Falling for a Villain (Miraculous Ladybug)

Perfect Storm

Marinette

~~~

Bakerix was Hawkmoth's villain of choice today it seems. Bakerix was the villain that Marinette's grandfather was usually akumatized into. Strange how she's gotten so used to seeing her family and friends akumatized.

Marinette's grandfather had an appreciation for how things used to be, or maybe it's more of an obsession with the past. He must've gotten upset with how things are done at the train station and gotten akumatized. Marinette sighed, time to get to work.

~~~

A train full of people had just arrived and were running to evacuate the station, good. Marinette worked better when there weren't people to protect. Not that her miraculous ladybugs couldn't fix things afterward.

Her eyes widened a bit at that thought, had she really been doing this for so long that she was rationalizing people getting hurt just because her power would fix everything in the end? She shuddered, what kind of monster was she becoming?

Chat Noir was acting differently toward her too. She hadn't really noticed until recently but he hardly ever flirted with her anymore and never tried to spend time with her outside of being a hero. She wondered if he finally moved on after so many rejections. What poor timing, she was finally going to try to get over Adrien only for Chat to take a hint and back off. Maybe it was for the best though... she didn't feel like herself right now and she wouldn't want to push her burdens onto someone again, not after Luka.

Bakerix ripping up a train car snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts. He threw the car at Chat who had been on her left and Chat dodged nimbly. However, not everyone was evacuated yet. A man was almost leisurely walking to the exit. Was this guy stupid? There was a villain here and now a train car was headed straight to crush him.

"Watch out!" Marinette yelled before hopping into action.

She noticed that the train car would crash through the wall into the street if she didn't try to divert its path. Who knows how many people are out there still? Paris was a bustling city and no doubt there were more people outside. She had to divert its path, lest more injuries occur. She hopped in front of the man. She only glimpsed him for a second but he seemed about a foot taller than her with similar blonde hair to Chat except it was combed back.

She used her yo-yo to move the train before she looked back at the man, "Are you oka--Felix!?" Her eyes widened in recognition.

Felix's eyes widened slightly, the only movement that hinted at his surprise before a sly smirk overcame his features. "I'm flattered you remember me, little bug."

No no no no... this couldn't be happening. Why did she have the worst luck in the world? Why did she of all people have to be caught in this perfect storm of misery? First losing Luka, then losing Adrien, then Lila coming back, the pressure of everything, and now like a cherry on top she had to deal with Felix?

Marinette steeled her features, she nearly slipped up. Luckily, Ladybug knew Felix, maybe more than Marinette did. Unluckily, the last time Felix was here, he got her friends akumatized and then tried to kiss her as Ladybug. Her cheeks redden with anger at the memory of him posing as Adrien to kiss her. His eyes, though the same green, were nothing like Adrien's. Felix's eyes were predatory, cold, and calculating. He reminded her more of Lila than anyone, as sly as a fox in a hen house.

She shook her thoughts off, "Don't call me that, now get out of here, it's dangerous." She commanded in her Ladybug voice.

Felix merely stared down into her blue eyes for a moment before he backed off, his cool indifferent mask slipping into place once more, "I suppose you're right. Until next time, little bug." He then made his way out of the train station, still in seemingly no hurry. She could never understand him.

~~~

Ladybug and Chat Noir save the day, again. It seems even the news has gotten bored of it all aside from Alya's loyal reporting on the Ladyblog. Marinette landed in the bed of her bedroom, de-transforming and letting her kwamii, Tikki, rest.

Marinette checked her phone, school was over ages ago, meaning she missed another half-day of classes. She was surprised she wasn't held back for all her absences the last two years.

Marinette texted Alya, they had plans to hang out later and wanted to know where to meet up, "Hey Alya, where you wanna meet up?"

Five minutes later, no response. Weird.

Ten minutes... no response.

Marinette's thoughts started spinning. Had Alya gotten hurt? No no, she was probably just with Nino or something. She suddenly felt a wave of loneliness. Everyone has someone nowadays. Alya had Nino, Rose had Juleka, even Chloe has Sabrina... and Adrien has Kagami. Loneliness gripped her heart like a vice.

She shook her head to clear it and checked her phone, no response. Opening that mental box, she shoved her feelings aside once more.

Marinette hopped out of bed and sat down at her desk. She just needs a distraction. Tikki joined the other kwamiis in the Miracle Box hidden in her room while Marinette turned on the news and started sewing...

~~~

The next day, Marinette walked into class, and to her utter surprise and dismay, her seat was taken. There was Lila, chatting up a storm with Alya. Marinette took a breath and walked up to them.

"Hey guys, how's it going...?"

Lila turned and gave Marinette a snake-like smile, "Hey, Marinette, you wouldn't mind if I use your seat right? I have trouble hearing and need to be near the front."

Marinette sighed, she knew she wouldn't be getting out of this one, sitting in the back for one day couldn't hurt, right? Marinette looked over at Alya, "Hey Alya, I thought we had plans yesterday?"

Alya's eyes widened before her face fell, "Oh shoot, sorry girl... Lila and I were catching up yesterday after school and decided to go to that new movie... Lila thought you wouldn't like it so we didn't ask..."

And like a punch to the gut, the wind was knocked right out of her. Marinette's gaze turned icy as she looked at Lila.

"Why wouldn't you ask? And since when did you have a hearing problem again? Oh, let me guess, you went climbing Mount Everest while you were in the States-- oh wait, it isn't in the States." Marinette couldn't stop her anger. She knew whenever she lashed out at Lila it was childish and Lila used it to her advantage, but Mari couldn't help it.

Alya spoke up, "Marinette what the heck? It's not Lila's fault it's mine, and she got partial deafness after attending a Taylor Swift concert in the States. Something messed up with the speakers."

Of course, it did, how convenient. Why go to the new action movie with loud noises then? Marinette got a bit red.

"Listen, I'm sorry I ditched you last night but that doesn't mean you can lash out at Lila for no reason," Alya said firmly.

Marinette tensed. No, it wasn't happening again, was it? Her friends wouldn't all leave her again, would they? The last time, all she had was Adrien to rely on but she couldn't rely on him now, not when he has Kagami. But then again... last time when he knew about Lila's lying habits, why didn't he say anything? Surely everyone would've listened if it came from him, right?

"It's okay Alya, I can tell Marinette really wants her seat back... I'll just go sit in the back," Lila said, which made everyone's eyes turn to Marinette.

Mari sighed, "No, it's fine." she said and walked to the back of the class. The weight on her shoulders felt considerably more heavy.

~~~