Now did you think it all through?
All these things will catch up to you.
And time can heal but this won't.
So if you come in my way, just don't.
Taylor Swift, Bad Blood
—-
Marinette was probably going to burn a hole through the floor soon, with all that pacing. She hadn't been able to go to sleep last night and had finally given up on trying to relax at four. She tried watching tv, studying, even tried working on a new dress, without any success. So at six, she started rambling out loud to an exhausted Tikki, who simply watched her chosen slowly lose her mind.
"It doesn't necessarily mean what I think it means, right?"
"Right."
"It could mean literally anything."
"Of course."
"Maybe... Maybe he fell in love with me... twice. Oh my god, Tikki, he fell in love with me twice!"
"And is this bad?"
"I don't know," Marinette admitted, staring through the window. "I always thought that he couldn't possibly love the real me. That I was nothing more in his eyes than a mere fantasy."
"I keep telling you that those fears aren't legitimate. You are Ladybug with -"
"And without the suit. I know. But still." She turned to look at her little friend. "Do you think he loves me? Both sides? Or do you think he..." She stopped herself, unable to say her fear out loud.
"Or what?"
"Do you think he knows?" she finally whispered.
"Marinette..."
"The way he looks at me is the same, Tikki. He either figured it out, or he fell in love with me again and I... I don't know how I feel about either of these possibilities."
"Marinette," her mother called from downstairs, "wake up! You're gonna be late!"
"Coming!" she screamed back before lowering her voice again only her kwami would hear. "Gosh, this is a disaster."
"You'll have time to think about it later. Now it's time to get ready! You can't be late again!"
Marinette nodded. "Ok, yeah, I just need to stop thinking about it so I'm not gonna be late again. Got it. Easy peasy. Everything's fine. Nothing's wrong. I mean, why would anything be wrong? I think everything is absolutely perfect. My life is normal, isn't it? Everyone talks to some god-like creature that kind of looks like a ladybug without being totally identical, right? And it's perfectly normal behaviour for a teenage girl to run around on rooftops with a guy dressed like a cat in leather who might or might not be in love with both sides of me, all while fighting some villains created by some as-"
"Marinette!"
"Right yeah sorry!"
Marinette, although still unable to clear her thoughts, finally managed to get dressed and ran downstairs, Tikki carefully hidden in her purse. Still lost in her thoughts, she grabbed something to eat on the table and was ready to leave when Sabine stopped her.
"Oh, chérie, before I forget, your father and I have a little meeting with your director tonight."
Marinette paused, a croissant halfway into her mouth and one hand on the door. "Uh?"
"He kept rescheduling, but enough is enough. We will be meeting tonight with him, and give him a little piece of our minds. Bullying is unacceptable and this damn school needs to learn how to deal with it. First Chloe, now this Lila..."
"Ok... Uh, am I supposed to be there?"
"No, don't worry. We're gonna take care of this. Now go!"
"Yeah, yeah, alright..."
She started to turn, heading for the door, before abruptly turning back and rushing to her mom. Sabine seemed surprised when her daughter basically ran into her arms and hugged her like she was her lifeline.
"Thank you, maman. For everything."
Before Sabine could even react, Marinette broke the hug, kissed her mother's cheek, and ran out the door.
"It's really the least I could do, mon bébé."
—-
"Girl, you're here in time! Nino, look at this!" Alya exclaimed as Marinette dropped to her chair next to her.
"Hey, dudette!" Nino greeted. "Have you seen Adrien in the hall or in the locker room?"
"No, I didn't," Marinette answered, short of breath. "Another photoshoot?"
"Maybe..."
"Mari, you look kind of... sweaty?" Alya noticed, touching Marinette's forehead with one finger. "You're okay?"
"I thought I was gonna be late, so I ran...," Marinette explained before adding with a low voice. "Maybe a little too fast."
"Do you need water?"
"Oh god, yes, please."
Alya laughed before reaching into her backpack and took her Ladybug-themed water bottle, lending it to Marinette. "There you go."
"Thanks. Cute bottle."
"I know right? Oh, my god! You should buy a Chat Noir one! We could fit!"
Marinette stared at her best friend with her eyes wide open.
Chat Noir. Chat Noir my partner. Chat Noir might know who I am. He might also love me. Chat Noir -
"Marinette?"
"Right! Yeah, I should! Of course! It's an amazing idea!"
"Wait, really? I'm gonna send you the link right now!"
"Great, you do that..."
As Marinette took a sip from Alya's water bottle while unsuccessfully trying to forget about her partner, she heard a familiar voice behind her that made her freeze.
"Well, I really shouldn't talk about it, you know. It's supposed to be a secret."
She turned around slowly and saw Lila talking with her other girl friends. Her heart started beating faster in her chest as she realized that her second worst enemy was back from her supposed trip to Canada.
"Alya."
"Hmm?"
"Lila's back."
"I know. Hey, I've sent you the link! Oh, by the way, Nino, can you pass me yesterday's note for -"
"Why is she back?"
Alya turned to look at her, confused, but Marinette's eyes were still strained on Lila.
"Uh, because she comes to school here?"
"Oh girls, I really can't!" the liar was saying. "Ladybug wouldn't agree!"
"What is she talking about?" Marinette asked no one in particular. "Still saying that she's Ladybug's best friend?"
"Who's Ladybug's best friend?"
Marinette jumped and turned to see Adrien staring at her, a small smile on his lips as if he was holding back a laugh.
"Hey, Adrien! I was getting worried, dude! Good thing that Miss Bustier is late, too."
"Yeah. So, what were we talking about?" he asked, taking his place next to Nino.
"Alright, alright, but you can't repeat it to anyone!" Lila said, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear even though she was pretending to whisper. "But... I'm Rena Rouge."
"No way!"
"This is so amazing!"
"For real?"
"This is so brave of you."
"We promise we won't share this with anyone!"
"Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous."
"Oh, shush Chloe!"
"Well," Marinette said, her eyes darting between Alya and Lila. "That's a new one."
"I mean, I already told you Ladybug's my best friend, so of course she would trust me with the fox miraculous! But it's a secret guys, remember!"
"Is she for real?" Alya finally asked.
While Marinette looked sympathetically at Alya, who would've probably stood up to fight Lila if it wasn't for Nino's hand on her shoulder, Adrien suddenly realized something.
Marinette was Ladybug and based on the girl's reaction to Lila's lie and the fact that Alya was Marinette/Ladybug's actual best friend, Alya was probably the real Rena Rouge. And by Nino's reaction, his best friend definitely knew about Alya's secret identity. The problem was that he could clearly remember Rena Rouge and Carapace flirting once, which meant that;
A. Alya was cheating on his best friend with Carapace.
B. Nino was Carapace.
But, since Marinette aka Ladybug chose them, option B was much more plausible. This also meant that Marinette had picked her three best friends to become superheroes, although his time as Aspik had been short-lived. At this, Adrien couldn't help but smile. She chose her three best friends! Did she even try to be subtle?
"Don't worry about it, Alya," Marinette said. "She's just lying, again."
"But... but... They all believe her!"
"I know."
"Hello class, sorry I'm late! Let's review yesterday's homework, shall we?"
—-
"I can't believe her!" Alaya exclaimed during lunch. "And I can't believe them! How can they believe her?"
"You believed everything she said before," Marinette said and then, remembering that she should probably be surprised at her best friend's reaction, quickly added. "Why aren't you believing her this time?"
Adrien smiled. Nicely done, he thought.
"It's just so obviously a lie, don't you think?" Alya badly lied.
"I mean yes, like all the others."
"Please, Lila, tell us what it's like to work with Chat Noir and Ladybug!" They heard Mylene ask Lila at the table next to them, where the rest of the class was sitting.
"Oh, that should be good," Adrien whispered under his breath, low enough so his friends couldn't hear.
"It's really fun! I mean, Ladybug is a little bit... stiff, sometimes. But her and Chat Noir put on a good show."
"A good show?" Alix asked.
"Their little show for the media, you know?"
"No?"
"What is she even talking about?" Nino asked, speaking for all of them.
"Oh, well! I thought it was pretty obvious, but I guess they're even better than I thought! Obviously, when you actually know them, it becomes so clear... Anyway, they're just pretending to be in love, you know? Well, Chat Noir, is. And Ladybug is always reacting so strongly so the media will be interested and won't leave them alone. But they're not into each other at all, trust me. They're just friends."
"Then why are they doing this?"
"To hide Chat and I's relationship, of course! I told them I didn't want a public relationship, so Ladybug came up with this plan. She really is the best!"
Marinette's reaction, in retrospect, might have been a little over the top. Granted, Lila's lies were irritating, but something in Marinette snapped. The simple thought of Chat Noir and Lila together made her see red. She didn't want to stop and think about what that meant or what this horrible feeling in her chest was, but all she knew is that she had, somehow, never hated Lila more. And it was the girl that got her akumatized!
Now, she couldn't stop picturing Lila and Chat Noir together. Talking. Laughing. Hugging. Kissing. Doing stuff that she never wanted to imagine again. She could feel the blood rushing to her face in anger. She wondered if she could pull a Mean Girls move and throw Lila under the bus, Regina style, without any consequences.
"I mean, Ladybug is great don't get me wrong she's my best friend, but what would Chat see in her? They are way too different. Sometimes I'm still surprised that this plan even worked. It's just so unreal, don't you think?"
Marinette wanted to hurl her lunch at Lila's horrible face. Or her fist. She hadn't even realized that she had started getting up until she felt Adrien's hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him, expecting him to say something like "no, don't do this, it's not worth it", but what she saw was the total opposite.
He looked about just as mad as herself. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were darker, in a way that reminded Marinette of Chat Noir. Although everything today reminded her of him.
Adrien glanced at Marinette and nodded, once, as if agreeing to whatever she was going to do. But Alya beat them to it and before they could even move, she was standing up and saying, "Oh no, she didn't! This girl, I swear! C'mon, Rena Rouge and Chat Noir? Okay, I'm gonna start a fight."
Before anyone could stop her - not that they would've -, she was walking to Lila's table. Nino, Adrien and Marinette looked at each other before following her.
"Lila! Are you for fucking real?"
"Alya!" the girl greeted with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "What's going on?"
"What's going on? Seriously?"
"I don't understand..."
"Alya, what are you doing?" Rose asked.
"I'm doing what someone should've done a long time ago! I'm putting this little liar back in her place."
"Excuse me?"
Behind Alya, the three friends watched the confrontation in stunned yet appreciative silence.
"Should we do something?" Nino asked, biting his nails.
"No," Marinette and Adrien answered at the same time.
"Marinette tried to tell us all, but we didn't listen! But look at you all, now! You're all believing her words about being a superhero and this ridiculous story about being Chat Noir's girlfriend... C'mon, guys! Think for yourselves a little!"
"She's right," Adrien added, stepping forward to everyone's surprise. "Ladybug and Lila aren't best friends, at all. Ladybug confronted her about this in front of me."
If Marinette wasn't so angry that she could barely think, she probably would've swoon.
"What?" the others exclaimed, apparently shocked. "Is this true?"
"He's lying!" Lila said, ready to burst into crocodile tears.
"Why would Adrien lie?" Marinette asked.
"Oh because he's on your side, obviously! You've been bullying me since day one!"
Chaos erupted at that. Most of them couldn't believe that sweet Marinette would ever bully someone. And even though Lila tried, and tried, and tried, it was the one lie they couldn't get behind. That had fallen for it once, kind of, and wouldn't repeat the same mistake.
Some of them - mostly Rose - thought that Lila wasn't lying, just had another perspective of reality. But when Lila started talking about how Marinette supposedly cornered her in the locker before her trip and threatened to harm her, along with Adrien, all hell broke loose. Alya and Adrien absolutely lost it and started screaming about how ridiculous it was, about how she was the kindest person around and wouldn't hurt a soul.
(Marinette stayed silent at that because she totally would've pushed Lila under a bus earlier.)
Everyone seemed to be either screaming or watching the fight in shock. Even people from other classes had come closer to enjoy the show. Marinette could see the teachers making their way through the crowd, yelling at the teenagers to stop it.
"Oh god, she's gonna punch her," Nino muttered next to Marinette.
It seemed to happen in slow motion. Alya lifted her arm, fist closed. Adrien stepped back, either surprised or to give Alya more space. The dark butterfly appeared over their heads. Lila caught it.
As one, everyone ran away except for Adrien, Alya, Nino and Marinette, who watched as Lila started smiling and said, "With pleasure, Hawk Moth."
—-
If you guys love Hold On, I suggest you go read my story "One Last Dance"! I'm also gonna be working on new stories eventually (while also juggling work and life so uh... f me I guess?)
One Last Dance: Based on the snippet of Last Dance that we got from the Awakening movie. After one eventful fight, Fu makes a decision that results in Marinette losing her memories.
Unpublished fic #1 (also know for me right now as TSOBH): Basically just angst with aged-up characters and a love square that is still overly complicated, years later.
Unpublished fic #2: One shot or really short story about what happened at a party. Spoiler alert, it's based on Last Friday Night by Katy Perry, so... Take that as you will.
Unpublished fic #3 (or sandboy 2.0): yeah the title pretty much explains the whole plot.
Unpublished fix #4: Alya wants the superheroes to hang out and watch a movie together. Ladybug isn't thrilled with this idea.