Between the Heavens and the Embers

Chapter XVII

Adrien trailed behind Marinette as they made their way down the hallway toward her apartment. She had agreed to accompany him back home, even though she'd initially wanted to take a cab. It had taken some persuasion, but eventually, she had consented to ride with him. Needless to say, the journey had been exceptionally uncomfortable. It had been entirely silent, and Marinette hadn't spared Adrien a single glance throughout. At least some things never changed; her stubbornness, for example.

Adrien had texted his friends, asking them to hide Lila somewhere Marinette wouldn't stumble upon her. While Marinette had agreed to play along and abstain from taking her meds this evening, Adrien doubted she would be thrilled to find her best friend bound in the living room.

The tension weighed heavily in the air as they entered the apartment. Nino, Alya, and Reid were sitting on the couch in a silence that spoke volumes. However, the second Reid's eyes landed on Marinette, he sprang to his feet, rushing toward her and pulling her into a tight embrace.

"You okay, Vee?" he asked, his voice laced with concern as he held her close.

Marinette nodded against his chest. "I'm fine," she assured him.

He pulled back slightly, his gaze lingering on her, as though attempting to figure out if she was being entirely truthful. After a moment, apparently dissatisfied with what he saw in her expression, he sighed and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Everything's going to be alright," Reid promised before turning to Adrien, his eyes now cold and weary. "Now, what's the plan?"

"We wait," Adrien explained with a deep sigh. "Victoria agreed not to take her medication tonight. We'll see what happens."

Alya couldn't contain her excitement, a small smile forming on her lips. "Really? You convinced her?"

Adrien shrugged, glancing at Victoria.

"I guess," the girl mumbled softly before walking into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water, Reid right behind her.

With Marinette's attention occupied elsewhere, Adrien seized the opportunity to whisper to Nino, making sure that Marinette couldn't overhear, "Where's Lila?"

Nino replied in the same tone, "In the locker, next door to the right. We didn't know where else to put her."

Adrien nodded in agreement. "That'll do for now."

"I can't believe Mari actually agreed to this."

"Me neither."

"Hey, I'm sorry, but something's been bothering me for a while," Alya began. "M-Vee, are you dyeing your hair?"

Victoria furrowed her brow in confusion. "No, why?"

"Are you absolutely sure?" Alya probed further.

"Of course, I'm sure."

"Then what products do you use?"

Victoria rolled her eyes but reluctantly headed to the bathroom. She returned a minute later, arms laden with various hair care products, and with a dramatic movement, placed them on the coffee table. She mimicked a magician's "ta-da" before defensively placing her hands on her hips.

"There, satisfied?"

Alya looked at the array of products. "Conditioner, shampoo... What's this one?" She held up a clear bottle devoid of any label.

"It's a hair mask," Victoria replied with a shrug.

Alya's brow furrowed. Well, that didn't make sense. Victoria's brown hair showed significant signs of damage, which shouldn't have been the case if she truly was using a hair mask every week. Especially considering the fact that Marinette always had gorgeous, healthy hair. No, something wasn't adding up. She unscrewed the bottle cap and sniffed the contents. Her eyes widened slightly before she looked back at Victoria. "How often do you use this?"