So Luka won the vote. The confrontation isn't massive but it's a beginning!

Marinette walked out the room and slammed the door, collapsing against the wall and letting out a frustrated growl. Four days wasted. Four stinking days she wasn't getting back. Four days worth of effort and hard work. Four days!

Pushing off the wall muttering words her mother would wash her mouth out for, she headed back to their rehearsal studio. She'd have to let both Adrien and Gabriel know about the change. She was worried about Adrien's reaction but nowhere near how much she worried about Gabriel's.

She'd reached the studio early that morning after having an email from the production team to meet them before she started rehearsing with Adrien. Of course she panicked over a number of different things they could want her for, but none, and she meant none, were what actually happened. Fuming didn't begin to explain her current emotional state.

After Saturday's show Marinette and Adrien had gone out to celebrate at Five Guys. A malted milkshake and burger was called for after their massive victory in the show that evening. Both were riding high from the success and once they'd put their differences aside they were getting on extremely well. As normal for the life as a celebrity they had been caught on their rendezvous and had been featured in many of the papers the beginning of the following week. This is what Marinette believed to be the catalyst of this event.

Furious tears ran down her cheeks and she wiped away roughly with her finger tips. The tears were sheer anger! She knew she could do this, she was just furious they'd wasted so long. Plus she now only had three days to get a whole new routine together to new music and also a new costume. Gabriel Agreste was not going to be impressed.

Storming through the corridors Marinette was completely oblivious to the shouting coming from behind her.

"M! M, wait up! M!" Someone pulled on her arm pulling her around. She suddenly found herself face to face with Luka. One look at her and he knew this was not good.

"What's happened?" He looked into her eyes, hands placed firmly on her shoulders.

"We've got to change the routine,"

"Did they not like it? Because I'm quite sure it was looking amazing yesterday."

Marinette huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"We've got to change the dance, the style, the song, the costume ... everything! We have three days Luka, three ... days!"

He looked at his friend and screwed his lips up.

"What did she tell them?"

"It doesn't matter, you know people believe everything she says." Marinette looked away and she began to chew the inside of her lip. "I don't even know what to do!"

"M, it does matter. What. Did. She. Tell. Them?" Luka grabbed hold of her shoulders and gave her a little shake, turning her head to stare deep into her blue eyes, hoping the answer would spring out to him.

Marinette sighed with defeat. This was Luka, she could tell him anything.

"Apparently her uncle has been diagnosed with an illness and has been given only a couple of weeks to live. The song which we're performing is his favourite and it'll help her with her depression if she can perform it instead."

"But she doesn't have an uncle."

"You think I didn't try telling them that. I received a warning for being disrespectful to other performers and have been asked to consider my actions wisely if I want to stay on the show. Apparently, they've heard a lot about my reputation."

Luka scoffed.

"Reputation for what? Being a wonderful person? God, Marinette, what are you going to do? What have you been changed to?"

"Skyfall."

"And the style?"

"They said to make it easier on me I can choose, but it can't be the tango."

Looking around Luka began to hum the tune and move his feet.

"Simple then, you'll do the Argentine Tango."

Marientte looked at Luka as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Technically it's a different dance to the tango, and I believe it is also on your list of dances to be covered." He furthered his explanation.

She sprung forward and wrapped her arms around Luka's neck placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

"Luka, you are amazing!"

"Well, I won't disagree with that."

Giggling, Marinette let go and led Luka to her rehearsal studio. They began to discuss ideas and lifts for the tango, trying to make it look good even with only three days of rehearsals.

As they reached the studio window, Marinette noticed Adrien wasn't alone. Inside was Lila, and by the looks of things they were getting on real well.

Her face turned to stone as she slammed the door open and walked in, Luka on her tail.

"Get out!" Marinette hissed through her teeth.

"What's wrong, Mari? Had some bad news this morning?" Her voice was sickeningly sweet as she wrapped her arms around Adrien's and cosied up into his side.

"I'm not going to say it again, Lila, get-" Marinette stopped abruptly as she felt something grab a hold of her arm.

"M, why don't you talk to Adrien about Saturday and I'll walk Lila out."

Lila shrugged and turned to place a kiss on Adrien's cheek before walking out of the studio Luka followed behind.

"Ciao," she called behind her.

Turning back to Adrien, Marinette hated what she saw. His face was slightly flushed and his eyes wide and sparkling. Her stomach twisted and she couldn't help the jealousy that began to spark inside her.

"What was Lila doing in here?" Marinette asked.

"Oh," Adrien turned his attention from where he was watching Lila exit to his partner in front of him. "She - um - she knew I was a big Jagged Stone fan and was telling me about how she saved his kitten. They're close friends and she's going to try and get me an autograph or something."

"You do realise you'll see him on show day?"

"I know but I get nervous around celebrities."

"You do realise you are a celebrity too, you doofus!"

"I know," he laughed, "but seeing him Saturday will be a struggle. Like I said to Lila I'm worried meeting him before we perform will completely throw me off my game."

"I'm sure we can do something to fix that."

Pulling out her phone she texted Luka.

Luka
Get Daddy Dearest here ASAP! The cat is stuck up the tree, I repeat, the cat is stuck up the tree.

Luka closed the door behind himself and Lila. One thing about Luka was he knew how to remain calm, it was one of his biggest attributes.

"At it again I see, Rossi?" He questioned, keeping himself cool, calm and collected.

"I don't know what you mean?" She turned to face him, batting her eyelashes innocently.

"You're lucky Marinette is so pure, because if it was me you pulled this on you'd be regretting it right now."

"Luka, sweetie, I don't know what she's been telling you but we both know Marinette can exaggerate a bit." She flipped her long hair over one shoulder.

"And we both know that's not true, you manipulative little -"

"Now, now, now Couffaine, watch what that pretty mouth is going to say. I wouldn't want to tell the producers that their professional performance for the weekend needed to be cancelled. After all, you're insulting my dead uncle."

"You've forgotten your own lie Lila, nobody's dead."

"Not at the moment, no. So back off." Lila looked at her watch and smirked, "now if you don't mind I need to go and meet Gabriel Agreste, after all Marinette's costume is going to need altering for me." A laugh, which sounded more like a cackle, left her mouth as she walked away.

Luka watched, face screwed in rage as she walked away. His phone buzzed in his pocket pulling his attention back to the present and away from possible hiding places for Lila's dead body.

He read the text from Marinette and smiled. The girl was finally going to play back.

••••••

Marinette had decided it was time to play fire against fire. Lila had spewed tale after tale to Adrien about her 'friendship' with Jagged Stone. It seemed Adrien was a huge fan and fell for it hook, line and sinker. At the end of the day who wouldn't believe a beautiful girl telling you incredible stories about your hero.

But two could play that game.

After explaining to Adrien about the sudden change of routine, they began to piece together and rehearse the new one. It seemed Adrien was very good at pep talks and Marinette found herself incredibly inspired and motivated.

"What are we going to do about costumes? I was told your father won't make anything last minute."

Adrien hummed, sitting beside her on the floor and drinking from his water bottle.

"He's stubborn and won't work under pressure." He looked at the girl next to him. She'd worked hard to get them back on track and he must admit, this routine was better than the last. He still wasn't sure what had transpired, but Marinette gave him nothing to worry about. Unlike Gabriel, it seemed she did work well under pressure.

"Have you made anything we could wear? I mean I know Rose said you don't do costumes, but I don't believe someone like you hasn't at least dabbled with the idea."

Her face turned bright red.

"I may have a couple of outfits suitable, but they're at home in Paris."

"FedEx them out. I'll pay! It'd be an honour to wear a MDC exclusive." Marinette laughed and gave him a little push with her shoulder.

"Maybe I will."

Around lunchtime the camera crew appeared to do their usual daily filming only for Luka to appear too. He dropped Marinette a wink before stepping aside and letting in an extremely flamboyant middle aged man. He had purple hair and a crocodile on a leash. Luka had pulled through and it was time to get one up on Lila's little stunt.

A shriek sounded behind Marinette. She turned sharply to see Adrien with his hands over his mouth and face bright red.

"He's - he's - he's a -"

Marinette couldn't help but laugh at Adrien's reaction as she stepped forward and into the open arms of Jagged Stone.

His eyes only grew wider as he ran over to his bag rummaging through before finally arriving back next to them with a CD in hand. It was five years old and one of Jagged's biggest sellers.

"Sir, hi. Hi, sir. Sign please? I mean - Please can you sign my CD?"

Jagged stepped away from Marinette and laughed.

"Sure thing, Kid."

"He called me kid!" Adrien sounded like an awestruck child, hands cupped together and pulled into his chest, it seemed he'd forgotten the camera's were filming his every move and just unleashed the totally uncool Adrien Agreste. Marinette found something intriguing about him when he wasn't trying to be the perfect daddy's boy.

"The cover of this one is my favourite. I managed to buy an original copy of the print for my room at home."

Marinette's cheeks flustered bright red and she noticed a devilish smirk appear on Luka's face.

"Perhaps Marientte should sign it too then," Luka shouted out. Adrien looked at him quizzically before turning to look at Jagged.

The older man laughed and handed the CD case over to Marinette along with the Sharpie he'd managed to grab from one of the production crew.

"Good idea son," Jagged turned to Luka and gave him a rather awkward thumbs up.

"Marinette?" Adrien asked, looking between the three.

"Well yeah, you see - "

"We don't need to bore Adrien with that story," Marientte said. Her face had taken on the brightest red Adrien had ever seen as she stopped the rockstar from explaining.

"Yes we do." Jagged said before looking into the camera's.

"You see, me and Marinette go a long way back, and it was actually her that designed and created this wonderful piece of art." Jagged took the CD out of her hands and held it up to the camera.

"No. Way!"

"Yes way! She also designed a number of my stage props like my totally epic Eiffel Tower sunglasses."

"Marinette!" Adrien looked over to his partner, eyes wide open and a look of awe placed upon his face.

"Guilty," she said with a giggle.

"You're amazing." He took the CD back off Jagged and placed it in Marinette's hands. "Please can you sign this?"

She nodded in agreement and quickly signed next to Jagged's name on the cover.

"I'm going to treasure this forever." He took the CD back from Marinette and looked dumbfounded at the signatures. This was incredible.

"Now, as much as I would like to stay and chat, I need attend to some business. Would you mind if I borrowed your darling partner for a minute? Marinette and my son need to show me if they've managed to do what I asked of them."

"Your son? You have a son?" Adrien asked. He had a son and Marinette knew him. This was one hell of a day, maybe with a bit of luck he could meet Jagged's son and become friends with him. That would be totally awesome.

"Guilty," Luka's voice sounded out from the corner of the room and he couldn't help but watch as Adrien's jaw took on the look of dislocation.

"This is just - wow!" Marinette laughed at Adrien before tapping him on the shoulder.

"I'll be back soon."

They began to walk out the door when Adrien finally found his voice again.

"Mr Stone, can I ask you a question about your kitten?"

"Kitten?" Jagged queried, eyebrows scrunched together. "Never had a kitten, kid, just Fang." He bent down and patted the crocodile on the head before leading Marinette out the door.

••••••

Time to Vote

So they need costumes which are in Paris, but how are they going to get them?

🖤 Nino makes an appearance complete with costumes
❤️ Adrien pays for next day delivery with FedEx

Either way I don't think Gabriel is going to be impressed.