Chapter Text
Dropping my school bag on the chaise in my room, I hurried to my laptop on my desk. “Please be online. Please. Please. Please.” I whispered, fingers crossed as I video call my boyfriend and best friend hoping for an answer. “Angel, how was school today?” Damian asks after answering my video call.
“Thank goodness Damian, you answered! I have to tell you what happened at school.” I’m practically bouncing in my computer chair in excitement.
“I take it as something amazing. I haven’t seen you this excited since your last Jagged Stone commission, and that was for his wedding to Penny, who you also made a wedding dress for.” Damian replies with a smirk aimed at me.
Rolling my eyes, I lose none of my excitement as I tell him my news. “The other class presidents and I found a few essay contests to enter to win a sponsored trip abroad for 2 years. The best part of all is that I was the first to pick an essay and I got the essay to Gotham! Sponsored by Bruce! Damian, I won the essay contest. I can stay in Gotham with you and everyone for 2 years!”
I squealed, unable to suppress the true level of my excitement. “That's amazing Angel, I’m proud of you! Question for you, what was the essay topic?” Damian asked me, pulling me back to reality.
“The essay topic was how a class has helped their city. Which is honestly perfect for my class. After all the akuma attacks around Paris city and school, our class has become pretty good at calming upset classmates and helping out around the city. The girls have planted trees along the river, and flowers in local parks. The boys have volunteered to pick up trash while the girls plant. They also take charge during akuma attacks keeping everyone together and safe”, I reply thinking of all the good my class has done, even after the lying witch has been at school for two years now.
“Speaking of your classmates, are they still following the liar and bullying you?” The concern in Damian’s voice and on his face when he asks me about my school life warms me like nothing else.
It’s times like this that remind me of how much he loves me and I love him. “My Kuro Kishi, my love, I’m ok. I have my friends with me at all times. I can deal with the hurtful words and Lila’s lies. When they become too much, I call you or use Kaalik to spend a weekend with you at Wayne Manor.
I’m coping and I’m hopeful this essay contest will give me a break from Paris. A new environment, a new place to explore, this could be what the class needs to bring back the close friendships we had before Lila’s lies tore everyone apart.” I tell him softly.
“You know I worry about you. I know you have your friends, but I can’t help wanting to be there with you, to protect you from that horrible girl.” Damian says.
I can see how his concern is obvious on his face. It’s times like this I cherish with my Damian. Even on the other side of the world, he knows how to cheer me up. “I probably should tell you what Lila’s latest story is. Honestly I wanted to punch her but Alix and Kim held my hands and Chloe just snorted while Max and Juleka just rolled their eyes.”
“Mari, we’ve talked about your violent tendencies. If I knew you’d get like this when annoyed, I would've waited to start your training. I’m not surprised she has a new story. What is it this time?” Damian asks me. Biting my lip, I rushed out “Lila said she's dating Damian Wayne.” “I beg your pardon.” Damian says icily “She said what?”
“Now Damian, calm down. We know she’s lying, it’s what she does. She only chose you because you’re famous, rich, and close to our age. The fact that Bruce doesn't allow you or the other’s picture in the paper is also a reason. No one knows what the Wayne boys look like, she thinks she can get away with this.” I say in response to the absolute murderous look on his face.
“I’m getting a flight to Paris, I’ll set this harlot straight. The only person on this planet that has the right to say they are in a relationship with me is you, Angel.” Damian says.
“Damian, you don’t have to come to Paris right now. We leave for Gotham in a week and you’ll be here in three days, once again, a week before we leave as the Gotham Academy Student Representative, to give us guidelines about living in Gotham.” I say trying to get him to see reason.
“I refuse to allow that shrew to lie about dating me. It will not take me long. I'm positive father will allow me to use the Bat Plane or private jet. Even better I could use the Zeta Tubes and be there in a few minutes.”
“Damian!” I shout, getting his attention “Stop, please. I know you want to help me, but you have to let me fight my battles. You taught me how to be tough, if I can handle training with you while Dick, Tim and Jason trash talk me, I can handle Lila. Besides her lies about you are kind of entertaining, apparently you’re a shy boy who was so captured by her beauty, he stuttered while asking her on a date the second she was introduced to him.”
“Damian Wayne stutter! Preposterous, I don’t stutter and I’m not shy! Her lies are more ridiculous than I thought.”
I laugh at Damian as he continues to rant about Lila, thinking the son of Bruce Wayne could ever be so meek and timid as to stutter. I think he is more offended about being accused of stuttering than he is about “dating” Lila.
“Marinette, it’s 4 o’clock, you have homework and Damian has to get back to class. Then you’re going to Chloe’s to spend the weekend.” Tikki says from her spot on my shoulder.
Smiling at Tikki, I rub her head with my fingertip, I‘m so happy and grateful I have Tikki in my life. Since the first day I was given my Miraculous, Tikki has been an unshakable force of positivity, love, encouragement and strength.
I am a better person because of her constant presence in my life, she helped me realize that my feelings for Adrien were nothing but infatuation and obsession.
That became clear when Lila came to school the first time, telling me to take the high road, that it was fine to let Lila keep lying as long as the two of them knew it, he had my back and it wasn’t like she was hurting anyone.
I let my feelings for Adrien blind me and influence my decisions. I never told him Lila threatened me, that her lying was in fact hurting the class as a whole. Tikkis presence was beyond needed and helpful when dealing with Lila.
It was Tikki that convinced me to tell Damian and the others about her and the bullying I’d had to deal with from most of my class. The only good thing that came from Lila being in the class was finding out who my real friends are.
I was shocked when Juleka, Luka, Kagami, Chloe, Alix, Kim, Max and Nino showed up at the bakery a month after Lila came back to school asking to talk to me. One by one they apologized to me and told me they knew Lila was lying and how they knew.
I was so shocked I started crying, which caused all of them to rush and hug me. After ending the group hug, I told them I forgave them and told them about my dealings with Lila from day one.
Together we make a plan to deal with Lila somehow, Nino volunteered to be the inside man. That was almost two years ago, since then I’ve watched my friends for a few months. I talked to Master Fu and he agreed, we need permanent Miraculous holders to help me fight, especially since Chat had become a problem during Akuma fights.
This is how I got my team, I decided to gather all my friends together and not only give them their Miraculous but tell them I’m Ladybug too. Their reactions were entertaining, after we got the revel done and the Miraculous passed out, we spent the day watching movies and hanging out.
“-nette, -nette, MARINETTE!” Blinking I zero in on Tikki floating in front of me calling my name.
“Sorry Tikki, sorry Dami. I was lost in thought.” I say smiling sheepishly at them.
“It’s okay Angel, you didn’t miss anything.” Damian said quickly.
“Yeah Mari, you didn’t miss Damian coming up with a plan to use Scarecrow's fear toxin on Lila and locking her in a room with 24/7 video surveillance. Nothing at all.” Tikki says with an innocent look on her face as she eats a cookie on my desk.
Looking at Damian I raise an eyebrow and ask “Really Damian? Fear toxin? You know Bruce would never let you do that, even if it would be entertaining.” muttering the last part under my breath.
“Look at the time, I need to get back to class. Bye Angel!” Damian calls out before he ends the call.
Looking at my computer screen, then at Tikki I can’t help but laugh as I imagine Damian asking Bruce for the fear toxin to use on Lila. Getting up, I stretch as I grab my bag and head back to my desk.
I get started on my homework, learning from past experience that it’s best to get it all done as soon as I get home in case of an Akuma Alert. Sighing in relief that my physics homework is finally done, I look at the clock and I'm surprised it’s only 6 o’clock.
Going down to the kitchen, I grab something quick to eat, once I’m done I go back up to my room. I turned to work on a few designs I started when I first found out about the essay contest, for me and my friends to wear in Gotham inspired by their Vigilanties and Sirens. Two hours in, I’m just starting the embroidery on Juleka’s Batman theme leather jacket, when I get an Akuma alert. “Tikki, spots on!”