New York, New York - Chpt. 3
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Marinette’s mind wandered to the night before, how she spent the night talking to Chat Noir. He ended up staying for hours. After the talk about New York, the conversation sort of shifted to something more light-hearted. Before she knew it, they were talking about musicals, anime and other stuff like it.
She smiled as she remembered the debate that started. For some damn reason Chat Noir, the mangey cat, didn’t think Starkid had made the best musicals! It was unbelievable, who else would make a musical about not liking musicals? But no, apparently Hamilton was better. Though Hamilton is good, she’d give him that.
Marinette hummed in thought as she tuned back into the conversation between Chloe and her mum. They were discussing plans for New York and accommodation and all that, but she just couldn’t focus properly. She watched people pass by through the windows of the hotel lobby before a voice grabbed her attention.
“Yo! If it isn’t Lil’ M!” She turned around to see a flash of purple and couldn’t hold back the smile that had taken over. Jagged Stone, with a speed she didn’t know possible, moved quickly to sit next to her and pulled her into a bone-crushing one-armed hug. “How’s it going, Mari? We gotta catch up soon!”
Marinette went to offer her reply, but she didn’t get a chance before Jagged continued to speak quickly. She smiled sheepishly at Chloe and Mm. Bourgeois with a small shrug.
“Actually, forget that! I need another Marinette original ASAP! What are you thinking? I was thinking of some sort of cool jacket? Maybe with like spikes on the sides! And a cool thing on the back, you know what I mean right?” Marinette laughed as Penny came running up to them.
“Jagged! You can’t keep running off like that! Believe it or not, we do have a schedule!” Penny was panting a bit, leaning on her legs as she sent a glare towards the Rockstar, though it was obvious that there was no real malice behind it. “Oh, Marinette! What are you doing here?”
“Well, actually I was talking to Mm. Bourgeois and Chloe about travelling to New York to study fashion designing, we were working out expenses and where we’d stay and all that.” She leaned over and whispered quietly to Jagged “You know, the boring stuff.” Jagged laughed at that before a mischievous glint started to shine in his eyes.
“Oh no… I know that look…” Penny sagged as she all but threw away the schedule, deciding it wasn’t worth it anymore. “What are you thinking Jagged? And before you answer, please remember that you have a meeting with Bob Roth this afternoon.”
“Penny, babe, what say you we go to New York?” Marinette felt her jaw drop open and looking around, she wasn’t the only one. Both Penny and Chloe were with her on this, and while Mm. Bourgeois seemed surprised, she wasn’t a gaping fish like the rest of them.
“What?” Penny managed to speak after a little while, looking between Jagged and their schedule with growing unease. Honestly, Marinette would be psyched if Jagged went with them to New York, though by the look Penny was giving the man, she doubted she’d be as excited. “Jagged, please tell me your joking…”
“Why would I be?” He turned to face her, giving his best puppy eyes he could muster. It looked ridiculous and Marinette felt like she could laugh, but she tried to refrain. “Come on P, imagine it! The rock and roll vibe it has is to die for! Plus, we’d be able to help Lil’ M over here get started on her fashion career! Please?” He childishly and (not) subtly elbowed Marinette, mumbling something about playing along.
“Oh yes, please let Jagged come with us, Penny! It’d be so much fun and I’d love to spend more time with the both of you!” Marinette put up the most innocent smile she could muster along with her own puppy eyes.
“Now Marinette,” Mm. Bourgeois cut in, looking displeased at the distraction that the conversation has taken a weird turn. She sniffed as she stuck her nose up, Chloe clearly mimicking the movements, before continuing. “Do you really think that this… pop singer should join us? This is the beginning of your fashion career!”
“Hey! Pop singer, I resent that!” Jagged immediately cut in, before smiling. “And actually, I can help! Luckily, I dropped by, yeah you seem like nice guys, a little on the Pottery Barn and dry white wine side, but I’m number one on the charts for music! With me wearing Lil’ M’s designs, that’ll give her an even bigger boost!”
Jagged poked his thumb to his chest with a bright smile, Marinette could tell he was proud of himself. He clearly really wanted to go to New York with her, and honestly, even though he was being childish about the whole ordeal, he had a point. Chloe seemed to agree with this as she spoke up next.
“Actually, I don’t think it’s a bad idea, mother…” Chloe tensed under her mother’s gaze but relaxed after a second. “You carry a lot of weight in the fashion world, but getting another celebrity to also sing Marinette’s praises would make her all the more popular! And could possibly bring a whole new set of contacts in.”
Mm. Bourgeois seemed to think for a while before nodding her agreement. Jagged seemed to puff his chest out more, even though he didn’t really need her approval as he’s a grown man, than before. All the while Penny just sighed and scrunched up her schedule. Marinette did feel sorry for the poor woman.
“Perfect! Now if you excuse us mother, I want to take Marinette to the park to hang out. All this planning has made me tired.” Chloe all but dragged her away from the lounge and out the door. She huffed out a small laugh before catching up the blonde.
“Was that really necessary?” Marinette quipped as she eyed Chloe, the two set up a steady pace. Chloe just huffed in reply and flipped her hair as the two walked. Their conversation eased up into a more relaxed, care-free one while they headed back to the park.
“Honestly, why don’t you just ruin Lila right here and now?” Chloe’s sudden question makes her hesitate, already missing their previous conversation on Paris’ heroes. “I mean, you have all the connections and evidence to prove her wrong, so why not do it? Why are you going to New York?”
Marinette doesn’t respond but instead raises an eyebrow at the girl. Technically she could ask the same for her, but she wasn’t going to bring that up. Truth be told, she didn’t need to, as she already knew the answer.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re coming to New York. It really is the best, and you can finally start making a name for yourself and all that shit. But I’m curious.”
“Curiosity killed the cat,” Marinette joked, hoping it’d be enough. It wasn’t.
“Satisfaction brought it back.” Chloe crossed her arms and looked forward; the park was in sight now. Marinette sighed and thought of how to word her response properly. After several moments of silence, she hummed before speaking.
“Lila has been akumatised three times now, twice as Volpina and once as Chameleon. She’s at a high risk of being akumatised again if I did out her as a liar…” Her words were careful, trying to figure out if those were really her words or not.
“Is that it? Honestly, the only thing that tells me is that you’re a coward.” Marinette went to object, but before she could even open her mouth, Chloe continued. “Obviously she’s not a very good villain if she’s been akumatised three times, so really it seems like she’s no threat, as an akuma or not.
And don’t give me that look, of course, all akumas are bad, but I’m just saying if she’s been akumatised three times now and failed all of them, then Ladybug and Chat Noir would know how to beat her by now, and then she wouldn’t pose a big threat after that either because everyone would know she’s a liar.”
Marinette tried to think of a reasonable response but… she couldn’t. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Sure, Lila would be butthurt after, but she’d be at a low risk of getting akumatised again after that as there was no way she could get as angry.
Unless she could somehow grow immensely angry at just looking at someone… or she was actually working alongside with Hawkmoth, but there’s no way she could be that crazy. But even then, that’d mean risking Lila to becoming akumatised for a fourth time, or a fifth or sixth. She couldn’t risk that.
“I mean, I see where you’re coming from, but what if, and this is just hypothetically, what if she did stay angry? Sure, Chat Noir and I – Ladybug would get used to fighting her after a while, though she’d still be akumatised… I don’t want that.” Marinette spoke while shaking her head, she really didn’t want that.
“You have too strong of a moral compass, Marinette. Sometimes to get the best for everyone you need to get your hands dirty. Or at least a bit muddied so you don’t seem like a living Mary Sue.” Chloe laughed, and she actually laughed with her. It was a bit surreal sometimes to remember she was laughing with Chloe of all people.
“Oh, I am far from being perfect, trust me,” She trailed off, remembering how she had let her jealousy take over her multiple times. No, she was definitely far from perfect… “Besides, even if this hypothetical situation were to happen, this would all require Lila not to lie her way out of it, which I’m sure she’d do.”
“Oh, you just love taking all the joy out of things, don’t you?” Marinette laughed again as they entered the park. It seemed pretty busy today, especially near the fountain and – oh would you look at that, Adrien’s having a photoshoot! Was that today?
Marinette’s face went blank as she looked at the model. Just looking at him reminded her of the pain she felt that day, the throbbing in her cheek returned and she instinctively brought her hand up to her cheek.
It was at that second, apparently, that Adrien had decided to look that way and it was clear that he instantly tensed. He quickly shouted something at the cameraman and rushed over, much to the man’s frustration.
“Marinette…” Her name sounded so sad; the tone didn’t suit his voice at all… neither did the sad look in his eyes. She returned the look, and the two merely stared at each other for a while before Chloe coughed awkwardly.
“Right, well clearly you two have something to sort out so if you excuse me, I’ll be over there where the air isn’t as tense as my father during parliament meetings.” Marinette watched as she strutted off before shooting her a look.
“Marinette I am so sorry about yesterday, I… I should have done something! I should have stopped Lila. I didn’t mean to just stand there like an idiot I swear! I…” he paused and took a deep breath, he looked like he was a second away from crying. She really wanted to try and cheer him up, but right now she felt… numb.
Adrien looked to the ground and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. If this had been a week ago, she’d probably be freaking out, having one of her Marinette Meltdowns as Alya liked to call them, or used to call them really. But this wasn’t last week, and she wasn’t freaking out.
“I heard… What she said, what you… how you feel. I heard it all and I’m so sorry. I just, it shocked me. I didn’t even realise I was walking away until it was too late and then I started panicking and I couldn’t find you and, and…” He took another deep breath. “It’s no excuse, and I can’t apologise enough but I just wanted you to know… and-”
“Adrien? It’s okay. I was upset… but it’s okay now. I mean, I’d have rather you didn’t find out about my old feelings but cat’s out of the bag on that one, right?” Marinette let out a weak laugh. Did she just complete a full sentence in front of Adrien? Did she just say old feelings? “It hurt that you left, but in the end that clearly affected you more than it did me, so how about we just move on from this one, yeah?”
Adrien nodded, he looked shocked, if not a bit disappointed. He’s probably still upset at himself… he always has been too selfish. But it was at that moment that she realised, that yeah. She didn’t love him anymore, or at least not as much as she used too. The feeling was definitely still there, but yesterday had put a damper on her feelings.
It was probably for the better though, she was smart enough to know that what she had for him… it wasn’t healthy. Her obsession with him wasn’t healthy. So maybe it was time to try and move on, actually move on. Not like what she did with Luka.
With a small smile, she patted Adrien’s shoulder before going back to where Chloe was waiting for her. She felt like multiple weights that had been pulling her down were finally lifted.
Adrien had been in the same position for what felt like hours. In reality, it was probably closer to ten minutes, but it was hours if anybody asked him. His smile felt strained and he just knew that all these photos were going to look horrible.
“Come on now, Adrien! Smile like your mama has just brought in a bowl of your favourite spaghetti! Smile, nice and big now!” Another bowl of spaghetti? Didn’t this guy know any other Italian foods? He must have, he came from Italy, didn’t he? He said he did…
Was he dealing with another liar? Panic quickly flooded his brain before he slapped himself silly in his mind. What was wrong with him? He was being paranoid! He couldn’t assume everyone was a liar just because of Lila. Of course, not everybody was a liar, his Mari would never lie to him! He felt his smile grow as he thought of her.
“There, perfect!” Adrien did his best to keep his smile natural after that, though it grew harder. “Oh, this photo will be perfect! Now, ready… set…” His eyes shifted to where he saw a familiar set of black hair in pigtails that he knew oh too well.
“Not yet!” The words screamed out of him as he quickly stumbled his way over to the girl. He heard the photographer screeching like a banshee behind him, and what sounded like a few snickers, though he found that he didn’t really care as he approached the girl. “Marinette…”
“Right, well clearly you two have something to sort out so if you excuse me, I’ll be over there where the air isn’t as tense as my father during parliament meetings.” Adrien let his eyes glance to Chloe as she walked away. It was only for a split second, though, before his eyes trained back to the raven-haired girl that looked so sad.
“Marinette I am so sorry about yesterday, I… I should have done something!” He was going to start rambling. He knew he was, but he couldn’t stop himself. His voice raised as he continued. “I should have stopped Lila. I didn’t mean to just stand there like an idiot I swear! I…” He hesitated to continue.
He really didn’t want to have this conversation. His entire relationship with Marinette would change after this, most likely for the worse… he didn’t want that, he really didn’t want to go back to how they started, he hated it! But he also couldn’t just not have this conversation, besides, this was about Marinette, and what she wanted. Not the other way around.
“I heard… What she said, what you… how you feel. I heard it all and I’m so sorry. I just, it shocked me. I didn’t even realise I was walking away until it was too late and then I started panicking and I couldn’t find you and, and…” His breathing was ragged, and he felt tears burning the edge of his eyes. Oh God, he couldn’t cry in front of Marinette, once was bad enough! “It’s no excuse, and I can’t apologise enough, but I just wanted you to know… and -”
“Adrien? It’s okay.” He wasn’t expecting to be cut off by her, and he certainly wasn’t expecting her to say it was alright. He was at the least expecting a slap, which he fully deserved. “I was upset… but it’s okay now. I mean I’d have rather you didn’t find out about my old feelings but cat’s out of the bag on that one, right?”
Marinette laughed and he had to stop himself before he gasped. Did she just say something cat-related? Was this because of Chat Noir? Okay, hold your horses Agreste don’t look too much into it or else you’ll start to sound like Alya with your conspiracy theories. Wait, old feelings? Did she not feel that way anymore?
“It hurt that you left, but in the end that clearly affected you more than it did me, so how about we just move on from this one, yeah?” Adrien could only nod, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Why didn’t she like him anymore? Maybe because he was a giant asshole, a little voice sounded in his head that he couldn’t help to agree with.
Despite that it was probably for the best, maybe they could become even better friends now! He couldn’t help being disappointed, he guessed the saying was true, you never really knew what you have till it’s gone.
Adrien watched as Marinette smiled at him and patted his shoulder before walking away. He watched her as she left, feeling bitter and empty. He should be happy, everything was good between them again, and he was happy at that! But…
Damn it. Go figures the moment he realises he has feelings for the greatest girl ever (what about Ladybug?), she gets over him. Not that he could blame her, but it still hurt. A lot. But if he could be rejected by Ladybug numerous times, then he can stand being just a friend to Marinette and oh dear God did he really friend zone her? Several times?
He clutched his hair and groaned, how had he been that oblivious? He wanted to scream to the world. His hands went to cover his eyes, hoping the darkness could swallow him whole and he could disappear. That would be brilliant, then he’d never have to face his embarrassment or Marinette! Not to mention Lila wouldn’t get her claws in him…
Wait. Lila… Lila was the reason Marinette was moving to New York… It was because of her that Marinette was moving… to fucking New York City. She had made it so unbearable that his (she wasn’t his) Mari was leaving Paris.
“Oh hell no. Oh hell no! I am not letting that witch take her away from me!” Adrien shot up, his back straightening and a fire in his eyes. He hadn’t felt this determined since… well, since as long as he can remember! “I have to get Marinette to stay! She can’t leave!
But how am I supposed to get her to stay? I could always get Chloe to help me! She’d know how to get her to stay! Wait… she’s the one who offered it wasn’t she?” He remembered back to the conversation they had yesterday. “Yeah, that’s out.”
Adrien began to pace, he could feel Plagg watching him from the sidelines. But he couldn’t get himself to care at this point. He had to come up with a plan.
“I mean I could just out Lila… no. She’d just turn into an akuma, again.” He couldn’t help the eye roll and the scowl that came into play after that. “Plus, how would that even work. I mean everyone in class is wrapped around her little finger. Even Nino! I thought he was smarter than that!”
“Uh… dude?” Adrien stopped dead in his tracks, there in front of him stood none other than the aspiring musician and director; Nino. Clear shock was on his face and he would bet money that the same expression was on his face. “You know I can hear you right?” Adrien paused, he had to take this completely seriously and not screw this up.
“Yeah? Well… that was a soliloquy, so you’re the one who’s being rude.” Damn it.
“You’re not even in a play!” Despite the sentence being shouted, it was clear that no real malice was held in it. Letting the sudden tension loose, he smiled at his friend and the two quickly shared a hug before Nino spoke again. “But seriously, what was all that about?”
Adrien opened his mouth to talk, but promptly closed it. What would Nino do if he told him? He knew Alya’s behaviour didn’t stop after Marinette tried to tell her about Lila, and Nino hasn’t stood up to either of them…
“Lila is a liar!” The words were blurted out and he regretted saying them immediately. The look Nino was… tired? Yeah, that was it, he looked tired. Exhausted even.
“Not you too… have you been talking to Mari? Cause that’s exactly what she said and Alya said that she was just jealous and shouldn’t be trusted.” Adrien looked at Nino in disbelief but quickly schooled his features.
“Marinette hasn’t said anything to me,” he wished that’s how he found out… “I’ve known the whole time. I… I thought she wouldn’t hurt anyone, but she did, she is! She’s hurting Mari and by the sounds of it she’s hurting you, you and everyone else in the class.”
“Alya said that there was no proof…”
“All I’m hearing is what Alya’s said. What about you?” Nino sighed and pulled his cap down to cover his eyes.
“Truthfully? I’m sick of this whole thing! I don’t know who to believe anymore. You should hear the shit that Lila’s saying, that Marinette pushed her down the stairs, that’s she’s been bullying her. None of it’s even believable! But every time I try to talk to Alya about it she just starts screaming…
And Marinette has been acting kinda weird lately too. There’s evidence, weak but its there, for both. I just don’t know anymore… but you’re saying Lila’s lying, how do you know?” Adrien took a deep breath and pointed to a bench nearby.
“I was sitting with Lila just over there when she first came to the school. She claimed to be a descendant of a superhero named Volpina and that she was best friends with Ladybug… but uh, Ladybug came and told her off… pretty harshly too.” Adrien sighed and shook his head; he hated that day. “And you say that Marinette’s behaving weird, but that’s just cause no one’s standing up to her against a bully.”
Nino flinched as he snapped. Right, he was still the passive model to him. Well not anymore. He had to save Marinette, to try and stop her from moving! But was that really his choice to make? Not really… but he couldn’t let her leave while things here was still so… well, yeah.
“Lila slapped Marinette… I saw it, it was in the classroom. She,” Adrien hesitated to continue but he knew he had to. He wanted Nino back, he wanted his friend back. And if that was going to happen, he needed to know everything. “Lila waited until Mari was alone and then went on this whole spiel and threatened her and then…”
“Okay… wow.” Nino sat down, he looked shocked and angry and Adrien was worried he’d have to chase an akuma away from him. “We’re taking her down though, yeah? You and Marinette have some wicked plan to take her down a peg?” Adrien bit his lip, what was he supposed to say?
“Well… no…” Adrien sighed and Nino visibly deflated, that was until he saw the smirk grow on his lips. He had no doubt that his Chat Noir was showing, but he couldn’t find it in him to care right now. “Not yet anyways…”
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