Post-Reveal: Volpina

Chapter Eleven

"And this is my room," Marinette said, gesturing to her room.

Lila observed it with an expression that was more excited than seemed appropriate. "It's above a bakery?"

"Well, yeah. That's where my parents are."

"Do you get free food?"

"Sure, if Mom or Dad has just baked something. Do you want something to eat?"

"No, no, I'm okay." Lila's eyes swept over the little attic. "I like your room."

"Thanks!" Marinette patted the bed. "You can sit, if you want."

Lila complied. Her eyes caught onto the numerous pictures of Chat Noir and Adrien hung up around her room. Many of them had been colored in with little pink hearts.

"Why do you have pictures of Chat Noir strung up on your walls?"

A flash of something- maybe panic, maybe guilt?- crossed Marinette's face, but she regained composure before Lila could identify what it was. "Oh, you know... who doesn't have a crush on Chat Noir?"

"But what about Adrien? He doesn't care that your room is covered in pictures of another guy?"

"Um... no..."

"Huh." Lila scrutinized the placement of the photos. "It's weird how you put them so close to each other. I usually have sanctioned-off shrines for each one."

Marinette, thankfully, didn't seem weirded out by this at all. She mostly just seemed nervous, like she was hiding something. "Oh, uh, yeah... I... um..."

Lila was now carefully studying the photos of Adrien and Chat Noir. "You must have a thing for blondes with green eyes or something."

"Y-yeah, that's totally it," Marinette stuttered. "They're... um... really... attractive... I suppose."

"Have you ever noticed how similar Chat Noir and Adrien look?" Lila turned at the absence of Marinette's answer. "Marinette?"

Marinette was desperately pressing her lips together and blushing profusely. Lila raised an eyebrow.

"You okay?"

Marinette nodded, unconvincingly.

Something in Lila's brain clicked, and she gasped dramatically. Because foxes are all about drama.

"Chat Noir is-"

Marinette clamped a hand over Lila's mouth. "Shh!" she hissed. "My parents will hear you!"

"But he really is?" Lila whispered.

"Yes," Marinette admitted.

"Ohh! Wait, but isn't he dating La- Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..." Lila's face went slack. "La... dy... bug."

If it was possible for Marinette's face to get redder, it did.

Lila clutched her face. "But- you're Ladybug?"

Marinette smiled guiltily.

"But... I'm so confused." Lila moved her hands up to the top of her head. "I thought you hated me!"

"Um... well, I... no, well of course I don't! You, um, wouldn't forgive me, and so... well, if I couldn't make you feel as though Ladybug was your friend, I could at least make you feel better by having Marinette as a friend," Marinette explained.

Lila nodded pensively. "I see."

"Are you mad at me?"

"What? No," Lila lied. The gears in her brain were turning, plotting her revenge against Ladybug for humiliating her when they had first met. She still hadn't forgotten, and it had even been caught on camera somehow, which was just rubbing salt in the wound. Now was the perfect chance to avenge herself. "It was a... really sweet gesture of you."