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vln-vibes · 4 years

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Into the Unknown

Ah-ah, oh-oh

Ah-ah, oh-oh, oh-oh

Jason Peter Todd-Wayne was nineteen years old; by any means he should be an ordinary teenager if not for the following facts;

He was the adopted son of Bruce Wayne

He was the second boy wonder, Robin; a vigilante in Gotham.

He was raised in the streets and had training, making him anything but ordinary.

Oh yeah and most importantly:

He died and came back to life two years later by means of the Lazarus Pit.

And was the Red Hood, the new Kingpin of Gotham’s underground.

Jason could still feel the Pit Rage traveling along his veins and into his very essence. He could see it in the white hair he had developed and in the venomous green that invaded his once cerulean eyes.

Even after the year long training; even after confronting the Batman; even after beating his replacement ; even after reconciling with Grayson; and even after coming back home to Alfred.

He thought it would be enough, revenge and then acceptance; that it would be enough to stop the voices in his head.

Even after rejoining the family; Forgiving Bruce for never avenging him it was never about his death that was his own fault.

After apologizing to his replacement and admitting that he was a worthy Robin, a better one than he ever was.

Accepting Dick’s apology for his shitty personality as a big brother Jason thought he was the best he could get.

Apologizing to Alfred for being an idiot and getting himself killed.

He even went so far as to warn Bruce of surprises Talia had for him.

Hell , he even got reunited with Diana, was the second teary reunion he had other than Alfred…

That rage never left him.

No matter how much he tried reigning it in; he began to question if he was really a changed man or if he was a ticking time bomb, an ugly explosion coming their way.

All he knew was that there was something out there; beyond Gotham, maybe even beyond the country, that was calling out to him. But was it worth the risk?

Into the unknown

Ah-ah, oh-oh

Marinette Dupain-Cheng wondered if the choices she made would be worth it. Sure she had talked it over with the kwami and with her teammates; Queen Bee, Viperion and Ryuko. They all agreed that it was time for change:

Time to confiscate the ring from Chat Noir.

But what would happen once she did?

The choice was up to her but what did it mean for Paris, for her?

He stopped being a real hero or her partner for some time now but Good Luck and Bad Luck had to be balanced; she’d have to find a replacement as soon as possible.

What if she couldn’t? What were the consequences of tipping the balance?

What if she couldn’t make the matter quiet and without a fight?

She was sure that Paris would lose faith in its heroes if they find out the ‘ dynamic duo ’ split or that Chat Noir went rogue; though its not like people weren’t already suspecting that, if the threads on the Ladyblog that weren’t complaining about Alya’s declining quality had anything to say.

She just wished the voice in her head would stop trying to make the decision for her.

I can hear you but I won't

Some look for trouble

While others don't

Jason was never an angel but for once he tried to keep focus and ignore the annoying voices fighting for dominance; he did not go through all this shit just to throw it all away.

He and Bruce still had a rocky relationship at best. One slip up and he knew that he’d be forcefully pulled from the field if not locked up in the depths of Arkham.

He really wouldn’t put it past Batman to do so.

So he kept up the image of a son who was trying, trying to be good; even if it was based on Bruce’s standards. He was mostly trying for the sake of Alfred than himself.

It didn’t matter that he was still in charge of the underground in secret, he needed a backup plan in case this whole thing with Bruce blew up in his face anyhow. Besides he made sure kids weren’t being touched by the filth of Gotham as much as he could.

No matter how much he thought that the scum of Gotham didn’t deserve to take another step or breathe another breath of air which The Toxic Voice flared up at his ideas.

Jason was getting tired of the same old routine, he wasn’t allowed out without supervision; still a liability, still a ruthless killer, still a disappointment. He couldn’t even leave the stupid manor!

Jason Todd was dead after all.

No matter how much he longed for freedom, no matter how frustrating it was that he didn’t get to live a normal life, no matter how much he actually wanted to continue his education, no matter how much he felt like a caged animal.

Only he knew what he would do if he took that leap,

The fallout would not be pretty and for what?

There's a thousand reasons

I should go about my day

And ignore your whispers

Which I wish would go away, oh-oh-oh

Whoa-oh

She knew she kept procrastinating, the longer she waited the harder the fallout.

But she just couldn’t handle that stress right now;

Not with everything happening in her civilian life, her life with little miss perfect and her posse, helping out her parents at the bakery, her commissions as MDC pilling up, her responsibilities as the Guardian of the Miraculous, her responsibility as Ladybug, leader of Team Miraculous, the only people keeping Paris from falling into ruins no thanks to Hawkmoth and definitely no help from Chat Noir.

She didn’t want the added stress.

But it wasn’t about Marinette’s wants; the safety of Paris came first and foremost.

Marinette was the new Guardian after all, she could no longer think about her desires first at least that’s what Marinette had convinced herself of.

It was a normal night of patrolling with her small permanent team, she still had Bunnix, Roi Singe and Pegasus on standby as temporary holders (she still had to gauge their loyalty and trustworthiness but she was already thinking of making them permanent users once the whole thing with Chat was taken care of). Rena Rouge was permanently benched while Nino himself managed to wave her down and tell her that he understood he wasn’t exactly the most worthy to be a holder, at least for now; he expressed his remorse for watching his childhood friend being bullied and ostracized while standing by and doing nothing while Carapace was supposed to be able to protect others. Marinette was truly proud of Nino, he was taking steps to be a better person, especially once he broke up with Alya, which got the girl akumatized and she decided to blame Marinette for some reason if she had to bet it was Lila.

“Ladybug, you know you’re our friend right?”

The statement startled the scarlet hero from her tangent, realizing that the group was finally at the meeting point for the end of patrol. The three teammates looked at her in concern and before she realized it she was being embraced in a hug, her body turning limp as she slumped into it.

“I’m tired of this” she confessed

But the voice in her head kept telling her that her job was not over, it would never be done. It was a cruel reality she bitterly admitted and told her team so; they had understood as Ladybug made them permanent holders, a warning she had not gotten when being given the earrings though she wonders if it would have made a difference at the time.

The voice, that stupid voice that was beginning to be the bane of her existance, kept trying to convince her to travel elsewhere, that she had to look for something;

Marinette just wished for it to leave her alone.

You're not a voice

You're just a ringing in my ear

Jason learned to ignore the stupid voices; mostly the Toxic Voice. He kept a poker face as they continued to clash in his head, the Toxic one intensifying as Damian finally made an appearance.

Even with his higher than thou not holier because the Al Ghuls made sure to taint his soul as soon as possible, stripping him away of his childhood just as Jason had personality, Jason still felt protective of the kid, quickly taking over as the one to teach him that the family, as complicated as it was, just wanted to let him experience his childhood. Damian made sure to remind him of all the people he killed even though he was a few months shy of his tenth birthday.

Thanks to the warning that Jason gave him, Bruce was able to locate Talia and demanded that she hand over their child. Talia only relented because she was aware of a coup coming, Slade Wilson being at the center as she was sure he’d want revenge since Damian was the one who slashed his eye, she even told Bruce so with, what he could say was disturbingly, fondness from such a memory.

Now the Demon Brat, as he and Tim had started calling him after he tried killing both of them though Jason was mostly because his mother ordered him to, was Jason’s cellmate. Jason had taken to tutoring Damian in classical literature, mostly as a distraction for himself as well as become his sparring partner.

Alfred had suggested meditating would help calm them as an effort to decrease their violent tendencies though Jason physically had improved but his mental state was still a mess of yelling voices not that he ever told anyone; he’d only recently been allowed to patrol on his own twice a week.

During one of those meditation sessions Damian decided to ask Jason:

“What’s keeping you here? You could leave if you really wanted to, so why haven’t you?”

Jason had forgotten how freakily observant Damian was, something he would bet was genetic with both his parents, before stopping to think.

It wasn’t that the family still didn’t trust him, but what if he reverted back to his old ways? Jason almost felt defeated at the thought of disappointing his family just because he thought he didn’t need their help anymore.

They were the only thing that kept him grounded these days.

Especially with the annoying voices.

And if I heard you, which I don't

I'm spoken for, I fear

Ladybug’s instincts kept telling her to look for something, just as they had ever since Chat went rogue on her.

But she couldn’t just leave Paris, even with the Horse Miraculous she found the risk too high, so she just ignored it. She planned to do so until an Akuma attacked.

The Akuma was named Twin Blades with four arms and two massive swords on each side, a pair of kendo students who were frustrated that they failed their ranking exam. A hit from their blades would causey the victims to absorbed within them.

For once Chat Noir showed up, much to the annoyance of Team Miraculous, only to get absorbed first while throwing a tantrum as Ladybug for not reciprocating his crush.

She almost felt bad for being grateful that he was absorbed first.

Ryuko seemed to be tag teaming with Queen Bee as the two distracted and attacked the Akuma while Viperion evacuated nearby civilians and waited for his cue to activate Second Chance. Ladybug took her chance to activate Lucky Charm a piece of paper falling; 40.0583 N, 74.4057 W.

Ladybug left the battle, hoping the three would be able to handle the situation on their own as she made sure to jot down the coordinates into her yo-yo and sending it to the Horse Miraculous, before deactivating her transformation and giving Tikki a cookie.Wasting no time she made her way to Max’s house, transformed back into Ladybug and handed him the Horse Sunglasses.

“Once we get to the battle I need you to open a portal to this location, I’ll tell you what you need to get once we’re ready”

Pegasus only nodded at the fearless leader as the two leaped upon the rooftops, much easier than the street, and found some rather unfortunate loses on the Miraculous side. It seems that Queen Bee was struck as she was missing from the battle, they also arrived just in time to prevent Ryuko from being absorbed with Pegasus’ boomerang horseshoe.

Viperion nodded towards them and signaled for Ladybug to go.

“Lucky Charm!”

A red and black polka dotted container of face paint had landed on Ladybug’s hands as Pegasus opened the portal. Marinette wondered where the coordinates would lead.

“Make sure both of them come back with you!” Viperion yelled out as he distracted Twin Blade, narrowly missing the blade as the light post he was above disappeared.

What exactly had she planned in the last few rewinds?

Everyone I've ever loved is here within these walls

I'm sorry, secret siren, but I'm blocking out your calls

I've had my adventure, I don't need something new

I'm afraid of what I'm risking if I follow you

Jason felt the persistent voice bothering him at the god forsaken hour of five in the morning; he didn’t even have patrol that night goddammit! By six he had enough and decided to do some meditating in order to keep it in check.

Where to go? He wondered, one of the voices blurted out Europe and as much fun as that would be he’d have to pass.

He was about to enter the Bat Cave before looking out and seeing Damian doing tai chi in the garden at least it was an improvement from cutting up the flora with his katana.

“What are you doing demon brat?” he found himself asking as he stepped outside and into the cold foggy Gotham dawn.

“Are you blind Todd? Couldn’t sleep so I’m making use of my time by excersising” Damian didn’t make an effort to look at Jason as he continued, he learned to not take it personally as the prick was this way with everyone.

‘Might as well do it here’ he thought to himself, taking a seat underneath an old oak tree they had, it still had the swing that Bruce tied on it when Dick had moved in.

Ignore the voice, focus only on me.

Jason chanted the thought over and over again; they had to be if he wanted to keep them in check. It was almost half an hour later that he felt the hairs of his arms stand up, one of the voices giving him a sense of longing and the other of danger but it was coming from the Toxic Voice he felt compelled to think whatever was coming may get rid of him, a win in his opinion.

Jason pushed himself in front of Damian, the brat complaining that he didn’t need his help, as a bright turquoise portal appeared.

Out came a dude wearing rounded sunglasses, very light brown dreads that were tied up and oh yeah a spandex looking outfit; with different variations of dark brown the outfit and leather straps along with a horseshoe on the collar, he looked like he might be involved in businesses that Damian had no need to be exposed to.

Yep this was definitely a whole different kind of weird

“I seem to be in the United States” the weird guy said to himself as he stepped out of the portal before looking at them, like a target being spotted. “We need your help, follow me”

Oh hell no.

No way.

He didn’t care what the voices were saying;

There was no way he was going to follow some weird horse guy𑁋

Damian did not just agree and go through the portal.

Jason stepped his foot down; he was not about to follow the brat into some weird portal. He ruined whatever trust the family had gained, Jason could just say that he tried to get the kid to stay but that he just left. He didn’t care that this was his little brother or Bruce’s biological son.

It didn’t matter that they had no clue where this thing would lead to; the risk was too high and the price to pay was too;

His and Alfred’s bonding time in the kitchen, as they seemed to be the only ones capable of actually making food.

The Batboys movie night with Dick, Tim and the brat.

The workout and spars done with his new sister Cass, a total bad bitch who could kick his ass if she wanted to.

The stupid memes Stephanie would send him every now and then.

The silent hours reading in the study while Bruce went over cases, no longer feeling like they were about to step on eggshells around each other.

All the progress made; he didn’t even break when he found out about Barbara when they reunited and he wasn’t going to do it now.

He didn’t care that the same voice that was telling him to go was also telling him that he’d regret it if something happened.

If the kid got himself injured or worse killed just like hi𑁋

He was going to kill that kid for getting into this mess! Were Jason’s last thoughts as he stepped inside and 𑁋

Into the unknown

Ladybug waited tensely for Pegasus to come back with whatever it was he was retrieving. She let out a breath of relief as she saw him come back but was quickly confused when two more figures came back, both clad in black sweatpants and hoodies, though one looked like it was workout gear and the other like it was meant for nightwear. Both were male, one younger than herself and the other a little older than Luka. She wondered what they were up to when Pegasus retrieved them.

They were startled when Twin Blades tried striking at them but Ryuko took the hit, dropping her sword, as Ladybug took the two civilians away while Pegasus and Viperion worked on diverting its attention; as much as Ladybug trusted them she knew they could only hold on for so long

As she turned to face the two, finally close to them to see the radioactive green eyes, she found herself hiding her need to gag.

There was something wrong with them and she wasn’t sure what that meant.

“What the hell is that?” the younger boy asked as they saw the Akuma strike Viperion’s harp and Pegasus’ horseshoe.

There was no time to think about that! She looked at her lucky charm, at the two boys, the Akuma, Queen Bee’s dropped activated top and Ryuko’s sword and came up with an idea.

“Sorry for getting you caught up in this mess” she began as she opened up the facepaint, grabbing a handful and smearing it across their faces; it had to be enough to obscure their identities for now.

“ I’m Ladybug, hero of Paris, and I’m asking for your assistance in defeating the Akuma, Twin Blade. If you get hit by one of its swords it’ll capture you” she quickly grabbed the miraculous items while Twin Blade was distracted, ignoring the voice in her head that kept telling her to fix the boys, more specifically the bigger one.

“Something tells me you two can help”

“ … Fine; But we demand you explain why we’ve never heard of you before and what the current situation is” Ladybug blinked but nodded along, curious what he meant with that and gave them instructions.

Into the unknown

Jason didn’t even know what to think right now. What in the everloving fuck was his life even?

Right now he was following orders from a tiny girl with a ladybug theme, named Ladybug, as they were trying to stop some monster thing Akuma the girl had said from destroying Paris and the world? Not only that but he was put on standby while Damian was fighting off Twin Blade with some magic sword that’s wielder was already captured.

He really hoped Ladybug’s and seriously what was it with these names plan would work out or else this would really suck as a reason for why he and Damian disappeared from the manor at sunrise.

He had to admit that Damian was holding well on his own, not only avoiding being hit by the swords but also managing some hits in. He managed to frustrate Twin Blades enough for them to start attacking sporadically.

“Now!” Ladybug yelled out as she used her yo-yo to hold back two of the arms, Jason threw the weirdly lit up top at Twin Blades. As soon as it made contact the Akuma began to glow yellow before freezing.

The plan worked?

“Mind breaking the swords?” Ladybug asked as she approached them.

“Tt” Damian complained but Jason did not miss the smirk he had as he sliced through the two swords with the scarlet one he had but was startled as a black with purple butterfly emerged, he was about to inspect it when the hero yelled out;

“Don’t! If you touch it Hawkmoth will use you” she opened up her yo-yo before twirling it around and trapping the butterfly within it, only to open it and release a white butterfly; it was then that some citizens and three more people with odd costumes came out. Clearly the others looked annoyed or displeased that the Catwoman wannabe was there.

“There seem to be no damages this time Ladybug” one of the girls, most likely the owner of the sword, said as she and a bee themed girl approached the group.

“Well it’s thanks to our awesome work that we managed to contain it here” the Bee girl scoffed as they all fist bumped, without the cat boy.

“What’s with the cold shoulder bugaboo?”

Jason could practically feel their eyerolls and glares, Damian looking at the display with seemingly uninterested eyes, though Jason knew him well enough that he was gathering intel on the situation as well.

“So, how come his highness decided it was time to actually come to a fight for once?” the bee girl snapped at him, fist bumping the sword girl.

“Ouch that stung Bee. Besides I’ve already told you that I’m busy, shouldn’t you be grateful that I actually took the time from my busy schedule to come help you?”

Oh this guy was an asshole, one who’d been shot at as a warning if Jason had his guns. He was arrogant, like the brat, except he seemed overconfident in his abilities whereas Damian has learned, begrudgingly, that he wasn’t an expert in everything.

“And yet you were the first to get captured” sword girl’s voice held the same sting that Bee’s did, something Jason validated.

“Just because I was distracted!” the cat boy complained, growing more annoyed and angered at their words continued.

“Yeah no; for every fight you’ve actually shown up to there's an 80% chance you end up compromised or discapacitated” the horse guy that brought them said and really that was just pathetic.

“ If you’re so sure of yourself then fight me cat boy” the group turned to look at him and Damian again, some in confusion while others in shock.

Jason hadn’t even realized that he was the one who said it.

“And who are you?” the cat boy sneered at him, Jason could only imagine that it was meant to be a growl or something. He didn’t look like much but given the strength the others had, he could imagine the kid was the same though that didn’t stop Jason from towering over him.

“Wouldn’t you like to know? So how about it you furry; if you’re so confident in your abilities then fight me” Jason smirked, the same one he used before; confident, mischievous and charming.

“You have no idea who you’re messing with” the boy practically growled, raising his arm, the one with a ring on the outside of his glove weirdly enough, “But I’ll put you in your place”

“Hold up! You can’t just fight a civilian” the snake boy, one who hadn’t said much up until now, tried coming between them, eyeing the arm with the ring.

“Move out of the way Viperion, this is between him and me” the cat hissed

“You need to think rationally Noir” the sword girl stepped up this time, on Jason’s other side, “Or are you really that foolish to believe that civilians won’t notice this in broad daylight?”

“You’re right Ryuko” the leather clad boy sighed, Jason and seemingly the others thought he’d back off before he glared at Jason; he’d seen worse in second-rate criminals before he was Robin. “Meet me at midnight and fight me if you’re so confident”

Man did Jason hate this kid.

“Any wager you want to make?” Jason said in a disinterested voice, one he knew would get under the enemy's skin.

“Leave Paris and never come back” the boy smirked, Jason wanted to laugh though in hindsight he was speaking French with them, as he found Romance languages interesting and was using his large amount of free time to learn them. Well he couldn’t blame the boy for not knowing he wasn’t even from here.

“Alright. What if I win? What do you want to wager?”

“The ring” the group turned to Damian, still wearing the red face paint (which Jason realized he also had on (He also realized that Damian also spoke French at this moment)) “If you lose you’re giving him the ring”

“No way!” the boy yelped, looking at the group who should have been his team, who were looking in disdain or anticipation. “C’mon M’Lady! Tell him I can’t wager it”

There was a collective beeping in the group, each looking ready to book it, as they waited for Ladybug’s answer. The small girl gave cat boy a hard look, disappointment and acceptance even a smidgen of hope clear in her bluebell eyes.

“You’ve gotten yourself into this mess Chat Noir; I’ll be there to supervise the fight” Ladybug’s words were absolute, a power Jason couldn’t quite place.

“Meet us by the Louvre at midnight”

What did Jason just get himself into?

Into the unknown

“So what exactly is this?” Damian asked as they were placed in an empty massage parlor. They were told to stay in place as the group of heroes, one Jason had a feeling the League was not aware of. They looked around, curious, and didn’t find anything of importance. There were some glass bottles with weird substances but Jason checked and they weren’t the drug making kind.

“Don’t know Dames but it looks like we’ll be stuck here for a few hours” Jason hoped that Bruce had gone back to his nearly absent form of parenting for the day or else Gotham was being ripped to shreds at the very moment. How was it that Jason left his phone in his room this morning?

“Your song is all out of whack; as though there were two different lead guitarists playing different songs” the boys turned back to see Viperion make his way inside the small parlor. “She mentioned something was off but I hadn’t had the chance to check it out”

“We should be grateful that she hadn’t passed out with your essence” Ryuko arrived behind him, Jason noticed they tried staying away from him and Damian.

“Are you saying we smell bad?” Jason didn’t know if they were pricks or if he really had smelled bad.

“You’re essense genius, not your smell. It’s currupted” Queen Bee, as he learned her name was, eyed him with concern “We’ve never seen anything like this”

“I think we need to explain further than that” the group turned to Ladybug, already inside the room with a tray of pastries in her hand.

“First you owe us an explanation” Damian said in his usual haughty voice though Jason had to agree with him.

“I’ll explain everything, please have a seat”

The group sat in a small circle, Ladybug at the center while Jason was directly in front of her. With a sigh, she gestured for them to grab from the tray and began her story;

“About three years ago a villain named Hawkmoth arrived in Paris; he got a hold of the Butterfly Miraculous with the power of Transmission, the ability to turn people with strong emotions into Champions though he’s corrupted them into Akuma, just like you saw with Twin Blade. He is nothing more than a cowardly man who hides and send minions to do his desires, he has one goal in mind; to get the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. The two have the powers of Creation and Destruction, together they’d give anyone the power to be a god. It was then that the old Guardian chose two people to defend Paris, me and Chat Noir”

“Cat boy? He doesn’t look like much of a hero” Jason questioned as the other snickered but quickly sombered.

“Yes but while that’s true now it was not always the case; We used to be a dynamic duo, we had each others backs in the field and could trust each other with our lives. Something changed, I’m not sure what, but he was no longer my partner. I knew he had a crush on me, one I told him wouldn’t work out but he kept insisting, and one day he just snapped. He threw tantrums, wouldn’t help during fights, complained and was a distraction. Then he just stopped showing up”

Jason realized she looked tired, the same way he sometimes looked at himself.

“I became the new guardian when Hawkmoth and Mayura, his new partner who has the Peacock Miraculous, whose feathers can turn inanimate objects into Guardians but she’s called them Sentimonsters, cornered the old one and he named me the guardian. I reached out to the Justice League but I fear they may not have gotten it or shrugged it off as a joke. Still I recruited more people to be permanent users; Queen Bee, Viperion and Ryuko.

“We’ve been meaning to get the ring back from Chat Noir but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. But you- you’re not afraid of him and have given us the best chance”

Jason looked into those bluebell eyes, so much hope and determination as well as guilt. He wondered how it must have been, she looked younger than him, and yet she was Paris’ sole protector for some time.

“I know its alot to take in and you shouldn’t be involved as a civilian but I ask, as a hero and as the Guardian of the Miraculous that you win this fight and get back the Miraculous”

“... The name’s Jason Todd. If it means beating that cat boy then you can count on me”

Ah-ah, oh-oh

Ah-ah, oh-oh, oh-oh

It had taken Damian all of them, including Jason, eating a pastry before he himself tried them. They had to admit that these were some of the best they’d ever had (he hoped Alfred would forgive him for saying or thinking such a thing), Jason wondered in he could take some back with him.

(“It’s from Tom and Sabine Patissiere, the best in Paris!”)

“You mentioned that we were… corrupted” Jason thought it’d be best to just bite the bullet. The others must have assumed that he forgot or something because they just continued to stare at him before Ladybug looked back at him.

“Well to say it bluntly yes; there is residue corrupted magic in you two, mostly you Jason, and it’s mixing in with your soul” the only thing Jason could think of, the stupid thing that brought him back from the grave;

The Lazarus Pit

“Can you do anything about it?” Jason was surprised that it was Damian who spoke up, he would have never thought that the kid would have asked or even considered finding help.

“Hmm I could try to remove it, it’ll feel weird for you but other than that it would be harmless” Ladybug had an earnest look on her face, Jason found himself captivated by them.

The second Robin wondered if this was what he needed; was this the reason why the voice kept telling him to go somewhere? Was it possible for the Toxic Voice to go away?

Was this his ticket to freedom?

“Let’s do it”

The group, Team Miraculous as the Parisians called them, prepped the room as they cleared the space and pulled in a mat.

“Damian should go first, his corruption should be easier to handle; I could do it while Ladybug meditates for yours” Viperion gestured for Damian to lie on the mat, something he was uncomfortable with but Jason made sure to keep him at ease by saying he’d keep watch.

“The Ladybug miraculous is the best one for healing but the Snake, Dragon and Turtle Miraculi also have healing abilities” Viperion explained, holding his hands on top of Damian’s chest, circling in the air above his body as he closed his eyes and seemed to focus on something.

Suddenly Jason could see colors emerging from both their bodies, their auras if he had to assume. He would have thought that they’d be one color each but he realized that it was a symphony of colors working together;

Viperion had mixes of blues and greens, the biggest being the turquoise followed by forest green and royal blue with golden ring surrounding it. Damian was a rainbow of colors, each shade imaginable, but Jason could see the problem; a tar like glob of black, clouded red and radioactive green were sucking out the rest of the colors, making them less vibrant.

Damian looked at his aura in awe, surprised that someone like him could have such a variety of colors in his aura.

“It means that your soul is still new” Ryuko explained as Viperion continued to concentrate, his muscles began to strain as his own aura began to slowly remove the black glob from Damian.

“There’s still lemon yellow, you have a fear of loss, followed by a bigger amount of red-orange and dark red; you’re confident and self-sufficient. You even have silver and gold which are both rare to find”

By the time Ryuko finished explaining Viperion was done, levitating above his hand was the black glob, the size of his fist but was extremely volatile as it continued to thrash around.

“What is that thing?” Queen Bee asked as she peaked closer, the radioactive green glowing brightly.

“... It’s from ancient magic called the Lazarus Pit; my grandfather uses it to remain immortal”

Jason couldn't help but see the immediate difference in Damian; he wasn’t as tense, he no longer kept a resting scowl on his face (though Jason thought he still had resting bitch face™️ from his parents). He just looked more… at peace.

“Did you just say Lazarus?!” both were unprepared when a small green being, resembling a turtle, flew up on their faces with a crazed look.

“Do you know what this is Wayzz?” Viperion asked, showing the small being the magic he had contained.

“Yes I thought Plagg and Tikki had managed to get rid of them centuries ago” Wayzz murmured, flying around it to inspect the glob. “I suppose we must have missed one or two considering this magic is at least four hundred years old if not more”

Wayzz looked at Damian before looking up to Jason, he looked so shell shocked that he might have gone inside the shell of his back if he could.

“If this is just through second hand exposure I can’t imagine what it’s doing to yours”

What do you want? 'Cause you've been keeping me awake

Are you here to distract me so I make a big mistake?

Or are you someone out there who's a little bit like me?

Who knows deep down I'm not where I'm meant to be?

“Are you ready, Jason?” Ladybug came out and he was immediately bombarded by her colors a bright rainbow with silver and gold layers; prominent colors like dark red and pink hints of sky blue, violet and turquoise almost hidden by all the warm colors but standing out on their own.

Jason laid down, trying to ease his breath as she began her work. There wasn’t a lot he could do while waiting for Ladybug to work her magic so he was just there with his thoughts. He thought back over the past few months and everything that’s happened in his life; from living with his parents to living on the streets; being found by Batman, to getting adopted, to becoming the second Robin. Then there was, of course, Ethiopia.

Part of him, a small part, resented the woman who was his birth mother, not for his death but rather all the bullshit he had to deal with after.

Pit madness was a bitch but Talia al Ghul was a bigger one; Jason still wondered what their whole deal was with bringing him back from the grave. He vaguely remembers, in the first few months of coming back, before he was entirely back, that he wasn’t supposed to die. Apparently even the soulless could feel guilt or at the very least like they owed a debt.

Then there was the whole thing with the voices; one called for carnage and the destruction of everything that stood in their path while the other was focused with either trying to help him survive or make decisions for him. Or was it actually him? The Jason before the grave? Maybe something else…

He laid still for what seemed to be hours until he heard gasps. He opened his eyes to see why and he couldn’t blame them. The same blob that was on Damian was on himself except it was actually consuming his aura, trying to replace it as his energy. He tried hard not to get spooked or distract Ladybug as he got to see the Toxic Voice face to face for the first time.

He could feel his tormentor scream and thrash inside his head, Jason doing his best to get it out of his head, pushing it back with help from the other voice.

He heard when Ladybug yelped and looked to see her holding the giant tar the size of a watermelon within her hands, sweat visible on her forehead as she softly laughed. Jason looked up and realized that there was no more yelling in his head, no more resented anger that he had to ignore, no more Toxic Voice.

Jason looked to see the brilliant colors of his aura, finally feeling truly relaxed as he did; Brilliant reds, red-orange, dark blue, forest green, yellow-green all wrapped around silver and gold.

He hadn’t felt like this since before the Pit.

“What are you going to do with it now?” Jason sat up as Damian asked, looking at the globs with disdain.

“We need to get Plagg back, only he can destroy this since it’s residue” Wayzz explained as Jason glared at the globs. Ladybug opened her yo-yo, like she did for the butterfly, as it sucked away the globs.

“He resides inside Chat Noir’s ring; the kwamis are the source of power for the miraculous” Ryuko explained, giving drinks to Viperion and Ladybug, both looked tired but were stubborn to rest.

“Well that gives me more of an incentive to kick that furry’s ass and get the ring” Jason gave his signature boyish smile, not noticing the way Ladybug began to flush, if he had he would have thought it was a good look on her.

“We haven’t exactly seen you fight. How do we know what you’re capable of?” Queen Bee eyed him, though he could see the muscle he built up.

“I’ll show you what I can do”

Every day's a little harder as I feel your power grow

Don't you know there's part of me that longs to go

Into the unknown?

The group had spent the afternoon together, going over strategies and training. The team was not prepared for Jason’s skill level nor Damian’s for that matter. They even went out some time during the afternoon to get something to eat, the four of them doing some sort of magical girl transformation and turning back into civilians.

“We’ve told you so much and I have a feeling that you’ll end up keeping the ring” Ladybug, now Marinette Dupain-Cheng; daughter of bakers and up-and-coming designer .

“Besides we’re the only ones who can take you home now” Queen Bee, now Chloe Bourgeois; daughter of the mayor of Paris and fashion mogul Style Queen.

“We’re not keeping them hostages Chloe” Viperion sighed; Luka Couffaine, ex-member of Kitty Section, part-time guitarist for Jagged Stone and aspiring musician.

“Besides we have received valuable information out of them, which I am not above using as blackmail” Ryuko stated; Kagami Tsurugi future Olympian fencer and daughter of the famous Tomoe Tsurugi.

“Noted” Jason joked back, he found it odd how quickly he grew fond of the kids (though they were just between one and three years younger than him); He didn’t think he had even felt this way with the Teen Titans while he was with them, he wondered if it had to do with the isolation he faced for the past few years. Maybe it was because the Pit Madness was completely removed.

“C’mon we can go to my place for dinner” Marinette gestured for them to follow behind her, Jason and Damian took their time looking around the city, both admiring the architecture and the slight tour they were given.

Jason couldn’t tell you when it was the last time he had this much fun with people around his age. He hoped Damian wouldn’t be the same.

When they got there they were smothered with affection and pastries courtesy of Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng, Marinette’s parents. Not only was she cute, talented, and a hero; she also had to come from a family of bakers! Jason was internally panicking; it had been a long time since he last had a crush on anyone and was thrown off guard.

He almost felt like getting advice from Dick; except he quickly remembered his brother’s track record and realized that it was a horrible idea.

Wait fuck shit

“Uh hey Marinette” Jason just felt lucky, for once in his life, that Marinette’s parents had finished dinner first as they’d be prepping for the bakery tomorrow (not before giving him and Damian pastries to take home). The group turned to face him, all trying to relax before the big fight in less than five hours.

“What’s wrong, Jason?” Marinette’s bluebell eyes lit up in concern, Jason almost wanting to take it back but he knew it’d be worse in the long run.

“I know it’s not really your fault but the demon and I have been missing from our home for almost eight hours; it’d be best if we could call them just so they don’t try calling the police or something” Or do something like fighting the League of Assassins or deploy the Justice League on their asses.

“O-Oh! I’m sorry we hadn’t thought about that!” Marinette began to blush, trying to hand over her phone only for Damian to put up his hand.

“Tt, it would be best that we use a device that cannot be tracked”

Jason and Damian sat on Marinette’s terrace, looking at Ladybug’s yo-yo, Jason preparing for the onslaught of questions and or threats, before finally dialing the BatFam secure line.

Tim, in his new Red Robin suit, answered clearly unnerved and looked ready to track whoever called.

“Who is this𑁋?”

“Chill Timbo, look at the screen” Jason rolled his eyes at Tim’s double take, surprise followed by anger and panic clear on his face.

“Where the hell have you guys been?!”

“Little wing! Little D!” Dick suddenly slid besides Tim on the screen, clearly happier to see them but the concern was still there.

“Yeah so first off this wasn’t our fault. Second we should be home by midnight or something” Jason shrugged, he wouldn’t mind spending some more time in Paris after the fight, but he also didn’t know how long it’d take in the first place.

“How is it dark outside where you are?” Tim looked as though he ignored what they said and was busy pinpointing their location while Dick interrogated.

“Look we’re in Paris right now, don’t ask how because even we are not too sure; tt, just tell father that Jason and I are fine and that he and League better pay attention to any distress calls from here”

“Wait what do you mean by that𑁋!”

“Red Hood and Robin out” they hung up and turned to see the Miraculous Team staring at them before Ladybug began to smirk.

“Hah you owe me twenty, Queenie”

Into the unknown

“This is it”

The group stood in front of the Louvre; new members, temporary users they were told. Bunnix, Roi Singe, the glasses guy from earlier, Pegasus, as well as a hero who looked unsure of being there.

“Um hey, I’m Carapace” the green turtle hero, most likely Wayzz’s user, said as he shook their hands. “Ladybug told us about what you’re doing; Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I’m more than capable of taking care of that brat” Jason tried not to sneer. He, Damian, Ryuko and Queen Bee had snuck into an old warehouse that Batman used to use; he made sure to grab some essentials like the backup utility belts, making sure they were full, as well as some soundproof boots that used to be Bruce’s and two old Robin masks. Apparently Marinette had been working on reinforced clothes, the bulletproof magical type, as a side project and had an outfit in Jason and Damian’s size. “Call it a thank you gift” she had told them at the time. They were completely black, better for recon, except for some green accents on Damian’s and some red on Jason’s.

“We don’t mean that you’re not capable of it dude” Carapace quickly denied

“This is just a big deal,” Bunnix supplied

“Yeah according to LB its this big ritual that hasn’t been done in centuries! All current users were called to watch and to make sure Hawkmoth doesn’t interfere or something” Roi Singe had a serious look for once, he seemed like more of a dunce to Damian but he supposed that if he weren’t capable of serious thought then Ladybug wouldn’t have given him a miraculous.

“Hawkmoth seemingly doesn’t have a consistent schedule, though he’s mostly attacked during school hours; he’s attacked using children who had nightmares or didn’t want to go to bed so we can never be too sure” Pegasus explained, showing them a compilation of nighttime Akuma with a hologram on his wrist.

“Chat Noir will definitely be a source of negative energy within the fight and, if you win, after it. We should be good as long as he’s not akumatized while still transformed” Bunnix looked at her pocket watch.

“He should be here right about 𑁋”

Just as she was talking Chat Noir landed in the middle of the open space, like a cat ready to pounce on the mouse.

“Now” Bunnix scowled.

“Thank you Miraculous users for coming here tonight to witness the fight for the Miraculous” Ladybug began as the others got into position, each of them spread out in a semicircle with Ladybug and Damian at the center. The other kwami also watched from their place near the Miracle Box, it was a special occasion after all.

“What about Rena Rouge?” Chat Noir asked, clearly ignoring the mood all around them.

“Rena Rouge is permanently benched Chat Noir” Ladybug’s irritated words must have glossed over him as he seemed no different, still looking excited for being able to put Jason “in his place”.

“As you all know Chat Noir has wagered his ring to the contender, who will be representing the Guardians of the Miraculous, Red.

“We want a clean fight, the boundaries are within the space of the Louvre; the goal is to get your opponent out of bounds or knock them out. No killing”

If Jason didn’t know any better he would have thought that it was for him but after learning the abilities of Cataclysm he knew better than to trust that Chat Noir wouldn’t go so far.

“Ready?”

Lights began to glow from the heroes and the Kwami’s, quickly drawing a barrier for them before dimming down and only appearing as faint lights.

Jason looked at those bluebell eyes, the eyes that not only sparked hope and determination but that had quickly captivated him; it’d be a shame to never come back to see them again.

“Begin!”

Ah-ah, oh-oh

Ah-ah, oh-oh, oh-oh (Whoa-oh-oh)

Jason could definitely tell you that he’s had harder fights; which wasn’t to say that this cat didn’t have claws but he hissed more than anything.

At first it was apparent that Chat Noir wasn’t expecting any sort of fight, he was too cocky, and found himself at a loss when he was almost thrown out of bounds the second the fight began. He then started to try and throw Jason out, only to realize that Jason was more muscle than he thought and didn’t realize that Jason also had fighting instincts.

Jason got more of a cardio workout than anything. The cat seemed to be growing more and more agitated with every smoke bomb and grappling hook that Jason used, so much so he decided to use his ultimate move.

His downfall followed.

Jason managed to knock out his staff before hearing the call of “Cataclysm!”, the black aura looking more unstable than anything he had seen or they had described.

Before Ladybug or the others were able to intervene, Jason kicked the staff back at Chat Noir and straight into his right hand, destroying it and his chance.

Chat Noir was in such disbelief that failed to notice Jason’s kick to the stomach, sending him just beyond the boundary line.

Jason had won.

“N-No! You can’t take the ring from me!”

“You’ve lost Chat Noir; give up your ring or you’ll be forced to pay the consequences” Ladybug’s voice echoed as she and the other users got up, Carapace staying behind to guard the Miracle Box, as they approached the fallen hero.

They couldn’t say that they didn’t feel slightly guilty or pitied him; he was Ladybug’s sole partner for nearly a year before things started to spiral so much.

“After all we’ve been through! After everything and this is how you repay me!” the boy yelled out only for the others to glare at him, weapons drawn out.

“You haven’t been a hero for almost two years now”

“You’ve been nothing but selfish”

“A total tool”

“A coward who hides behind a mask”

“An awful friend”

“An arrogant bastard”

The onslaught of criticisms came at a rate Chat Noir couldn’t handle, he looked ready to leave before Jason yanked him from the tail.

“It’s over cat boy; you lost and it’s time to accept that” Jason could see the panicked and desperate look in those eyes. Part of him knew it was best that he had already used Cataclysm in the fight.

Suddenly a bright flash of green light appeared, engulfing Chat Noir.

Jason realized he’s seen that face all over Paris; he also realized the shock or disappointment the others had.

Adrien Agreste laid pathetically where Chat Noir once stood.

Are you out there?

“It’s over Adrien” a small black cat like being, Plagg, was floating in front of the boy; pity and regret clear in his deep emerald eyes.

“N-No please! I-I need Chat Noir! I can change, I—“ suddenly before any of them could make a move, a small hand held a cloth over the teen’s mouth and nose before he slumped over.

“Tt. That was pathetic” Damian tsked, gesturing for Jason to take the ring. Jason looked at Plagg, the god of destruction assessing him before nodding.

“You’ll make an excellent kit, in fact you’re perfect” Plagg purred, quickly removing the ring from Adrien and placing it on Jason’s hand. Ladybug giving him a one over before smiling at him with newfound hope; she made her way in front of him, clasping the fist that held the ring.

“Jason Todd, here is the Miraculous of the Black Cat, with the power of Misfortune and Destruction. Will you accept this power and aide in the fight against Hawkmoth and Mayura? Stand by the side of good and fight the good fight no matter what?”

That was the million dollar question now wasn’t it? Would Jason really just leave Gotham, his lifetime home with his family in it to help these kids ? He didn’t know what to do.

Just follow your instincts, the voice he realized sounded like Plagg told him.

Jason took a deep breath, looking at the hopeful and determined looks that the heroes of Paris gave him.

He already knew his answer before even being asked .

Do you know me?

“What do you mean you’re moving to Paris!?” Dick and Tim’s voice echoed in the Wayne Manor’s dining room just a few hours after he and Damian were returned home.

The two had been interrogated for two hours straight and tested for any drugs in their system (even though they both said that nothing had happened). They even tested the pastries they came back with, not believing that they tasted better than Alfred’s until they all had a taste.

“Jason I know I haven’t been the most lenient but that’s no reason to move to a whole other continent” Bruce’s eyes were both worried and skeptical. The duo had been surprised when he’d hugged them as soon as they walked into the Bat Cave. “Guess who's back with pastries bitches” were the words that escaped Jason’s mouth as soon as they entered.

“Or is it because of some French girl? You met someone!” Stephanie yelled out while Barbara was busy looking over the results of all the medical exams they were forced to do.

“You’ve… changed” Cass’ words stopped the commotion as she stared right through his soul, reading his body as though he were an open book. “No more darkness”

“Yes well, we don’t think you’d believe us if we explained” Damian crossed his arms, as the others realized how relaxed the two had become since they came back.

“Of course we’ll believe you” Dick was the first to speak up as the table, including Alfred, waited for their explanation.

“We met people. They knew about magic and shit so when they saw us they said we were curropted” As much as Jason learned to trust the family he thought it’d be best to not tell them everything outright until they learned of how serious the situation was.

“Corrupted? If this is about𑁋”

“Not like that Drake” Damian broke the train of thought “Tt, they meant the magical kind. I had second hand exposure while Todd was completely dunked in it”

“The Lazarus Pit” Bruce nearly growled as the others grew serious.

“They said it was sucking at our souls which is why we still had some form of Pit Madness still in us. Their leader offered to purify and destroy the residue as a form of thanks”

“Leader? What kind of people were these?” Alfred asked, he was grateful that someone had done something about it because he was unsure how much longer he would have been able to use his small emotional projection on the two boys they had come close to succumbing to the madness multiple times since they arrived.

“Yeah well the League hasn’t exactly been attentive to any calls from Paris for the last three years” Jason rolled his eyes as he got up, “There’s no stopping me now; I just thought it’d be nice to tell you before leaving”

“What about Paris? I wasn’t made aware of any situation there?” Bruce was conflicted between asking as Batman or stopping Jason as his father.

“Look I’ll come back to visit but right now, Gotham isn’t the place I need to be” Jason sighed, grabbing the bags he had placed near the manor entrance, the others following him as he went “If Batman ever needs Red Hood as backup all you need to do is call”

“Jason you can’t be serious” Barbara wheeled in front of him “Are you sure you want to do this?” her eyes were looking for the answer as Jason felt the coolness from the silver ring on his right hand and the warmth from the little god in his jacket’s inner pocket.

“I haven’t been this sure since agreeing on becoming Robin, Babs” Jason hugged the red haired woman, one he saw as a big sister and hoped that Marinette may be able to help her if he mentioned it.

“You know we love you, right?” Dick joined and pulled Tim, who pulled Damian. Before they realized it, they were all in a dogpile in front of the entrance.

“Yeah, I know”

Can you feel me?

Marinette and the others were waiting when she receives a text from the newest number she had on her phone, giving Pegasus a nod as he opened a portal. In the garage of Master Fu’s old massage parlor there was a deep red motorcycle, riding it was a familiar man with some carry on bags on his back.

“Well team,” he said as he got up from the bike and took off his helmet, revealing sea green eyes and a white tuft of hair amongst the raven. “Looks like we got some work to do”

“First thing’s first; a welcome party for our new Black Cat” Chloe cheered

“And initiation as full-time users for the others” Kagami nodded.

“Well there’s no time to waste” Marinette laughed, like twinkling of bells that Jason wished would never end.

“You’re the boss Marigold, lead the way” this time he didn’t miss the flush on her face, he definitely didn’t miss the teasing that followed when he, Max and Luka left to gather the others.

Can you show me?

“That’s a great new costume Ladybug”

“Thank you. I thought it was about time for some change to further motivate us in our fight against Hawkmoth” Ladybug smiled, glad that her new costume was so well received. Gone was the red spandex; now she had on a fully black suit with pieces of red with black spots placed on her chest, thighs, legs, feet and hands, along with half jacket. Even with less red she still held her theme as a ladybug.

“So Ladybug we see you’ve got a new black cat; any information on the newest hero of Paris” Nadja Chamakh new better than to try and compare him to Chat Noir or even bring up that there was a reason to replace him. It’s the reason why the Miraculous team trusted her with interviews, one of the few ever since the Ladyblog became nothing more than gossip and rumors.

“You could ask him yourself Mmd.Chamakh” the camera captured the way she yelped as a black figure landed behind her. “Sorry about that”

A man, much more muscular and taller than the old cat smiled mischievously at her. His wild raven hair made it hard to spot the black cat ears. His whole outfit consisted of different shades of black, most of it was the darkest black she had ever seen; his suit looked as bullet-proof as Ladybug’s new suit, the whole thing charcoal with pieces of onyx black covering his chest, thighs, gloves, legs and boots giving it a contrasting color. Silver details being found in the tips of his boots, knuckles and part of the crossed belts across his chest where the an array of smoke, sleep and slightly poison gases laid; on his face was a pitch black mask, almost blending into his face with emerald glassed goggles laying on top of his head; a dark leather jacket topping it all off with an embroidered Cheshire in emerald green.

“The name’s Cheshire Cat, at your service”

Ah-ah, oh-oh

Ah-ah, oh-oh (Oh-oh, oh-oh)

“So the Justice League, huh?” Viperion said as the team arrived in front of the Hall of Justice, their newest members Flamebird, Monsieur Chèvre (‘I panicked okay!’ the poor child exclaimed as Nathaniel patted his head), and Roter Foux with vastly different expressions; one bored and the other two in awe.

“This is nothing” Cheshire laughed as they made their way inside and into the room with the zeta beam. “Just wait until you see the real thing”

“Cheshire, Flamebird” the group turned to see Nightwing with a fond smile on his face as he addressed the two. “Agent A wants to know if Red Hood and Robin will be coming to the base later today.

“Yeah sure; I’d do anything, including murder, if Agent A asked”

The Miraculous Team looked confused until Ladybug stepped forward.

“Alright team we got some asses to kick and a moth to destroy”

“However thought we were joking is going to have to deal with this bee’s sting” Queen Bee huffed as the others nodded.

“They’ll deal with all of us and then we’ll sick LB and Cheshire on them” Roi Singe laughed with a smirk on his face.

“Looks like you guys are about to kill Booster Gold” Nightwing laughed as he lead them to the entrance, swiping his hand over it and before they knew it they were in the Watchtower.

“Holy crap were in space!” Bunnix and Pegasus looked through the windows in awe as they could see the planet from below them.

“It’s super secret so please don’t tell anyone” Nightwing winked at them; everyone but Cheshire and Flamebird blushing at him. He was a handsome man and they were all aware of the numerous blogs and websites that have cited him as having the best ass in the hero community.

“Of course,” Ladybug quickly regained her composure as they were taken to the War Room. The founding members of the Justice League as well as some of the newer members all turned as they arrived. Wonder Woman standing up and making her way to them, extending a hand at Ladybug as she violently shook the girl’s hand.

“It is an honor to meet the newest Ladybug, I only wish your request hadn’t been ignored before; worry not now Ladybug, we have both addressed the issue to the member that did so,” they all noticed the man with a yellow visor attached to the navy blue suit hood flinch and try to make himself smaller (some felt their claws come out while others were satisfied that he had learned from the hands of Wonder Woman). “And we’re prepared to aid you in whichever way you need”

“Don’t worry about it, I heard from a little bird that Batman’s team is wondering what the capabilities of our healing magic are and we’d be happy to help” she made sure to look at the screen where she was told Oracle would be watching, “Though we also wish to speak to the member who did so personally” Ladybug’s smile may have seemed innocent but those who paid attention noticed the dark aura that surrounded her and the team as she did so.

“W-Welcome Team Miraculous to the WatchTower” Superman started, hoping that he wouldn’t have to save Booster Gold from being killed.

Again

Oh-oh, oh-oh

“I’m telling you it looks perfect Marigold” Jason rolled his eyes as the girl he had developed a crush on continued to panic as she looked at her latest project; an outfit for Jagged Stone and his now fiancee, Penny Rolling, for a gala they’d be attending in America. Both looked pitch black until you moved the fabric, revealing golden musical notes wrapped all around it in the melody that Jagged had used for his song dedicated to Penny before proposing.

Plagg and Tikki laying around with the other Kwamis in the miracle box as they learned not to stay with the duo too long or they’d grow annoyed with the blatant flirting always going around, no matter how cute they found it.

“Oh but what if they hate it! What if everyone does! Then my𑁋”

As she ranted Jason was reminded of why he fell for her; her cute looks and bluebell eyes helped but her kind and caring nature, her dedication and leadership abilities not to mention the fact that she could kick his ass despite only reaching his shoulder helped.

Though Jason thought he was an idiot for doing what he did next.

One second he was looking at what was possibly the love of his life, the next he felt her soft lips brushing against his own. Just as it started it finished, Jason looking away to hide the flush on his face.

“It’s perfect just like you are”

“J-Jason you can’t just say things like that!” Marinette huffed, her face still flushed before she hugged his back.

“Thank you… I like you too”

Oh-oh, oh-oh

“Welcome to the Gala” Marinette turned around, surprised when she saw her boyfriend fully decked out in a crimson suit (with nearly invisible robins flying on its back) and pants with a charcoal dress shirt that had its first two buttons undone and his hair slicked back.

He looked absolutely handsome and he knew it too.

After all he commissioned an MDC original.

“Jay! What are you doing here?”

“It’s not my sort of thing but their making an announcement about me later, besides its for charity” Jason shrugged as he kissed Marinette, “Besides just seeing you made it worth it”

Marinette would never get used to all the compliments and blatant display of flirting and teasing Jason did on a nearly daily basis. Today she had on a deep ruby short qipao with golden apple blossoms and a long silk skirt and some golden heels that Chloe insisted she have as her birthday gift.

“You never cease to flatter me kitty” she teased before they heard a squeal behind them.

“You’re Jaybird’s girlfriend!” Dick appeared behind them, quickly followed by Tim and Stephanie.

“Are those MDC originals?” Tim said as he spotted the hidden signature amongst the Robins and apple blossom branches.

“Why yes they are Timbo” Jason teased and was about to say more before hearing;

“Oh yes Timmy is sorry he couldn’t be here today but he had to go to this big meeting with other billionaires”

Behind the group walked the students of Francois Dupont, more specifically Mmd. Bustier’s class walked, most captivated by Lila Rossi’s tall tales except for a group of seven who were talking amongst themselves until one of them spotted Marinette and the group came to her.

“Nette!” Alix cheered as she saw the girl, not realizing that the rest of the class had also noticed.

“Dudette you will not believe how torturous hearing her blab is” Nino said, not wearing his signature red cap and instead wearing a jade green derby hat.

“She would not stop name dropping every celebrity possible” Marc said annoyed as Nathaniel had anger in his eyes.

“She even said Stan Lee was inspired to make a new hero in her image!”

“Oh that bitch” the group noticed Dick seethe, as he was a not so secret comic book nerd.

“Look at the slut try and cling onto a bunch of rich guys; not to mention the weirdo older guy she’s always with. Wouldn’t be surprised if she was an escort” the group collectively turned to glare at her , Alix and Kim planning on going to throw some hands with Max ready to reign them in, until they heard a rather famous voice laugh behind them.

“There’s my favorite designer and honorary niece” Jagged Stone stood behind Marinette with Penny and Luka with Kagami on his other side, the two hissing after using enhanced hearing to hear what came from the French class.

“Y-You’re Jagged Stone!” Stephanie blurted out as Tim and Dick were left speechless.

“That would be me little lady” Jagged laughed

“Wait you made that?” Barbara walked to them, testing out wearing heels again after being cured by Ladybug, Carapace, Ryuko and Viperion two months ago.

“Yes she did, and we have no doubt that she’ll become one of the greatest designers of the fashion world” Penny said proudly as Marinette squeaked.

“But aren’t those MDC originals?”

“Yes they are” Kagami smirked in her matching turquoise with golden sea serpents suit with Luka as they watched realization dawn on the four.

“... MDC?” Stephanie barely wheezed out

“It’s short for Marinette Dupain-Cheng” she laughed nervously.

“You better marry her Jason or I swear I’ll break up with Conner and do it myself” Tim stated and Marinette had a feeling that it wasn’t a joke.

“As much as I get why that still hurts Timothy” Conner Kent wrapped his arms around Tim’s waist.

“Isn’t that Tim Drake?” a high pitched voice spoke behind as the group chose to ignore.

“He seems pretty close to that guy”

“What’s he doing with Marinette and the guy she’s always with?”

“Shouldn’t you say hi Lila?”

“W-Well they’re best friends, besides𑁋”

When asked Conner would deny that he kissed Tim in that exact same moment or gave the girl with sausage hair a smirk on purpose. He just felt like it.

“Besides I don’t plan on letting go of her any time soon” Jason stuck his tongue out. Suddenly his eyes narrowed “Wow Gabriel Agreste is here, with his assistant and son”

“That man never leaves his mansion I swear” Jagged rolled his eyes “Well Penny and I have to go talk with all the rich folk” the man sighed before being pulled away by his fiancee “Have fun, but not too much fun” he made an I’m-watching-you gesture at Jason before walking away.

“We could totally take away the miraculous from Natalie right now” Nathaniel said as he spotted the Peacock’s pin right there on her royal blue blazer that went with her dress, an Agreste design of course.

“Ugh but then we’d have to get close to them and Adrien” Alix rolled her eyes, Nino only felt a tinge of remorse before shaking his head as he remembered everything his once best friend hand had done.

“Alfred could help with that” Damian arrived, making some of them smirk, with Jon besides him.

Where are you going?

No one had the right to call Damian anything less than a mastermind after everything that followed;

Phase one was easy enough, while Lila blabbed on and on to Adrien, who was growing increasingly agitated and far more rebellious than he had ever been according to his father, who was next to Natalie, Damian made sure she was drinking wine (not to mention the fact that she was underaged here) and “lightly bumped” into her when he and Jon “ran around”. The wine not only soiled the jacket but Lila’s dress as well; he called it a win-win.

Phase two; Alfred quickly arrived, apologizing for Damian and offering to clean the jacket to remove the stain. He made sure to express that he would not take no for an answer and quickly took the blaser to be cleaned.

Phase three; Marinette retrieved the Peacock’s pin, freeing Duusuu and taken to another room in the manor with Luka, Kagami and Nino to fix the broken miraculous. In the meantime, Jason and Max went to retrieve replicas they made just in case they ever found out Hawkmoth and Mayura’s secret identities (Which they had thanks to the efforts of the Justice League and were just waiting on a plan).

Phase four; Once Alfred was done cleaning the blazer they’d place the fake and give it back to her.

They just couldn’t believe that it actually worked.

“I’d like to make an announcement” the group was interrupted from their silent celebration of retrieving Duusuu, who was currently reunited with his last known owner, Alfred, hidden underneath his suit , as Bruce Wayne stood on the stage.

“I know that we’re all gathered here for great causes tonight but there’s something that my family needs to announce. As you know almost four years ago we lost my second son, Jason. Tonight I’m glad to say that this isn’t true; today we welcome my son who always cared for these causes with the importance of giving back and the power of education” the crowd began to gasp and cheer (not including the glass shattering from Lila and Alya) as Jason made his way on stage with his brothers and sister.

“Thank you dad” Jason said as he hugged the man that changed his life for better and worse with the crowd growing wild “It’s been a while since I’ve been to one of these parties, can’t say I missed much” the crowd laughed as they were quickly entranced by his natural charism, the same he had before he died.

“For those of you who don’t know who I am, my name is Jason Peter Todd-Wayne; Bruce’s second son.

“Four years ago while on a trip abroad I was involved in an act of terrorism” he remembers going through the cover story over and over again until they were sure no one would make a slip. “ I nearly died, in fact I did, but a doctor took me in when they found me among the rubble. Apparently the other victims’ remains were completely destroyed so they had just assumed I was part of them, I don’t blame Bruce for not investigating further, it was the second major death of the family after all. I was in a coma for two years and had amnesia for a few months when I woke up; I reunited with the family and the rest is history”

There were some reporters wanting to ask more questions, including Alya as she tried to regain popularity on the Ladyblog.

“We understand many have questions but the family has already done an exclusive with Lois Lane and Clark Kent which will be published tomorrow” Bruce smiled his usual Brucie Wayne smile “Tonight let us celebrate the return of my son”

Don't leave me alone

“W-What is this?” Marinette hadn’t expected for Jason to pull out a platinum ring with a pink diamond and rose carving around it.

“It’s not an engagement ring, not yet at least” Jason said as they sat in the garden where the reception to the Rolling-Stone wedding was being held.

He remembers the conversation he had with Bruce had last week when they were on patrol together.

“I see the way you look at her Jason “ Batman had taken off the cowl as they sat near Jason’s favorite gargoyle. “You look at her like she’s hung the stars”

“Maybe she has “ Jason smiled as he took off his helmet before frowning “We’re close to getting him and I think he knows it. I can feel the chaos approach “ he sighed and leaned into his oldest friend, finding comfort in his cold hard surface. It was one of the few occasions he acted as Red Hood for the past year, Cheshire Cat taking over his second life.

“You never know what will happen in life “ Bruce seemed to be rethinking every decision he ever made “Don’t live to regret anything. If you really love her… if you’re absolutely sure she’s the one make sure to never let go”

“Bruce?” Jason asked as realization dawned upon him “... Are you really saying?”

“I’m saying that whatever you choose to her I’ll support you as your father”

“Promise ring?”

“A promise that I’ll stand beside you to the bitter end. Through anything and everything my Marigold; even after Hawkmoth, even after Ladybug and Cheshire, I’ll be there for you.

“You’ve changed my life Marinette Dupain-Cheng; when we met I was in a really bad part in my life and you managed to change it and bring light in my life again, something I hadn’t felt since before. I know we’ve been together for a little over a year but I know that I will never find love in another person and only imagine my future is you”

Marinette cried as he slipped the ring on, Tikki and Plagg watching from where the other members of the team spied along with the Batfam; each having loving and fond looks as they watched the couple.

“I’ll bend heaven and earth, come back from the grave just to be with you, Tell me Marinette Dupain-Cheng;

How do I follow you

Into the unknown?”

AO3

Ko-Fi

#jasonette #maribat #MariJay #Marinette x Jason #Jason x Marinette #Songfic #Marinette Dupain-Cheng x Jason Todd #Jason Todd x Marinette Dupain-Cheng #ML Au #DC AU #ML x DC #MLB x Dc #reupload fic #eve fics

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miracle-sham · 2 years

Text

A Brush With Death and the Fangs of Regret.

| {MGI Team Mixer Event} |

| {What other secrets did you keep from me?, Phantoms, Clouds, Would you just stop treating me like something you're trying to fix, Crimson, Wanna bet?, Am I safe with you?, and You hit surprisingly hard for the weakest member of your team} |

| Monsterhunting is a dangerous business, Marinette knows this well with how many close calls she's had over the years but perhaps this is the closest call to date. |

| Injured and answerless, she's forced to reckon with the missing pieces and gaps in her memories and hope she makes it out alive with her humanity intact. |

| Though it's starting to look more and more unlikely with every step she takes. |

| Word Count: 4,361. |

| Warnings/Tags: Alternative Universe—Fantasy/No Miraculous, Horror, Dread, Gothic Horror, Survival Horror, Unreliable Narrator, Monster Hunter Marinette, Vampire Jason, Alchemist Jonathon Crane, Memory loss, Blood and injury, Canon typical violence, Implied/referenced Character Death, Major character undeath, Implied/referenced vampire turning, Good Sibling Jason, Hurt Marinette, Hurt Jason, both deserce hugs, Angst, Mild hurt/comfort, Hallucinations, Loss of control, Loss of senses, Loss of trust, Swearing, Mind Mamipulation, Implied/referenced non consensual drug use, Implied/referenced needles, Unethical human experimentation, Near death experiences, Panic attacks/disassociation, ambiguous/open ending, Unreality. |

———

| A/N: Regarding the tags, please make sure to read all of them carefully before reading because even though most of it is all implied/referenced, it is still pretty dark/angsty. Also regarding the panic attack/disassociation those don't technically happen but they're the closest words i could think of to accurately describe what Marinette goes through during this fic and it gets a little heavy at point. If you struggle with unreality this may not be the fic for you because there is some very explicit unreality throughout the fic as a main theme, so if you're unsure please be careful. |

| If you think or know you can handle this kind of content, then I hope you enjoy this au! |

| Also side note, Don’t Like? Don’t Read. |

———

Run! Marinette's mind screams. But her throat burns and her body aches like she's just gone toe to toe with an animated grotesque. And maybe she has! It's not like she can actually remember anything from the past three days, just a harrowing black void where her memory is and the knowledge that three days have passed, a fact that's waving red flags in her mind. Not to even mention that the rest of her memories predating the lost ones are blurry at best and incomprehensible at worst right now. After all, missing time and messed-up memories are dangerous symptoms for a monster hunter like herself to be experiencing, especially when disorientated and alone in an unfamiliar place—she knows that for certain at least.

Stifling a hiss between her teeth, Marinette dives, rolling into the nearest room and darting to one side of the door frame. Then, by hooking her fingers around it, cautiously shuts the wooden door—reinforced with iron bars and bolts—partially, until it's only barely ajar; as to make as little sound as possible to find her by.

The manor house's basement is a maze and she's oh so vulnerably lost. She can't afford to stay here—stay still—for long. Holding her breath for a moment, she waits. The seconds pass like the dripping of blood from the deep gash curled across her collarbone and throat. Luckily though, the other new injuries she awoke with—littering her arms, legs, chest, and throat, looking dreadfully like signs of torture—are freshly scabbed over and haven't seemed to have reopened.

A small mercy.

Perhaps a little too violently for the stealth she desperately needs, she slams her shoulders back against the stone wall inside the room and lets herself slide to the floor, legs giving way beneath her. The impact will probably bruise nastily, knowing her luck.

She hasn't got time to clean the wound on her neck, meaning she'll still be easy to track via the scent of her blood but really, it's too late now all things considered, and there's no water or alcohol she could even use to do so in the first place anyway. Scrabbling for a scrap of cloth, she tears the bottom of her tunic and wraps it with practised deftness around her neck to cover the gash in a temporary bandage—better than nothing.

In, two, three, four. Her shoulders shake as she struggles for every slow breath, desperately willing her heartbeat to steady from its frenetic rhythm.

Out, two, three, four.

Footsteps approach.

Marinette freezes, pulse skyrocketing and breath hitching in terror. No, no, no! He's coming, he's coming, he's coming!

Who, she doesn't quite know but what she does know, is that instinctual fear for her survival clouding her mind.

Closer, and closer, floorboards groaning and moaning in warning. Only accentuated by the scraping prowl of hardened leather soles against the wood.

Bloody fingers scramble at the crossbow resting on her belt, silver bolt at the ready.

The footsteps reach the threshold of the doorframe, nails squealing in the floorboard beneath the boots. Hinges on the door wailing as whoever lurks behind, slowly begins prising it open like a coffin.

Quick as a flash, Marinette yanks the crossbow from its belt hook and up at the now-open door. Without hesitating to aim, fires. There's a clunk of the mechanism activating and a twang as it shoots.

Thunk, as it misses.

“Shit! Fuck!” An almost familiar voice yelps, sounding strained with a growl between their teeth.

She ignores the cursing and its accompanying sense of déjà vu, already reloading by habit and bringing the crossbow up to aim at the one tracking her.

“Hey, hey, it's just me!” The person—a man with an unnervingly agnising streak of white in his black hair—stumbles back, raising his hands in surrender, near unnaturally bright green eyes apprehensively wide. He's grinning at her anxiously, making it more of an uneasy half grimace than any sort of smile really. “You recognise me, right? C'mon, Mari!”

She doesn't. Her fingers tremble against the trigger, keeping the crossbow raised to shoot his heart at the slightest threat. Why does he know my name… Is he the one chasing me? The one I need to run from?

“Marinette?” He pleads, fingers curling in slightly as his eyebrows furrow, a look of deep distress slowly etching its way across his features before the realisation crushes his hope and a wretched sort of dolorous dawns in his eyes. “No! No, please, come on!” He takes a step back. “I can't…”

“Can't what?” She retorts carefully, not erring in her aim as she continues to hold the crossbow up and ready.

He swallows a breath of air sharply at that, “you… fuck—you really don't recognise me, huh?”

Licking her lip nervously, she squints at him. “Should I?”

The man opens his mouth to speak then shuts it, biting his tongue and holding the unspoken words between his teeth.

But Marinette catches a glint of something unmistakably amiss.

And they can both hear the distant ringing of the death knell outside, marking the hours they have left to flee this place—to escape with their lives.

They're running out of time.

He sighs, closing his eyes for a brief moment before staring at her intently. “What do you remember?”

“I'm a monster hunter.” She responds, eyeing him warily, finger twitching on the crossbow trigger.

His face twists at her answer, “Yeah… yeah… but anything else?”

“What's it to you?” Marinette answers unhelpfully, tone almost whingey in petulance.

The man barks out an acerbic laugh of disbelief and shakes his head slightly but offers no answer.

Tilting her head to one side, she nods stiffly towards him, switching the topic. “What's your name then? Since you already know mine?” She can't help the slight questioning lilt at the end of her words. The curiosity burns like the wound around her neck.

“Jason.” He mutters lowly. “But, uhh,” the corner of his lips starts to curl into a frown before scrunching into a full grimace. “You used to call me Jay, among some other nicknames. We were close, you and I.” He breathes in slowly as if the words pain him to speak. “I'm your older brother.”

A chill runs down her spine and it takes all her willpower not to shoot as she raises an eyebrow at him instead. “Uh-huh? Is that so?”

Jason doesn't respond immediately but the grief-stricken stare he gives is answer enough. He takes a tentative step forwards again, reaching one hand towards her, the other still raised in a show of harmlessness.

Watching askance at his movements, she holds herself perfectly still. Not daring to even breathe. Until the very last second, when he gets but a fraction too close.

Violently, she flinches back. Heart racing, hands shaking.

The crossbow fires.

Thwonk, the bolt slams into Jason's torso, shadowed by a hiss of burning flesh.

“Fuck!” He bites out, a snarl on his lips, accidentally revealing two inhumanly long fangs where his canines should have been. “I'm offended, Nettie.” He coughs, “your aim's gotten worse.”

‘You really wanna bet?’ is the snappy response upon her lips that dies like a bolt through the heart, as she stares, eyes wide in horror at the sight that answers her unspoken challenge.

For, slowly a patch of dark crimson upon his sternum begins to stain and spread through the pale shirt.

Marinette freezes again, unable to wrench her eyes from that bolt sticking out of his chest, skin smouldering on contact with the silver—she shouldn't be so surprised, so shocked by her own reaction, not when she can't recall ever being so distraught over hurting a monster before, in her blurry memories. So why is seeing Jason hurt different? He can't be telling the truth, can he?

Still trembling, she reloads the crossbow yet again, between hesitant flickering glances up at him. “If you're really my brother then how come you're a vampire?” She demands, baring her own dull teeth back at him before adding on quickly, “because I'm still completely human. So either you're trying to take advantage of my memory, intact or not, or you should be dead.”

“I ain't arguing with that.” Shaking his head, he scoffs. “Look, you won't be human for fucking long if we don't get out of here, okay.” He scowls, sending a dark look back down the shadowed hallway he came from, before offering a hand out to her once more. “I know a way out, I can explain shit afterwards. And we will find a way to undo whatever the fuck he did to you, alright.” Sighing, he swallows another heavy gulp of air, furrows his brows and grits his teeth. “And I'm sorry but I promise you, I've never used any of my vampire powers to hurt you, Marinette, never, I swear.”

She scrunches up her nose and twists her lips at his words, shifting between a soft frown and a grimace. Fingers twitching on crossbow trigger, Marinette leans towards him just a smidgen as she voluntarily chooses to lower some of her guard—as a test obviously, definitely not because her instincts, despite all her training to the contrary, seem to be screaming that he, a deadly monster is trustworthy.

Making a small noise of gentle distress at the back of her mouth, she drops the crossbow's aim to the floorboards. Softly, voice wavering like the candle flames lighting the room, she queries, “if that really is the case, then what other secrets did you keep from me?”

Jason cocks his head to one side and hums, gazing over her shoulder unseeing for a split second. “Not a lot to be honest, apart from my… undeath at first but suffice to say I was in no state to even tell you. And the one who turned me, wasn't exactly planning on me being found, let alone in one piece.” With a small grave smile, he rubs his neck, clearing his throat as he does so. “I won't let you be hurt, or turned, like I was, alright. As I've told you countless times before, I'll protect you always, even if it kills me again.”

It takes a moment for either of them to notice the deafening silence of the basement. Not a creak, nor groan to be heard from the wooden doors and floorboards.

“Oh fuck. We're outta time.” He keeps his hand offered to her. “Please,” Jason begs, desperation shining in his eyes, “trust me, just until we escape at least.”

Nodding gingerly, Marinette doesn't hesitate to clasp his hand. “I trust you,” she murmurs a little too softly—too truthfully—not quite half-believing herself, tightening her grip and adding with slightly muted vitriol, “but just until then! I'm only trusting you so I can escape. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Jason bursts into a blinding grin, hauling her up to her feet easily by the hand.

The action is so strangely familiar to her eyes. It hurts.

Scrunching her nose up and grimacing, she grits her teeth and then bites her lips as she glances aside, muttering under her breath, “am I even safe with you, trusting you?” Clearing her throat quickly, she chews on the next words as she picks them ever so carefully. “You said,” she asserts, louder and clearer, intending for this to be heard and not her former words. “that you knew a way out, right?” Her voice pitching on the last word.

Just barely catching the heart-sinking defeat flickering through his eyes as his smile wanes to a thin fragile frown. Jason shrugs his shoulders, tensing mordantly, then tugs gently on her hand in silent communication.

When she hesitates, his frown deepens.

He clears his own throat, pointedly looking away from her now. “C'mon, follow me. It shouldn't take long but we can't risk getting caught.”

The second they cross into the hallway, a long low creak of a boot on a squeaky floorboard emanates from the darkness beyond their candlelit threshold.

She exchanges a glance with Jason like second nature, the familiarity of the action aches like her scabbed over wounds.

Nodding, he cocks his head to one side, raising his eyebrows briefly and throwing his gaze down the hallway in a half-roll, indicating the opposite direction from the creak. With the flick of his other hand, he makes a few quick gestures and begins speed-sneaking—steps silent as a bat—away from the encroaching threat, pulling her after him.

Marinette lets him guide her as she focuses on keeping her own footsteps as quiet as his—and surprisingly achieving it despite her humanity. Daring not to dwell on the thought, she keeps her ear out for any further sounds in their surroundings.

Near bolting down the corridor lined with blood and closed wooden doors that are also reinforced with more iron nails and bars, warped and gnarled like unburied coffins in a graveyard. The deeper they run, the more disconcerting it becomes. Light scuffs and scratches on the doors, walls, and floor bleed into gaping gouges clawed a merciless rusting crimson.

The creaking floorboards remain a constant slow death knell behind them.

A turn of the corner. Then down another long corridor with doors less tightly bolted—yet the fatal stains and jagged slashes only worsen. That which is kept down here struggled and fought. Where Marinette has run from, those signs are faint.

It's a sickening sort of nausea to know by the context of this sight, that either she had been prevented by unknown means from fighting back like those before her, or… she had gone willingly down there. She doesn't know which implication is worse. She doesn't want to know the truth either. Because either way, it will hurt.

The crossbow weighs heavy on her hands and the silver bolts burn painlessly.

As they dart around another corner, a dangling bait of hope glimmers before them. Polished spiral stone stairs.

The creaking fades.

Only for laughter to creep in after.

“Fuck!” Jason grunts, whipping around to glare behind them from where it comes from but not missing a step as he pulls her up the steep climb. “It's never a good sign when Crane laughs like that. We're nearly out though, just trust me a little longer, Nettie.”

Nodding, Marinette stares up at him unguarded and, for a split second, she feels the phantom tugging of a distant memory that dissipates upon her grasp.

The spiral staircase ascends into pitch darkness for far longer than she will ever dare be comfortable with alone.

But… she's not alone. Is she?

No, Jason's hand is cold but firm, wrapped around her own. So familiar yet so unfamiliar it hurts. But what in this place doesn't?

The candlelight at the end of the spiral is more comforting than she's willing to admit at this moment—she's a monster hunter, and every monster hunter knows that the light can be just as much a sign of danger as the darkness but that doesn't stop that primal relief at light returning.

Still, they're not out yet, they can't afford to get complacent and act like it's safe before they really are.

Jason leads her down another two left turns—the walls, floors, doors noticeably undamaged up here—then a right as the hallway lined with richly woven tapestries and fanciful portraits of the Agreste's ancestors, splits into three, and then through an inconspicuous plain wooden door. Through it, is another long hallway decorated with all the finery of aristocracy, with a large window partially ajar at the end—large enough for two people to escape through.

Thunder rumbles outside, and stormy clouds are visible in the sky through the window, even at this distance away.

Glancing back at her, Jason bursts into another blinding infectious grin and starts bounding down the hallway like an overexcited puppy—or a werewolf—tugging her along with him.

Marinette should still be wary of him, and yet, she can't help but start to smile along with him at his antics. They're so close to freedom, surely they can afford to get excited about it now, they're practically out already.

Sooner than she expects, the large open window that leads to the outside is just within reach. Only a few more metres, only a few more steps.

And then... Then she'll be free.

But—

—Her body—

—It seems—

—Has other plans.

Collapsing to her knees. Her hand slipping from his grip, with only a shallow inhale of breath and the thump of her body against the wooden floorboards to indicate what is wrong.

Jason hasn't noticed. Not yet. He's so close and yet so far with each passing second.

Her fingers twitch against the grain. Sluggish and leaden as though there are chains dragging against her every movement.

A rising numbness unfurls from Marinette's chest like poison, inciting her heart and mind to writhe—clouding them with a permuting toxin. Her heartbeat spikes with a violent staccato and the world shutters around her as darkness creeps into the corners of all that she can see. Slowly she loses her sense of touch, the floorboards beneath her fingers and knees no longer registering to her mind, no longer able to feel the movement of her lips parting or her chest heaving in breath. But she can still see, it, the phantoms of their movement at the edges of her tunnelled vision. Her breathing hitches as she realises, that with one sense gone, grounding herself will be so much harder now.

And then… her breathing stops. Her heartbeat pounds in her head, the rushing of blood and the throbbing drowning out any other sound. Her vision starts to grey, colours bleeding like her hopes for freedom.

Can't breathe, can't breathe, can't— Marinette's mind screams.

It is as if she's a puppet with her strings cut, unable to move or react, trapped in her crumpled body—helpless. She can barely hear, all she can do is watch with monochrome sight.

“Fuck!” Jason yells as soon as it twigs for him that she's no longer beside him, pivoting on his heel to bolt back for her, a dawning dread in his eyes. “Nettie!”

She's just barely at the right angle to see his reaction, and the strangest thing occurs, Marinette doesn't so much hear Jason's words, as she knows he spoke them. Which means even though she can't hear anything in her mind above the beating of her pulse, she can still hear and understand outside sounds even though it doesn't feel like she can.

It's weird. Disorientating. To lose another sense. And it's only in that knowledge of an absence, does Marinette notice another sense gone, and another. She can't smell or taste the mustiness in the air, or the acrid scent of freshly clotting blood clinging to her thanks to her wounds. She can't taste the dryness of dehydration or the otherwise unnoticeable taste of her own mouth anymore.

It's all gone. Only the shreds of sight and hearing are left and those are nearly gone too.

“C'mon, c'mon, I got you,” Jason mutters, desperation squeezing the words in a vice grip. “What the fuck did he do to you?”

“I'm fine,” Marinette's body responds automatically—against her will. If she had control, her heart would've plummeted at the chains wrapping around her mind, caging her within as the body continues to repeat the words. “I'm fine.”

Rattling like a rabid beast, she claws at the boundaries of her mind. ‘No! No, no, no, please! Let me go! I'm not fine! Stop! Don't listen, please!’

But he can't hear her pleas.

“Do you remember what's been done to you?” He questions, crouching down beside her and scouring every visible part of her up and down for anything concerning—pausing only for a moment to blow the white strands of hair out of his face that has fallen in the way. “Any other injuries, barring the obvious one on your collarbone and neck, if you've been drugged with any chemicals, and if you have what they are, or something?”

Oh, how desperately Marinette wants to cry at him that she doesn't know. Her body doesn't respond against her will again, another small mercy.

Though she cannot feel it, she watches his hands ghosting down her arms as he frantically looks her over and over again, eyes wide, brows furrowed, mouth half agape in horror and concern as he speaks. “—And Leslie can help you once we get out, she can check you over to make sure you're okay and patch up any injuries, of the body or mind.”

She's missed something he said. It's worsening.

And all she can feel within her mind, are the phantoms of restraints tearing at her skin and needles piercing her flesh.

“Would you just stop treating me like something you're trying to fix!” Her body snarls, though otherwise still not moving.

How much longer…?

Her thoughts trail to a stop as Jason gently takes her hands in his and shakes them softly. “I'm not trying to fix you, Mari. You're hurt and that means you need help—but it doesn't mean I think you need fixing.”

“It's going to be alright, Nettie. I know you also hate how pitying this can sound like but B, A, and Leslie all have means of helping however you've been hurt by Crane. And we're nearly out of his laboratory, please just bear with me, with this treatment just a little bit longer.” He pauses to let the words sink before adding tenderly, “I'm going to pick you up and carry you out now, I've got you, okay.” Slowly, he reaches around her to scoop her up and haul her over his shoulders as carefully as possible to prevent aggravating any of her injuries. It's not the comfiest way to carry someone but it will at least let him safely carry her as far as needed.

‘Who's what?’ Marinette wants to ask as he moves her. ‘We're in the Agreste manor house, not a laboratory?’

Jason still doesn't hear her, he adjusts his grip and starts speed walking towards the window. “No matter what, Mari, I'm not leaving without you.”

“Is that so?” A voice that sends shivers down her spine calls out, his words cut through the throbbing heartbeat in her mind with surgical precision, “well I'm afraid I can't let you whisk away my favourite little experiment just yet, vampire.”

Steps closing in. Slowly, patiently… tauntingly.

“Back the fuck up.” Jason growls—sliding into a bloodthirsty hiss at the end. “Batman may have a rule against killing you rogues, but I sure as fuck don't. You ain't getting your hands on her again.”

What little of the hallway Marinette can still see through her fading vision begins to distort, the trappings of a foreboding but opulent manor house bleeding away to a grim plainness now littered with gouges and dragged claw marks, not unlike the basement had held.

Jonathan Crane laughs lowly—callously, “Did you know, that littlest bird of yours hits surprisingly hard for the weakest member of your team, when under the influence of enough fear? It's truly fascinating.”

Unable to hold back a snarl, Jason's face twists as his control of his vampiric powers slip for just a moment. Acutely aware of Marinette on his shoulders still, he pulls a vial from his belt and lobs it violently at Crane's feet, immediately bursting into a sprint towards the window whilst swinging Marinette from his shoulders and into his arms.

There's a hollow unbreathing second as the glass shatters upon the wooden floorboards before a shrieking roar that rivals the thunder begins to tear the building apart. A writhing mass of viscous starving flames burst from the point of shattering, sticky globs of oil splattering across the hallways, creating a sea of liquid fire.

Marinette can just barely watch it from her position in Jason's arms, her sight burning like the laboratory's hallway.

Angling his body to protect her, Jason leaps at the window. A cascade of glass showers around them. Glinting and glimmering in the reflection of the drowning inferno behind them. And for a second it almost looks as though they are falling with wings of smoke, glass, and fire outstretched from their backs.

And then the world tilts violently. The earth comes rushing up to meet them. Jason hits it first, a sickening crack of branches shivering apart beneath him. But he keeps her cradled in his arms, shielding her from the worst of the impact.

The laboratory above them crackles and screeches as it is swallowed to the bone by the insatiable fire.

Slowly, Jason breathes deeply, making a sort of chuffing laugh between every other breath. “Fuck. We made it. We're out!”

If she still had control of her body, Marinette would nod and be breathless in laughter too.

Grinning blindingly at her once more, he hauls himself off the conveniently planted shrubbery—Most likely Poison Ivy's doing—that has broken their fall. Then turns and offers a hand to her.

Marinette stares at him blankly.

“C'mon,” he coaxes, still smiling at her like the sun. “Just a bit further, the others will have noticed the beacon by now. We'll take you back home, to safety. And Leslie and A can help you with your injuries. You'll be okay.”

She can't even open her mouth to answer. Pitching forwards, her body crumples again. Like an unloved discarded doll.

There's a look of flooding panic in his eyes, his mouth moving frantically with unheard words, as her eyes roll back and everything goes dark.

Distantly, within the inky darkness, Marinette wonders why she never thought to ask why he came to save her from that place, or who those other people were.

But… It's a little too late now.

The pain of her injuries fade away along with her final bleeding thoughts—the darkness smothering it all as she's cradled ever so gently to the unwavering lull of her heartbeat—steadying itself from the staccato of before.

———

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