Lila roughly pulls out another one of Marinette's draws. Nothing. This was useless! All she could find were pictures of Adrien, not even scandalous ones! Besides everyone already knows about her massive crush on Adrien, that isn't any kind of dirt! This is so much harder than outright lying, but she has to present some sort of evidence every now and then. In her closet? No nothing. Screw it, she's just going to frame her for something again.
Lila hears footsteps on the roof. She closes the closet door, she had snuck up here after all. She waits with bated breath, looking for an escape route. Then Ladybug of all people drops onto Marinette's bed!
She sighs, lying back on the bead before being enveloped in light, leaving behind- MARINETTE!
Marinette is Ladybug! Marinette is Ladybug! This is perfect!
Lila doesnt grove a second thought to bursting out of the closet, Marinette can't touch her now!
"Lila!?" Marinette bolts up, "What are you-"
"I know your secret," Lila tilts her chin up, "Ladybug,"
"Oh, you found out," Marinette shuffles off her bed.
"Don't even think about touching me Marinette," Lila warns lowly, "From now on you're going to do everything I say or I'm telling everyone your secret.
"Why would you do that," Marinette looks genuinely puzzled.
God, she's such an idiot, no wonder she's Ladybug.
"Because if you don't everyone will know you're Ladybug,"
"Wouldn't that be really bad for you?" Marinette asks, walking down to her.
"Wha- What do you mean?" She's unsure, she is never unsure, "Don't come any closer!"
"I mean," Marinette stops at the bottom of the stairs, "Everyone loves Ladybug,"
"But everyone hates you!"
An exaggeration sure, she had not yet managed to pry a few friendships from Marinette's grasp, but surely this-
"Do they hate me more than they love Ladybug?" Marinette tilts her head to the side, looking downright sinister at how little curiosity is actually there.
"..."
Lila doesn't answer. She can't answer. Surely she had done enough damage to Marinette's reputation that people would turn on Ladybug when they found out they were one in the same! Everyone would feel so betrayed that she had lied to them, even Marinette's few remaining friends would turn on her.
"Who do you think they're going to believe you or Ladybug," Marinette prompts, Lila had taken too long.
Her! They had to believe her more, she had worked so hard to steal their trust in Marinette, surely she could do the same with Ladybug. If not she'd be ruined!
"Me," Lila answers, without even any of her fake certainty when lying.
"Adrien didn't,"
No he didn't. Ladybug had swooped in and stolen him from her. Easily. She hadn't even needed any proof beyond her word. But Marinette did have proof, she was relentless in pointing out every flaw in her lies. Combine that with the trust they have in Ladybug...
"Everyone hates you!" Lila lashes out, like a beast in a cage.
"And they will hate you more," Marinette stalks closer, like a predator to it's cornered prey, no fear of it's claws.
But Lila still has claws.
"Then I'll tell Hawkmoth!" This makes Marinette pause her pursuit, Lila smirks smugly, she was back on top where she belongs again.
"If you tell Hawkmoth," Marinette's face draws dark, and she stalks forward slowly, Lila backs up "I will prove to everyone in Paris that I am Ladybug, and tell them you sold me out to Hawkmoth,"
Lila is completely pale. Backed up against the wall figuratively and literally. She has the distinct feeling she poked the beast too hard and it snapped. If she told Hawkmoth a lot more could happen than being called a Lila and turned into a cast out. She had heard the Mayors' decorations of what would become of Hawkmoth and all his allies. She had always been so confident that no one would ever find her out, always see her as the unwilling victim. But Marinette was prepared to go down and she would drag Lila with her.
No.
Lila wanted her to go down, she would just be cutting the rope they were both hanging onto.
No.
Marinette would be hailed as a hero. Everyone would love that she is Ladybug. They would know Lila is a liar. She would regain her popularity before Lila showed up. She would go on to defeat Hawkmoth, throwing him in a cell that Lila had already been left to rot in. Marinette would go on to live the rest of her happy life, the people of Paris, no france, no the world, praising her for her bravery. Showing her in gifts and affection.
All while Lila was left to rot in a cell hated and disgraced. All by her own doing.
"So Lila," Marinette leans in and whispers in her ear, "What's your move?"
