(OOF. I FINALLY GOT THIS UP. PLEASE BE HAPPY. I'M SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG.)

After the incident with Kim, Marinette had a whole new reputation, not just the silent-pretty-girl with the resting bitch face, and was widely spread to not mess with unless you wanted to get a royal beat down with just words alone.

Even after all that happened, there were some tough guys who thought that Kim was just weak to be brought down by a girl and went looking for her, only to receive the same fate, some a little more violent when catching her in a bad mood.

She didn't even try that hard, they made it so easy.

Then Kim finally walked up to her, weeks later, like she expected him to, eventually.

"I'm sorry," he told her, up front. Marinette's expression had turned sly, as she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed.

"Do tell," she started, people looking over at them, "what you're apologizing for." Kim seemed to have seen this coming, as he didn't seem deterred.

"For being a jerk," he frowned, looking at Nathaniel who was next to her, watching him carefully, "and a bully. It's...it's not a nice feeling, being on the receiving end."

She nodded, accepting the answer, "No one likes a bully. I know you're not going to change overnight," she goes back to her drawing, "but work on your people skills, dude."

Kim left with a blooming crush on one of the most stoic people in Paris.

But she was right, you can't change overnight.

-

Kim became a new constant, trying to show Marinette he was trying to improve, but old habits die hard. He still struggled, but he was slowly being accepted, which was the most difficult.

Why would anyone trust a bully?

But he worked hard, Marinette could see that, but she had just expanded her friend group by one already, and she didn't really want another so soon, let alone one who had a crush on her. Oh, she noticed. He wasn't very subtle, and it disturbed her how forward he was.

So, Marinette did her best to avoid him.

This was just how things were going, and she just accepted it. This was her normal.

But, of course, something just had to happen.

"What are you wearing?" the woman spat, her long hair in waves down her back, styled elegantly. She was in a stylish outfit, and sunglasses pushed  in her hair. Her blue eyes and sneer reminded me of someone. Plus, the way she speaks is just like- "The fabric is so cheap! And you think you can pull off that much black in one outfit?! And your hair looks like a rats' nest! Disgusting!"

"Yeah, you're not exactly looking fantastic, either," she scoffed at her, looking her up and down, "you look like Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras threw up on you. At the same time."

The woman gasped, looking outright offended, and looked at Mr. Bourgeois who appeared behind her, looking apologetic. 

"Andre, did you hear what she just said to me?!"

"Sorry, honey, Marinette is like that to everyone, and you insulted her," he rubbed the back of his neck. I felt sorry for putting him in the situation, but he was right. "Marinette, this is my wife, Audrey Bourgeois."

"Oh," Marinette looked at her once again, seemingly not impressed, "that explains a lot." She turned back to her book, which was now on the Korean language, because why not? "I would say it's a pleasure, but, it really isn't. Parents go over there, where the chairs are," she waved them over lazily to the side of the classroom.

Today was a day parents got to see what their kids got to do during school, an idea presented by, to Marinette's dismay, Madame Aime. The event was quickly spread around and soon enough, flyers were sent home and then it was the day.

Tom and Sabine sat in their chairs, giddy to see Marinette's performance and what she does at school. Audrey stomped over, and sat down in the chair next to Sabine, who jumped at the angry woman. Andre followed after and sat next to his wife, already exhausted.

"How dare she wave me off!" the woman huffed, crossing her arms, glaring at Marinette, who flipped a page of her book. "There's nothing good about her! Chloe is much better than her."

"Now, Audrey..." Andre tried, and suddenly Sabine was leaning over and smiling at him.

"Mr. Bourgeois! I thought you wouldn't be able to make it from how busy you are, I'm glad you made time!" she greeted warmly, looking at the woman next to him curiously. 

"Oh, Sabine, how nice to see you. Yes, yes, I'll always do my best to make time for Chloe, she's my precious daughter, after all."

"I know how that is," Tom sighed dreamily, watching as Marinette glanced over to them, and he waved excitedly. She rolled her eyes, but he saw the small smile on her lips.

"Ah, Tom, Sabine, this is my wife Audrey! I believe this is the first time you'll be meeting her."

"Oh!" Sabine brought a hand to her mouth, smiling, "I figured she was, Chloe looks very much like you, Mrs. Bourgeois. Just as beautiful."

Despite hearing compliments all the time, being quite famous, Audrey flustered slightly from the genuine compliment. The way Sabine said it was full of warmth, one that only another mother would understand.

But instead of thanking her, she looked away bashfully, not letting the woman- Sabine- know that she let it get to her, and instead, gloated, "Of course she is, she's my daughter, after all!" 

Sabine only laughed, nodding in agreement. 

It was quiet, and class was going to start in a few minutes.

Audrey looked at Sabine from the corner of her eye, watching her lean on her husband, hugging his arm as they watched their child. She grew curious. 

"Which one is yours?" She wasn't curious, nor did she care. She just wanted to know who the child of this...nicer, woman was.

Sabine nodded her head towards the area she had been at previously, "Over there, the girl with midnight hair and bluebell eyes," Audrey twitched, looking at Marinette in disbelief. "I think I saw you meet her, briefly. Marinette, my daughter," she shook her head, "she's really a nice girl, I promise you, but she's not one to beat around the bush."

"She's rude," Audrey huffed, "insulted me."

Sabine turned to her, smile in place, but this time it was off, as she tilted her head. It was a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "Marinette only insults someone once they've insulted her or someone she cares about," she drawled and Tom shifted, giving her hand a small squeeze. "She doesn't start fights unless she has a reason to. She won't care who you are, status doesn't matter to her. To her, you're just another person." 

Audrey clamped her mouth shut, and Sabine faced forward again as the teacher came in and announced that classes were to begin.

She pursed her lips, and crossed her legs as well, eyes shifting to Marinette, who put her book away and sat with her pencil and notebook out. Looking rather bored as she waited.

What was so special about this Marinette anyways?

She's just a child.