HOOO BOY! I finally worked up the nerve to get in on a secret santa thing - specifically @mlsecretsanta ! So, here’s my piece for @catcie - I realllly hope you like this because it was funy to write and I just... Don’t write enough for Lila.
Lila was no stranger to akuma attacks. After living in Paris for a few months, you almost got used to the constant influx of super villains. So, when she heard the telltale screams of another attack, it was all she could do to not huff in frustration. Rather, she turned on her heel and walked back in the direction she had just come from.
If anything, the akuma were just an inconvenience. Sure, there was the occasional one that would actually cause major disruptions in the city, but mostly the attacks were kept in one area and would be dealt with quickly enough.
Even as she thought this, Lila spotted a red blur zipping across the rooftops. Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear. She scowled, despite knowing that Ladybug was doing a job that few others could pull off. Still, Lila had had a more than negative introduction to the heroine and couldn’t quite bring herself to find forgiveness.
It took a while but soon enough, the miraculous cure washed over the sky in soft, pink hues. Another attack dealt with. Honestly, if they could deal with the akuma so easily, why hadn’t they gotten around to taking care of Hawkmoth? It was almost embarrassing.
By now, Lila had almost made her way back home. There wasn’t much point in going back out now, since lunchtime was fast approaching. She’d just have to wait for the shops to reopen before heading out again. All she’d wanted was a morning spent window-shopping and even that had been ruined by Ladybug.
Well. Logically, it was the akuma’s fault but it felt better to pin the blame on Ladybug. By the time she’d finished the walk home and climbed the stairs to her room, the familiar resentment was bubbling once more in the back of her mind. With a resounding sigh, she flopped backwards onto her bed.
What to do..?
She could lie there for a little while, sprawled out comfortably, and let time pass until it was time to leave. No, that would get boring soon enough, and if she were to fall asleep, she could miss the shops altogether. Perhaps she could read? She’d recently started a book on mythology, her curiosity piqued by what she’d seen in Adrien’s book.
A shame it had disappeared from the bin she’d hidden it in. Perhaps not her best moment, but it was far better than to get caught having taken it. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures.
Shaking off the thoughts of what she’d done, Lila plucked the book off her shelf, opening it up to where she’d left off in the middle of a chapter on Egyptian mythology. It was interesting, up until the point she noticed an all too familiar figure in one of the pictures. There, hidden among the other hieroglyphs, was a Ladybug. Sure, there were differences between this one and the one that flitted about Paris, but the yo-yo and spots were undeniable.
Could she have no peace from that girl? With a barely suppressed growl, Lila closed the book forcefully and took a deep breath. Mere moments later, she heard a… fluttering sound. Searching for the source, she saw a butterfly struggling to get in through her window, its wings a deep shade of purple.
She watched in fascination as it threw itself against the glass, before managing to squeeze its way under the window frame. Any intrigue was gone as she felt her heart speed up. This was it, wasn’t it? The thing that turned people into an akuma. Gripping her book in both hands, she did what any other frightened teenager might do when faced with an insect that was swiftly coming towards them.
She squashed it.
The book slammed into the windowsill, catching the butterfly underneath. Hesitantly, she lifted it, just to see its wings flutter weakly as it tried to get back up. She squashed it again, and left the book there while she looked desperately around the room. Her eyes fell on a mason jar, something she used to store various trinkets she’d collected over the years.
Emptying the contents onto her desk - she’d sort them out later - she removed the book once more and dropped the jar over the butterfly before it could move. Sliding it to the edge of the sill, she popped the lid under it, sealing it in the jar. Hah! Who knew it would be that easy?
It only took Lila a few seconds to realise the full extent of the situation. Wonderful, she had an evil bug trapped in a mason jar. Now what? Keep it forever, as some magical pet? What would happen if it got out? Or if Hawkmoth himself came to get it back?
There was no other way. She was going to have to meet her own worst enemy and ask for help. Now came the trouble of actually finding her. She could try the Ladyblog, but what were the chances of her seeing it? She might even end up thinking it was a trick to lure her out. No, she’d just have to find the heroes herself.
She wouldn’t have much luck if she went now though. However, she knew that Ladybug and Chat Noir were often seen patrolling the city in the evening. That would probably be her best bet. Until then, she’d just have to wait around and keep an eye on her temporary pet. Oh, joy.
Once night had fallen, Lila pulled her coat back on and laced up her boots. Clutching the jar to her chest, she made her way through the house and left with no complications. That was the best thing about parents that worked all the time - you could easily sneak out when necessary.
While walking the streets of Paris at night wasn’t the safest option, it was the only one she had. At least with two superheroes running around, crime had gone way down. Even so, Lila kept her guard up and by the time she’d reached the Eiffel Tower, she’d still not caught even a glimpse of either of the heroes.
This was one of the last places she had to check. It was common knowledge that the pair liked to sit up on the highest reaches of the tower, so she’d chosen this as her final destination. Squinting up, she couldn’t see either of them, but that meant nothing with how tall it was. Out of all options, she cupped a hand around her mouth.
“Ladybug, if you’re up there then I have the worst present in France for you,” she called, feeling only a little bit silly. She stood there for a few moments, already thinking about just going home, when a lithe figure began to make its way down the tower. Within seconds, she was faced with the spotted heroine herself. “You actually heard me from up there?”
“No, Chat did,” Ladybug said, eyeing Lila nervously. “He said there was somebody calling for me, but didn’t say who. Look, about before-”
“That doesn’t matter right now,” Lila cut in, before thrusting the jar at her. “This came through my window, so now you can get rid of it, right?”
“You caught it?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I squashed it with a book.”
“That’s…” Ladybug ran a hand through her hair, the shock evident on her face. “This has never happened before. You really just squished it?”
“I already said that, didn’t I? Or do you think I’m lying about this as well?” With that, Ladybug curled in on herself, arms wrapping around her body.
“I really am sorry about that. I acted hastily and… well, I let my own emotions get in the way of my duty. I should have spoken to you calmly about it and I didn’t. I know that we got off on the wrong foot, but I’d really like it if we could be on good terms, especially after this.”
“What do you mean, ‘this’?”
“Lila, you caught an akuma! That’s something that nobody had ever tried, or even thought of doing. Not just anyone would be capable of this.”
“Yes, well,” Lila stammered, her cheeks warming up. “Obviously, I’m amazing. Are you going to get rid of the… thing or what?”
Ladybug took the jar from the girl, removing the lid with a quick twist. The butterfly flapped its wings once before fluttering off into the sky, no longer interested with pursuing Lila. Before it could fly too far, Ladybug snatched it up in her yo-yo. Barely a moment had passed when the butterfly emerged, this time glowing a brilliant white.
“Bye bye, little butterfly,” Ladybug said, the words familiar from all the other times she’d uttered them at the end of a battle. Turning once more to Lila, she smiled. “Thank you, Lila. I know I’ve said it already, but I’d like it if we could at least be on good terms.”
Lila nodded shortly, before turning to leave. And yet, she hesitated, only to look over her shoulder once more at the smiling heroine. She felt her heart skip a beat and carried on walking. Only when she was once more in her room, did she let her own grin show itself.
Well. Perhaps she should go bug-catching more often.
