Love And Lies

~strength~

Marinette was the first to wake up, which is unusual, but she had a nightmare about Chat Blanc.

She got up and saw that it was 5:30. Sheesh, that's early. She thought. But she just couldn't stop thinking about Chat Blanc. She really hoped that would never actually happen.

To clear her mind she got up and looked out the plans window. There, as she had suspected, was the sunrise. She was easily captivated by it's beauty. Huh, it's almost as beautiful as Adrien. She thought.

/Y'all I've already seen the miraculous new York special and I refuse to be that cliche so just...don't...be disappointed/

Suddenly she heard a voice. "It's beautiful isn't it?" She turned around. Leo was standing there in all his glory.

"Yeah...but what are you doing up scaredy cat?"

"Uh uh uh, if I recall you are also a fellow scaredy cat. And besides...I couldn't sleep. That doll movie bothered me and I have ADHD."

She thought for a second. "Leo, why don't you like dolls?"

He went quiet and looked down. He had trust issues, but he couldn't help but feel safe with Marinette. She just had that safe and warm aura around her.

"My father was a doll maker. He was pretty well known in the town I grew up in. He was the only one there so he made a good amount of business. But anyways after my mother left us, he became a bad alcoholic. He made ghoulish looking dolls that scared me. He started making those in his office and with mom gone, he always made me help him. But because I was scared of the dolls I refused. Then he would beat me and lock me in a dark closet with one or many of his dolls. I would have to stay in there until I would help him with his work. He wouldn't let me out to go to the bathroom, and he wouldn't feed me. I guess dolls just remind me of my childhood trauma and the monster of a father I had." He didn't realize it but he had began to cry.

Next thing he knew Marinette was hugging him tightly while whispering soothing words. He hugged her back. It felt good to tell someone, since he had never done so. Not even to his two best friends, Atlas and Marko. Finally after his tears had dried, the two new friends just decided to watch the sunrise.

But Leo found himself wondering about his new friend. How was she so strong all the time? She was so strong for others but was anyone ever strong for her?

He had been there when the incident happened and remembered that no one had helped her and people were angry at her for what she had "done".

He automatically believed her though because Atlas us scarily good at reading people. She can instantly pick out the good from the bad. He still remembered what she said about the whole ordeal.

*Flashback*

After Marinette had supposedly cheated on Ms. Bustiers test she had also apparently pushed Lila down the stairs. Ms. Bustier immediately sent the two to the principals office.

Something happened in the office that made Mr. Damocles summon Marinette's parents. So it was a surprise to see Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng along with Mrs. Bustier, Mr. Damocles, Lila, and Marinette when they entered the locker room.

"Open your locker please!" Mr. Damocles demanded. Marinette did. Out fell a necklace, a fox inspired one.

Lila gasped,"My grandma's pendant!"

Leo looked around and saw everyone's face twisted with anger and disappointment, well everyone except Alya, Adrien, Him, Atlas, Marko, and Chloe, to his surprise. To be honest he was just confused. The whole thing didn't make sense to him. He'd always liked Marinette and thought she was a great person. But this? She wouldn't do a thing like this. It just wasn't right. It wasn't her.