1.Honesty
Marinette closes her eyes and chokes back the yell threatening to claw out of her throat.
Deep breaths. In. Out.
Inner peace.
Rainbows. Puppies. Sunshine. She conjures the mental image of adorable hamsters frolicking in a lush meadow, and clings to it.
But the excited chatter emanating from the other side of the room still reaches her ears, the sound digging in like talons, piercing and scratching, the hurt radiating all the way to her chest. Rose's excited squeals bleed into Kim's booming baritone, yet no matter the pitch, they all speak with the same voice.
Tell us more, Lila.
Why?
Why can't they see the lies?
Hands balling into fists in her lap, Marinette swallows the bitterness.
In. Out.
Inner peace.
The high road is a lonely place to be.
Well. Not entirely lonely.
She opens her eyes, seeking a familiar green. Adrien is not among those huddling around that awful witch of a stupid liar, and neither is Nino, the two of them wrapped up in their own conversation. A mischievous grin curves Adrien's lips as he leans forward to say something, and Nino half-groans, half-chuckles.
Adrien's laughter rings out, and Marinette sighs at its perfection.
He must have noticed her scrutiny because his gaze meets hers and his expression softens. Raising his chin toward the group gathered around Lila, he almost imperceptibly rolls his eyes. A secret message meant only for her.
You're not alone. I see it, too. We're in this together.
Marinette nods so furiously her pigtails bounce on her shoulder, heart drumming against her chest in a wild and beautiful rhythm. Adrien's answering smile is warmer than the sunlight streaming in through the window. The world grows a little less radiant when he turns back to face Nino.
This morning, she almost had a conversation with him. Three entire sentences without tripping over her words - or her feet.
There's intimacy in shared secrets.
And in shared enemies.
It's her only bright spot in this new world darkened by Lila's presence.
Yet as much as she's longed for the day that Adrien would finally start noticing her, she almost wishes things would go back to the way they used to be. Before bonds Marinette thought unbreakable started fraying at the seams.
She wanted to be closer to Adrien, yes.
But not at the cost of her friends.
Marinette throws yet another glare at the people eagerly devouring every word spilling from lying lips.
Inner peace.
Taking the high road.
It doesn't feel like the high road. In fact, following Adrien's advice rather distinctly feels like she's betraying her principles.
What Lila is doing to people is wrong.
No. Evil.
Where's the justice in just standing by and watching it happen?
She's supposed to guard people from evil. That's her duty as a hero. These are her friends, and she's leaving them to the manipulations of a liar.
And yet...
