#Stephinette

[mochinek0]

I Could be a Better Boyfriend (sing-fic)

This is for Maribat Pride June 2023. It was suppose to be posted yesterday. 

THEME: I have a thing for blondes

Marinette looked around the gala and sighed. It had been three year since she moved to Gotham and she still wasn't a fan of the galas in Gotham. Jagged Stone always gave her his tickets, anyways.

'Why turn them down when you live there, Cupcake? Show off you designs. Be proud!'

She knew he was just trying to help her out. Both him and Penny were trying to convince her to open up her deisgns and go public. After Paris, she didn’t want anyone trying to claim anything about her. She had been hurt too many times before. It didn't matter that everyone now knew the truth. She had been too damaged to go back. She preferred animosity; Jagged and Penny gave that to her.

Marinette sighed as she dropped onto her bed. She wasn't sure why she was so upset. She had seen Stephanie's boyfriend sneak out of the gala, several times over the last couple months. Sometimes, Stephanie would leave instead. Mari couldn’t help but wonder if their relationship wasn't as great as it appeared. Stephanie Brown would just smile when people asked where the CEO had gone and said he had to step out or something urgent came up.

It hurt to see her alone. She had spoken to her before about fashion and sweets. Marinette hoped one day she'd be able to call Steph a friend. They had spoken briefly a couple times before about fashion and sweets. She laughed when she learned she had a giant sweet tooth. She knew her parents would have loved her.

Marinette closed her eyes when an image of Luka came to her mind. It had been awhile since she thought of him, of Paris.

'Marinette, I know you don't want to say anything, but maybe you should at least write it down. You might not notice something right away, but you will be able to look back and see changes. Feelings change; it's normal. You might even notice something new or something you never even imagined possible.'

Marinette sipped her drink as she watched Stephanie and Tim Drake argue silently again. It seemed like the blonde was trying to get him to stop from leaving, but he broke free and left anyways. Marinette shook her head and turned at a compliment about her dress. She still wasn't ready for the world to know her identity. She would just smile and say her uncle's designer made it for her.

Once home, Marinette opened her notebook and began to write her feelings down. Many people had complimented her latest design. It was rewarding to hear so many compliments about her designs. What stuck out the most to her that night was Stephanie again. She hated feeling angry. I quick shower was the best way to wash away the anger.

Once she was out of the shower, she picked her notebook back up and read through it: I can't believe Stephanie is still dating Tim Drake. She doesn't seem like the kind to stay with someone for money. She should leave him! Stephanie deserves someone better than him. Who cares if he's a CEO?

Marinette frowned at her thoughts. She turned the pages back and began to read from the start. She had a year woth of notes. When Marinette had started this, she thought it would be a notebook full of abuse. She would show it to Steph and tell her how much better she was without Tim. That wasn't what she was reading.

Mari blushed as she read page after page, further cementing her thoughts. When she reached the page she had written that night, she turned the page and picked up a pen. Mari closed her eyes and quickly wrote down her feelings. She opened her eyes and saw it staring back at her.

'I haven't been upset. I've been jealous! Thanks, Luka.'

Marinette walked into the studio and looked around. She hoped to speak to Jagged about something.

"Hey, Cupcake." Jagged called out, "You usually don't show up in person, unless it's for a fitting. What's up?"

Marinette blushed and admitted, "I….I wrote a song."

"You did?" Jagged asked, standing up excited.

"It's probably not very good, but-" she began to say.

"Can I see it?" he questioned.

Marinette opened her bookbag and held out her notebook. Jagged looked over the lyrics, curiously and smiled.

"Think we can put a beat to it in the studio?" the rock star asked, "Would you be able to sing it?"

"Actually I wanted you to sing it." Marinette declared, blushing, "Not-It does not have to be released. I-I was thinking about giving it to someone."

"I have to hear you sing this." Jagged stated, "Please!"

I can't believe we're finally alone

I can't believe I almost went home

What are the chances? Everyone's dancing

And he's not with you

The universe must have divined this

What am I gonna do? Not grab your wrist?

I could be a better boyfriend than him

I could do the shit that he never did

Up all night, I won't quit

Thinking I'm gonna steal you from him

I could be such a gentleman

Plus all my clothes would fit

"You sound wonderful, Cupcake!" the rock star announced.

"So, you'll sing it?" Marinette questioned, happily.

"No." he answered.

"What?" his designer asked.

"This is your song." Jagged declared, "You have to sing it."

"But I can't!" Mari replied, "I-"

Jagged pressed a button and let Marinette's voice flow over them.

"Cupcake, I can't give this song the emotions youre singing." he stated, calmly.

Marinette sat as she listened to her own voice.

"It could be a single?" Jagged spoke.

"But it's personal." she whispered.

"Most songs are. Musicians write about what inspires us. It's not always happy feelings, either. We write and sing so that people know they're not alone. Why else would there be so many break up songs?" the rock star spoke, "I'm sure there are other people who are feeling the way you are right now. No one has to know it's you. We can think of a rock and roll name. Anytime you think of songs and you decide to sing it, we can put it under that name."

Marinette tilted her head as she thought about her options. Jagged refused to sing it for her, but gave her the option to record it. Instead of personally handing her the song, it could be something they talked about in passing. She would never know it was her voice she was listening to. Animosity wasn't something new to her. No one knew she was Jagged Stone's personal designer. Besides, she usually only sang in the shower. No one hear her singing in passing.

"Okay." Mari sighed, "On two conditions. We create another alias; not my designer name."

"Not a problem." Jagged smiled, "What's the second?"

"No one but the recording studio knows who I am. Not even Luka or Juleka." she declared.

"What?" he asked, shocked, "But-"

"Not a word." Marinette pleaded, "I don't wanna be up on stage or end up doing duets. Nothing like that."

"Deal." he smiled.

It had been almost six months since the last gala when she walked back through those double doors. Almost instantly, she was able to spot Stephanie. She was alone again. Marinette took a deep breath and made her way over.

I could be a better boyfriend

I don't need to tell you twice

All the ways he can't suffice

If I could give you some advice

I would leave with me tonight

The universe must have divined this, mmm, mmm

Ladies first, baby, I insist

Marinette quickly noticed that Stephanie seemed shocked by her presence.

'Oh, God. Maybe she didn't want to talk to me. Maybe she was avoiding me. I look fine, right?'

She had worn a sweetheart, strapless lavender dress with a cape. Marinette had worked her hair into a bun and curled the loose hairs. Before Marinette could ask the blonde if she was okay, Tim appeared in front of them with a smile. The designer smiled back, but Tim and Steph quickly recognized it as the fake 'Brucie' smile.

Tim cleared his throat, "I don't think we've ever met before." and held out his hand.

Marinette kept her hand at her sides.

"No." she responded, "You usually run off, at some point in the middle of these things, over the last few years."

Tim paled. He never expected someone to notice him leaving to change into Red Robin.

I could be a better boyfriend than him

I could do the shit that he never did

Up all night, I won't quit

Thinking I'm gonna steal you from him

I could be such a gentleman

Plus all my clothes would fit

I could be a better boyfriend than him

I could be a better boyfriend

"Ha-Have you met Steph before?" Tim questioned, nervously.

Stephanie smiles, "A few times, actually, but you know how these things are. We barely get to say hi or hear a speech before anyone can introduce themselves."

Tim nodded, "So, are you learning the ropes to take over the family business?"

"I left the family business a long time ago." Marinette stated, "I'm here for my own business."

"You're own business?" Stephanie asked.

"Yes." The designer answered.

Tim began to panic. He couldn't remember inviting someone influential around his age. Obviously, she was because she had been here multiple times.

'Who is she?'

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his blonde counterpart bobbing her head.

"Are you to that song again?" He asked.

"What song?" Mari questioned.

The blonde looked around and popped an earbud out from behind her ear. She handed it to the designer. Marinette placed it in her ear.

'It's my song!'

I never would have left you alone

Here on your own glued to your phone

Never would have left you alone

For someone else to take you home

I could be a better boyfriend than him

I could do the shit that he never did

Up all night, I won't quit

I'm gonna steal you from him

I could be such a gentleman

Plus you know my clothes would fit

Marinette blushed as she watched Stephanie smile.

"Steph is obsessed with the song." Tim commented.

"It's amazing!" Stephanie declared, "I probably would have broken up him sooner if any girl had walked up to me and told me this."

Tim rolled his eyes, "It was a mutual break up."

"You-You're not together?" Marinette questioned.

"Nope." the blonde answered, "We're exes."

"Who are weirdly….adopted siblings or I guess you could say we fit better as siblings?" Tim tried to explain better, "Bruce has weird adoption habits."

Steph smirked and asked jokingly, "You wouldn't happen to have a tragic past or were possibly orphaned, were you?"

"Oh!" Marinette replied, shocked, "Um, bullied and emancipated. My parents bought my bullies bullshit."

Tim and Stephanie froze, before the side-eyed each other.

'Blue eyes. Black hair. Tragic past. She fits the Wayne bill, alright.'

Marinette giggled, "Don't worry. I've already been unofficially adopted by someone else. I'd like to see Bruce Wayne fight him, though."

"Fight who?" Bruce questioned, emerging from nowhere.

"Bruce!" his kids called him, shocked.

'They seem on edge.'

Bruce looked to the girl across from them. He had seen her at a couple galas, but could never place her.

'What did she do?'

"There ya are, Cupcake!" a voice cried.

"Jagged Stone!" Stephanie and Tim shouted.

"Uncle Jagged!" the girl cried as she hugged the rock legend.

"Bruce, this is my designer and neice." Jagged stated, "I've been giving her my tickets for the last couple ears since she lives in the city. M is an amazing bundle of talent and full of surprises."

"Wait!" Tim spoke, "You're a designer?"

Mari nodded.

Steph gasped, "Are you MDC?"

Marinette blushed and nodded.

"Can you design for me?" Tim asked.

"No, me!" Stephanie exclaimed.

"I asked her first!" Tim growled.

"She knows me better!" Steph declared.

Off to the side, Bruce and Marinette hid their embarrassment, while Jagged just laughed.

"Sorry, Stephanie, but you need to learn how to treat a lady." Tim spoke, putting his arm around Marinette's waist.

Marinette quickly grabbed Tim's arm, rotated it and threw him to the ground.

"I find it's better to keep a man on his toes." the designer declared.

Tim wavered under her glare. Bruce looked between them.

'Okay. Something definetly happened between these two. Is she one of Tim's exes?'

Mari shifted her attention back to the blonde, "I'd love to create something for you."

Stephanie quickly hugged her. Marinette quickly pushed her away and backed up towards Jagged Stone.

"Oh, um-" arinette began to mumble.

Jagged placed his hands on her shoulders, "Why don't you both go to the dance floor? Inspire yourselves."

Marinette slowly held out her hand for the blonde female to take. Stephanie smiled and took her hand, leading them both to the dance floor.

"Jagged?" Bruce questioned.

"Sorry about that, Mate." the musician spoke, "She isn't use to physical contact anymore. Cupcake can take care of herself, as your son found out."

Tim dusted off his clothes, as he looked at the girls questionably. He still knew nothing about MDC. He still didn’t have a name. Jagged called her Cupcake or M. He knew she was emancipated so her name could be completely different from what it once was, for all he knew.

Stephanie cautiously grabbed Marinette's waist as the reached the dance floor. Marinette tensed slightly, but forced herself to relax. Marinette took a step forward and began the dance.

"You know, I thought you and Tim were still dating." Marinette admitted.

Stephanie smiled, "We broke up about a year ago."

"Oh." Mari spoke, "It was…mutual; I think he said?"

"Yeah." the blonde stated, "We sorta mutually decided we wanted to explore the same sex, with out each other."

"Huh?" the designer asked, not understanding.

Steph giggled, "I was checking out girls and he was checking out guys."

"Oh!" Marinette spoke.

"Tim's dating a red head, who thinks one of his older brothers is secretly Nightwing because of the whole 'The Butts Match' theory." Stephanie explained.

Marinette laughed, "Oh, no!"

"We can see Tim loves him." the blonde smiled.

"That's sweet." Mari smiled, softly.

"I hope that doesn't make this weird?" Steph suddenly questioned.

"Weird?" the designer asked, "What is weird?"

"Us dancing." Stephanie whispered.

"N-No!" Marinette blushed, "I-I'm actually in the same boat…..actually."

"Really?" Stephanie asked in shock.

"It was a recent discovery." Mari admitted, "I know I've had crushes on guys in the past and-"

"You realized you might not be into just guys?" Steph finished.

Marinette nodded in embarrassment, "It took me months to realize how I felt."

The two left the unspoken words hang in the air as they continued to sway to the music. Stephanie recognized the familiar tune to her new favorite song, as the tune began to play in the Raycons. Before she could hum along, she heard the song louder than ever. The blonde looked up to see her dance partner's lips repeat the lyrics.

I could be a better boyfriend than him

I could do the shit that he never did

Up all night, I won't quit

Thinking I'm gonna steal you from him

I could be such a gentleman

Plus all my clothes would fit

Stephanie moved on auto-pilot, but she could feel her cheeks were burning hot.

'The cute girl who kept talking to me- I can't believe it; she's the singer to my favorite song! I wonder if I can convince her to meet up and have lunch with me. She looks adorable tonight! She's even wearing my favorite color! She likes girls, too. I might have a chance…if only I knew her name!'

Marinette pulled away from Stephanie when someone cleared their throat loudly. She turned and glared, only to spot Jagged looking sheepish.

"Penny has an issue with Fang." he spoke.

Marinette sighed, "He got into the closet again, didn't he?"

"F-Fang?" Steph questioned, still reeling over Marinette's identity.

"Uncle Jagged's pet crocodile." Mari answered.

"Sorry, Cupcake." Jagged apologized.

"It was nice to see you again, Stephanie." Marinette declared and handed her back her Raycon, "I'm sure I'll see you at another gala. I…have to go wrangle a crocodile and save what is left of my deisgns."

Stephanie stood on the middle of the dance floor. She watched as people quickly stepped out of her way with Jagged Stone, apologizing. She didn't even notice Tim approach her.

"What's got you all twisted?" he asked, causing her to break contact.

"New crush on the designer." she whispered, looking back to where she had left.

"Already?" Tim questioned.

Stephanie nodded.

"Well, that should stop Bruce from adopting her." he chuckled.

"Sooooo?" Jagged teased, as Marinette looked over her design book, "You have a thing for blondes?"

Marinette could feel her cheeks heat up, but kept her eyes focused on her sketches.

"I don't know, yet." she replied.

"Does she have green eyes?" he questioned.

"Blue." Mari answered.

"The song was for her, wasn't it?" Jagged asked.

Marinette merely nodded.

"Think you have a chance with this one?" he prodded.

"Yes." Marinette answered with a smile, "She liked my song."

Jagged merely smiled as his designer continued to focus on her designs.

TAG LIST: @animeweebgirl @a-star-with-a-human-name @meme991001 @vixen-uchiha @abrx2002 @alysrose-starchild @fandom-trapped-03 @dood-space @moonlightstar64 @saltymiraculer @marveldcedits20 @09shell-sea09 @icerosecrystal @animegirlweeb @insane-fangirl-of-everything @blueblossombliss @nickristus-dreamer @megawhitleycalderonpaganus @missmadwoman @meira-3919  @princessdaisysolosyourfaves @blep-23 @fangirlingfanatic @darkhinauniverse @ravenr22 @im-a-satanic-ritual @ravennm84  @bianca-hooks123 @a-slytherinish-gryffindor @starling218 @maribat-calendar-events​

#maribat #marinette dupain cheng #stephanie brown #stephinette #pride month #bi pride #have a thing for blondes #tim drake #oblivious marinette #blind marinette #jealous marinette #designer mdc #jagged stone #uncle jagged #emancipated marinette #maribat pride #maribat pride month #pride 2023 #mlb x dc #mochinek0

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

OHSHCAU (Keysmash)

Part 3

Prev

You know how, when the school year starts up, a teacher might get everyone to go around the room and give a couple of vague facts about themselves? Or, even worse, they might split everyone up into teams based on some random, inconsequential factors and they would all be forced to work together on some dumb task? That way they can get to know new people better?

You know how everyone hates that?

Yeah. Marinette thought that, of all people, her fellow high schoolers would understand. But alas, here she was, glaring down Dick because he wanted to do a team-building exercise. Bastard. She was going to shoot him.

With a paintball gun! Because they were playing paintball!

Do not send cops her way! She will introduce neurotoxins to your system!

Anyways, she had no choice but to agree. Debt’s a bitch.

And, maybe, the idea of shooting the Waynes point blank in the face with paintballs would have swayed her regardless, but who knows. The option was never truly given to her, so who’s to say how she would have reacted?

Certainly, the Waynes would never know.

Which was probably for the best. They could end her life in a couple of phone calls.

She hummed as she absently messed with her paintball gun. They had been split off into pairs. Steph was still on the bench thanks to her copious amounts of injuries, unfortunately, so Marinette hadn’t particularly minded who she was going to end up with (she hated all of the Waynes equally, save fucking Tim, who would avoid her, anyway), and had allowed them to all pair off and leave her with the leftovers.

She was regretting that, now, of course.

Dick wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tugged her into his side. “Don’t get too competitive, please?” He said, and he sounded like he was one more ‘fuck you’ away from begging.

She glanced over his shoulder and found Tim making faces at her behind his back. He was supposed to be heading to one of the other nondescript, frankly unnerving steel tunnels that would lead them to a random place on the map. He should be spending this time with Damian so they could discuss their plans. He was not doing any of these things. He had followed Marinette and Dick to their room instead, and she would be concerned about him trying to figure out where they would end up for the sake of a tactical advantage… but, frankly, that was too smart for him.

He had no good reason to be here. How sweet of him to want to see her off.

She looked back at Dick, her eyes gleaming. “Of course I won’t. Only babies get competitive over stuff like this.”

Tim bristled. But his mic was on, so he was unable to say a word in protest. He could turn his face away from the people to mouth the curses he so clearly wanted to scream, but she could just look in another direction.

Her lips twitched into a kind of grin before she tamped it down.

Dick sighed. Deeply. “I’m guessing I can take that as a no.”

“Aw. You know me so well.”

He snickered. “Well, I’d hope so, since I hired you.”

“No one has ever lied to the people hiring them ever,” she said, nodding sagely.

He grinned. “Which is why we went with… atypical hiring practices.”

“You’ve basically kidnapped me and decided to hold my entire future ransom to make me work for you.”

“Shhhhhhhhh.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Oh, Marinette,” a voice called, and she was more than happy to let Steph drag her out from under Dick’s arm, even if this meant that a new arm was wrapped around her waist and a face came to rest close to her own.

Marinette raised an eyebrow, but wasn’t too surprised at the sudden closeness. They’d literally slept together, in the same bed, for days. She could handle a little bit of contact. And, besides, they’d both agreed that it fit their characters (a playful flirt would flirt with a girl next door, and a girl next door would blush and let it happen) and it would draw in more customers. Teenage boys and gay teenage girls would both rather enjoy watching ‘wlw content’ when given the option.

Besides, who doesn’t flirt with their friends a little? Now they got to monetize it. A win.

Marinette rested a lazy arm over Steph’s shoulder, careful not to jostle the microphone hovering by the girl’s chin. She gave it a pointed look, and Steph mouthed the word ‘off’. She untensed a little. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Your mic is off.”

“I didn’t get one,” she said, shrugging.

Steph blinked. “Oh. I can give you mine.”

“Well, if I accept that, how am I going to insult Tim without the audience knowing?”

Dick snickered. “You could try not insulting him.”

Marinette gave him a blank look.

He shrugged as if to say ‘well, I tried’. Which, did he really?

But her attention was quickly stolen away when Steph pulled something out from behind her ear and then presented it to Marinette, who looked at it how one might look at a dead rat their cat had just brought in.

“What the hell is that?”

“A mic,” Dick offered.

She glared at him out of the corner of her eyes, and then snapped her attention back to Steph when the girl leaned in to fit the device over her ear. “You’re not putting that on me.”

“What, is the scientist scared of technology?” teased Dick.

She gritted her teeth. “Chemicals are easy to understand. They’re predictable. This? Unreliable. Who knows who's listening in on those wavelengths.”

There was a beat of silence. The two Waynes looked at each other for a moment, something unreadable on their faces.

And then Dick sighed. “Listen, you know how our dad bankrolls the Batman?”

She nodded, still eyeing Steph as if the girl was going to jump her and attach the evil machine to her by force.

“Well, we get a couple of perks. Like this. If anyone tries to hack into these – which, really, why would they? – Batman will be alerted and I’m sure they will never be heard from again… or whatever it is he and his weirdo kids do.”

“Local Batman proves that all cops are corrupt,” she said, still eyeing it warily.

“Not a cop,” said Steph.

“Not corrupt,” said Dick.

She wasn’t sure who was being less realistic.

And it didn’t matter what they said, either way.

Batman was exactly the person she was trying to avoid, thank you very much. But it wasn’t like she could just say that, because being openly wary of the Batman in front of rich people was just begging for them to be suspicious of you. They were too used to their peers being affiliated with the Court of Owls. So, reluctantly, she let Steph place the mic.

The girl drew back slightly once she was sure everything was in place (and, more importantly, that it would stay in place even while they were all running around).

Steph grinned. “There. Done. All you’ve got to do now is press the button and you’ll be live. Anyways. Blush like I said something suuuuper hot, m’kay? They’re staring.”

“Maybe if you do something hot, I will.”

She hummed thoughtfully before she brought her free hand up to cradle Marinette’s face. She tilted her head up, her thumb caressing her cheek, their noses brushing. A quiet click sounded next to her ear as her headpiece was turned on.

“Fixed,” Steph said. Quiet, but close enough to the mic hovering by Marinette’s chin for their audience to hear.

“Thanks,” Marinette mumbled. Thank god she had melanin to hide the reddening of her face somewhat, but she was pretty sure it was obvious regardless.

“Anytime,” Steph teased, going so far as to press a kiss to Marinette’s nose before drawing back. She glanced at Dick. “Your mic is off, too.”

“What, not going to fix mine for me?” Dick joked, lifting a lazy hand to flick the knob by his ear.

Steph snorted. “I’d rather die.”

Dick grinned and immediately tugged Marinette closer to him again. Woe is her. If only she could retaliate by beating his ass like she so wants to do. She hates debt. Thankfully, he didn’t wrap an arm around her this time, instead he let her go in favor of crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re just jealous that you don’t get to teach this sweet little underclassman the ropes.”

Marinette was fighting a valiant battle with her face, trying to keep the unimpressed annoyance off of it. “You’re so kind.”

“Of course! It’s my job as the club leader to make sure that your introduction to the group goes smoothly!”

They wouldn’t be bothering with all of this otherwise.

For you see, a large part of being a Host was based around how physically attractive you were, and if they wanted her to be popular enough to pay off her debt, they would have to introduce her to the potential customers in a way that would draw their attention in that way. So, it had been decided that Marinette’s official introduction should be some kind of physical activity. Especially since their clients were all fellow teens, and likely would see a bunch of people fighting for their lives in slightly skimpy clothes and go ‘ooooooooooh’.

Steph rolled her eyes so hard she must have seen her brain back there. “It would have been easier if we’d just done a pool party.”

“My! A pool party?! Steph, have you no shame? What about her innocence?!”

“Dick. She’s wearing a crop top and yoga pants.”

“A crop top, yoga pants, and tasteful armor,” said Dick. His attempts at defending her honor were… definitely attempts. Marinette could give him that.

Marinette crossed her arms over her chest, grinning. “Would you prefer I work out in a hoodie and sweats?”

“Well,” said Steph. She brought her hands up to press against her own chest, winking. “I don’t want that.”

A glance up at the crowd showed that the people had caught the jist of what she’d said thanks to the overdramatic body language she had opted for. Thankfully. Marinette wasn’t sure how to naturally repeat that for the sake of the people watching.

Her eyes caught on one particular person in the crowd, though.

Fu, leaning against his cane heavily, watching her.

“Alright, Steph, stop flirting with the new recruit,” Dick said, slinging his arm over Marinette’s shoulders again, tugging her closer to his side. “Shoo. Scram. Other synonyms that start with ‘s’. I need to teach her how to shoot – shoot! No, wait, I’m thinking of ‘shoo’, and I’m pretty sure I already said that. Anyways. Leave so I can teach her.”

Marinette’s head jerked around to look at him, her eyebrows disappearing behind her hairline. “I know how to shoot. You just…”

She pointed her paintball gun at a nearby wall and pulled the trigger. A disappointed look crossed her face when, despite the gun clicking to tell her that the trigger was working, nothing came out.

“Hm,” she said, eloquently.

He snickered. “Well, I know why that happened, but before we fix that…” He reached a hand out to adjust her fingers. “Let’s not keep our fingers on the trigger. Unless you want to shoot at anything that dares to surprise you.”

Marinette absolutely wanted that. Unfortunately, she couldn’t say that while in character, so she was stuck smiling and saying, “Thanks, Richard.”

“Dick,” he corrected lightly, as usual.

“You don’t understand how much I can not call you that,” she said. Even if Dick was, often, a dick, and she didn’t usually mind going with whatever nickname or name someone called themself, it’s hard to say the word and still come across as demure.

“Well, then, you can call me something else. How does ‘my liege’ sound?”

Marinette snickered into her hand. “Terrible, King.”

“Oh. Hate that.”

“Got it, Queen.”

He sighed.

“Themporer?” she tried, batting her eyelashes.

“How many of those do you have?”

“So many, gender nonspecific monarch.”

“That one feels like a stretch.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, it is a bit of a mouthful.”

“You know, I’m starting to realize that you use humor to stall.”

Marinette’s face flushed at the direct callout. That had been unnecessary. And she couldn’t even curse him out for it. She hated life.

Whatever. She’d roll with it (not like she had any other choices). She gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “What do you mean? I was trying to figure out your royal-title-specific pronoun preferences! I had only the best of intentions.”

“Of course, of course. Pretend to get ready to shoot your gun.”

Marinette huffed, mumbling that he was ‘no fun’ as she lifted her paintball gun.

He walked around her slowly, knocking his foot against the inside of her own until she moved them to be shoulder width apart, bending her arms so the recoil wouldn’t hurt as much, bending her knees slightly so she wouldn’t fall over at the lightest of hits…

“You sure know a lot about this,” Marinette said, eyeing him warily.

“Dad made me take some self-defense classes after I got held for ransom for the eight and a half-th time.”

“Eight times is a lot but I guess that’s still surprisingly competent for hi – wait, half-th?”

“Yeah!” he said, and then did not elaborate.

She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting.

He checked her form one last time before nodding to himself. He squinted at her gun for a moment, before cringing.

“I – uh – I’m not used to turning off the safety from an outsider’s point of view…”

“Then here,” she said, starting to stand up straighter and hand it over to him, only for him to rapidly shake his head.

“No, no, no, we need you in that position for as long as possible to get your body used to it.”

Marinette fought back a grimace, her eyes briefly flicking to the people still watching them intently. Dick, as the self-proclaimed ‘king’ of the Host Club, was easily the most popular among guests. She did not want to put a target on her back by looking like she was trying to come onto him. Or because it might look like he was coming onto her. She hated this fucking job. They were coworkers, damn it. She shouldn’t be stressing about getting, like, Court of Owls-style assassinated for being near him!

“Just – just… do it quick,” she said.

He nodded sharply.

Arms wrapped around her from behind, a chin coming to rest upon her shoulder. Warm breath just barely wafted over the side of her neck, earning a few goosebumps. His hands ghosted over the back of her own, briefly, fixing the positioning of her fingers once again (he really didn’t like her tendency to hang onto the trigger, apparently) before flicking the safety off.

He pulled back the second everything was in order, hands up like he was already actively surrendering. They sent the people watching them mildly embarrassed looks. It isn’t doing them much good, though.

Quick! Take legitimacy away from the intimacy!

“I need to stop bringing desserts from home, you’re getting heavy.”

Dick spluttered. “What?”

“I said what I said.”

She would apologize later.

… wait, would Babs count mental damage as adding to her debt?

She was going to apologize so profusely later.

Dick sighed, running a hand through his hair, briefly pushing his bangs out of his eyes. “Tell me why we made you the girl next door again?”

“Out of ideas,” Marinette said.

“Right, right. Any chance we can change it?”

“Well, you’re the king and all, you can choose,” she said, before winking and blowing a kiss to the people up on the viewing platform. “But, hey, everyone knows that most ‘harsh’ people are just hurt people trying to protect themselves from more harm. I’m sure that, with the right person, I could actually be the soft, kind person I portray. After all, every act needs at least a little bit of truth to work, right?”

She glanced at Dick out of the corner of her eyes. He gave the barest trace of a nod.

Good.

She had a bit of a reputation in the school. Not really because she was outright mean to people – she would never say half the shit she said around Adrien and the host club members to people she didn’t know, not without good reason – but because pretty much every student knew about her… antagonistic relationship with Tim. Because during the last finals season they had only been a step above fistfighting in the middle of the hallway. And not even because they had been scared of punishment or expulsion, but instead because Duke and Steph had physically dragged Tim away before he could jump at her.

Whatever. It was totally water under the bridge and she definitely didn’t want him dead anymore.

(Yes, Tim and Marinette could just put aside their differences, and show that they had changed… but Marinette would rather just kill him, to be honest.)

Regardless, it would be hard to convince the general population that the person that had almost fought another member was all that shy and kind. So, they needed to rework her image. Recontextualize her personality.

Whether or not Marinette or any of the other host club members really believed what she was saying didn’t matter, all that mattered was that their guests believed it. Thankfully, they had years worth of toxic media to back up their claims, and the rich kids who had never had real reason to distrust what they’d been told fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

Great. The goal for today is done. Now, if only she could get out of this stupid paintball tournament. She has changed her mind. A chance of shooting Tim in the face is not worth having to simulate a battle.

Maybe if she annoys Dick enough he might just call it off?

She watched him out of the corner of her eyes as they continued down the hallway. He caught her stare and, instead of being confused or upset or uncomfortable, sent her a tiny smile.

Yeah, she didn’t think it would work. You can’t annoy someone with as many younger siblings as he has. They are immune to outside annoyances by this age, she is pretty sure.

There’s no getting out of this.

She almost laughed. Story of her fucking life.

Dick rested his hand on the doorknob, glancing back at her.

“Ready?”

She flashed a wink. “As I’ll ever be.”

Their door opened up into what seemed to be a trench, carved into the ground. Once they had clambered out of the trench, their clothes already stained with dirt (at least she didn’t have to pay for any of it), they found themselves in a heavily wooded area, with a couple of concrete structures dotted around.

She walked to a nearby tree. All of them looked long dead, blackened, as if they had been burned. As if this was a real battlefield.

She rapped her knuckles against it lightly, and wasn’t surprised to find that, whatever it was made of, it wasn’t organic material. Judging by the sound, she would guess styrofoam, paper mache, paint, and a dream.

A quick check of one of the structures revealed it to have no ceiling.

The entire world around them was fabricated to give the people so far above them, standing on the glass and peering down at them with excited grins she didn’t want to look at, a good view of what was going on. No leaves, no roofs, nothing was allowed to take away from their fun.

Oh shit, she thought. This is what it feels like to be in the Hunger Games.

Or to be in one of Riddler’s escape rooms, she supposed.

She watched Dick carefully toeing at the dirt, checking to see how far down it went. Whether it could actually be used as padding, or if the metal hidden beneath would give some nasty bruises if someone fell on it for any reason. Such as dramatically falling over when shot ‘dead’.

Her lips twitched into a wry kind of grin. And he’s supposed to be the ‘dumbest’ one. Who does he think that he’s fooling?

It wasn’t until long after he had confirmed that the ground was, in fact, soft enough for them all to drop dead on without issue, that an alarm alerted them to the fact that the grace period was over, and they were now supposed to be hunting each other to the death.

Marinette brushed her bangs away from her eyes, taking advantage of the opportunity to see how the audience had dispersed themselves. They were, largely, grouped into four spots. No guesses why. Sureeeeeely not because this was where the four pairs of competitors were…

Okay, that wasn’t fair to the customers. There was no way for them to know that the glass wasn’t a one way mirror like they’d been told. They shouldn’t be aware of the fact that this was all a play that had been planned out well in advance. The Waynes weren’t the types to let on that they weren’t quite as ‘airheaded’ as they often portrayed themselves to be, for whatever reason.

Still… Marinette stretched lazily, rocking back and forth on her feet, trying not to laugh aloud at just how obvious they were all being.

“So, are we heading to the center or skirting around the edges?” she asked.

“Center,” he said, because that was where most of the male clients were, and therefore where Babs and Cass were likely to be. “Let’s see whether there’s a Hunger Games-style cornucopia or something.”

Marinette clicked her tongue lightly. “You can’t tell people what we’re ripping off.”

“I think they already know.”

She huffed, but it’s not as if she genuinely cared.

Without further ado, they were off.

*****

They happened across Babs and Cass in the middle. They seemed to be doing the same thing that Marinette and Dick were, picking around for anything that might be useful. As if the people who had made this place would make an entrance in a spot where they had special items.

“Find anything?” Dick asked, pointing his gun at Babs.

Cass retaliated by pointing her gun at him. He did not seem particularly pleased about this development.

Marinette wasn’t pleased, either, because this meant she had to point her gun at Cass in retaliation. Fuck this script for making her defend Dick Grayson of all people.

Their guests looked to Babs, expecting her to point her gun at Marinette and complete the circle, leading to a dramatic standoff…

Only for Babs to hold up her hands in the universal sign of surrender. “We don’t have to fight,” she said. “It’s better if we don’t. We can’t have Jason or Tim’s teams winning.”

If nothing else, Marinette had to admit that this strategy would have probably worked on her and Dick even if it wasn’t scripted. Because fuck Tim Drake. And, in Dick’s case, Jason, in particular, cannot win, because he would be insufferable about it. They would both take shady deals in a heartbeat if it meant that the other two teams wouldn’t win.

“What do you get from this?” Marinette asked, because it was expected of her.

Cass shrugged. “Fun.”

Valid reason. Marinette (and Dick, too, though she loathed to admit it) could sometimes be fun.

As for Babs…

“If we’re the last two teams, I want to shoot Dick in the face.”

Dick gave a screech of offense, complaining about his ‘beautiful face’. But Marinette sees now downsides! They shook on it before he could get a word in edgewise.

“Alright, team, let’s roll out,” said Babs.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Dick whined.

“No. We are misandry-ing,” Marinette informed him.

“Perfect. Us girlies have to stick together,” Babs joked lightly.

“True. Can’t wait to kill ‘my liege’ for the sake of women everywhere,” Marinette said, snickering to herself.

Dick snorted at the ‘my liege’ callback, and then seemed to process what she had said. He pressed a hand to his chest. “Excuse you, I’m a girlie, too.”

“Woo, slay queen,” Marinette deadpanned. And then she frowned to herself. “Is ‘my liege’ a gendered term?”

“I… think so?” said Babs. The grammar rules for royalty is not the kind of thing the average teenager is looking up, after all. And, if Babs doesn’t know, then Cass (ESL speaker) and Dick (a liar pretending to be the ‘dumb one’ in a group already known for being stupid) had no shot. Pain. She must live without knowing for the next few hours. Why does god hate her so? Truly, she has suffered more than Jesus.

… perhaps it is jokes like that that make god hate her.

Whatever. She did not believe in Him, therefore He could not hurt her.

Anyways.

“Let’s roll out, then, I guess,” she said.

“Only I’m allowed to make that joke,” said Babs.

Marinette blinked. And then her face reddened. “Oh — I—!”

Cass shook her head in mock disappointment.

Marinette huffed. “Is it too late to un-team?”

“Nah, we shook on it, it’s binding,” Babs said.

Well. If that’s the case. They rolled ou— started off in search of others.

It was, honestly, a lot of meandering around. If they managed to go in the right direction too many times, the illusion would break, after all.

But, if nothing ‘entertaining’ was happening, they needed to work extra hard to have interesting conversations to listen in on. Which was hard. Usually, they entertained their guests by flirting, which was easy and didn’t take that much mental energy, but that was no longer really an option. They weren’t going to flirt with each other, especially since Dick and Cass were siblings and Dick and Babs were exes (Dick once again ruining things for everyone, shame on him). So…

Marinette walked alongside Babs. “If you don’t mind me asking, how the heck are you able to use your wheelchair when the ground is like this?” she said. The wheels didn’t look all that special, after all – it was all clearly high-quality, don’t get her wrong, but it wasn’t like she was looking at the wheelchair version of four wheel drive. And the gun in her lap was barely even moving.

“That’s the most fucked up question anyone’s ever asked me,” deadpanned Babs.

Marinette huffed. “Now, I just don’t think that’s true.”

“When have I ever lied?”

“I’m still convinced that the debt was a scam,” she sniffed.

Babs rolled her eyes but distinctly didn’t deny it. Because she couldn’t, clearly, not because she just didn’t feel that this was worth her time or energy. “This isn’t any worse than going down sidewalks.”

Marinette envisioned the Average Gotham Sidewalk. Then looked at the ground. She supposed that the sticks kind of resembled used syringes, now that she thought about it, and the dirt was surprisingly much smoother than the pothole-riddled concrete.

“Oh,” she said. “Okay, makes sense, yeah.”

Well. She had done her job. Someone else needs to pick up the slack, now.

Babs sent her a flat look that said she needed to say something that would interest the audience, not just her. She fought the urge to grumble under her breath. The microphone would pick that up, too.

She turned to look at Dick.

“Okay, philosophical question: if you are aware that you are in denial, is it really denial, or is it a weird form of acceptance?”

It was silent for a moment.

“Er… I guess… acceptance?”

“But then it’s not denial. Different stage,” Cass said.

“But if you’re aware of it, it can’t be denial,” Dick argued.

Babs sighed. “How ‘aware’ is this ‘awareness’? Because, I’m pretty sure, even people in denial kind of know things are weird.”

“Nonono, you’re aware of the denial,” said Marinette. “Like, you know the thing you’re in denial about is bad and you go ‘nahhhhh’. But it’s a conscious decision.”

“Then… ugh. Denial, I guess.”

Babs and Cass started arguing. Marinette was pretty sure this was the most talkative and passionate she had ever seen Cass.

As for the guests… they were either arguing vehemently themselves or watching other people argue with amused grins.

Marinette, discreetly, gave a little bow in Dick’s direction. He gave a huff of laughter.

By the time they stumbled across another person, Cass seemed pissed off enough to go all out. This wasn’t intentional, but it was still funny to watch Duke go from relatively calm and in control to immediately ducking behind a tree for cover for fear of death.

Until he started firing at them all, too, and they were forced to book it to the nearest shelter.

You might argue that they were cowards, and should help out Cass, and you’d be right, but…

They wouldn’t be much help, to be honest.

The way Duke and Cass were fighting was insane. Like they already knew what each other’s movements were going to be ahead of time, and thus were more intent on waiting for the other to slip up than outright outsmarting each other.

Marinette whistled lowly. “How often do you guys come here?”

“Here? This is the first time, actually,” said Dick, brightly. “But we have something like this back at the Manor.”

She hated rich people.

(This fact has been made abundantly clear over the past few chapters, but she would like to say it again. And again. For as many times as it would take for them to stop pulling Rich People Shit.)

“Woooow,” she said, trying to infuse as much fake cheeriness into her tone as was physically possible when her main thought was about how, technically, friendly fire is possible here. “What a perfectly amazing use of your money.”

He nodded his agreement. Whether or not it was joking did not matter when her blood was boiling beneath her skin. She started to lift her gun, intent on either helping Cass or betraying both Cass and Duke at once, only for a stray bullet to nail the wall by her head the moment she started to poke her head out.

She stared at the purple paint for a moment, eyes wide, before slowly shrinking back into hiding.

She was still pissed off, though!

Before her eyes could drift to Babs and she could weigh the moral implications of sending her out first, a handful of skittles was shoved in front of her face.

“Want some?” said Jason.

She nodded, taking all of the red ones and popping them in her mouth. Dick did the same, but with the green pieces, like a weirdo (who the hell prefers green?). Babs wasn’t nearly as picky, just taking a handful of the rest and popping them like pills.

And then she started to lift her gun.

Marinette nearly choked on her sweet treat.

“JASON?!” Dick yelped.

They scrambled for their own guns.

Jason managed to get a shot off on Babs before he was covered in yellow. Maybe they shot him more times than was strictly necessary, but that was what he deserved for using Skittles against them. Honestly, the fact that Dick didn’t believe in the death penalty was the only thing saving him right now.

As for Marinette… well, she had been too intent on looting his ‘corpse’ for more candy to bother with murdering him via paintball gun. After all, what if the Skittles ended up getting blood or — god forbid — paint on them? She wouldn’t even be able to kill him in retaliation for messing up her snack.

She grumbled when she found paintballs, but pocketed them for extra ammo, in case Cass won and needed more.

Then, finally, she procured her prize: a sharing size bag of candy.

Life is good.

Unless you are Jason Todd.

“Maaaaan,” he groaned. “Those are mine, y’know.”

“Shhhhh, you’re a corpse, you can’t speak,” Dick said, holding his hand out for some.

She set the paintballs in his hand instead.

And then watched on in horror as he bit down on one without thinking.

Dick stared at her for a moment, purple dripping from his mouth.

Marinette swallowed down the temptation to joke about him looking like a vampire in favor of frantically looking up whether paintballs were nontoxic or if they were about to cut this paintball tournament short.

… which she wouldn’t mind, actually, now that she thought about it...

She considered the google page saying that they were nontoxic (for humans, at least, apparently they were not good for animals, which Damian was going to be distressed about when he learned), wondering whether an ambulance visit would be added to her debt. And then decided she didn’t want to risk it.

“You’re fine.”

Want to know who wasn’t fine? Cass and Duke. Apparently, in the time it took for everything to settle, Duke and Cass had killed each other off. Or, well, Duke had slipped up and Cass had ‘died’ in solidarity with him. Mildly concerning behavior, but it was a paintball game and therefore has no real indication of actual behaviors. Hopefully. Marinette genuinely liked Cass.

No time to linger on that particular line of thought.

“If Tim wins I’m pulling a Cass,” Marinette told Dick.

Dick raised an eyebrow. “You’d already be ‘dead’ if Tim wins.”

She thought this over. “Then I’ll come back as a zombie and be killed again. Perfect.”

Jason did not seem to find this funny, but maybe he was still bitter about having his Skittles stolen. Dick grinned and, really, that’s all that matters.

“What do you think real life zombies are like?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Nonexistent.”

“Don’t know what I was expecting from the scientist,” he huffed.

“Fiiiiiine,” she said. She thought, long and hard, about what a real life zombie would be like. Blüdhaven got nuked a while back (deserved, fuck Blüdhaven), and she hadn’t yet heard of zombies, so radiation poisoning wasn’t going to do it. So probably an intentional thing — Jurassic Park style experimentation, or something. Which means that the circumstances would be controlled… except zombies would probably escape the labs, if Marinette were to ever see them. The body would have to be very cold to slow down decomposition. It wouldn’t even halt it entirely.

“Gross,” she decided.

Dick stared at her. “All that thought and you come up with ‘gross’?!”

“I’m not wrong. They’d be gross.”

“That is not the point!” he groaned. “Talk about whether you think they’d be fast or slow, strong or weak, intelligent or not! Talk about whether their decomposition would affect them!”

She snickered. “Careful, Richard, or you’re going to make people think you have a brain in there.”

For a moment, he froze. And then he purposefully relaxed, each muscle individually untensing, one by one. He laughed lightly, but it was a tad bit forced (when wasn’t it, though?). “Yeah, the zombies will come after me if they know.”

“Being stupid has its benefits, yeah?”

He chuckled humorlessly.

Before he could come up with a proper response, though, Tim wandered into their area, drawn by the sound of gunfire from Duke and Cass’s fight. Marinette and Dick pointed their guns at him immediately.

Tim narrowed his eyes. He pointed his gun at Marinette, but seemed hesitant.

Marinette fought off a smirk. She loved having plot armor. At the sight of her face, he only seemed more irritated, which was even better.

But there was nothing he could do.

He set his gun down.

“We could take him as hostage,” Dick offered. “See if that lures Damian –.”

“Nah, too risky,” said Marinette. Without any further ado, she shot Tim.

Tim fell over, and not entirely because that was standard for ‘dead’ people. He hugged himself. His dignity, breaking. In a very literal sense.

It was very quiet. Marinette’s hand found its way to her mouth.

Dick looked at her, his eyes wide and horrified.

“I know I hate you, but… I didn’t mean… I forgot that men have… Tim, I’m so sorry.”

Tim made a pitiful sound.

Shakily, he lifted a hand in a thumbs up.

She made a heart with her own hands. This did not seem to help in the slightest but, frankly, there wasn’t much else she could do.

Luckily, she didn’t need to think about it for long before she was distracted — a voice called from behind them: “Found you.”

She whipped around and shot Damian in the chest.

There were a few moments where no one knew what to do. The boy stared at the paint staining his armor bright yellow. Marinette’s grip felt clammy on her gun.

Dick tipped his head to the side consideringly.

She met his eyes.

She was no longer amused by the intelligence lingering in his gaze as he scrutinized her. She narrowed her eyes at him, briefly, daring him to say something. She wasn’t the only one hiding things, after all.

Play along, she told him. Help me fix this ending.

He relaxed his expression carefully.

They had an understanding. Despite Marinette’s supposed incompetence with guns, when startled she was quick to shoot and accurate. Despite Dick constantly acting as if he was dumb, there was clearly a brain hidden somewhere there. They both knew more than they tried to let on. Maybe that was why they didn’t have much trouble identifying each other’s acts… but, so long as their own secrets remained intact, they could keep each others’.

It was a little nerve-wracking, and yet, strangely, nice, to have someone you don’t have to lie to. That can see past it even when you try.

She smirked and lifted her gun. “See? This is why you keep your finger on the trigger, Dick.”

He grinned and held up his hands in surrender.

*****

Marinette and Dick grimaced as a cooler full of paint was poured over their backs. They definitely felt victorious right about now. This was their prize for winning. Yay them.

Sure, they didn’t exactly, genuinely earn the win, but that’s besides the point.

He looked at her. “You’ve got red in your hair.”

She yelped and brought a hand up to try and get it out, only to remember just a second too late that her hands, too, were covered in paint. She stared at the glob of paint-covered hair hanging limp in front of her eyes for a moment, devastated, and then glared at him.

“You did that on purpose.”

“I was just pointing something out for you,” he said ‘innocently’, unable to quite keep himself from smiling.

She hummed, and then slapped her hand onto his hair. He hissed and reflexively his hands flew up to touch the sore spot, only for him to realize that now he had been the one baited into getting paint in his hair.

“Marinette,” he said, smiling sweetly.

For a moment, one could almost see the regret flickering across her features.

And then he rushed forward to try and trap her in a hug. She shrieked, managing to get only a few steps before she was snatched up, dragged into the evil monster. She barely even had time to fight back before she was thrown over his shoulder, only able to yell off-brand curse words and try to writhe around in hopes of freedom – or, at least, in hopes that she could smear her own paint over every part of him she could reach.

Within minutes, they were swirling messes of red, blue, purple, and the occasional scrap of visible skin.

There were people laughing at their antics.

Both of them froze.

They looked up, and found the other members of the Host Club were enjoying the show.

As well as a few guests, but they couldn’t really retaliate against them.

So, Dick set Marinette down and they met each other’s eyes and silently resolved to make up for that by attacking their fellow club members twice as much to compensate.

*****

Marinette heaved a sigh as she sat on a bench, scrubbing paint off her arm with her millionth wet wipe of the day. Where did the green even come from?

It was then that she realized someone was nearing her.

She looked over her shoulder and found…

Well, someone her age. She recognized her, vaguely, from her English class, but their name eluded her.

The girl smiled nervously at Marinette, wringing her hands and somewhat avoiding eye contact. “I – uh – was wondering if you could Host for me sometime?”

Marinette stared at her for a moment, processing.

And then she lit up, practically jumping from her seat in order to shake the girl’s hand.

“That sounds great! What day would you –?”

She drew her hand back, and cringed at the red strings of paint now connecting their hands.

“I… don’t know if I have more wet wipes,” she said, blushing.

The girl smiled, amused. “If you walk me home, I’ll consider it even.”

Marinette hesitantly took her hand again, intertwining their fingers. “Okay. Don’t know if that’s much of a punishment, but if that’s what it takes to repay you…”

~~~~~~~~~~

TBC

Taglist: @ev-cupcake @thatonecroc @toodaloo-kangaroo @fangirlingfanatic

#ohshc au #keysmash au #maribat #one day izzys birthday chapters are gonna be uploaded on like january 1st or something #dickinette #stephinette #cassinette #adrienette #timinette #jasonette #dukinette #daminette #babsinette

[the-coffee-fandom]

Sometimes It Works Itself Out

By: the-coffee-fandom

Art here

Marinette really could not take any more bullshit. Honestly. She might punch the next person that comes by if they try and say something dumb to her.

Here she was on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. Well, the anniversary of such anyway. The anniversary of what she was told was the best day of her life. But even though she was told as such, it never felt that way to her.

Your wedding day is supposed to be filled with a million flowers, a cake too big for all your guests to eat, surrounded by everyone you love and cherish, and with the person you plan to spend the rest of your life with. Your chest is bursting with joy and the smile can’t be contained nor wiped off your face, the birds feel like they are singing love songs far into the night. Everything is perfect. That’s how she always thought it was.

That’s what she thought she had with Adrien. She didn’t realize that her vows were hollow in his heart and his eyes were always on another.

Even if that other was technically still her.

Ladybug felt like a different entity to Marinette. She was strong, confident, and powerful. Marinette had a semblance of that still within her day to day life, but not to the degree that Adrien Agreste had fallen for. He was in love with a hero, not with a human.

Maybe that’s why she wasn’t upset when she found out about his crush on another. She watched as his eyes drifted over to him whenever they hung out together. She saw the hearts in his eyes, felt the quickening of his heartbeat, and heard the stutter of his breath. It was so clear that he had moved on now that he had grown up and realized his fantasy of marrying the mask of what she used to be wasn’t the life he was meant for.

She was in a light pink dress, cherry blossoms decorated the ends of it. If she twirled her dress would flare out and circle her. She liked her dresses like that. She knew her maskera had begun running down her cheeks, black streaks decorating her face like rain drops on a window. She felt it deep in her soul that this was definitely the right thing to do. Not just for her partner, but for her as well. Moving on is hard but it's right.

So she finished the last of the papers making it official, and walked out of the room now a single woman again.

She paid no mind to the blonde that tried calling after her. She didn’t need to hear a thousand more apologies, empty words falling past his lips trying to fix the pieces of a relationship that was never meant to be. Her heart hurt and she didn’t need him to see her break down.

She threw open the doors and stepped into the cool breeze of the outdoors. It was almost a slap in the face how bright and beautiful everything was. It was a painful reminder of her own wedding day. So filled with warmth and love and laughter. Everything and everyone but her.

She lifted her eyes from the concrete and they met with azure blue eyes that were filled with a sympathy and understanding beyond what she thought she deserved.

“Hey.”

Marinette let one side of her lips perk up into a half sort of smile.

“Hey,” she responded back softly.

“I thought you could use a ride?” She used her head to nod sideways towards the purple mini behind her.

“My knight and shining armor.”

The blonde smiled and chuckled, “I am dashing enough to be one.”

“You keep telling yourself that,” Marinette shoved her shoulder, her smile becoming genuine.

“I will,” the other girls voice followed as she walked around the back of the car to get to the passenger side.

She stopped short when she saw what her friend had done.

“Really, Steph?”

The amused tone of her voice showed that she wasn’t actually upset.

“Yeah, I thought we could head out to celebrate being single.”

“Because that’s something to celebrate now is it?”

Stephanie punched her lightly in the arm, “duh! Single people have the most fun. Everyone knows that!”

“Sure,” Marinette rolled her eyes with a giggle as she moved to climb into the car.

Steph joined her, taking her space in the driver's seat and looking over at her. Her eyes sparkled in the midday sun and her hair blew lightly in the calm breeze. She looked like an angel.

“Is that for me?” Marinette joked, pointing at the coffee sitting in the cup holders.

“It is!” She beamed brightly.

Marinette’s heart, for the first time, today felt lighter.

“Is this really all for me?”

Steph looked at her, her eyes softening and her shoulders relaxing, “of course. If you ever need me, I’ll be right here for you.”

Marinette nodded, blinking back more tears.

“Where to?”

Marinette tilted her head slightly in thought.

“Nowhere,” she decided on.

“Nowhere it is!” Her friend called out excitedly.

The music was cranked up to full blast as the windows were brought down so they were completely open. The blonde driving sped up to ten above the speed limit and they were off to who knows where.

And for once, Marinette decided she was fine with the unknown. Maybe things don’t work out the way she had planned but she was here and she will live in the moment.

Her eyes trailed back to the girl beside her, singing at the top of her lungs to a song that wasn’t even that good while her hair blew widely in the wind. Her music tastes were adequate at best. But she was goofy and fun and beautiful and…

And maybe, this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

She was with the person she wanted to spend her life with now. And that’s enough.

#maribat #mlb x dc #ttt2023 #stephinette #stephinette fanfiction #is that for me? ttt2023 #fanfiction #dc x mlb #maribat marinette dupain cheng #maribat Stephanie brown #who’s adriens love interest? #take a wild guess

[official-timari-server]

Shutterbug Station Team Poll

#mlb x dc #dc x mlb #maribat #timari server #timari discord #maribat event #mss2024 #Shutterbug Station 2024 #Shutterbug Station #maribat discord #maribat server #maribat angst #maribat fluff #dickinette #jasonette #timari #damianette #stephinette #cassinette #dukinette #konette #marijon #maribat ships #angst v fluff

[bee-a-garbage-shipper]

*MariBat meaning Non Polyamory Marinette x BatFam Member Ships

#🐝's post #🐝's polls #maribat #dcnette #miraculous ladybug #batman #dcu #timari #timnette #timinette #jasonette #cassinette #cassnette #stephinette #brunette #dickinette #dicknette #dukenette #babinette #helenette #harpinette #katenette

[boldlyanxious]

Blurt it out

5 times Marinette almost tells Steph her secret Masterlist

She nearly told her right then. After years of keeping the secret from everyone in her life she nearly blurted it out to a stranger. Surely she couldn't be distracted by a tall blond the same way she had at thirteen. It had to be the fact that she was blindsided by the sudden shift in the situation. She went from waiting to order lunch to being faced with a gun by an armed robber. 

“Everybody freeze. Hands up.” 

“Est-ce un jeu?” She spoke in French to buy some time.

The shout had come from behind her but there was a man in front of her with a gun as well. She looked around, trying to decide what to do. She had frozen but she didn’t lift her hands. The man motioned with the gun but he didn’t speak. The next voice came from the woman beside her.

“No.”

The woman shifted and put her hands on her hips.

“What do you mean no. I have a gun.”

She didn’t want to turn back to see what the other man was doing. She maintained eye contact with the man in front of her. His eyes seemed understanding so she made herself seem very confused and looked around.

“Ce qui se passe?”

The woman behind her didn’t seem to be concerned at all and was still antagonizing the other gunman.

“I’m really supposed to believe you know what to do with a gun when you are holding it like that?"

Marinette could hear steps behind her but she focused on the man approaching her. He touched her arm gently and nudged. She took half a step back so he tried again. He motioned, lifting his arms to demonstrate what she should be doing. That was all she needed. He was in close and his gun was no longer aimed at anyone.

“Now!” she shouted.

She kicked out, disarming the man. He seemed stunned. Marinette just hoped that the other woman would take the cue to disarm the other one. A couple others in the shop rushed forward to help restrain the man now that he didn’t have a gun. Marinette turned to see that the other woman had managed to take down the other gunman and was holding him on the ground.

“That’s some quick thinking there,” she said. “Wish I could have seen you in action.”

Marinette stopped herself from blurting out where she picked up the quick thinking skills.

—

It was cold and Marinette was waiting for the bus. She nearly gave up. It was very late and it was slick out. She just wanted to go back to bed. The meetings today could not be rescheduled but the coffee shop she wanted to treat herself with was closed. Apparently they had respected the weather. She had lived here long enough to know that it took a lot for the locals to decide against opening on time. But all around her were places that she usually would see open by the time she caught the bus.

Finally she could hear the bus coming.

She picked up her bag and held onto the pole so she could get her feet under her on the few steps away from where the bus always stopped. There was a shout as a man ran across the road. He was clearly sliding but was more concerned with getting away from the masked woman chasing him. Assessing quickly, Marinette picked her out as Spoiler, her favorite of the local vigilantes. That meant that the man was probably running away from whatever crime he had just committed.

Spoiler caught him just as they made it out of the street. The bus was sliding past the usual stopping point, the wheels were stopped but the slippery hill was keeping the momentum going. The criminal twisted away, with an elbow hitting Spoiler in the face. The impact sent him tumbling forward but Spoiler slipped back towards the street.

She could see it all happen before it did. It was just like when she could see the lucky charm when she was Ladybug. The sequence of events happened in her mind and she knew that the bus would slide into Spoiler right after she landed on the road. Lunging forward, she grabbed her in the air and pivoted. Her foot slipped on the ice but she managed to twist around. Her butt and back hit first and then her head before she slid along the ice. It felt like there was a weight pressing on her and she groaned.

“You could be a hero with reflexes like that.”

Her purple cape was the first thing Marinette focused on. It was blowing in the wind covering most of her field of vision. But Spoiler’s smile was directly in front of her and it took a moment to connect that to the fact that she was on top of her. The weight shifted as Spoiler moved to unpin her from the ice. She was still dazed but as she sat up and looked around, she saw the bus she just pulled the vigilante away from had made the stop and was now pulling away. She had missed the bus she waited for. She wondered if it would impress her to hear about her own experience in a mask but she was still too dazed to make a response.

Spoiler helped her up, there were spikes on her boots that helped her maintain traction on the ice. Her hand rested on Marinette’s side and steadied her once she stood up. Marinette put her other hand on the same pole she had been using before to help her not slide around. The purple mask got very close to her face, so close she could see the blue eyes and the tiny flakes of snow freezing to her eyelashes. She needed to say something in response. She quickly tried to think of the best response to the compliment.

“Purple,” she whispered.

The eyes widened and pulled back slightly but Marinette followed and placed a kiss on her cold cheek. She wondered if the pink on the skin was from the cold or if she had made her blush. Their moment was interrupted by other vigilantes who had arrived to help them. They had hauled up the criminal and the police were arriving to arrest him.

“I don’t think you have a concussion but you hit that ice pretty hard. Do you need help getting home?”

“I’m supposed to have a meeting but I missed the bus, it was already so late.”

“You did a great job making sure it missed me. Can you reschedule the meeting?”

“I could do that for you.” Marinette relaxed against her, “You just keep holding on.”

—

She wasn’t stalking. That would be weird. She wasn’t fourteen anymore and it was no longer acceptable to follow around cute blondes. She just happened to be patrolling in the neighborhood and saw the woman she had seen in the cafe before. It was far too cool for the dress she was wearing but her jacket was slung over her shoulder and she was talking on the phone a bit too loud for how dark it was in this area of the city.

Ladybug was just keeping an eye. That was her job anyway. Vigilance in a situation that could seem like a prime opportunity to the citizens of the seedy underbelly of Gotham. The woman stumbled slightly on her tall heels as she struggled to get her phone back in her tiny clutch. Ladybug landed off to the side. Not in front of her blocking the path but in her line of sight so she wasn’t sneaking up on her. She was startled anyway.

“It’s late to be out on your own,” Ladybug said.

“It seems to be turning out in my favor since it got you to show up.”

The woman smiled down at her. Ladybug was happy for the mask to hide her flush. She had to tip her head back to look up at her. She was already tall. She had noticed that in the cafe, but now she was wearing heels that added several inches to her height. She glanced back down at the dress. It was a bright purple with black accents and the silver pumps were glittering with rhinestones.

“Do you have far to go? I could walk with you.”

“I’ll walk to the far side of Gotham if I get to walk with Ladybug.” She reached out to link their arms. “But my apartment is two blocks from here.”

Ladybug couldn’t tell her that they had met before. It wouldn’t be right to put that kind of burden on a civilian, especially one she didn’t know.

“I’ll make sure you get home safely.”

“I’m not sure my home is safe.” Ladybug put her arm out to stop them from going any further. But when she looked in the woman’s face her eyes were twinkling. “There are monsters in my closet. You will have to stay until I’m tucked in and check for me.”

—

Marinette found herself biting her lip a lot to keep the secret. She had never wanted to tell anyone as much as she wanted to tell Steph. They hadn’t even been dating long but she just felt comfortable with her. The threat seemed so long in the past that she didn’t know how it could matter anymore. The kwami had been tucked into their box since Hawkmoth’s defeat except for when she took Tikki out to patrol. They had gained too much publicity at the time with Gabriel Agreste turning out to be the man under the mask to be anything but cautious. When the press had died down, she found a reason to move to Gotham. There was magic there that would obscure the miraculi and she needed to be away from Paris.

She watched as the worker strapped Steph into the harness. They were both pretty excited about the zipline. It was the highest one available on the East coast. It just went in over the harbor where the amusement mile had been torn down. This was the first time they were offering rides at night. Steph had found out and made sure to reserve tickets for her birthday. They had spent the whole day together doing all the things that Marinette loved. Then she surprised her at dinner with the tickets.

She took her own turn being strapped into the harness. She looked down to watch, double checking that the attendant had fastened everything right. When she lifted her head back up, it was just in time for Steph to move in for a kiss. Everything with her felt right. She pulled back with a smile and their hands held tight until the attendant had them separate for the ride. They looked at each other and pushed off into the night at the same time.

It was magical. It reminded her so much of flying through the air as Ladybug. She closed her eyes and remembered what it had felt like. When she opened them again she looked over at Steph. This was so much better. There wasn’t the worry of Hawkmoth and she was there with the woman she loved. She surprised herself thinking that. But it wasn’t actually that surprising. She was the first person she thought of every morning and the last person she thought of every night.

They reached over and linked hands. The lights on the other side were getting brighter and they could see the attendants on the other side. Steph landed first and she was helped down right after. She couldn’t tell her how it felt to fly like Ladybug again. So she said the next thing she wanted to blurt out.

“I love you.”

Steph met her in a kiss and whispered “I love you” against her lips. It really had been a perfect birthday.

—

She wasn’t even nervous about taking Steph to meet her parents. They were happy and in love and her parents were excited to meet her. She expected they would tease her but there wasn’t much she could say about them that wasn’t true. They were absolutely in love and made it everyone’s problem. Their friends in Gotham were probably excited to have a break from their constant affection. Marinette grinned just thinking of it.

“What has you smiling like that?” Steph asked. “Is it the hero festival? We should go. It's the perfect timing.”

“Well, I was thinking of you and I can’t help but smile when I do that.”

“Simp.”

“Yes, but I’m your simp.” Steph stopped responding to grin herself at that. “I didn't know about the hero festival but we should go. We need to do all the things you want to do.”

Steph frowned.

“If you don’t want to, you can help me pick things that are important to you. This trip is about both of us.”

“I do want to go. We will probably see a lot of people I know there.”

She couldn’t tell her that many of them might not recognize her without the mask. She always wanted to just blurt it out but she couldn’t. Especially not in Paris. There would be too much risk of being overheard whether when she said it or after. They would definitely need to talk about it and it would be too awkward right before they met her parents.

They arrived at the bakery and her parents dropped everything, even with a line of customers, to greet them. Many of the regulars remembered Marinette and were happy to wait and get a chance to see her again and after the initial moment her parents rushed back to the line to clear it out and then closed the shop early.

“We will have time later. You don’t have to close,” Marinette said.

“Our time is limited. It isn’t that long until close anyway and we have a lot to do for the hero festival tomorrow,” her maman said.

“Besides, what is really important is having you two taste test everything we made for the festival tomorrow,” her papa said.

They spent the evening with her parents and played games. It was exactly as easy as Marinette expected to get her parents to love her girlfriend. When she woke early the next morning, her mother even took the time to tell her how much they loved her.

“It was clear when you talked about her on our video calls and in the times she was there with you that you two were well suited,” Maman said.

“I’ve never felt like this about anyone,” she admitted. “It always felt so hard to be in love. Like it would just fade away if I admitted it but she makes it easy.”

“I feel the same way,” Steph said from behind her.

She knew that with anyone else saying something like that she would have felt embarrassed but there was no shame coming from her, just pure love. To demonstrate that she came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her. Marinette relaxed against her as she put her head on top of her own. She twisted around to give her a kiss but Steph had snuck her coffee mug and had it tipped back all the way as she was draining it.

“Hey, foul!” Marinette exclaimed. “You tricked me. Again. How did I fall for that again?”

“I love how trusting you are,” Steph said, leaning down to give her a peck on the nose.

After replacing her coffee and getting Steph more, they had breakfast before they helped her parents load up the treats to take to the festival. She wasn’t sure if she would see Adrien there. She was the only one who knew he had been Chat Noir but they had agreed to never show up in Paris again unless it was a major situation, not just for publicity. But he had created the foundation that was paying for everything at the festival, including her parents’ baked goods so they could be given out to everyone who showed up to remember the heroes.

It was more fun than she expected. She saw so many friends and people she remembered and Steph loved to hear about all the antics they got away with in their youth. She was the only one who knew every time that someone was omitting details because they were wielding a miraculous. One that she had chosen to put in their hands. It made her feel pensive as they came to a poster of her from the first picture ever taken of Ladybug. She had been so nervous then, maybe it would have been better if she had backed away but it was too late for regret. Steph didn’t know what she was thinking but she still came up to take her hand.

“She was so young; it’s hard to imagine.”

“Yeah,” Marinette said. “That was her first time as a hero. It must have been so overwhelming.”

She could feel it overwhelming her now. Not just the thought of suddenly becoming an untrained hero, but wanting to share her secret with the one she loved. She leaned her head against Steph’s shoulder and they stood there for a moment thinking about the young hero.

—

Marinette couldn’t help smiling even though it was raining. Her shop was doing great and she had finished a purple jacket for Steph. It was a surprise for her birthday and she was struggling to keep it to herself. She had to focus on how Steph’s face would look when she opened her gift later. The party was a surprise too but she was fairly certain that Steph had figured them out. There were too many conversations that went silent when she walked towards people and she was just too good at getting information from people.

If anything she suspected that Tim was the weak link. He had a tendency to be hyper focused on his own work to the exclusion of all else. It would be easy for Steph to slip in leading questions. She could do it casually enough and not push right away so she could collect little samples of information. That is how she worked out all the things that Marinette wanted for her birthday. They had started dating right after Steph’s birthday last year so everything had to be perfect this year. She was headed home to finish the cake while Jason took her to a waffle festival. Hopefully she would still want some cake later.

She hugged the wall of the building to lock the door, trying to block the rain even though it was inevitable that she would be drenched shortly. But then a red umbrella with black spot filled her field of vision before it moved over her head. Steph’s blue eyes met hers before she was pushed into the wall and was kissing her girlfriend.

“Surprise,” Steph said as she pulled away.

“I’m always surprised by how amazing you are. You would think I would learn.” She leaned forward for another kiss. “People alway think that kissing in the rain is great but no one ever mentions your girlfriend surprising you with an umbrella.”

“I found it at the festival. It reminded me of your Paris Ladybug stories.”

“I was Ladybug,” Marinette said.`

There. It was out there now.

Blurted out as it always seemed to come to her. Steph laughed initially and then her eyes widened as Marinette didn't return the smile. It sank in that she was telling the truth.

"That is wonderful," Steph said. "That means I can tell you I'm Spoiler and it won't scare you like it would a civilian."

#stephinette #5 times #maristeph #maribat #boldlyanxious #mgi civil war 3

[verymuchimmortalcat]

Stephanie: *singing off key* Never thought we’d have a last kiss. Never imagined we’d end like this.

Cassandra: *to Marinette* What happened?

(simultaneously)

Marinette: I told her she can’t have any of the cookies I’m making.

Stephanie: Marinette doesn’t love me anymore.

*Cass snorts while Marinette just sighs*

@maribat-get-in

#maribat #stephinette #anyways Steph loves taylor swift and I don’t accept arguments #m?gi civil war 3 #when I don’t have time to write so all my ideas are turning to either bullet point fics or incorrect quotes

[ive-tumbled-down-a-rabbit-hole]

Are waffles that important?

Meet Cute Monday 41

This was started and meant to be writing for pride month. It failed when work decided to be manic, and I got lost all spare time and energy to write as numbers and reports consumed my life. But hay! At least I can now get round to finishing this now.

Masterlist

MCM Masterlist

…................................................

Steph crows as Jason helps her with the bags of ball pool/pit balls. The plan is genius and serves Dick right for eating the last waffle. It was hers! It had her name on it. Well, maybe not literally her name but still it was hers, she had claimed it, and she will have her revenge. Screw what Bruce says about that, this is for the sake of waffles and waffle kind.

“Ya know, Blondie, one of us should really keep an eye out in case Goldie returns any time soon.”

“Jaaaay, who’ll help me pour the balls into his car then!?”

“I dunno, this is more than a two-person job though. I def don’t wanna know how the hell you got so many either.”

“I have my ways. I’m not the only one with contacts ya know.”

“Whatever. I’m gonna grab some more bags from the van. I still think you need to keep Dick distracted.”

“That means finding a red head and where am I gonna find one of those?!”

“Call Barbie then.”

“He’ll suspect Babs.”

“Roy would give the prank away and Wally would cave to Dickhead, Blondie so don’t use them.”

Steph pouted as she continued to pour the rainbow balls in through the window into Dick’s unsuspecting car as Jason walked off to get more of her cargo. The car was half filled now and getting to the point where she would need to have to put the windows up and start using the sunroof as she watched others wander past staring at her actions. Maybe Jason was right that she needed a look out and maybe someone else to help speed up the car filling. Dick had only popped in the shop to gather a few items for Alfred. Steph knew that he’d get distracted in the cereal aisle and sneak more into the shop but that still was pushing it time wise.

Glancing about the civilians meandering towards the shop, Steph looked out for her targets in aiding in her prank. Getting the spare keys was easy enough with Damian kicking off earlier about yet another pet. Dick won’t suspect a thing, but she really did need to speed up.

It was when Jason was walking back carrying two more bags that Steph saw them. The gorgeous black-haired goddess with a red head victim. She was perfect. They both were.

With a demonic smile, as they approached Steph whistled to get their attention as she put the half empty bag down and leant against the car.

“Hi! Do ya think you could help me?”

The girls glanced and held a silent conversation between themselves before edging cautiously closer, much to Stephs amusement but pleased that they weren’t silly and trusting a stranger. This was still Gotham after all.

“What sort of help?”

The dark haired one stated, her rose-pink lips sparkling in the hazed sun of Gotham distracting Steph. Jason’s cough covered laugh drew Steph back to her mission.

“I need you Ruby,” pointing at the red head, “To distract my not brother, while you Sapphire,” pointing at the dark-haired woman, “help me fill his car with balls while my other not brother gets more of them.”

“How do we know this isn’t some sort of weird heist and that there isn’t a bomb in the car, and you’re not going to try and kidnap us for some international something?”

“Marinette?!”

Steph raised her eyebrows at that dramatic turn. Not even Tim would think like that... potentially... maybe...

Jason snorted more behind her.

“Can’t say I’ve heard someone ask that when pulling a prank pixie. But we’re not, just harmless revenge for Goldie eating Blondies last waffle.”

“We’ll help! What’s your brother look like? What’s the best way to distract him according to your knowledge?”

“Alya?!”

“Come on girl! The last waffle, Blondie is basically playing Sunshine when Nino eats the last croissant.”

“I... yes but...”

As Steph fist pumped the air before starting to take the bags off Jason shooing him away to get more. The women, Marinette and Alya, whispered aggressively together, shooting Steph stray looks, as Marinette waves her arms around animatedly.

“FINE!”

“We’ll do! Ignore M’s exaggerating. He must be punished for his heinous crimes. So, your brother?”

Steph dug her phone out and showed Ayla a few pictures of Dick so she would recognise him.

“I’m Steph by the way and Jason is helping with balls. So, this is Dick, who lives up to his name. He likes red heads and a major flirt. Just need to look distressed and flirt a little to distract him.”

“Alya, and no problem, he may have a nice butt, but I’m happily taken but some harmless flirting for the revenge can be worked with. Nino understands the sacrifices that need to be made with the many battles due to M’s croissants he has entered.”

“Awesome. I’ll get your friend to call you when we’re ready.”

“Cool. I’ll leave Marinette in your safe hands. I have a guy to mess with.”

Alya beamed with a mischievous nature as she bounced towards the store. Steph kind of felt bad for Dick on what she unleashed, only slightly though. He shouldn’t have eaten the last waffle and Alya seemed to get the tragedy of the situation and was fully invested in her revenge, so meh! Marinette, her sparkling sapphire in the Gotham gloom, seemed slightly more apprehensive about it all. Steph tried sending Marinette a reassuring flirty smile as she handed the woman a bag of colourful balls before reaching for her own.

Steph couldn’t really tell if it worked as Marinette turned and started to pour balls into the car via the opened sunroof. Getting a read on the sparkling sapphire was like getting a read on Tim in the early days. She broke his barriers. She’ll break Marinettes.

“Should we worry about Dick with Ruby being that enthusiastic?”

“*snort* probably. You’ve unleashed a demon. Alya loves prank wars and drama. She will be filming the reaction at the end of this you realise.”

“Nice! He deserves every ounce of revenge bestowed on him for eating MY waffle!”

The soft smile Marinette sent Stephs way sent her heart racing again. She really did light up the Gotham gloom with the pastel shades wore and alluring sparkling eyes.

“Are waffles that important?”

“Yes!! Especially Alfreds. We won’t talk about his pancakes. But his waffles are to kill for but, killing it frowned upon and all that, so revenge is the best next thing.”

“It does seem that siblings all do aim for revenge an awful lot.”

“Only child?”

“Yeah. Always thought it would be nice to have sibling's until I’d seen Alya and others with theirs. Then I think it might be a blessing given the shouting matches and ‘stolen’ objects, you know.”

Marinette put the empty bag down to watch Steph finish hers while they waited for Jason to return with more.

“Ditto. Well, sorta, I’m emotionally adopted by the family and for all intents and purposes they are my siblings. I was an only child before I met them. It definitely quieter in a way but I wouldn’t go back.”

The pair continued to chat and slowly disclose information to each other filling up the car with Jason now focused on collecting bags. By the time Marinettes phone interrupted a story about Adrien stealing all Nino’s left socks for eating the last croissant, the car was filled to the brim. Switching to French, Marinette answered before manically gesturing to the pair of Gothamites that they needed to hide as continued her conversation with Alya. Steph grabbed Marinettes hand while Jason grabbed the remaining bags as they darted to the other side of the carpark to hide behind some other cars to watch the carnage unfurl.

Steph could see Alya slowly leaving the store behind Dick still on the phone to Marinette as she waved him off when he looked concerned for her. Steph watched as he made is way slowly through the crowds towards his car with Alya recording, though looking like she was using her phone as a map as a disguise. Jason had his own phone out recording too much to Steph’s delight.

Dick arrived at his car with the shopping and, not focused on the glimmer of colours that hinted of their existence from behind the tinted windows, opened the boot of the vehicle to be rained upon with rainbow balls. They poured everywhere in a torrent surrounding the frozen Dick, his shopping and cascaded out into the car park.

The confusion on Dicks face was priceless. The horror as the stream of never-ending balls was hilarious. The anger when he finally processed the situation was umm, err, a little worrying. The whole thing was perfect. Amazing. It had gone exactly how Steph had hoped it would. Marinette’s soft giggles and Jasons quiet chuckles made it even better.

Dick reached for his phone in his pocket to call someone, much to Steph’s glee knowing Babs would be on her side when she uncovered the heinous crime bestowed upon her. Alfred would have his disappointed look up would tell Dick that he was an adult so to sort it out. Bruce, well Bruce would bury his head in paperwork to ignore it all.

It was when Bootylicious blasted out of Steph’s pocket as her phone went off that she froze. Marinette and Jason tensed next to her as they all saw Dick’s furious gaze turn on them.

“Shit!”

“Well Blondie! It’s been nice workin’ wiv ya, but I’m off. No way I’m letting Goldie catch me and getting' in a war wiv ‘im. I’ll send ya the footage later ‘K.”

As Jason darted away, Steph tightened her grip on Marinette’s hand that she had yet to let go of.

“Sapphire, we need to run on three, got it!”

“Three!”

Marinette pulled Steph causing Steph to stumble momentarily as Marinette unexpectedly jumped into action to escape the fuming waffle-villain who was wading through the escaped balls towards them.

A laugh broke through Steph’s mouth as their feet pounded the pavement as Marinette led the streetwise Gothamite away. Where to, Steph didn’t know and didn’t really care. It meant that she got to spend more time with Marinette. And avoided Dick’s anger.

Sapphire Her revenge was perfect.

#maribat #dc x mlb #mlb x dc #maribat au #ml x dc #dc x ml #meet cute #meet cute monday #marinette x steph #steph x marinette #stephinette

[folk-ever-lore]

LOVE + FEAR

this is for @boldlyanxious ilysm

“I think I have an idea,” Stephanie said with a wicked grin on her face as she pulled up a chair and sat down next to Marinette in the coffee shop.

“What is it?” the other woman asked with a smirk on her face (and a groan ready if needed). 

“Well, it’s probably stupid-”

“No, no. It isn’t stupid,” she reassured. “Tell me!”

“I was kind of thinking that maybe we could perhaps maybe we could perhaps maybe go see a movie tomorrow?” Stephanie blurted out, fumbling over her words a fair bit. Her heart pounded in her chest, thumping over and over again. God, she was so nervous. 

“Of course,” Marinette replied cheerily, “I’d love to. I’m not sure why you were so nervous though - what are friends for if not having fun together.”

She shook her head at the bluenette. “No, not a friendship thing,” she said carefully, watching her words with her nerves. “I was wondering if you wanted to go to the movies on like maybe a date?”

“Ohh,” Marinette murmured. “That makes so much more sense.” She looked up at her best friend with a wide smile displayed on her face, “I’d love to go on a date with you Steph.”

“Really? Oh my god, that’s brilliant! I’m so glad you said yes.”

“I’m really glad I said yes too,” she said with a bit of blushing lighting up her face. “Do you want to hear a secret?”

“Absolutely,” Stephanie nodded curiously.

Marinette blushed more heavily and admitted, “I’d been trying to get the nerve up to ask you to go on a date with me for weeks, I’d just never managed to do it.”

“Oh wow. I’m so glad I managed to do it first then.”

“Hm?”

“I get bragging rights,”Stephanie replied with a smirk.

“I- no you don’t,” chuckled Marinette. 

“Are you sure about that?” she said with a cheeky grin.

“Positive.”

Stephanie stuck out her tongue after laughing, “Must be true then.”

#maribat #mlb x dc #dc x mlb #marinette dupain cheng #stephanie brown #steph brown #stephanie x marinette #marinette x stephanie #mari x steph #steph x mari #stephinette #getting together #date #asking out #first date #mutual pining #mutual feelings #cute #lesbian #sapphic #wlw #bisexual marinette #pansexual stephanie

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

OHSHCAU (Keysmash)

Part 1

Summary: Flowers fluttered past her, carried by some kind of impossible breeze. One smacked her in the face. (Or the Ouran High School Host Club AU. Or the Keysmash AU for the cultured people of the MGI server.)

Marinette literally just wanted to find a quiet place to study.

The library had been full of people that apparently didn’t know that they were supposed to ‘sh’. The classrooms were locked. All of the clubrooms had clubs going on (which, duh, but it was still disappointing).

So, she made her way through the school, considering just giving up and resigning herself to doing her work on the floor even if she knew it would leave her with a back that ached for the next several days…

And then her eyes landed on a room at the end of the hall. The door was ajar, but she could only hear a faint murmur of conversation and the quiet clinking of porcelain.

She considered it for a few moments before sighing to herself and hiking her bag up higher. It was either this or beginning the painfully long trudge back to her house immediately after her gym class. She was already sore, she just wanted to relax for a few minutes.

So, she pushed the door open wider.

Flowers fluttered past her, carried by some kind of impossible breeze.

One smacked her in the face.

She brushed it off of her nose, only to find herself blinking up at the most popular person in the school.

Richard Grayson-Wayne smiled at her, pretty as ever with his perfectly gelled hair and perfectly pressed clothes. She suddenly felt a very strong urge to check her reflection in a mirror and sniff herself to make sure that her after-gym shower had been enough.

“Oh, are you a new guest?”

“Guest?” She repeated, a little dumbly. Forgive her, for he had taken her by the hand and started leading her inside and she was confused.

But then she glanced around.

Everything in the room was needlessly extravagant and expensive, but so was the rest of Gotham Academy. That wasn’t what she focused on, though.

Horror seized her as she realized what, exactly, she had stumbled into.

Because, as she looked around, she recognized more and more of the school’s most popular kids, and all of them were attending to the many people (usually girls, but not always) crowding them. And she remembered what, exactly, Richard Grayson-Wayne’s extracurricular was.

She jerked her hand away, eyes wide. “Uh, no, I think you’ve got the wrong idea, sir,” she said. And then internally freaked out because why the hell did she call him sir? He was two years older than her! Damn it! She could feel her face flushing in embarrassment.

He smiled and brought his hand up to cup her cheek. “Am I not your type? You can take your pick of the others, you know.” He smoothly moved to loop his arm around her shoulders and lead her further into the room. “What are you into? Women? Men? Both? Strong people? Smarts? A sense of humor or a mischievous streak? A stoic type? A princely person?”

“Um, listen, I was just looking for a place to study,” she said, slipping out from under him and taking a few careful steps backwards.

He smiled. “Of course you were,” he said in that tone people used when they were only humoring you.

She gave an awkward little laugh, still doing her best to back away from the situation in the most literal sense she could. “Seriously, I’m just going to go –.”

Her back hit something and she whipped around, her eyes wide, just in time to watch a vase pitch itself off a pillar.

She reached for it. Her fingers just barely brushed the handle. And then it hit the ground.

The porcelain shattered upon impact.

She stared at the shards, her hands resting on the pillar it had just been resting on as if trying to replace it, wishing that she could simply put the pitcher back together by sheer force of will. The color drained from her face as it slowly began to sink in that this was reality, that she had just broken a vase that had to be expensive considering everything else at this school was.

Marinette slowly turned back around to find everyone looking at her, their attention pulled by the loud crash. She swallowed thickly, her gaze flickering between the broken vase and Richard rapidly.

She needed to say something. Anything.

“I mean. It was kind of ugly.”

Anything but that!

At least someone was amused. A woman with blond hair – Stephanie Brown, she remembered her being on the news a while back – turned her head to snicker into her hand.

She cleared her throat. “No, sorry, that was weird to say. I’ll – I’ll pay for it.”

A dark-skinned boy made his way over, frowning lightly. The glittery, gold makeup dotted across his cheeks like freckles seemed to shine as he looked her over. She recognized him to be one of the kids in her science class, but his name eluded her. “Aren’t you a scholarship kid?”

“She is,” an unfortunately familiar voice chimed in. Her eyes narrowed in on Tim Drake. He was glaring at her over the rim of his rich kid teacup.

Marinette’s face suddenly remembered how to circulate blood, but it had overcompensated in its rush to fix its mistakes. A blush rose to her cheeks. “Okay, and? What of it?”

This got another laugh, but this one sounded different. A little colder. Someone clicked their tongue. A boy with tan skin around in his chair, stroking a cat in his lap, like some kind of D-list Rogue. “Then can you really afford it?”

She glanced at the vase again and shrugged. “I mean… probably? It can’t be more than a few hundred, can it? It’ll be a bitch, but –.”

A woman wheeled over, her wheelchair coming to a stop just in front of the pillar Marinette was still leaning against in the worst attempt at acting natural anyone had ever seen. She recognized her as one of the library assistants. Barbara Gordon didn’t even bother to look up from her phone while she ruined Marinette’s life with a mere sentence: “We were about to auction it off for charity, and the starting price was fifty thousand USD.”

Marinette choked on air. “Fifty… fifty thousand?!” She repeated. She barely fought off the urge to scream about how it wasn’t even a nice looking vase. She figured yelling at the people she was suddenly indebted to was, probably, not a great idea.

A guy in a leather jacket gave her an empathetic look. She pretended not to notice for the sake of her own sanity.

“That’s a joke, right?” She tried, ignoring how desperate she sounded even to her own years.

A woman lazing in the window shook her head, black lipstick-covered lips just barely curled into a frown.

“Any chance I can pay this off in parts?” She asked, resisting the urge to start doing math on her fingers to figure out exactly how much she was going to have to give up to work all of this off. She would do that later, when there were no eyes on her. “I – I don’t have a job right now, but I can get one, I promise, I’ll find a way to pay you back –.”

Richard clapped his hands together once, but this time his smile held no real warmth. “Don’t worry, I can think of a job that just opened up.”

*****

“Marinette, I left you alone for ten minutes,” Adrien said, pinching the space between his brows. He was currently messing with chemicals, so touching his face was not advisable, but he was wearing gloves so he was still, at least, more safe than 99% of other high school students would be.

“It was closer to an hour and a half,” she mumbled, watching the beaker in front of her bubble. She was very dedicated to lab safety, thank you very much.

“How did you even manage to become the – did you say you’re the host club’s dog? What? Like the kink?”

She groaned. “I can’t think of a less literal translation, okay? It’s like… they want me to clean, set up events, help them with clothes, serve drinks and food…”

“Servant? Assistant?”

“Sure,” she said, throwing a hand up frustratedly. “But could we maybe focus on the rest of my problem instead of the fact that English isn’t my first language?”

He gave her a mildly amused look that she didn’t return. And then he sighed, picking up his mortar and pestle again. “Okay. Well. I could always –.”

“If you say you want to pay off my debt for me I’m pouring this down your throat.”

He cleared his throat awkwardly, obviously not too fond of the idea if he was preemptively touching his neck. “I see. Well. Then. I guess we’ll be seeing less of each other.”

“Thank fuck for that.”

He elbowed her in the side. “Don’t think you can get out of doing your half of the presentation.”

She groaned and burrowed into her Batman hoodie. “But if I do the presentation I have to dress up…”

“Yeah? I have to dress up every day, make sure to always have an entire section of my backpack devoted to skin and hair care products in case of emergencies, bring extra clothes to school, and –.”

“Shut uuuuuup I get it,” she huffed, moving her now-luminescent pink liquid off its burner. “Rich people have their own problems or whatever.”

“We do. Like making sure we make good connections while in school, something you –” he poked her cheek. “– need to work on. Maybe this host club thing will be good for you. Help you put yourself out there or whatever.”

“You just want to laugh at me.”

His lips twitched into a grin. “True.”

She scowled. “Put down the mortar and pestle.”

He seemed to want to say no, he wasn’t stupid enough to not know why she wanted him to put it down, but then thought better of it. He resigned himself to his fate, sighing and setting it aside.

She tackled him off of his chair.

*****

Marinette was pretty sure that they were making her set up the auction she had accidentally ruined purely to spite her. Like, sure, setting up everything was technically her job, but the chances of this being her first assignment were abysmal.

She forced herself to breathe through it. Go to her happy place. Four in. Murdering the Waynes but also keeping her scholarship. Four out. Good.

She carefully made her way back and forth, setting everything in their respective spots, at an inching pace – she was not going to add more debt by breaking something else. Then she went around making sure the lights shined on them just so to make them seem shinier (“rich people are like magpies,” she had been informed with a sage nod). Finally, she checked that all of the notecards were in order and that the mics were all working.

She spun around in the middle of the room, going over everything with a critical eye, and then nodded once to herself.

She headed to the ‘dressing room’ (it was a closet they had repurposed).

“I’m done, Richard.”

“Dick,” he corrected lightly, leaning in to check his teeth.

She raised an eyebrow. “Sorry?”

His eyes widened and he whirled around, holding his hands up in a half placating, half surrendering gesture. “Nonono, I’m not calling you that, I’m saying that’s my name. Dick. Short for Richard.”

“I know. I’m just sorry.”

Dick sputtered. Damian made a wheezing sound that might have been a laugh.

Unfortunately for Damian, the wheeze drew Marinette’s attention. She groaned. “Oh my god, put the cat down, you’re in a suit for fuck’s sake,” she hissed. She looked around until she found a lint roller, and then thrust it towards him. “Trade me.”

Damian looked affronted. “I’m not putting down Alfred.”

She had to force herself to ignore the fact that he had named his cat Alfred of all things, she needed to concentrate on what was really important: threatening him.

“You are going to put down Alfred. I suggest you do it willingly.”

It was Dick’s turn to snicker at his brother’s misfortune.

Neither spared him a glance, too locked in their staredown. Marinette had thought for a moment that Damian was going to actually try and throw hands, but at least she would still be winning in that case because he would have to let his cat go to do so.

Eventually, Damian heaved a long-suffering sigh and handed off the cat. She set Alfred in her hood just so she could cross her arms over her chest while she watched Damian struggle with the lint roller for a solid seven minutes. She might be indebted to these people, but damn if she wasn’t going to be passive aggressive about it.

Dick grinned, leaning his arm on her shoulder. She felt short, in that moment, but it wasn’t her fault that the man was freakishly tall.

“You’re the best hire we could have ever had,” said the man who was unaware she was considering kneecapping him to make herself seem taller.

Not that she was going to tell him.

“I’m being held captive.”

“Same difference,” he joked.

And, despite herself, a tiny smile made its way across her face. His happiness was strangely contagious. No wonder he was so popular in the host club.

She reached up to tap him on the nose. “You haven’t done your stage makeup yet.”

He yelped out a curse and then ran to look for the makeup brushes, muttering under his breath about how that was what he had forgotten.

*****

Marinette stumbled into the library, a hand absently rubbing an ache between her shoulder blades. Her eyes locked with Babs’.

“Is it in ye –?”

“No,” Babs said, still tapping away at her computer.

Marinette slumped against the doorframe, letting her head knock against the wood. Maybe it would give her good luck.

“Life is a tragedy and I’m nothing more than Shakespeare’s bitch.”

The woman sighed and pushed up her glasses to rub an eye. “I’ll check it out for you when it comes in. Give it to you during the host club.”

Her posture brightened instantly. “Really?”

“Yeah, just don’t lose it. I have a perfect record when it comes to turning my books in on time and I don’t want you to ruin that.”

She grinned and did a mock salute. “Aye-aye.”

*****

Marinette absently stacked the plates, cups, and spoons on top of each other to take them into the next room for a quick wash. She kind of liked finding the optimal ways to stack things, it was like a very high-stakes game of Tetris. She carefully picked up her tower and was pleased to find that it didn’t shake in the slightest.

Only to blink when Jason stood up, holding a tiny stack of his own.

“Let me help.”

She stared blankly for a moment before she finally caught a quiet gasp nearby. Her eyes flicked in that direction and found a customer practically cooing over the basic human decency Jason had displayed. She sighed a little. Right, they had an audience. She pulled a slightly wobbly smile to her face.

“Sure. Thanks,” she said carefully. In the end, even if it was just to forward his image as a ‘baddie with a heart of gold’, it was still help and she wasn’t intent on saying no just to be petty.

Or, at least, that was what she had thought until he had kept doing it. Almost every night, without fail, he would help her clean up after everyone. Even if all of the guests were gone by the time he got away.

She finally gave in one day, her hands almost elbow deep in the sink water:

“Why do you keep helping me? You know that this isn’t your job, right?”

He gave her a strange look for a moment.

And then he gave the slightest of smiles. “I was poor, once, too.”

She nodded slightly. They went back to work with a quiet sense of solidarity.

“Also, you take too long to wash dishes on your own.”

She splashed him with the sink water.

He gasped, puffing up in his mock offense. “Hey! These pants are supposed to be cared for! They’re hand wash only!”

“Then this is perfect,” she said, grinning. “It’s totally deserved.”

He raised an eyebrow. “So is this.”

He used the cup he had been washing to scoop up some water and dump it over her head.

She stared at him for a full minute in stunned silence. And then a grin broke out over her face.

He suddenly looked like he was considering running away.

In the end, they finished the day more clean than the dishes, but hey. It’s the thought that counts.

(Just kidding. Sanitation doesn’t work like that. They overloaded the dishwasher to fix their mistakes.)

*****

Marinette sighed and set the cake down on a table, then turned to leave.

She stopped short when she saw Tim in the doorway, his bag half off his shoulder where he had been about to fling it away from himself like he did every day while opening up the clubroom.

“How’d you…?”

She shrugged and held up a keyring. “Asked the janitor.”

His brows furrowed momentarily, as if he were thinking, but then he just shook his head to dismiss the thought.

“Why do you have a wedding cake? Did you have a Vegas wedding or something?”

She groaned internally and forced herself to straighten up to her full height. “My parents are bakers. The wedding they catered today didn’t end up happening. Bride got cold feet – uh, literally, she was murdered, y’know? – and they said to give this to my friends.”

He raised an eyebrow. “So you brought it here?”

“Well, Adrien doesn’t have a cheat day for another two weeks, and if I ever have another slice of cake it’ll be too soon. This is kinda the last place I’ve got. Besides, it could please your guests.”

“Couldn’t you just give it out to the people in your homeroom?”

She rolled her eyes. “Do you want the cake or not? Because I have to go to class soon. Unlike you, I’ll get thrown out if I don’t attend every one of my classes, Drake.”

He snorted. “Aw? The scholarship student is struggling in her classes?”

“That’s not why, and if you really think that then you’re dumber than I thought,” she said, curling her fists at her sides.

A couple of complicated expressions flicked over his face, none of which she could get a good read on, but Steph’s head appeared over Tim’s shoulder before either of them could say something they regretted.

“Shut up and let the nice girl give us cake, Tim,” Steph said, smacking him over the back of the head as she brushed past him to get in the door. She grinned at Marinette. “Thanks for the food.”

Marinette gave a tiny smile in return.

She smiled even wider when, as Steph passed, she asked Marinette under her breath if she wanted to join her in throwing a slice of the cake into Tim’s face. As if it was even a question.

*****

Duke squinted at the needle in her hand suspiciously. His arm was already sanitized and the needle was prepped, it would only take around thirty minutes for her to get a sufficient amount of his blood to analyze. “Are you sure you know how to do this?”

She huffed. “Of course I do. Don’t be a pussy.”

“That’s sexist.”

“Okay? And not volunteering to help for my project is anti black.”

There was a beat before the pair of them broke into quiet snickers. Quiet, because neither of them wanted to get caught slacking off in the middle of their research class.

Marinette tapped the needle. “Don’t worry, if you’re good I’ll give you a cake pop.”

His smile almost seemed to light up the room. “Sounds like a deal. Stick me.”

(Later, she had found herself staring at his vitals with mild confusion. He almost didn’t seem human. And then she had quietly dismissed them as an outlier. Maybe she’d ask if he had been a victim of a Rogue attack recently when she saw him at their next host club meeting. Or not. That was kinda personal.)

*****

Marinette liked Cass. Neither of them really talked, but Cass didn’t talk much to anyone anyways.

Still, the girl was a soothing presence. Sometimes, when the days were slow or while they were waiting for the club to start, they could be seen sitting in the same window. Cass would listen to music. Marinette would do her homework or read a book.

It was pleasant.

At least, it was pleasant most of the time. It turns out a silent person can be a bad thing. Marinette now had a permanent chemical burn on the back of her arm because Cass had come up to her at the wrong time, had tapped her on the shoulder, and Marinette had flinched so hard in her surprise that she had ended up spilling an entire beaker over the back of her wrist.

She was pretty sure the seven solid, apology-filled minutes where Cass had helped her rush to the nurse’s office to stem the blood bubbling on her arm was the most she had ever heard her talk before.

*****

Marinette glared at her reflection, aggressively applying stage makeup to the area under her eyes. She would have to wash it all off right afterwards, stage makeup looks strange when up close and not under the effect of near-blinding lights. And then, after that, she would have to sit still while Adrien applied even more, but wildly different makeup to her face, for the second half of the conference where she would be forced to shmooze for the sake of funding.

But that was a problem for later. She needed to make sure everything was perfect.

Anything less than the best score in the school could throw her scholarship into jeopardy.

At least this was getting her out of her usual host club duties. Marinette and Adrien needed to present, so she would have gotten out for a few hours no matter what, but a solid number of the (actual, willing) host club members were in their age group. Duke, Tim, and Steph all had projects today as well.

They had canceled the host club for the day. Maybe the others would be attending the presentation, maybe not, she didn’t really care.

All she cared about right now was making sure she didn’t look like some kind of ethereal being made of light on stage.

A head dropped onto her shoulder and she rolled her eyes. “You look like a ghoul.”

Adrien grinned. “I think this is the best I’ve ever looked.”

“True.”

He gasped. “Rude.”

“I mean, you kinda set that one up for me,” she said, gently shoving him off so she could straighten fully. She patted down her deep red dress, checked her black heels to make sure they weren’t going to slip, and then turned to him. “Good?”

He hummed thoughtfully, tipping his head to the side. And then he shook his head, motioning for her to turn around. “I told you you needed to do something with your hair,” he said.

She huffed. “I did.”

“Letting it out of its usual pigtails is not ‘doing something’.”

“I mean… if you want to define the words –.”

He snorted. “Shut up. Let me fix this.”

She waited impatiently for him to brush her hair and pull it into a strict bun.

She scrunched her nose at her reflection. “I look like a teacher.” She pulled a strand out to frame her face.

He tucked it right back behind her ear. “Well, you’re teaching these people –.”

“You’re the most infuriating person I’ve ever met.”

“You’re looking in a mirror. Time to meet someone even worse. Nettie, meet Nettie.”

She pulled away the moment he was done. “The moment this is all over I’m beating your ass.”

“I mean, you kinda set that one up for me,” he mocked.

“I’m not kidding, Chaton. Meet me in the parking lot at 7pm.”

He only grinned, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his suit, and jerked his head to point towards the stage.

*****

Marinette and Adrien had chosen the safest possible option. Even if neither of them really cared about how the overexposure to chemicals had affected the average Gothamite’s physiology – they already knew that it would boost their immune systems in some areas, weaken it in some areas, and just generally cause a myriad of lung and heart problems, they weren’t stupid – it was something they knew was both a popular question at the moment and something that rich people would want to know so they could start finding solutions for themselves.

Which meant they might get funding from people that weren’t just Adrien’s Dad. Not only did Marinette not want to rely on him, grades and future teams/assignments were determined by how much funding you received. They were already at a disadvantage, Marinette’s parents weren’t rich and couldn’t make a sizable contribution like every other family at the academy could. They needed to win over anyone they could.

And they had done pretty well. Marinette had only stuttered and considered asking Adrien to anti-Bruce-Wayne her parents a single time.

They’d made up for it in the questions portion. The subject of chemicals was something they both knew an ungodly amount about, so they answered every question sent their way without a hint of hesitation. In the end, they’d gotten quite a few people to come up to tell them that they would be donating to their ‘cause’.

She hadn’t expected one of the people they had won over to be Bruce Wayne, though.

Marinette fought to not shrink back as the man that sponsored the scholarship program she used began to head her way. He was Gotham’s sweetheart, and a bit of a dunce, but he still held more power over her than she would prefer.

And he had his kids in tow. Even more people that could choose to ruin her life on a whim. Fun. She definitely wanted more of those.

She got a thumbs up from Cass, at least. Thanks, Cass.

As for the rest of the Wayne kids… they were currently looking at her like she had spontaneously sprouted an extra head. She made a tiny ‘what the fuck’ gesture with her hand, but they were too stunned to give her any kind of meaningful response.

Marinette looked to Adrien, and he looked back at Marinette, both of them making sure that they looked as good as was physically possible. They took the moment to share quiet ‘do you know what’s going on with them?’ looks, and ended up with nothing.

And then they threw a pair of identical smiles the Waynes’ way.

“Mr. Wayne!” She said with false cheer. “It’s so nice to see you! How is business going?”

He grinned. “It’s been great. You didn’t hear it from me, but I’m pretty sure our stock prices are about to jump.”

Adrien laughed lightly. “Oh? I’ll be sure to tell my dad to invest.”

Marinette wanted to die.

“Ah, yes, good investments are good,” the man said, giving him a daft kind of smile. And then he reached out and patted Marinette on the top of the head, making the tiny strand of hair tucked behind her ear fall back into her face. Luckily, the man didn’t notice. “Like her. Back when I first started sponsoring you, even I never could have guessed that you would become so smart.”

She forced a blush to her face. “Well, I’m just really good with chemistry. I’m just glad that it was accepted as being close enough to biology to count.”

“Our mutual love of chemical experimentation is what brought us together in the first place.”

Marinette leaned in conspiratorially, cupping a hand over her mouth to stage-whisper to the others: “Don’t let him fool you, he’s talking about the time he blew up his microwave.”

“For science! It was an experiment!” Adrien said with false offense.

Bruce chuckled good-naturedly and started rifling through his pockets for a checkbook. “Well, it would be wrong to give money to all my other kids and leave you out, don’t you think?”

Marinette stared at him for a moment, her fake smile fading slightly in favor of pure confusion. “Sir, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I’m not one of your kids.”

And, sure, she knew that Bruce Wayne’s kid situation was a little strange. There were only five actual Wayne kids: Dick Grayson-Wayne, Jason Wayne, Cassandra Wayne, Damian Al Ghul- Wayne, and Duke Thomas. There was also the weird gray area that was Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, and Barbara Gordon, all of whom had one or more living parents but often found themselves grouped with the others because of how close they were to the Wayne family.

But Marinette? Marinette was a scholarship kid that was being forced to be around them all. She had talked to Bruce Wayne a grand total of four times, and one of those times was happening at this exact moment.

Bruce Wayne blinked once. Twice. Three times. And then he smacked his palm against his forehead. “Oh! Right! Sorry, the others talk about you so much that sometimes I forget you aren’t my kid.”

Marinette sometimes wondered if a man could truly be this dumb.

“Ah, don’t worry, I’m sure my parents could identify every single one of them in a line up with how much I talk about them,” she said, forcing her sweetest tone even as her gaze cut to the Wayne kids in a way that screamed ‘I have talked about murdering you multiple times’.

The Waynes now looked like they had just watched her grow a third head and were now resigned to the fact that she could apparently grow more heads. An improvement? Maybe?

Bruce chuckled and patted her on the head again. “They are little scamps, aren’t they?”

“They’re sweet, though,” she lied through her teeth. “I enjoy every minute we spend together.”

“I’d hope so!” The man said cheerfully.

And then Bruce, the godsend, the best person to ever exist, wrote a check and dropped it in her donation box. Marinette only just refrained from pumping her fist.

Still, the smile Adrien and Marinette gave after that was far more genuine.

Adrien smiled. “That was very nice of you, Mr. Wayne.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said.

“Of course! And, please, both of you, call me Bruce.”

“I don’t think you understand how much I just… can’t do that.”

He chuckled and gave her one last pat on the head – Adrien looked like he wanted to cry a little as his careful work started to come undone for real – before heading off to do whatever it was rich people do.

His kids didn’t join him.

Marinette turned to Steph, Tim, and Duke. “Good job on your presentation, Duke.”

(Listen, she liked Steph well enough, but Tim was a dick and she would rather die than compliment his work. Especially not when he was her main competition at the school.)

Tim didn’t even seem to register the snub, for once.

This gave Duke plenty of time to snicker and tell her, “I totally bombed. My partner didn’t even read the note cards I gave her.”

“I mean, yeah, but you’re not supposed to say that.”

He could only shrug a little, somewhere between amused and annoyed.

Dick didn’t give her much time to register the motion, though, as he came up and rested his hands on her shoulders.

She blinked at him. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re weirdly touchy?”

“I – wha –?” He shook his head, and she wasn’t sure if that was an answer or if he was just dismissing the question. “You’ve been attractive this whole time?”

Marinette ignored the fact that Adrien had chosen to break down laughing. It was surely unrelated.

She looked up at Dick for a moment. “I mean… duh?”

“But…” Damian said, sounding almost pained. “Every time we’ve seen you, you’ve worn a hoodie and jeans.”

“Yeah, because I’m not really interested in looking good for – I don’t know – fucking Kyle from my Calculus class.” She huffed. “Besides. Nice clothes? Makeup? That stuff is expensive. Way too expensive to use when I’m not getting any kind of return, y’know?”

Steph nodded her agreement. Ah. Working class solidarity. It does exist, after all.

And then Babs wheeled herself closer, looking mildly amused. “And if you can get a return?”

~~~~~~~~~~

Next

#maribat #mariharem #ig #maribatadrienette #ohshc au #dukinette #timinette #timari #daminette #maridami #damimari #jasonette #dickinette #babsinette #?? #stephinette #cassinette #why do i feel like im missing someone

[the-coffee-fandom]

Hi hi!

So there’s a whole thing within the Maribat community where people believe there’s only one discord server when that’s simply just not true!

There are many and I’ve come to share one with an amazing community of people, centered around the fandom, has competent and wonderful people in charge, and is a safe place for everyone to enjoy!

Holy Miraculous, Batman!!! Is a great place for all people. It’s not all hustle and bustle where you can’t even keep up with the conversation when you’re apart of it, does not have a toxic community, and there is so much freedom here!

Come plot cursed fics in the general chat or share pictures of awesome cake designs in an authors channel you own and have full freedom over! We have school help and some events- one’s coming up to! And random movie nights that have just absolutely golden commentary. Writing bots to make and encourage you to write, and so many super talented writers!

It’s really an amazing place to be. You won’t regret joining.

Here’s a link and hope to see you there 😋

#maribat #mlb x dc #dc x mlb #maribat community #maribat server #maribat marinette dupain cheng #maribat tim drake #maribat tim drake wayne #maribat jason todd #maribat dick grayson #maribat cassandra cain #maribat stephanie brown #maribat damian wayne #maribat duke thomas #timari #jasonette #dickinette #damianette #cassette #stephinette #fanfiction #maribat rare pairs #hmb #doesn’t have biased staff #omg they listen to you #a kind community #no blatant favoritism! #shocker ain’t that #but genuinely so fun #the amount of ideas I’ve plotted here

[the-alice-of-hearts]

stephinette engagement

Marinette took a deep breath and walked into the restaurant where she had arranged dinner for her and Steph in.

She wasn't sure about how this night would end, but she hoped it would be good.

Stephanie looked like a vision in her purple dress and Marinette smiled as she walked over. "Hey."

Stephanie gave her a soft smile. "Hey."

"I have to just come out and say this," Marinette said and sank down on her knee. "Stephanie, you make my heart happy, you're brilliant and wonderful, and I love you. Will you marry me?"

Steph took a step back. "Mari..."

Marinette's face fell. She knew that tone.

"I... I can't... I, I'm sorry, but, I can't." Stephanie turned and looked towards the door. "I'm sorry," she whispered and then left.

Marinette stood slowly. She thanked the waiter that came over to check on her, and then slowly left. She couldn't stay there. Not when she had watched Stephanie walk away.

#stephinette #maribat #my writing #prompt fill #sorry that this was also sad? I am apparently only writing sad today

[paribuggiette]

Submitted for the MGI 2023 War in what seems like a hundred years ago

Yeah Steph def did smth...

#maribat #stephinette

[boldlyanxious]

Survival Juice

ttt 2023

Masterlist

“That’s a lot of chocolate,” Steph said.

Marinette glanced up at her and smiled, “It is, but sometimes you have to use regret levels of survival juice and the chocolate helps it go down more smoothly.”

She put the lid on the cup and walked over to the register to take her order, pausing to take a quick sip of her drink before she did.

“Survival juice?” she laughed. “Did you have a late night?”

“Yeah. Every night this week. I work every day but I also take commissions for design and I have a lot due soon.”

“That is hard.”

Steph looked up and studied the menu even though she had been here many times. She preferred the sweeter ones, but recently she was ordering drip coffee and staying just long enough to get a refill before she went on her way. Marinette suspected she was short on money so she came up with a plan for this time. She was really hoping that she was looking at the menu to extend her time here since the cafe was empty.

“You’re actually the one thousandth order this week. You get one free beverage, any size.”

“Really?” she asked. “Anything?”

“Yeah. It just can’t use more than two shots of espresso.”

“It has been so long since I’ve even considered ordering a fancy drink. What do you recommend?”

“I know just the thing,” Marinette said.

She turned away with a smile. She took a breath to calm herself. She had been waiting for this moment for weeks. She needed to make sure the shop was clear if she were going to offer something free so it didn’t get back to her boss. But also, she didn’t want anyone to see her hitting on a customer. There were far too many who would expect equal treatment.

She made it with maple, cinnamon and vanilla and whipped the milk frothy to make it extra creamy. It was as close to tasting like a waffle as she could manage. She looked up to make sure the woman wasn’t watching the final step. She added purple on top of the frothed milk and pulled out the mug she had for her. She had seen her stop to look at it one day and Marinette had hidden it for this very moment.

She poured carefully, making feathers down the side before making a heart inside a heart. She was not very good at saying what she felt. But she had always been able to have a creative flair that she used to make things. Hopefully, it would be seen for the confession that it was. She turned back with the drink, anxious for the other woman’s reaction.

“Is this for me?” Steph asked as she looked at the sparkling purple mug in awe. “I was so sad when they sold out. My work went out of business and I haven’t gotten a paycheck at the new place yet. It’s all going to my rent anyway.”

“It had to be purple. It matched the design,” Marinette said.

She said it like it was no big deal but she waited with baited breath for Steph’s response.

“It’s purple! How did you even do that?” she exclaimed.

“I’ve been practicing.”

“I know better than to hit on the hot barista, but if you give me the best mug in the world with purple hearts on top, I might just ask you to marry me.”

“As nice as it sounds, maybe we should start by going on a date?”

“Hell. Yeah.” Steph said.

Marinette couldn’t hold back her excitement. She climbed over the counter and pulled Steph into a hug. She pulled away just in time as people came in the door right after, but before Steph left her with the line that was forming, she left her phone number.

Art

#rare flair #ttt 2023 #stephinette #boldlyanxious #maribat #coffee shop au

[miracle-sham]

Cursed Artefact Outline/Snippets.

| {MGI Civil War 3 Event} |

| {Sacrifice, Necromancy} |

———

| Word Count: 1378. |

———

(Warning: Major Character Death at the end)

An ancient temple has been found in the Tibetan mountains.

Marinette, Adrien, Alix, Max, Nino and Alya, are the first to reach the temple. They quickly find one of many entrances and venture within.

Stephanie, Cassandra, and the rest of the batkids are sent by Oracle to the temple, they find a different entrance and also venture inside.

Not long after, Akumas sent by Hawkmoth, and assassins sent by the League of Assassins, each arrive and find a different respective entrance.

They all travel deep into the ancient temple, facing numerous deadly and dangerous traps. Eventually, a few of the teams bump into eachother, but as there are some hallucinogenic traps, they assume the other teams aren't real and as such split up again.

One by one, all four teams end up in a central circular room, with an alcove at the back furthest from all entrances, surrounding protective wards engraved into the floor and walls around it. In the centre of the alcove, stands a solitary column with an ancient artefact (Phoenix Miraculous) glowing as if under torchlight but there are no torches nor flames within the room.

Marinette senses something deeply wrong emanating from the miraculous and holds her hand out to keep her team back near the entrance they came through.

The Bats see this, and approach the Miraculous team to talk to them.

(At this point, everyone has worked out they're not the only ones going after the artefact)

Whilst some of the assassins and Hawkmoth akumas rush straight for the artefact.

Steph reaches out to ask what's wrong, and that Oracle didn't mention that they'd actually be here and not just hallucinations like they assumed.

Before Ladybug can answer, an assassin touches the phoenix Miraculous, grabbing it in one hand before screaming in agony and crumpling to the ground.

Purplish-black viscous sludge begins to seep from the artefact, infecting the assassin with a necrotic blight as their life force is ripped away from them and consumed by the miraculous.

Before anyone can react, the assassin has turned into a sludge-like husk. Like an Akuma transformation that never completes.

“That,” Ladybug mutters to Steph and her team. “That's what wrong.”

The corrupted assassin lunges at the nearest person, an akuma, and the second it makes contact, the Akuma becomes infected too, crumpling and screaming in agony as they too become consumed by the curse of the Phoenix miraculous. The other nearby assassins and Akumas immediately run but the exits to the room slam shut, sealing them all within.

The artefact clatters to the ground forgotten, revealing a deep scar across it's back. It's broken.

The two corrupted zombies begin slowly crawling and lurching towards them all, crowded as far from the alcove as possible.

All four of the teams begin attacking in unison with all the ranger attacks they have, desperately trying to destroy the zombies before they can reach them.

They all quickly work out that the fire from the explosive batarangs are the most effective, as not only does it significantly slow them down, but as the fire catches, it destroys one completely until it was naught but ash.

Quickly they burn the other zombie to ashes as well.

Ladybug steps forwards first, breaking the silent alliance. Carefully keeping her distance she inspects the ash.

“It's safe, the fire purified the corruption.”

“And the artefact?” An Assassin asks.

Ladybug shrugs, staring at glittering gold miraculous. “Unless you know a way to fix a broken Miraculous then it'll still be fatal to touch.”

What she does not tell them, is that she can hear the miraculous whispering, the Kwami within beckoning her to draw closer.

Steph frowns, and grabs Ladybug by the wrist gently, “Do you...?”

Not taking her eyes off of it, she slips loose from Steph's grip. “None can leave until it's either returned to the pedestal, or...”

She trails off, slowly stepping towards. Her footsteps echoing loudly within the room as none dare breath whilst they watch her.

She closes her eyes, and feels the threaded tendril of the purification ability and wraps it around herself. Plucking the artefact from the ground, she does not scream not crumple like the others before her.

The rot still bleeds from the broken artefact, staining her skin with it's purplish-black poison.

The two hero teams cry out, torn between rushing towards her and backing away as the corruption starts to spread from her hands and down her forearms.

Carefully, Marinette carries the artefact back to the pedestal, back turned to the others trapped within the room.

Just before she can return it to it's rightful place, she hesitates.

The necrotic magic has reached her heart, and slowly a smirk begins to uncurl upon her lips as she turns to face her once-allies and enemies, with a faintly amused stare of disdain. The warmth and compassion in her eyes rotting away to something more akin to the look from a distant god, glancing down upon the mortals that dare call upon it's power. Hollow with cold fire and so utterly inhuman in the way her movements stilled yet remained as fluid as blood dripping from a wound.

Squaring her shoulders back, Ladybug's gaze flickers from person to person, pausing just momentarily upon the Batgirl.

Steph desperately cries her name.

Ladybug laughs, just as cold and hollow as the look in her eyes. “You mortals never change, do you? Give me one reason why I should spare you from the fate you have chosen?”

Shouts from the Miraculous team grasping at Chat Noir draws the attention to them.

With a scream tearing from her throat, Steph bolts across the carved stone floor, using the distraction to prevent any of her friends from stopping her.

And a sob wrenching from her lips, she flings herself towards Ladybug, tears pricking from her eyes. “No! Don't do this! Don't leave me!”

With the grace of a god, Marinette catches Steph one handed, keeping her at arm's reach.

A flicker of fear burns in Steph's heart as the corruption begins to spread from Ladybug's hand and into her.

The others fall silent as they watch, too horrified to look away for this could be the last time they see her alive. This could be her end. Had she been a moment quicker putting the artefact down, would she have not been corrupted?

Ladybug stares down at Steph, the slight smirk morphing into a smugly poisonous grin, teeth bared in the mockery of a smile. “Oh, how tragic, you're in love with this new vessel of mine? Aren't you?”

Steph's breathing hitches, a burning sensation searing across her skin from where the blight touched her. She hisses in languish. ”She has a name! She doesn't belong to you!”

Ladybug tilts her head to one side, raising one eyebrow behind the mask and watching Steph with the arrogant indifferent interest only gods could hold. “Then does she belong to you?”

Before Steph can retort, the room fills with screams. For whilst they had all been distracted by the two in the alcove, the viscous blight had pooled across the engravings of the floor, and slowly spread to the shadowed edges of the room until it had reached those hiding in the back without a single soul noticing.

One of the Akumas (a close friend she had once trusted, ((Kagami?)) approaches and begins some speech about human kindness and teamwork and such only to lunge forwards and attempt to carve out Ladybug's heart whilst she's listening to and considering the speech.

Ladybug collapses to the ground, watching in betrayal as the shock of her heart being carved out of her chest is barely enough to break her free from the Phoenix Miraculous' possession just long enough to use her Ladybug purification magic to rip the corruption out of herself.

And then in her final moments, as the darkness encroaches, she hears her friends and allies rushing towards her, as the Akuma cradles her in her arms. However, Ladybug's friends try to rescue her from the Akuma in attempts to save her. Only for it to be too late. Dying knowing she is loved, that she isn't alone, that she is safe just once more, for the last time, after all that pain.

———

| @maribat-get-in |

#Maribat #Stephinette #MGI #M?GI Civil War 3 #Maribat? Get In! #Stephanie x Marinette #Marinette x Stephanie #MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Luck's a Ladybug #Sham's Posts #Sham's Writing

[verymuchimmortalcat]

stephinette - at waffle shop

More angst :D hope you like it <3

ao3

Their last date is at a waffle shop.

Marinette sees it coming a mile away. It’s been three months of missed calls, unanswered texts and rescheduled dates.

But that doesn’t make it any easier.

She leaves the kwami behind. She’d rather not have them witness the end of one of the best relationships she’s ever had, even if both of them had been miserable towards the end. She tucks a small knife into her boot, it had been a gift from Steph and maybe it wasn’t a smart decision to take a gift from her soon to be ex but it was a stupider decision to roam unarmed in Gotham and Marinette didn’t have anything that was easily concealed that was not a gift from the Bats.

When Marinette enters the waffle shop, her girlfriend is already there. She smiles softly and says, “I’ve missed you.”

Marinette can see that Steph knows what’s coming as well as she does when she says, “I have too.”

It’s awkward. Somehow, more awkward than their first date. Clearing her throat, Marinette suggests they order something before they’re thrown out. It drags a faint laugh from the other girl and Marinette’s lips twitch upwards. Ten extremely slow minutes pass, during which they catch up on everything they’ve missed through, before their food arrives. Steph has a stack of her comfort waffles and Marinette, a milkshake.

Half of Steph’s waffles have vanished and Marinette’s milkshake remains mostly untouched when Steph starts to speak. “We have to talk, don’t we?” It’s a hesitant question.

Marinette doesn’t look at Steph when she says, “Yes.”

When she does look up Stephanie's looking at her with a sad smile on her face. “I’ll miss you. So much.”

“Well, it can’t be too different from the past few months.”

“You and I both know that’s not true.”

There are tears in her eyes but Marinette smiles at her ex, “No. It’s not. There’s a finality to this now. No more endless, pointless hoping.” She pauses, taking a deep breath before saying, “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

Reaching out to brush away a tear, Stephanie says, “I’m sorry too.”

Marinette stares at the milkshake in front of her. She doesn’t think she can have any more of it.

“It’s fine if you don’t want it. We can just pay and go.”

“But-”

“Don’t worry about it, I borrowed Tim’s credit card,” Stephanie’s grinning but her eyes are suspiciously shiny.

“Steph-”

“He doesn’t mind. I promise.” Her voice is firm and Marinette doesn’t try and argue. She knows better than most people when to and when not to argue with Stephanie Brown.

She stands awkwardly next to Stephanie as the other girl pays the bill. Before they leave, Marinette hugs Steph one last time, whispering goodbye. Letting go, she turns away before she falls apart completely.

#stephinette #maribat #my writing #celebratory thing #angst