The Jacket

Lie-la

Disclaimer: I have not even graduated high school yet and therefore have none of the money that I would need to buy Miraculous Ladybug.

Marinette ran into class the next day, already several minutes late. "So nice of you to join us," Mme. Bustier told her tardy student.

"Sorry!" Marinette squeaked, quickly running to her desk and putting all of her stuff down. She saw Lila smirking out of the corner of her eye but tried her best to ignore the Italian girl.

First period went by much the same as usual, with Marinette staring dreamily at the back of Adrien's head. The bell rang, and Marinette jumped at the sound, quickly packing up her supplies. She heard someone clearing their throat, and looked up to see Adrien standing next to her desk.

"Hey Mari, can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked, completely ignoring Lila, who was trying to rope him into a conversation about the superheros of Paris.

"O-of course! W-w-what do you n-need?" she stuttered.

"Let's talk in the hallway?"

Marinette bobbed her head in agreement, not missing the glare thrown her way by Lila. She followed Adrien out of the classroom and down the hallway. They ended up outside on the grass, hidden from the rest of the students by some trees and bushes.

"W-what did y-y-you need to t-t-talk about?" she asked him, cursing herself for what a stuttering mess she became around the handsome model.

"Chat Noir talked to me last night and told me about your problems with Lila. He asked me to keep an eye on you and make sure she doesn't get too close to you. Are you okay with that?" he questioned, still completely oblivious to the fact that she didn't stutter because she hated him, but because she loved him too much.

"W-what did he tell you in p-p-particular?" she asked. If that alley cat had said anything about her crying she was going to strangle him with his own tail.

"He just said you were having some problems with her, and you were dealing with a few threats. He didn't go into specifics if that is what you are worried about."

He watched her shoulders slump in relief, and he was glad that he had said the right thing. He didn't want the bluenette feeling any more uncomfortable around him than she already was, and she had made Chat promise not to tell anyone about the crying.

"G-good. T-t-thank you for b-being willing to h-h-help."

"Of course, anything for a friend."

She winced internally at the word, before a picture of Chat Noir popped into her head. Wait, what? (Thats the name of one of my other stories!!) Why was she thinking about her nighttime visitor when she was in the presence of her crush? That made absolutely no sense! She loved Adrien!

"Well, I guess we better get back inside before you are late to class again," he teased.

"You would be late too," she commented, before realizing that she had just gone an entire sentence without stuttering. She had gotten into that zone that she got in only when she was bantering with Chat. That could not be good. Chat and Adrien were to be treated very differently in her mind.

He shot her a surprised look before they walked back into the building, speed-walking towards their next class. They made it just in time for the bell, and sat down before Mme. Mendeleiev could yell at them for disrupting class.

Class ended all too soon, and Adrien stood by her desk again as she packed up. Lila decided that then was the right moment to try to get through Marinette's guard dog--or more accurately guard cat--to talk to the bluenette.