lila's revenge

Chapter 8

marinettes pov:

I heard a quiet landing on my balcony and peered through the skylight to see Chat waiting there for me. He saw me looking and smiled. But there was something else hidden behind that mask. Was he nervous?

No Marinette of course not he loves ladybug! I put it to the back of my mind and decide to ask him later.

But as soon as i step onto the balcony there's just something that makes me blurt, "You love ladybug don't you?"

He looks startled before chuckling and saying "Good evening to you too Marinette." He turns away to watch the stars and I watch him expectantly, waiting for my question to be answered. Normally I'd ask again, but there's something about his mood that says he's already trying to answer it.

As I thought, after a few more seconds of nothing but the wind making a sound, he turns around and says " Yes, I do. More than anything. My hesitancy wasn't doubt towards my feelings, I just... I didn't want to put Ladybug under pressure to like me back." looking up at me he adds, "But i trust you Marinette, even though I hardly know you." And with that he smiles at me, expecting me to return the expression.

 So when I don't his face turns to concern. He opens his mouth to speak but I start to talk.

"Chat, it's lovely that you put so much faith into Ladybug, and i'm sure she really appreciates it..." i say with a sigh, walking to the railing and resting my arms on the top "..but what if she's a no-one in her normal life?" I glance over my shoulder to see him walking towards the railings.

"I know that whoever is behind that mask is the girl I love, and whoever she may be, she's perfect regardless of her opinion of herself." he says, glancing at me, his eyes standing out against the darkness of the night. "You two are quite similar actually."

I tense and try to give off a casual but surprised reaction. He smiles and continues " You're both so self-deprecating. You need to be more positive and proud of yourself. I know I don't know Ladybugs identity, but I do know yours so I can say with absolute certainty that you're an awesome girl Marinette. You are the only person who doesn't think that." He finishes, turning away to watch the moon.

"Chloe and Lila don't think it either." I mutter under my breath, not intending for him to hear my personal problems. His ears prick up, hearing every word, causing him to chuckle and look at me with humour in his eyes.

"You mean Chloe Bourgouis?" I nod hesitantly before he bursts out laughing. "As in the girl who pretended to be Ladybug, made a news show about herself as Ladybug and also stole your diary? Not to mention how many people she's akumatized and how almost the entirity of Paris is against her because she joined forces with Hawkmoth?" I nod again, a smile forming on my lips. 

"Well when you say it like that it just sounds stupid" I giggle before the smile leaves my face and i continue. "I don't know but there's something about her that just makes me really angry. But I can handle her because people know what she's like so they don't take her seriously. And she improved when Ladybug gave her the bee miraculous so it's a shame she let her down."

Chat nods along and when he thinks i'm done, says "See! So no one thi -"

"But then there's Lila." I butt in, my eyebrows furrowing as I concentrate on saying it correctly. "She's different to Chloe. She's smart... cunning... well she's a liar. She's manipulative too. She has everyone in class wrapped around her finger except me and Adrien."

Chat looks at me quietly, lost in thoughts before asking "But you know Adrien's on your side?" 

"Yes for sure!" i smile at him and he smiles in return. So much for being jealous, he must just care that someone is looking out for me. But why didn't Adrien just tell him that? Who knows. I snap out of my thoughts about the model. There's something I'm forgetting to mention, but what?! Of course! That time she threatened me in the bathroom.

"But here's the problem Chat." his smile quickly changes to concern and he gestures for me to continue. "There's stuff that Lila has said and done that I just can't tell Adrien."

"Like what?" he asks, a look of hurt crossing his face before quickly changing back to concern.

"Well this isn't the first time Lila has threatened me. She threatened me last year too, telling me she would ruin my life and make Adrien hate me if I didn't accept her lies and give her my friends and him." I look to the floor when I've finished, trying not to cry. I guess even I didn't realise how much misery Lila had caused me.

Chat hugs me tightly, before mumbling into my hair "You should tell him."

I pull back abruptly, before looking at him hard and saying firmly "No. And you can't tell him either okay? He's so sweet and lovely to everyone. I don't want my personal problems clouding his judgment because then I'd be as manipulative as Lila. He needs to make his own opinions on people. After hardly being able to see anyone for years, I'm not going to tell him who he can and can't be friends with. And I don't want him to think he has to change to protect me in any way.

He opens his mouth to argue but I speak quickly.

"I can look after myself Chat." I say, my tone harsher than I intended but I guess it will get the message across.

He looks down before kicking the floor with his boot and muttering "If you say so."

I feel sorry for him but now isn't the time for sympathy. If I apologise he might think I've allowed him to tell Adrien, and I can't let him do that. Adrien comes first, even over Chat, but the more times I do it, the more guilty and full of doubt I feel.

After a few minutes of silence I cough awkwardly and say gently "It's getting late, you should head home."

He nods before looking up from the floor and smiling so sweetly. He was sad a moment ago how does he always manage to be happy?? I immediately feel even worse. This poor cat. I treat him badly as both sides of myself, yet he's the most loyal person I know. He's my best friend, without a doubt. I smile back after a few seconds.

He stretches and I think he's about to jump away but then he walks closer to me and says "But first..."