Lila
"Bonjour, Mon frere. You finally decided to show up, I see." Lila says eyeing Adrien and Julien as they both take their seats in front of her. She'd arrive to the cafe thirty minutes ago and they were just arriving.
"Bonjour to you too, brat" Adrien retorts pulling Julien's chair closer
"Heyy. I'm not gonna eat him up or something, unless he wants me to" Lila winks at Julien, smirking when he flushes red and looks away. "See, he's perfectly fine and he likes me just like I like him besides he's so cute."
Adrien's face darkens as he eyes Lila warily "Take your filthy eyes off my boyfriend. He's mine."
"Chill out, dude. Possessive much?"
"Yes. You'd never understand cause you've never had one. Can't blame the guys though, you're always an ass-"
" But, I don't think she's that bad " Julien cuts in, his voice low but firm sounding like velvet wrapped in silk (A/N: is that even a thing?. I don't know, I just wanted to describe his voice 😭😂" " I like her. "
" Whose side are you on, cariño? " Adrien all but whines making Lila raise an amused brow. Seems Julien is more than he looks.
" Sabes que siempre estoy de tu lado, cachorro"
You know I always on your side, pup
Adrien's face flushes red as he nods shyly. Lila clears her throat amusedly watching their interaction
"I'm still here,y'know?. If y'all love having audiences, I don't enjoy listening in on gooey conversations. Y'all lovebirds don't hold back, do you?"
"Why would we?" Adrien rolls his eyes
"But pup though?" Lila asks turning to face Julien "I think he's more like a mama bear." Lila says making Adrien frown.
Julien looks up, giving Lila a clear look of his pale clear skin, captivating green eyes, full thick brows and his full rosy lips"Pup fits him best."
Damn. He sure looks appetizing. "Where are you from?"
"From Spain"
"Wow. I take back what I said about you being cute, you're drop dead gorgeous"
" Keep your eyes to yourself, young lady or I can't promise I'll be nice" Adrien warns
" Chill the fuck out dude. I won't do anything besides he looks obsessed with you, his eyes never left you since"
Adrien's head snapped to Julien at a speed so fact Lila thought he'd get whiplash " Is that true cariño? "
Julien moves to speak but Lila interrupts " Enough of that, Adrien. You're not a fucking kid. I've got important issues "
" They are your issues, not mine. And why the fuck do you keep talking to me like we besties? " Adrien frowns
Lila smirks but her eyes spoke volumes on her heartache" How can I forget?. You're the older brother I had, I trusted and the same brother that left me all alone when I needed him and he was the only thing I knew. "
" Lila-" Adrien starts but she cuts him off
" With that out of the way, can we get to business now?" Adrien nods slowly, uncomfortably even
"Mattheiu told you I moved back into the estate right?" He nods again " Good. Dad left a message for me. It's all in this drive. I'd appreciate some help regarding the investigation, if you wanna make it a formal deal. I'm all for it and I feel like there's something off with the estate." she says sliding the flashdrive across the table " And I also got some clues concerning his death. I already dealt with the guy but he'd still come again. I just know it in my bones."
" Okay, whatever happens you know I'm always here for you, right?" Adrien says slowly albeit guiltily
Lila snorts like she heard a bad joke " Says the person that left a twelve year old alone ten years ago"
" I was young and naive back then. And I was hurting!. " Adrien argues
" And I wasn't?!" Lila asked her voice rising slightly making heads turn their way only for them to face their business when they saw Lila's face "I was a kid Addie, I was twelve. You lost your mum and I also lost my mum and my best friend. I was in pain and I needed my brother with me! I wanted you with me."
" I-i wasn't thinking-" Adrien starts but doesn't finish as though he didn't have the words to finish the sentence.
Lila snorts " But what did I get?. My brother running abroad with his visa and I was left alone, stuck with a grieving husband that didn't know any better. My training grew more hectic and worse as if my previous training wasn't bad enough, all because I was the "only" heir he had and he needed to groom me!. I didn't even have the time and space to grieve her. All because my ever loving older brother decided to run away from home cause he was 18 and he had a visa!. You know how much anger, resentment and hatred I felt towards you?. But I told my self I must be better cause it was either because I was weak or annoying or you didn't care that's why you left without even as much as a goodbye. So if I was a little better then maybe I'd be worth being called your family. My younger self couldn't come up with a plausible explanation on why you'd do that, but now I know. You're a selfish asshole that only cares about himself!." Lila shouted her voice hoarse as her eyes gleamed with unshed tears
" Julien. I'm very sorry you had to witness this, I wanted our first meeting to be better than this. And you " she continued facing Adrien " Do what you have to do with the information I gave you and get back to me" Then she walked out leaving Adrien stunned on his seat and mumbling to himself "I'm such a bad sibling. I failed her."
Julien pokes him lightly " I think you should go after her, seems like y'all have a lot to smoothen out. "
Adrien jolts upright like he'd been shocked " Yes, yes. I need to find her" He says as he dashes out the cafe.
" Lila!. Wait!!. " Adrien shouts as he catches up to her
" What do you want?. " She paused with her hand on the door handle
" I- I just wanted to apologize-"
" For what exactly?, for leaving me or for making me grow up quickly, or for making me doubt my self?. What exactly are you sorry for, Adrien? "
" I'm sorry for everything. For every time you had to doubt yourself and I want you to know that I love you so much. "
" Then why'd you leave me alone then, Adrien? " Lila asks her voice breaking, tears falling silently " I waited for you to come back times without number Addie. "
" I know. " He says stepping closer " I didn't know what came over me, I wasn't thinking. And for that, I'm very sorry and I regret it till now. " He said gathering her in his arms as she sobs quietly, her shoulders shaking.
" I m-missed you so much. "
" I know. " He coos
" I thought you d-didn't want me anymore. "
" That's not true." He says rubbing her back
" I still hate you for leaving."
" I know, I know."
After Lila's emotions calmed down, she looked at his shirt in dismay. " I'm not going to apologize for ruining your shirt. You deserved it."
" Ah yes. I did deserve it."
" Good that you know. Now I need to get home before Matthieu starts calling."
Adrien raises an amused brow " What is that I hear?, the mighty Lila Rousseau has a curfew?"
Lila rolls her eyes " I don't. I told him I'd be back early but I'm not home yet and time has gone. I just don't want him to worry"
" If you say so.... I'd call you,okay?."
" Fine, fine. Go back inside, you've kept your "cariño" waiting long enough "
" Bye." He walked inside the cafe.
" Adios" Lila muttered watching him walk away.
Lila slid into the driver's seat, the air thick with exhaust and emotions she was too tired to name.
She started the engine and drove out of the cafe's parking lot.
As she swerved to join the ongoing traffic, Lila caught the reflection in her side mirror; two bikes, same distance, same rhythm.
A shadow of a smirk touched her lips.
"Idiots." she muttered under her breath, shifting gears and taking the next turn sharper than necessary.
If they wanted a chase, she'd give them one they'd regret.
The city rolled by in flashes—sunlight bleeding off rooftops, the smell of fresh bread from a nearby boulangerie, the dull hum of the traffic. And behind her, the roar of engines grew louder.
They were gaining on her.
Her fingers flexed on the wheel, knuckles pale but steady. Whoever they were, they'd picked the wrong day. She'd just patched up her heart after that cafe mess; she wasn't in the mood for another wound.
A pop cracked the air.
A bullet whizzed past her car's window.
It hit the side of her rear window, webbing the glass like frost. Lila swore under her breath and slammed the brakes. Tires screamed. One of the bikes swerved too late—crashed into her bumper and went tumbling across the road.
The second rider slowed, circling back, gun in hand.
Lila stepped out of the car. Calm and controlled. A predator uncoiling.
Her boots crunched glass as she reached into the glove box, pulling out Matthieu's favorite revolver—silver, engraved, and always loaded.
The biker laughed through his helmet. "Big mistake, Rousseau. You should have kept on running."
"Lets get this over with. I need to get home to Matthieu before he starts nagging."
" You should be scared, Bitch. You're just a weak little girl."
"Funny," she said, cocking the gun. "That's what the last guy said."
He fired.
She ducked behind the door, returned two shots. One clipped his shoulder; he staggered but didn't fall, groaning in pain.
Persistent little pest.
The other, the one who'd crashed, was already crawling from the wreck, knife glinting in hand. Lila kicked the door close and stalked toward him.
"Who sent you?" she asked.
He spat blood. "You already know."
The Shadows. Of course. Who else was she expecting?.
Lila's jaw tightened. "Then deliver them a message."
She aimed low, one shot to the knee, clean and efficient.
The man howled in pain.
"I'm done running." she said coldly, stepping back. "Next time, I shoot to kill, regardless of who it is."
Sirens wailed faintly in the distance—somebody must've called it in. Lila glanced at the downed bikers, then back at her cracked car.
Matthieu was going to be furious.
She holstered the revolver, got back in the car and sped off like nothing happened.
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