Miraculous Dragonus (Lila Rossi x Male Reader)

Arc 09: Chapter 02: Lichkaiser, Part 2

"Lila, dear, I'm glad I was able to get some time off from the embassy... especially today." Her mother said slowly, reaching across the cafe table they were sitting at and brushing her hand against Lila's. "Thank you for being able to celebrate his anniversary with me."

Lila recoiled slightly, clenching her coffee cup and taking a sip. "It's fine." She replied. "It's what he would've wanted, anyway." She let a small smile spread across her face. "So, since you were able to get time off today, do you think you'd be able to get out more often?" So you can spend time with your daughter? she thought bitterly, careful to not let the emotion show on her face.

Her mother sighed. "I wish, mi bella, but I was lucky to even get my request for today off put through in time. Things are getting more and more complicated around there, what with Hawk or Shadow or whatever he's calling himself now creating villains and those Dark Miraculous villains causing chaos whenever they feel like it. I'm being pulled everywhere now. Valentina, make sure this gets sent to so-and-so. Valentina, we need this meeting scheduled for next week and we need confirmation by tonight. Valentina, you're not supposed to be waiting on this. I swear, it's like they're trying to keep me at the embassy."

"And away from me." Lila muttered, then mentally kicked herself for letting that slip.

"I know, dear, I know." Valentina said apologetically. "I'm still so sorry I wasn't able to be with you after your father... you know. But enough about the sad things, huh? I've actually got some things I wanted to talk to you about."

Lila blinked in surprise. "What is it?" She asked warily. She was sure her mother hadn't figured out her web of deceit. If that crazy principal had managed to get through to her and ask about any of the absences, she was toast. If it was about some of the other things she'd done, it wasn't outside of Lila's consideration to transform into Maladea and make her mother's instincts betray her.

Valentina pulled out her phone and picked out a picture of Lila and (Y/N) walking away from the school building. The tension in Lila's shoulders immediately relaxed.

"Who's this? He doesn't look like Adrien Agreste. Is this your boyfriend?" Valentina asked, her curiosity plain in her voice.

Lila smirked internally as her cover story bloomed. "Oh, right, I didn't tell you. Adrien and I broke up. He said he had to because his father made him, but I think he never really liked me and just wanted a trophy girl to have on his arm. Rich boys can be like that sometimes. The guy in the picture is (Y/N) (L/N). We met in the park a little after Adrien cut me off. I was crying my eyes out and he came over and comforted me. We eventually hit it off from there and have been dating quietly ever since." She answered earnestly, her internal smirk growing wider. The story was perfect. Put the blame on someone nonspecific, offer a grain of truth amidst the lie, and subtly accuse her mother of not paying attention to her. Certainly better than the ruse she tried with the school and Marinette.

"Oh, mi bella, " Valentina cooed as she moved closer to Lila. "I'm sorry that happened to you. You're right, some boys pretend to be all kinds of nice until they feel they haven't gotten what they wanted and reveal their true colors. I'm glad you got yourself out of there before it escalated and you found someone who loves you for you. Never forget that, okay?"

"Okay. Was there... anything else you wanted to ask?"

"Just one thing." Valentina replied before moving to the next picture. "What's this ?"

Lila's throat immediately closed up. Oh, no. Somehow, despite her amazing hiding skills, her mother found the Dragonus plushie.

"Oh... that." She began, trying to pass her nervousness as some kind of trauma. "That girl who was being mean to me made it for me, as a sort of apology thing, but I guess she knew I'm... not a fan of Dragonus... so she made it look like Dragonus... to freak me out! Yeah, and she said she'd know if I got rid of it, so I have to keep it!"