Co-Pilot

Chapter 8

                "Ladybug."

"Lila Rossi." Ladybug soured. The name coming off her lips and leaving a gross after-taste. It was no secret that Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Lila Rossi had history and it still remained when she was Ladybug. The two women absolutely despised each other. Of course, none of it would ever change between them, but Marinette wanted to try and be a civilized woman with the current situation. Though she knew it wouldn't be for long. Ladybug eyed the other female, pinned beneath her partner's arm. With his forearm to her neck, there was no way, that Lila would be going anywhere, any time soon. To an untrained eye, for lack of better word, it seemed as if Chat was being a brute and threatening to the woman, but Ladybug had the said trained eye. He was her husband after all. Ladybug was well aware of his capabilities, as she had seen them unfold in the many final battles that they had experienced together, but right now, she knew that he was hardly using any force at all. Just enough, that their opponent would hopefully crack.

"If you think Chat Noir can do this on his own, why don't you run along?" Lila piped up. With the long-standing tension between the two females, it only made sense that Lila would have preferred that Ladybug leave Chat behind. That or she felt there would be an advantage to having Chat secluded. Ladybug wanted to entertain the idea that Lila wasn't anywhere around either, but that would have been a foolish thought. Right now, she was working, and her personal grudges needed to be forced down until a later time.

"I'm not leaving my partner. He needs me as much as I need him." Whether Lila understood the two-sided statement or not wasn't important. What was important though, was that Adrien understood it. After their recent conversation, Marinette felt that it was something that he needed to hear. Providing his protective tendencies with a reassuring reason to back off the acceleration.

"Funny. I heard a rumor you two split up. So, does he really need you?" Lila pressed. It was clear that their former classmate was trying to drive a wedge between them. Mari was determined to not make it easy for her, but this early in their marriage, it wouldn't be too hard to do. However, they had years and years of a partnership to rely on, which certainly helped.

"That was only on a temporary account!" Ladybug was losing her patience. Her obvious displeasure on full display.

"Hm. I guess I'm not surprised. Based on how I remember it, he was nothing more than a second fiddle to you." Lila continued on. How dare she!? Mari thought angrily. Granted the point was accurate. At the beginning of their relationship, Mari had been thrown into the position of leader. She had taken her responsibilities so seriously, that she had brushed Chat aside. Of course, they were young and for some reason didn't take his job as seriously, but it was no excuse for her to have brushed him off. Part of it being that she was trying to focus on her work, while at the same time, shut-down his flirtatious advances. It wasn't until a mission in New York city, that had turned the switch for them. Adrien began to take his job more seriously, and she began to appreciate her partnership with him after he almost resigned. She had needed him; and she still needed him.

"A mistake I happily corrected." Ladybug summarized aloud.

"Are you sure about that?" Mari hesitated with her response. Had she? She thought she did. Half the time she was following his lead now. She openly acknowledged him as her partner rather than her sidekick. They both had completely different roles, but they owned up to the leadership of that respective position. Why did Marinette have a feeling the Lila's question would haunt her? Was she really doing the things she thought she was doing? Was she accomplishing them to the best of her ability? Lately, she had been the best wife or secret agent; had she? Marinette had to fix this. "You're lack of a response makes me question your confidence." Lila blatantly stated. Ladybug slowly looked up from the floor, before temporarily locking sight with her husband's emerald eyes. The green color not as bright as usual, a worried sheen glossy over them. She gave him a weak smile; they would have to discuss this later tonight. Her husband redirected his attention to the woman he had pinned against the wall beneath his arm.