep.

Her parents were still fighting even in the dark of the night. Lila wanted it to stop, and if she could stop it she would go back down there. But she didn't think she could.

Lila just wanted to spend more time with her parents. That's why she came with them in the first place. But all their free time was spent in tension and in arguing. Now she was beginning to prefer when her parents were at work, just so she wouldn't have to deal with their fight. She wondered if they were fighting while working too.

After another day, Lila caved and she headed to her grandmother.

Lila: nonna is it alright if i come over

Lila didn't have it in her to explain it over text.

Nonna Silvia: okay :)

The thought of a warm and loving family member waiting for her was strong, and Lila picked up her pace. She wasn't sure how much she wanted to actually talk about her issues, but she was certain that just being around her grandma would make her feel better. The impressive apartment building came into view and Lila felt a small smile appear on her face.

Even just going around the spinning door lifted her mood, and Lila went around a whole time before going in, giggling all the while. The receptionist didn't notice, and there weren't many people in the lobby anyway.

Lila walked across the floor, her low heels clacking lightly on the tiles until she approached the elevator, which played soft music in her ascent. The higher Lila went, the calmer she felt and when she stepped out onto the rug of the hallway, she almost felt content.

When Lila looked up and saw her grandma standing in the hall like the first time she had come, a sudden rush went through her and fastened her pace.

And then she just broke. Whatever was left of her composed facade came off and it was just pure Lila, emotional troubles and parental problems altogether.

"Nonna!" Lila called out and threw her arms out. Silvia took it in stride, enveloping Lila in what must have been the most-needed hug of Lila's life. She buried her face into Silvia's shoulder, and then the sobs came.

"Oh my." Silvia said gently, and then patted Lila's head as she trembled. "Let's get you inside, shall we?" She took hold of Lila's shoulders and guided her gently through the door into the living room. Lila couldn't look up; she was too embarrassed and still kind of crying.

Silvia helped Lila to the couch, where she tried her best to calm down and wipe her tears. She was relieved that she had not put on any makeup that day, otherwise it would have gotten ruined.

Lila felt the cushion next to her sink, and she saw that rather than sit away from her, her grandma had seated herself directly next to her, although still giving some space. Silvia held out a teacup to Lila, and Lila felt the steam gently brush her face. She took it in both hands, reveling in the warmth it gave to her palms.

"It's chamomile." Silvia's voice came through Lila's reverie. "It'll help calm you down."

Lila lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip. When she finally moved to put it down on the table, she noticed that there was a lot of stuff on the coffee table. Lila looked up, and realized that Silvia had taken out what must have been an entire pantry full of sweets and laid them out on the table. There were plates with rose-shaped arrangements of frosted cookies, textured glass bowls filled with wrapped chocolates and candies, trays of small iced cupcakes and

There was even a small chocolate tuxedo cake in the center. Lila blinked through the remaining tears, looking at the assortment of shock.

The lump in her throat began to form, but not from sadness.

"You don't like it?" Silvia suddenly said, voice full of worry.

How could someone do so much for her?

Lila swallowed thickly, feeling tears brimming again.

"It's not that." She whispered hoarsely as she wiped at one eye, and then there was something white in her vision. Silvia had pressed a tissue to Lila's cheek, and Lila curled her fingers around it.

Lila had spent years -years- with minimal affection from parents. Years. Years of waking up to empty houses. Years of containing her feelings inside so as not to bother her busy family. Years of feeling like a stranger to her own mother and father.

Meeting Marinette's parents had been jarring. Meeting Marinette's friends had been nearly overwhelming. And now, on a verge of breaking down, Silvia was almost too much. Lila looked up to meet Silvia's eyes.

"I… you've done so much for me." She managed to get out, and then she hiccupped. Lila blinked, surprised, and then she hiccupped again. And then there were tears together with the hiccups and Lila couldn't form words anymore.

Silvia drew Lila back into a comforting embrace and Lila wept, her chest hurting. She was hurting. Dealing with her family problems and receiving this sort of care was taking a toll on her. She didn't think she deserved what her parents were doing but she didn't think she deserved this kind of affection. She only pretended she did. She wore her facade for a reason.

"You deserve more than this." Silvia said back, rubbing gentle circles on Lila's back. "I wish I could do more for you." Lila's eyes widened as she slowly stilled, calming down.

"I do?" She barely whispered, the words settling heavily in her mind as she looked up.

"You do." Silvia repeated, a warm smile creasing her laugh lines and touching her eyes.

"Why…?" Lila said, confusion tearing through her thoughts. Silvia's words and Lila's own opinions clashed, causing discord in her mind. No one had really ever treated her like she deserved much aside from Marinette. And even then, Lila had difficulty believing Marinette truly liked her without her facade. It was only in the past few weeks that she was accepting that Lila didn't need to be the cool Lila to keep Marinette as a friend.

As a girlfriend (as a gal pal).

"Because, Lila, you're a wonderful girl." Silvia said. "You're a kind and thoughtful girl with much to offer."

"Really?" Lila asked, barely believing it herself.

"Really." Silvia answered firmly.

When Lila was done crying, she took a cookie between two fingers, careful to not let the crumbs fall on the couch.

"Did you make these?" She asked Silvia, who blushed.

"Only some of them." Her grandma replied. "A lot of them were store bought."

Lila was thankful that Silvia kept such a huge supply of desserts in her apartment. She took a small bite of the cookie, finding that it was sweet and soft and gentle.

Some time passed as they made small talk while eating the snacks together, and Lila felt herself grow content. Silvia wasn't prying or asking about the issue, and that put Lila at ease. She wasn't sure how comfortable she would be talking about it, anyway. It would be Silvia's son she would be talking about, too.

But as Silvia was cutting the mouthwatering chocolate tuxedo cake into slices, Lila decided it would be best to tell at least part of her struggles.

Lila took the porcelain plate in her hands, looking down at the layered cake.

"Nonna… I've been having some problems with life. With family." She began, careful not to go too in depth just yet. "I think Marinette knows I'm not doing as well as I can be. I kind of want to tell her about it, but I also feel like I should be able to resolve this problem on my own." Lila confessed. "I don't want to burden her with my own problems. She has enough to deal with."

"Ah, I know exactly what you mean." Silva said, putting a hand on Lila's shoulder.

"You do?" Lila asked. "What should I do?"

Silvia smiled. "What do you think you should do?" She asked, and then put another slice on Lila's plate. Lila frowned, looking at the cake thoughtfully before lifting her fork.

"I… I want to tell her…" She said, trailing off. "But like I said, she has enough to deal with without me piling my own troubles on her."

"Why do you like Marinette so much?" Silvia then inquired, leaning back into the couch. Lila almost jumped, startled by the change in direction. But she trusted in what Silvia said, so she answered.

"I… She lets me be myself around her. She's so kind and she accepts me for who I am." Lila said, red coming to her cheeks.

"If you show your true self to her, then why not show your troubles as well?" Silvia said. "You know about hers, don't you?"

Lila blinked, clarity coming to her. She did know. About Ladybug, and the fighting she did everyday.

"Marinette can't come to know the real you unless you show her every side." Silvia continued. "And you don't have to now, if it makes you uncomfortable. But I personally believe it's important to trust your partner with your worries."

Lila let the wise words flow through her, and she thought about them.

"Oh." she said meekly.

As the day drew on and Silvia and Lila spent time together, Lila decided that she would do it.

I'll talk to her.