Chapter One – Sexual Harassment and Adrinette

Adrien doesn't mind sitting next to Lila. He doesn't mind helping Lila with her school work, provided she actually does her school work. He does mind when Lila lies to sit up the front with him, meaning that two other people have to move just so she can; one his best friend, and the other the girl he's trying so hard to protect. He does mind when Lila tells lies; about Ladybug, Marinette, their so called 'relationship', and about her arthritis, tinnitus, and any other injury she makes up to get people to bow down to her every need.

And, most of all, he does mind when Lila leans into him, whispers in his ear, runs her hand up his leg.

Adrien grits his teeth, trying to ignore the girl's weight against his arm, the comments she keeps whispering in his ear. If they were about the work, that might've been okay, but they're not. They're about their classmates, the teachers, Paris's superheros. He tries to pay attention to what Ms Bustier is saying. Something about the comprehension of a poem. Or perhaps the structure of a prose fiction.

He glances at the clock. Half an hour. Just half an hour and then he can escape for a while, run off to his bodyguard and go home for lunch. He can make it. He knows he can. He's Cat Noir, he's waited this long for Ladybug's heart, he can wait for lunch.

But he can't. Not with Lila. Not with her leaning against him, not with her hot breath against his ear every time she whispers something, not with her constant string of lies. The final straw is when she puts her hand on his thigh, sliding it up slowly towards his–

He jumps up, grabs his things, and almost sprints up the stairs to the back of the room. Marinette stares at him in surprise, and he smiles at her, ignoring Ms Bustier's surprised "Adrien?" and Lila's whining.

"Can I sit with you?"

Her response is pushing back against the seat, allowing him to slip past her and sit down. He sits his bag on the ground at his feet, and the rest of his things back on the desk. Marinette frowns at him, wondering what happened, but he just smiles and shakes his head slightly. As if understanding what he means, she turns back to her work.

Ms Bustier frowns at him, but thankfully it appears to be more out of concern then annoyance. He feels something brush against his leg and jumps, but when he looks down it's just Marinette putting a folded note onto the bench between their legs. He moves it onto his thigh and unfolds it.

Are you okay?

He looks up at her and she smiles, concern evident in every crevice of her face. He nods and shrugs. She seems to understand. Lila glares over her shoulder at him, but he makes a point to focus on Ms Bustier, hoping she does the same.

"You can pack your things away now." Ms Bustier says half an hour later. A quick glance at the clock tells Adrien they have about a minute until the bell.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Marinette says, turning to face him. He's surprised to see she's already put her things away.

"I'm fine, I just . . . I couldn't concentrate." He uses the excuse of grabbing his bag to look away from her.

"And you could from here?" There's no hidden question in her voice, just sincerity, and, maybe, a little hope. He smiles at her.

"Yeah."

She beams at him. "Good."

"Adrien?" Ms Bustier calls, and they both turn to face her. "Can you stay behind for a minute? I just want to talk to you."

"Yes Ms." The bell goes and everyone but Adrien, Lila and Chloé stand up. Adrien grabs Marinette's hand and she looks down at him questionably. "Can you stay?" She chews on her lip, glancing at their teacher, before nodding and sliding back into her seat.

"You girls can leave as well." Ms Bustier says, noticing they haven't left yet. Chloé gets up, muttering to herself. Lila stays put, so she stops in front of her desk and raises an eyebrow.

"I didn't know you weren't a girl, Lila."

Marinette snorts quietly next to him, and he grins, gripping her hand tighter. Lila glares at Chloé and makes a big show of getting out of her seat and leaving the classroom. Adrien and Marinette walk up to Ms Bustier's desk and wait patiently for her to start talking.

"You can go as well, Marinette. Adrien's not in trouble." She smiles kindly at her, and Marinette looks at him, grimacing in apology. She starts to slip her hand from his but he grips hers tighter, interlacing their fingers.

"I want her to stay." He says, looking back at Ms Bustier. "Please."

She smiles. "Okay; so long as Marinette's comfortable to do so." Said girl nods her confirmation. "I just wanted to know why you switched seats."

Adrien shifts uncomfortably, and Marinette leans against him slightly, squeezing his hand. Unlike with Lila, he knows she's just letting him know she's there.

"She was making me uncomfortable." Ms Bustier frowns slightly, leaning back against her desk.

"How so?"

"Um . . ." He glances at Marinette quickly. She smiles encouragingly, and he feels warmth flood through him. Warmth at the fact that, despite not knowing what happened, she's willing to stand by him. "She was whispering things in my ear, things that had nothing to do with the lesson. Or school. And she, um . . ." He feels his cheeks flush. "She kept touching me."

"Touching you?" Marinette asks at the same time as Ms Bustier.

"Where?" Their teacher adds, frown deepening in even more concern.

"My leg. She kept running her hand up it." Marinette squeezes his hand, and he squeezes back.

"Thank you for telling me. I will talk to her and make sure she is aware that that kind of physical contact is not appropriate, or welcome, in my classroom or this school." Marinette makes a move to leave and he pulls her back against him gently.

"Ms, when Lila says she needs to sit at the front of the classroom, rather than making Nino sit in Marinette's spot and Marinette sit at the back, can't you just move either Nino or I? Or Sabrina or Chloé, since they sit at the front of the class too."

"I'd like to keep Nino at the front of the class, I think he learns best that way. And Sabrina and Chloé have sat there all year." Adrien's shoulders deflate slightly.

"Marinette's sat in her seat all year, too." He mutters, but Marinette taps her finger against his hand, telling him to not be disrespectful. Judging by Ms Bustier's expression, she heard him.

"I'll take what you've said into account. I'll see you next lesson." She smiles at them, squeezing both of their shoulders in support.

"Did you tell her to stop?" Marinette asks once they're outside.

He bites his lip. "I . . . I didn't really think of that."

She shakes her head, bumping her shoulder against his. "Don't worry, a couple more unwanted touches and that'll be the first thing out of your mouth." She grins at him and he rolls his eyes.

"Are you going to the cafeteria?"

"No. I'm going home." The light tone in her voice disappears, and Adrien frowns at her in concern.

"How are you and Alya?"

"About the same as you and Nino."

"You picked up on that?" He scratches the back of his neck.

"Yeah," She smiles at him sadly. "I'm sure he'll come around though."

"I'm sure Alya will too."

She ducks her head, looking at her feet. "I hope so. I thought it'd be easy to go back to being alone."

He frowns, putting a hand on her shoulder to turn her to face him. "Pardon?"

She sighs, looking out over the courtyard. "I didn't really have many friends before Alya came. I was friendly with the other girls, and with Nino, but we didn't really . . . hang out."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. I'm glad we're all friends now." She smiles at him and he grins. Her smile falters. "At least, used to be." They continue down the stairs. "You go home for lunch, don't you?"

"Yeah." She bites her lip and fiddles with her fingers nervously. He's about to ask her what's wrong, when she trips over her feet. "Woah!" He exclaims, grabbing her upper arms before she can fall. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Fine mine. I–I mean I'm fine." She laughs nervously, cheeks flushing.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep. Fine. Totally fine." She points finger guns at him, before facepalming. He bites his lip so he doesn't laugh.

"Good. I, uh, guess I'll see you after lunch?"

"Yeah," He pats her shoulder and moves past her, prepared to walk outside. "Wait!" He starts to turn around, when she grabs his hand and pulls him out of the doorway. "Do you want to come to mine for lunch?"

"Really?" A grin breaks out on his face when she nods. "Oh my God! That'd be great!" His smile disappears. "What about my bodyguard?"

"Why do you think we're huddled against the wall?"

He snorts. "Okay, everyday Ladybug," He winks at her and her cheeks flush, but she rolls her eyes. "What's your plan?"