LadyBugOut AU (Snippets)

Emptied Threats

Summary:
Ladybug calls out Lila, and Marinette follows suit.

Chapter Text
“So, Ladybug,” the news reporter began politely, “you’ve been very swift in striking down rumors, but you’ve never discussed the rumor about Lila being a friend of yours. I mean, the Ladyblog is certainly anything but credible, but what are your thoughts anyway?”

Ladybug looked off into the distance, deep in thought. “Hmm, Lila?” She chuckled. “I just haven’t thought about it lately! It seems like such a minor detail now!”

The cameraman let out a snort.

Ladybug continued, her gaze turning more serious, “But, really, I’d never be friends with someone like that. No one should ever claim to be the friend of a superhero. It’s a danger to them and a danger to everyone around them. All it does is make them a target.”

Marinette supposed that she’d gotten used to the inevitable chaos when entering class. It seemed like there was an argument every other day.

Not that Marinette minded, considering most of those were for the best, but still, it was a dice roll on what all the shouting would be about.

Today, the dice rolled to Lila, and Marinette was hardly halfway into the doorway before she was shouted at.

“Marinette, why would you have Ladybug say things like that?!” Lila asked with her usual crocodile tears.

Though, that was an insult to Fang, honestly.

Marinette rolled her eyes, heading for her seat. “I didn’t do anything. I don’t have Ladybug on strings. She only says the truth.”

The class was largely not paying attention, being used to Lila’s constant lies and drama. Marinette herself was only paying mild attention, pretending to be busy preparing for class.

Lila didn’t back down, approaching Marinette’s desk with a glare. She was clearly having a hard time keeping her act up with how angry she was.

Ivan, who was between the two, faced Lila accusingly and raised a brow. “Hey, what do you have against Marinette anyway?” he asked.

Lila stiffened. “N-nothing!” she lied. “I just… thought she was such a nice person!”

Marinette glanced Lila’s way. Lila’s tricks had gotten so old and this all just felt like a retread of old strategies.

Ivan glared. “She’s–” He stopped as Marinette placed a hand on his shoulder.

Marinette stood, leaning on her desk. “You want me to be nice?”

Lila brought her hands to her chest, hunching over to make herself look more vulnerable. The desperation for anyone to believe her was obvious as she nodded. “For the sake of the whole class! I’m worried that you’re dangerous!”

“Oh, no, you’re right,” Marinette agreed with a thoughtful hum. “I should really just get everything out in the open, shouldn’t I?”

Ivan turned to Marinette, confused, while Lila blinked in surprise.

Then, Marinette leaned in Lila’s direction, stating impassively, “You threatened me.”

A majority of the class looked up from their desks, shocked. Lila had frozen up, having clearly not expected Marinette to play that card.

“W-what?!” she asked. “N-no, I didn’t! Why would you–”

“Unlike what some people believe,” Marinette began, not looking at anyone in particular, “being nice doesn’t mean doing nothing and letting bullies walk all over you. People deserve to be warned and told about the bad actions of others, so I’m just telling everyone else what you did to me.”

“But–!”

“And don’t even try to lie your way out of this again. Everyone knows how hard you tried to make everyone hate me. Every trick you pulled when you came back to class was to make you look sympathetic and make me look bad for trying to out you as the liar you are. You didn’t follow me into the bathroom back then to check on me and we all know now that how you’re acting is just a facade, so drop it.”

Putting one foot up on her seat, Marinette stood proud. “And, as a nice person, let me give you a piece of advice: if you want to be adored and have friends, cut the lies and work on your attitude. You’ve been mad at me and Ladybug for calling you out, but maybe if you had an actual sense of dignity, we wouldn’t have to call you out in the first place.”

With that, Marinette sat back down and continued preparing for class. Meanwhile, Lila could only stand there, dumbfounded. Marinette could only imagine that Lila, either by habit or on purpose, was trying to come up with another one of her “super lies,” but knew deep down that they’d be worthless.

Thus, Lila had no choice but to pathetically slink back to her seat, trying to ignore the eyes of the people glaring at her.