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unordinary-but-extraordinary · 3 months

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In Sickness and in Health

"Damian, I need you to work with the new student on this project." his history teacher stated.

"What new student?" the young Wayne questioned.

'There's no one new here. Has he finally lost it?'

"Stay after class, please." they replied.

Damian simply nodded.

'At least if the new person is all in his head, I can work by myself.'

"The new student isn't here today as she's sick. They're also a transfer student." The teacher spoke, "Here is her address."

"You want me to go there and become ill?" Damian speculated.

"Not at all, Mr. Wayne. All I am asking is that you, at least, speak to her about the project." the teacher sighed, "She'll know better than anyone how long she'll be absent. Get her to write a note saying, I don't know, she gives you full control on the project or something. I'll deal with it from there."

"I can do that." Damian accepted.

'At least I can still work by myself.'

Damian looked down at the address in his hand an then back at the seamstress shop. Confused, the young Wayne entered the store and looked around for someone his own age.

"Can I help you?" asked an elderly lady.

"I was given this address for a classmate of mine." Damian explained, "I believe they mixed it up. Excuse me."

"Are you looking for Marinette?" they questioned.

'Marinette? Is that her name? Not American; he did mention they were a transfer student.'

"Yes." he answered, still unsure.

"Go through the blue curtain in the far back." the lady smiled, "There's a set of stairs that will take you to the apartment above the store."

Damian nodded and went to the back of the store. There was blue cloth hung up on a shower rod that parted slightly.

'A door would be better suited.'

Damian walked up the stairs to the second story and found single door. He raised his hand and knocked on the door. The door opened and he was shocked. There in the doorway was a girl with blue hair, up to his chest. She was wearing what seemed to be pajamas, had a blanket draped over her shoulders, a face mask, and a cooling cloth attached to her forehead.

'She is obviously seriously ill. How did she open the door? Why didn’t anyone else open it for her?'

"Who are you?" she questioned, hoarsely.

"Damian Wayne." he declared, "I was told to talk to you about a history project for school."

She moved away from the door and went stright to the kitchen.

"Sit anywhere you want. I haven't sat in the living room in three days. I'd offer you a beverage, but I don't want to get you sick and asking you to get it yourself, seems rude." the girl spoke.

'Polite; unexpected.'

"What are you doing?" Damian questioned, as he watched her stir a pot.

"Making soup for the week." Marinette answered.

"So, I should not expect you to return this week." he suggested.

"I usually eat soup when I'm sick and for the following days, to keep my immune system cleansed." she explained, "So, history? Leave me the details and I'll work on it."

"Mr. Hayes suggested you could write a note putting me in charge." Damian spoke.

"I can work, Damian." Mari remarked, "I don't need you coddling me because I'm sick."

'Coddle! I-The last thing I would do is….coddle her!'

Damian snapped, "I am giving you a way out! Get your rest and I will do it completely!"

"I'm on bedrest and as you can see, I'm functional." she growled back.

Marinette began to cough heavidly, enough to make her grip the kitchen counter. Damian watched as her breaths became labored, as if she had trouble inhaling.

'She calls this functional?'

Marinette grabbed a mug and poured hot water from a near by kettle. Damian watched as she spooned a small amount of tea leaves into a container and place it in the mug.

'Peppermint? She should try lemon, ginger, something citrus.'

"When are your parents getting back?" Damian asked, not moving from the doorway.

"I'm emancipated." she smiled.

'She's by herself?'

Damian looked around and noticed a small table with one chair. The living room had enough to seat up to three guests. There was also one door to the left, behind the living room.

"Leave the form and an email or something so I can send you my portion." Marinette called out, "If you don't like it, I can work in my room and you can work from out here."

Damian took out a pen and quickly wrote down his email at the top of the paper.

"I'll be back, tomorrow." he stated, leaving the apartment.

'Why is she so stubborn? She needs to rest. The simplest solution would be for her to rest this week while I work alone. What is she trying to accomplish?'

The moment she opened the door, Damian stared at Marinette annoyed. She had showed recently, but her hair was still wet. At the very least, she was wearing different clothes.

He scowled, "Where is the bathroom?"

"Oh, in my room, on your left." Marinette pointed out.

'Guess he really needed to go.'

Damian came back with a towel and threw it over her head, without notice. He quickly began to rub her head to get the moisture out.

"You're going to get worse with you hair looking like a wet mop." Damian stated, "Dry it completely."

Marinette remained silent and still. Damian stopped his movements.

"Marinette?" he asked, moving to face her.

'Shit!'

Marinette's eyes were wide and she was practially hyperventilating. She was clenching and unclenching her hands.

'She does not handle physical contact well. Is she going to be okay at school?'

Damian kneeled in front of her and showed his hands were raised in front of him.

"My apologies." Damian whispered, "I didn't mean to startle you."

Damian reached out and dragged his bag, next to the couch. He pulled out a small cylinder.

"I brought you some tea leaves. Citrus help you recover from illness." he began, "I don't believe peppermint will work." as he handed her the container.

Marinette took it and looked at it. She opened it and sniffed the tea leaves. There was lemon, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. There was some other stuff she couldn't make out.

"You......made this?" Marinette questioned.

'Why would he give this to me?'

Damian remained silent, but nodded. He didn't think she would noticed he took his time to make her something.

"I make my own teas." he replied.

Mari smiled, "Thank you."

Damian watched as her expression softened. She got up from her seat, letting the towel fall from her head, and quickly began to get things ready to brew the tea. Once it was finished brewing, she took a sip.

"It’s delicious, Damian!" Mari smiled, happily, "Maybe I should go to you for all of my teas."

Before he could respond, Marinette took her tea and went into her room. Damian picked up his things and saw she had gotten comfortable in her bed with her laptop on a tray.

"Were we not working over there?" he questioned.

"I don't want to get you sick." Marinette replied, "Besides, there's only one chair. I'll just email you-"

Damian left the room and returned with the chair from her kitchen table.

"I don't get sick, easily." Damian declared, setting the chair down a few feet from her bed, "h quicker we finish this, the more you can rest."

Marinette worked silently, sipping on the tea Damian had brought her. After an hour, Damian packed up his thing, declaring he'd return the next day.

This time, when Marinette opened the door, he could tell she was moving much more sluggish.

'She got worse! She's pushing herself for me. Damn her stubbornness!'

Damian quickly picked her up in his arms.

"You're-" she began.

"If I get sick, I will blame you later." Damian claimed.

"Sorry." Mari whispered.

Damian placed her back in her bed. He quickly rushed to the bathroom in search of a first aid kit or at least, a thermometer. Once he found it, he brought it back and held it out. Mairnette looked at it, in dissapointment.

"Use it." he demanded.

Marinette shoved it in her mouth and waited. The quick beeping notified them both something was wrong. Mari took it out of her mouth n tried to hide it. Damian was able to grab it with ease.

'102.5'

"I'm fine." Marinette declared.

"You are far from fine." Damian stated.

Damian took the thermometer to the bathroom and washed it, as well as his hands. When he returned, he found Marinette fast asleep. He found a cooling pad near by and placed it on her head. Damian remember a small cloth by the sink and wet it. He quickly cooled off her arms, her neck, and her legs, before covering her up. Damian took out a sticky note and wrote down his number.

Marinette woke up to the room being dark.

"Damian?" she called out.

She grabbed her phone and saw it was close to two in the morning. She set her phone down and felt a paper.

'Sticky note?'

She turned on the flashlight on her phone and looked at the note: Call me if you worsen-Damian.

'Aw. He's really sweet. I feel so bad for falling asleep on him.'

Marinette stood up and made her way to the bathroom. She grabbed the thermometer from the medicine cabinet and took her temperature. It read 99.2; it was the best it had been all week. She washed the thermometer and took some medicine. After, she made more of Damian's tea.

'Gonna need it.'

Damian arrived back from patrol to find an email from Mari.

'I thought I told her to call me if she got worse, not email me!'

He opened it in a panic and found it was her completed work for the assignment. Damian looked at the time. It was now three in the morning and she had sent it thirty minutes ago. He grabbed his phone and opened his contacts. Then, he froze.

'I don’t have her number! Fuck!'

Damian went over the next day and was surprised to see her more active. Marinette had answered the door happily and was dressed in white tank top, pink shorts, and slippers. She wasn't even using a blanket to keep herself warm.

"Damian!" She smiled, "Hey, did you get my email?"

"I did." he answered.

"Is everything okay?" Mari asked, "I didn't think I'd see you today."

"Why did you send it so late or early, I should say." Damain questioned.

"It was when I woke up." Marinette answered, "I'm sorry for falling asleep on you. I decided it was best to work on it, while I had a clear head. I'm feeling a lot better, so I should be able to see you at school tomorrow. I'm sure it was all thanks to your tea."

Damian nodded and held out his phone for her to grab. Marinette looked at it confused, but took it.

"I planned on yelling at you, for being up so late, but I didn't have you number." the young Wayne stated.

Marinette giggled, "And I should give it to you, why?"

Damian remained silent. He didn't think she would refuse to give her number to him.

"In case we are paired up again." he quickly spoke.

Mari added her contact information and handed it back.

"Sick Girl?" he questioned.

"So you know it's me." Mari answered.

He hated how right she was. It was likely that if she had entered her name, he would have forgotten it in a week and deleted it.

"Do you want to come in or was that all?" she asked.

"That was all." he said and quickly left.

Marinette closed the door an giggled.

'He's like a stray cat that came to say hi.'

Damian sat in class and kept his eyes on the door. Marinette hadn't walked in, yet, and it was almost time for the bell to ring.

'Is she still sick? Did her fever come back? I should have called her this morning to make sure she was feeling fine.'

The bell rang breaking him from his thoughts and then, she rushed in.

'Marinette.'

"Late." their teacher declared, "I will forgive you, this time, since you have been sick, Miss Duapin-Cheng."

Marinette nodded her head. It was finally time for history class and it was so different to see her in uniform. Damian could admit he more use to seeing her in pajamas or shorts, with her blanket curled around her. He was even use to her falling asleep, but some how the uniform felt less personal. He hated it. Damian watched carefully over Marinette. He had to make sure she was completely better. Her damn stubbornness left him worried about her pretending to feel better for his sake. Then, he saw it; the tense smile on her face. She was surrounded by their peers. It reminded him of the smiles his brothers' gave at parties. Damian walked over and grabbed her wrist.

"We need to talk about the project since you have been absent." he declared.

"Oh, okay." Marinette answered, as he pulled her away from everyone else.

"He could have been nicer."

"It's Wayne. When is he ever nice?"

"Lucky bitch."

"I can’t believe she was his partner."

"He probably did it himself, already."

"Yeah. He's just gonna give her a copy and put her name on it."

"I can’t believe he touched her."

"True."

"Better than him yelling at us to move or scram, again."

Marinette frowned as she heard what they said about Damian. That wasn't the Damian she knew.

"Thank you." Marinette whispered, once they were far enough.

Damian looked at her questioningly.

"For rescuing me." she answered.

"You appeared uncomfortable." the young Wayne spoke, " I was uncertain how you would react if one of them touched you. I understand if I made you uncomfortable, as well. My apologies for forcing you. Next time, tell them to leave."

"I'm not good at dealing with people; not anymore." Mari declared, "Besides, they should forget about me soon. I'm still 'new' in their eyes. I'm not trying to gain anything by talking to them. I don’t want to get to know them."

"I thought you weren't coming." Damian spoke, changing the subject.

"Huh?" she asked, confused, "I told you I was coming today."

"You were late." he growled.

"Oh." Marinette winced, "Uh….I have a feeling I will be in detention a lot."

Damian stopped and turned to her, waiting for an explanation.

"I have always been late to school, even when it was across from my house." she stated.

Damian sighed, "I'll pick you up in the mornings."

"No!" she cried out.

"Why?" he demanded, "Is that an issue? I have been to your place before, have I not?"

"I'm not a morning person." Mari replied, looking down.

He sighed again, "My brother isn't either, unless he has had coffee. I can bring you some." making a mental note to steal Tim's coffee in the morning from now on.

"Really?" Mari questioned, perking up.

"You better, at least, be dressed." Damian retorted.

"Pajamas count as being dressed, right?" she squeaked.

Damian glared at her, "Why would you still be in pajamas?"

"I'm not a morning person!" Marinette glared back, "I work late and-"

"The shop keeps you that busy?" he questioned.

"Oh." Marinette spoke, "No. I help in the shop sometimes, but that's not my job. I do commissions. She asks me to help some times, but she's going to let me use the sewing machine for free until I can buy one."

"How….long do your commissions take?" he sighed.

"Depends who it's for. If it's for my uncle, I tend to work three weeks straight. It also depends on the pay and timeline. If he called me right now and asked for something in six months, I wouldn't worry unless things began to pile up. It could also be one of my aunties."

'What the fuck is with her family? No wonder why she is emancipated! I can't believe they would work her that hard.'

"You're moving into the manor." Damian declared, "I'll even get you a new sewing machine."

"I am not!" she cried out, "I barely know you! All I know is you name and you make tea!"

"At this rate, I'll have to get you dressed and drag you to school!" Damian cried back.

"Who the fuck made you my babysitter?" Marinette shouted.

"Someone should be." he huffed, "You obviously need someone to take care of you. I don’t see why it shouldn't be me!"

Marinette squeaked and turned red. Realizing what he said, so did Damian.

The teacher watched as Damian took Marinette aside to talk. He was well aware that their assignment had been turned in three days ago. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was the closest he had ever seen Damian be comfortable around anyone. He also was aware of Marinette's past school and being bullied.

'I knew getting them to talk would be a good thing.'

DAMINETTE TAGLIST: @meme991001 @umbreon-worshipper @stainedglassm @jasmine-the-fox @psychicdelusionwerewolf @vixen-uchiha @mysteriouschar @missmadwoman @kanamexzeroyaoifangirl @dissarraymania @tundra1029 @abrx2002 @mrsjacuinde @ledalasombra @animegirlweeb

TAGLIST: @animeweebgirl @a-star-with-a-human-name @alysrose-starchild @fandom-trapped-03 @dood-space @moonlightstar64 @saltymiraculer @marveldcedits20 @09shell-sea09 @icerosecrystal @insane-fangirl-of-everything @blueblossombliss @nickristus-dreamer @megawhitleycalderonpaganus @tigresslily @legodetectivemalsblog

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unordinary-but-extraordinary · 3 months

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Daminette December 2023: 4-Orange (SUB)

Damian sighed as his brothers argued. They all wanted him to socialize more and were trying to figure out the best way to do it.

"Just go up and talk to someone." Jason declared.

"It's not that simple or he would have done it already." Tim stated.

"Tell someone a pun." Dick smiled, "It always works."

"No it doesn't." Jason argued.

Unbeknownst to their younger brother, the all had different goals in mind for him. Yes, the wanted him to socialize more, but for different reasons. The eldest wanted him to simply make a friend. Jason thought it was better if he landed someone's number so that he could communicate through text. It seemed the simplest option. He wouldn't even have to talk in person. Tim was hoping he'd get a girlfriend and would stay out of the manor more.

Damian sighed as he walked up to a girl with sketchbook open at the outdoor café. She seemed really into what she was drawing. She hadn't even noticed him. He quickly cleared his throat. When she looked up, he saw the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen and he was surrounded by blue eyes at home.

"Orange you glad you met me?" he quickly spoke, holding up a cup of orange juice.

The girl remained silent and looked at him confused. Embarassed, Damian pulled out the earpiece his brothers had given him and slammed it on the table.

'Idiots!'

Marinette looked at the earpiece and smiled softly.

"I'm assuming someone was telling you to say that." She spoke.

Damian froze and looked at the girl across from him.

"Yes." he whispered.

"Oh, thank kwami." She sighed in relief.

Damian looked at her in shock.

"If you were serious, I would have told you to fuck off." the girl giggled.

Damian smirked, "Is it okay if I sit here?"

She nodded.

"My brothers are attempting to get me to socialize more." he explained.

"Well, you're off to a good start." she stated, "Puns aside."

"I take it you don't like puns." Damian commented.

She rolled her eyes, "I've heard enough to last me a lifetime."

"Ex boyfriend?" he questioned.

"Flirty guy who wants to date me and thinks flirting with puns is ideal." she commented.

"You've met my older brother?" Damian asked, shocked.

She giggled and questioned, "Is your older brother blonde?"

"No." Damian answered.

"Then there's two idiots like that." she replied.

Damian sighed and rubbed his forehead, making her laugh.

"My father does it as well." she continued.

"My apologies." he spoke.

"Marinette." the girl smiled.

"My apologies, Marinette." he declared, "I'm Damian."

His brothers watched in shock as he took a seat a the table.

"I told you a pun would work!" Dick exclaimed, "Puns always work!"

"Then, why did he take out the earpiece, Nitwit?" Jason asked.

They put their binoculars up and saw their youngest brother smile.

"He better make her a friend, at least!" Jason snarled.

"Why?" Tim questioned.

Jason snickered, "She made him smile."

'Don't fuck this up, Damian!'

The Wayne boys were eager to know what happened once Damian got home. Dick just smiled in anticipation of a thank you. The moment Damian walked through the door, they were by his side.

"So, how did it go?" Dick smiled.

"Did you make a friend?" Tim asked.

"Please, tell me you at least got a name!" Jason shouted.

"It was alright." Damian commented, "I can't say we are friends, but I did learn her name."

"Yes!" Jason cried, "Baby steps!"

Dick smiled joyfully, "See, I told you puns always work."

"They don't." Damian stated, "She was about to tell me to fuck off."

Dick stared at him in shock as the other two laughed.

"You thought you were so cool." Tim laughed.

"She also stated that some blonde continuously flirts with her with puns." Damian announced, "She tells him to leave her alone constantly. Her father uses wordplay as a form of laughter as well, but she only accepts his commentary."

Dick sighed as Damian walked away, leaving the other two to playfully comfort and tease him. Damian walked into his room and locked the door. He pulled out his phone and looked at the new number in his phone.

'Marinette. She's not a friend, yet, but it was nice to talk to her about art.'

TAGLIST: @maribat-calendar-events @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

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unordinary-but-extraordinary · 5 months

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i’m feeling normal tonight. anyways do you guys think the reason plagg is jaded and sassy and hates following rules is because his miraculous was misused for evil in the past and he had a mean and demanding holder who wouldn’t let him talk back?

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unordinary-but-extraordinary · 6 months

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I finally finished! ! ! Look at this.

Adapted from my favorite Damintte novel!!! Spoiler Alert, please note that this is the original AO3 web site:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/44793994/chapters/119941954

The author is@justrandomfanfictionskh,Thank you for your excellent work

【Actually,The bats' masks can't see eye color... But I want to draw the beautiful green eyes..】

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unordinary-but-extraordinary · 6 months

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i did it y'all!! here's that little one shot i promised. it's also cross posted on ao3 here

And If I Only Could I'd Make A Deal With God

Marinette was in Damian’s apartment, sorting through his personal belongings. His family had insisted that she do it, to see if there was anything she wanted to keep. To remember him by, they said. It was a daunting task, one she barely felt up to but she still accepted nonetheless.

She was going through the motions as she filled box after box. She barely looked at his things as she packed them away, not wanting to let herself break down as his family was sitting right outside in the living room of the apartment.

It was as she began sorting through his clothing that she found it. A dark forest green sweater, it was soft to the touch, well made and well loved. She remembered the first time she’d seen that sweater, the first time she borrowed it. Damian was notorious for never letting anyone borrow any of his things.

It was the middle of December, they were walking back to Damian’s apartment after another one of their dates, when it had started to rain. The rain itself was chilling and unexpected and by the time they arrived they were both soaked head to toe.

Damian had ushered her in, running to grab some towels to dry off the excess water that was dripping off both of them. He had steered her towards a bathroom, instructing her to shower before she caught a cold. She had protested in the beginning, stating that since it was his apartment that he should shower first and that she also didn’t have anything to change into either.

He had remedied the lack of clothing quickly, darting out of the bathroom and returning with a small bundle of clothing and reassuring her that he wasn’t nearly as cold as she was. She tried to argue that she wasn’t that cold but given the fact that she was still shivering he clearly didn’t believe her and promptly left the bathroom, closing the door behind him with a click.

The hot water was a blessing compared to the coldness that had seeped into her bones. She finished her shower, already spending more than enough time under the water. When she emerged Damian was in the kitchen, stirring a pot atop the stove. He was dressed in a dark forest green sweater and black sweatpants, looking much warmer than she felt, even with the help of a hot shower.

It must have been obvious that she was still cold because Damian had taken off his sweater, leaving him in just a tank top, and pulled it over her head. The sweater itself was large on her. Her arms barely fit three quarters of the sleeves while the rest hung off her frame in a similar style as some of her dresses, ending right before the knees. The sweater was warm and her shivering lessened.

Truth be told, it was Damian’s actions that warmed her rather than the sweater, though the sweater itself was a plus. She could feel her face heat up and Damian simply smiled at her, as if he were aware of his affect on her. She had murmured her thanks before hiding her face in her hands and he let out a small chuckle.

Damian directed her towards the sofa, which was laden with pillows and blankets. Some looked out of place as if he had rushed out and bought them recently. She smiled at the thought, it had been mentioned in a previous conversation they had, more of an offhand comment than an actual discussion. The care he put into paying attention to her words was almost enough to make her cry. No one had ever listened like that to her before, but Damian clearly had and put effort into making his space more open to her was almost like a confession.

Damian circled around the sofa with two mugs in hand, one of them adorned with whipped cream and sprinkles. Another tally in his favor as he clearly took note of how she preferred her hot chocolate. He had handed her the mugs and settled down next to her, collecting his mug from her afterwards. They had picked a movie out to watch something light hearted but still bearable to watch.

They had laid down on the sofa after the movie finished. Marinette curled up against Damian and several blankets piled on top of them. The warmth surrounding her combined with Damian’s hands in her hair were lulling her to sleep. She was still awake when she heard him whisper in her ear, ‘I love you’

It was the first time Damian had not only said it to her but also had shown her that he did indeed love her.

“I miss you, Damian,” Marinette croaked as her knees buckled and she collapsed. Loud ugly sobs wrenched their way out of her throat. She curled up around the sweater on the floor grieving the man she loved.

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unordinary-but-extraordinary · 6 months

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I'm sorry

"Hey Universe, it's me again..." Marinette sigh speaking to the dark void of time.

"I have dealt with so much this past year but I'm finally graduating! I thought everything was going great and don't get me wrong it has but..." she took a deep breath.

"The boy I'm with... his family... I ... I just feel hopeless I act a certain way or say something and one of his siblings twist it to make it worst then it was. When I think things are working out and getting better between them and I then something else happens." She paused waiting for a response.

*sigh*

"I have thought about ending things with him every time we argue or have a disagreement especially when his family causes it. But I love him I say all of these scenarios and he answers them, but I can tell they annoy him. I can't blame him they can be pretty realistic."

silence

"He always reassures me but today things were hard... I was blamed for things I didn't do or even intentionally did and I snapped... I told him I was done with his family I didn't want to be involved anymore and that no matter what I did it was bad. I didn't want to feel like I'm a bother, so I was separating myself from them. But when I looked at him, he just stayed silent and didn't look at me."

"I've been thinking of ending things even if I love him Paris needs me and I'm so close I can't afford losing now. I don't want him to feel like he needs to choose between them or me. I know he acts like he doesn't care for them, but he does he loves them, and I know building those relationships was hard for him I couldn't separate that. "

silence

"I'm sorry I came here just to rant... I wanted to feel, and you always listen. Thank you I promise to bring down Hawkmoth and restore balance." Begins to stand up to open a portal back.

steps can be heard coming her way and she turns around.

"I thought you didn't want to be seen toda-" Marinette's eyes widen.

"I'm sorry Marinette."

"Damian...I"

" I know..."

"but how.. you...since when.. I .. how did you get here?" Everything started to spin

"calm down Mari let me explain." Slowly started to approach as though she was a injured animal.

"I- I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry I" She was close to a panic attack.

"Habibti it's okay look at me.. they brought me here."

"I'm sorry I made you feel this way.. emotions are something I still struggle with but it is no excuse to make you feel this way. My family they are wary people and see you as someone you're not."

Marinette was still looking down.

"Please look at me, Habibti please look at me. I love you. Only you. I will fix everything just give me a chance." Damian pleaded looking straight into her eyes.

*****I wrote this in 10 min just to get it out so typos, grammar, etc may be there lmk ... this was inspired by an experience I felt and thought this could've happen to Mari if the family of Damian was trying to find faults in her because they were suspicious and how after dealing with so much, she didn't want to deal with anymore and wants to end things. I can also see Damian because he still is learning how to communicate doesn't realize how bad things have gotten and do to the universe intervening, he realizes he may lose the girl he +-loves. ***

#maribat #damian x marinette #maridami #marinette x damian

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unordinary-but-extraordinary · 7 months

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What if Marinette had a Retired Police Dog as a Pet

Masterlist Part 2

It's been 2 years since Lila came back to class and she has successfully turned all of Marinette's classmates against her.

Her crush on Adrien has officially fizzled out thanks to him doing absolutely nothing to stand by her as he once promised.

She couldn't even turn to Chat because of his increasingly bad attitude towards her whenever she rejects him.

He's not even showing up to half the akuma attacks anymore.

It's a good thing the attacks are becoming more spaced out

But the akumas seem to be stronger the more time that passes between attacks

On the bright side with all her new free time she was able to work more on her designs which has lead to more projects with Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale

Her parents noticing that their daughter who was once full of sunshine was getting duller by the day

So, they decided to try something crazy to cheer her up

That weekend they made their way to their local animal shelter

Marinette didn't know what to expect when her parents said they had a surprise for her, but she was certainly not expecting the animal shelter

Her life has gotten really lonely lately

She usually would just hang out with Luka and Kagami her best friends, but they've been busy with their own activities and career building

So, when she saw the animal shelter she got pretty excited

Marinette: Really?!

Tom: Really, you can get any animal you want

Tom and Sabrine were expecting her to get a cat or maybe one of the rodents that people dropped who didn't realized how much work they were.

But instead to choose a scary looking germen shepherd that way laying in the corner

Marinette couldn't explain it, but she just felt drawn to this dog

He seemed just as sad and lonely as she was

Marinette slowly approached the giant dog

Marinette: Hey there buddy

The dog just raised his head and gave her an unimpressed look before laying his head back down

Marinette: I guess you've been here a while huh? I've been alone for a while too, but maybe we can be alone together?

The germen shepherd looked at this funny little girl that's sitting next to him, not many people even bothered giving him a second look.

They mostly just want to see the puppies the older dogs rarely get adopted, and he wasn't sure he wanted a human not after what happened to his last partner

But looking into this girls eyes, he saw something in them that was similar to his own

She has been through some stuff, just like him

So even though he may not have wanted a human, but it looks like he has one now

He gave the girl a lick on the cheek to show that he wanted to be her dog

Marinette giving the dog a big hug: I'll take that as a yes

Tom and Sabine could see the writing on the wall, Marinette has found her dog and he's huge

Sabine waved down an employee to let them know they g=found the dog they wanted

Employee: Oh are you sure? That's Captain, he was a police dog

Tom: Was? What happened?

Employee: He was on the force for 2 years before he lost his partner in a drug bust gone wrong. After that he kind of just shut down, he wouldn't work with any other officers, and nobody would take him, so he ended up here

Tom and Sabine were a bit worried after hearing that, but hearing their daughter laugh as Captain plopped down on her lap washed away all their worries

Tom and Sabine: We'll take him

Captain's bond with Marinette only grew since that day

They did everything they could together

He would even wait for her outside of school for her to be done

Tom even put a doggy door in so that Captain can pick up Marinette from school

He also had a dog bed in the bakery to hang out while waiting for Marinette

Marinette would make him tons of bandanas

Each of them different

A lot of them are police themed

His favorite is a black bandana with a yellow sheriff's badge on it but instead of saying sheriff it says Captain

Captain enjoys just laying on Marinette's lap as she sews and designs new clothes

he can always tell when Marinette is down, and would give her a kiss to cheer her up

Captain has tons of toys

he loves squeaky toys and hard toys

He does have a few plush toys but he is a known toy destroyer when it comes to them

Kagami and Luka love him

he tolerates them in return

They make his girl happy so they're okay in his book

Captain loves Tikki though and vice versa

Tikki loves cuddling on top of him and Captain enjoys her belly rubs

She also sneaks him treats when Marinette isn't looking

The class also knows about Captain, but they don't like him because he growled at Lila once

Captain can tell a bad person when he sees one he spent his whole puppy hood learning to do that.

He also really doesn’t like Adrien

A year and a couple of months after Marinette and Captain found each other Marinette’s class was chosen to take a class trip to Gotham

They’ll be there 2 weeks at the end of the school year so that they wouldn’t miss much work

Marinette was so excited

She gave Luka and Kagami their miraculous to hold for the 2 weeks while she was gone just in case an akuma shows up, but that would be unlikely considering there was an attack just the weekend before she left

The only downside is that she couldn’t take Captain with her

They really haven’t been separated from her for more than a couple of hours apart, and he is super protective of her so that might stress him out if she just wasn’t there one day.

It was decided that Captain would come with her parents to say goodbye at the airport

Captain knew what was going on

They were sending away his girl for who knows how long, and he wouldn’t be there to protect her.

Well Captain wasn’t having it. His girl isn’t going anywhere without him

While Tom and Sabine were distracted he slipped out of his collar (keeping his favorite bandana on) and slipped onto the plane with the TSA agent that was walking on the plane.

He made sure to stay close enough to make it look like he was with the agent but far away enough that the agent didn’t notice him.

After he hid under the table in the back of the plane

Captain didn’t make his presence know until 2 hours into the flight

If asked he would say it was his plan so they couldn’t turn around and take him off the plane but in reality he fell asleep back there and just woke up at the time.

There was chaos when Captain came out

The class was not happy and Lila was crying about how Marinette was just looking for attention and snuck her dog on the plane

Marinette: He’s more than half my size how exactly would I be able to sneak him on the plane? How did nobody notice a big random dog on board?

The flight staff feeling a bit embarrassed about being called out on such a big mistake decided to leave it there for now, and luckily for Marinette she had an open seat by her that Captain could sit on.

Once they landed Marinette had to be held back at customs the make sure Captain wouldn’t cause a plague to any dog he met while there

One of the teachers stayed behind with her so she wouldn’t be alone at the airport in a foreign country.

After 2 hours and a fax from her parents, and a bathroom break for poor Captain she and Captain was free to go, but thanks to the hold up Marinette missed not only the group dinner they were going to have but was also forced into a room by herself cutting herself off from her classmates even more.

After Marinette had everything unpacked, she found her teacher and asked if she could go to a nearby pet store so that she could

pick up stuff that Captain needed.

Though Marinette didn't know that her asking that would change her life forever

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What If Marinette Had a Retired Police Dog (Part 2)

Masterlist Part 1

Ms. Bustier said she could go if she got a buddy to go with her

Marinette tried to ask her classmates

She thought for sure Adrien would at least come with her but no

Everybody said no

Nobody took pity on her

They all agreed with Lila and thought she snuck Captain here for attention

Adrien even lectured her about trying to cause problems for Lila

Well fine then she’ll just go by herself

Captain WAS a police dog

He would be able to protect her if something happened

Not the mention she was ladybug she could take care of herself

So, leaving the hotel with Captain by her side Marinette felt no fear going out on the night

It was a bit of a walk to the closest pet store, but when they got there, it was worth it

The store had absolutely everything that Marinette needed, a collar, leash, dog bowls, dog food, poop bags, dog shampoo, and even had enough money to get him a squeaky toy in the shape of a robin

Marinette spent a lot more time in the store then she thought she would so by the time she left it was way past the time it was consider safe to be out on the streets of Gotham especially when you’re a 16 year old girl with her dog and arms full of bags

That’s what Damian Wayne was thinking when he saw her walking on the street

He was on his patrol root when he saw the most beautiful girl he ever seen with a dog connect to her hand via a leash

Well Damian couldn’t just let a beautiful girl like this walk to wherever she’s going by herself so he swung down to the alleyway so he could escort her

Marinette was on high alert

Gotham was a lot different then Paris, while she felt safe even comforted walking through the Parisian nights

But here all she felt was jittery and scared

While passing one of the many dark allies in the city Captain started growling

He got in front of Marinette and growled at the person in the alley

Captain refused to let anybody harm Marinette while he was still around

Damian: Hold of your dog I come in peace.

Damian walked out of the alley with his arms raised to show that he didn’t mean any harm

Captain kept growling

Marinette: Oh your Robin aren’t you one of Gotham heroes

Captain kept growling

Damian: yes can you please call off your dog

Marinette:oh of course! *Marinette bends down to pet Captain* it’s okay Captain he’s a good guy. You can stand down

Captain stopped growling but he made sure to stay between his girl and the boy in tights

Damian: you know miss it really isn’t safe to be wondering the streets alone at night maybe I can walk you to where you’re going

Marinette: Well, I wouldn’t say no to the company

As they walked back to the hotel the talked about everybody and nothing the conversation just seemed to flow between them. Though Captain made sure to stay between them he was happy that Marinette seemed to found a companion even if it was just for one walk

They said goodbye once they reached the hotel as Marinette went up to his hotel room Damian raced home to hack into her school’s itinerary and see if he could somehow meet her again

Jason: What are you doing Demon Spawn

Damian: None of your business Todd

Tim: it looks like he’s hacking into some sort of school’s schedule

Dick: A French school at that. Are you planning to leave us little bird?

Damian: No and it’s still none of your business.

Dick: I know let’s hack into into the street cameras and and see if something came up on his patrol

Damian spun around

Damian: YOU SHOULD NOT SO THAT

Jason: Now we have to do it!

Damian: No!

Dick: I’m in! Oh ho who do we have here a little girly stole dear Damian’s heart

Tim: Oooo a pretty girl too, and French going by the schedule

Dick: and with a dog definitely an animal lover

Jason: What’s her name Demon Spawn?

Damian: Stay out of it you idiots!

Dick: Wait I recognize that school I’m giving them a tour on Wednesday of Wayne Enterprise

Damian: So she’s going to be at the building this Wednesday?

Jason: Aw Demon Spawn so happy to see his girlfriend

Damian: SHE’S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!!!!

Tim: but you want her to be

Dick: you know since she has a dog with her she’ll have to walk him, meaning she’ll head to the closest park which is just across the street

Jason: And according to this schedule they have a free day tomorrow probably to sleep of the jet lagged

Damian got a look on his face like he was coming up with an evil plan

Bruce who has been in the bat cave with them all this time just shocked his head

That poor girl has no idea what she’s accidentally got herself into

The next day Marinette took Captain to the park across the street to give him a nice walk

There she ran into one Mr. Damian Wayne who have been there for an hour now hoping to run into her.

Captain recognizes this boys smell from last night and was a bit calmer around him.

Damian and Marinette spent hours in the park talking a getting to know each other.

It felt like they’ve known each other all their lives, and not just a couple of hours

Captain even warmed up to him enough to let Damian pet him on the head

For a minute

That’s it

Their meet up at the park lead to a coffee date, which lead to an exchanged of numbers

Marinette: Maybe this trip won’t be as lonely as I thought

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Yours Truly (17)

AO3 here

Ch. 17: Meetings for Dysfunctional Families

Keep reading

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7 | in which Marinette gets a new career: making Lex Luthor's life an absolute hell

Part 7 of No Mr. Wayne You Can't Adopt Me! | Masterlist

Sometimes, Bruce gave Marinette additional work that was stipulated nowhere in their contract.

Scratch that, he gave her a lot of work that wasn't part of the contract. Marinette wouldn't complain, obviously, since she was paid extra but occasionally, the additional chores became troublesome.

Nonetheless, there was also extra work that she absolutely enjoyed doing. The type of work that she would've done even if she wasn't compensated. Hell, she'd pay Bruce just to accomplish the task. One such assignment was set for the WE gala.

That night, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was the director, and her boss was the star of the show.

She was clad in a modest dress for the big night: gray, calf-length, minimal accessories, pointed heels. The most important part of her outfit, however, was the earpiece discreetly disguised with her hairpin, which put her in a direct line with Bruce.

She peered through the glass windows of the venue, seeing the gala in its grandeur. Fashionably late. That's what they called it. It worked when one wanted to draw attention, because with nearly everyone already present, a metaphorical spotlight would drop down from the sky.

She pressed a button on her earpiece, tucking her tablet close to her chest. "All ready to go, Mr. Wayne."

And of course, since he was Bruce Wayne, he delivered. Heads turned and skirts swished as he made his splendid entrance, just at the right level of 'fashionably late', Brucie-style. He grinned his shiniest grin and immediately greeted the elite guests of the gala he hosted.

Marinette slipped into the threshold herself. "May I remind you not to act too drunk tonight, you're too old for that and it's just going to look sleazy."

"Of course, Marinette, thank you." He replied just as stealthily. "I trust you'll take care of the rest?"

Her lip curled upwards. "Oh, I intend to."

She took her position near the grand staircase, halfway blending in with the shadows. That amount of stealth would rival Alfred's or even Cassandra's. She just had to play another face in the crowd, someone barely noteworthy.

Then, she'll enjoy the show from her earpiece.

Target spotted. There was Lex Luthor in all his Mr. Clean glory, hanging out with other guests dressed fancily by the banquet table. At first, Marinette was quite surprised he accepted the invitation to a Wayne gala. But then she thought that Luthor would probably push his pride aside just to keep up appearances.

But it was amusing to see that a few of the people crowded around him left to flock to Bruce Wayne.

Her gaze turned towards her boss. He was dressed a bit differently than his usual gala outfit: a flashy golden suit with black markings on the fabric. They commissioned the design from M.D.C., but lent the production to WE's clothing department. Seeing the suit play its role proved that it truly helped Bruce steal the show.

Marinette waited until Luthor was closer to the table. Then she headed straight to it, swiping a mini fruit tart for herself to cover up the nimbleness of her fingers. Poor clueless Luthor, she thought when she successfully retreated back to the staircase.

The effects didn't take too long to see. As soon as Luthor moved to walk with the person he was chatting with, the tablecloth followed him, and so did the rest of the plates, utensils, bowls, and the gorgeous wine tower. The crash was like music to Marinettte's ears as heads turned and Luthor stared gobsmacked at the mess he'd accidentally caused.

The mess he undeniably caused, since the part of the tablecloth was still pinched between his belt and slacks.

The silence was deliciously deafening.

Until one jovial voice cut through.

"Lexie!" Bruce gently pushed past the group swarming around him. "Are you alright?"

Luthor's mouth opened. And closed again. Opened. Closed. "I didn't—how did . . ."

"My my, have you drunk too much wine?" Bruce's gaze swept over the ruined table which the staff were trying to clean up. "You've got to be a little careful, Lex."

Whispers rampaged within the crowd.

Luthor, seemingly trying to hold onto his composure, forced out a laugh. "That's funny, I barely drank tonight."

Bruce nodded sympathetically. "They say your tolerance does go down with old age. If you're feeling dizzy, you can rest upstairs—"

"No!" Luthor suddenly yelled. But immediately after, he cleared his throat and said in a softer tone, "No, thank you. Bruce. I'm feeling okay. I apologize for the mess I caused; I'll make sure to compensate for everything."

Marinette was nearly proud of the faux but extremely convincing smile that Bruce put on. "Very well. How about I help you get a new suit? It seems that some of the wine has stained yours."

***

Tim wasn't in the gala (he was both extremely sleep-deprived and unwilling to go), so Marinette took the liberty of sharing a video of Luthor's incident to him, which he would probably be sending to the family group chat. She conversed with the young CEO for a while, receiving praises on her skills as she waited for her target to come back.

It didn't take long for Luthor to return, all cleaned up like nothing happened. Although there were considerably fewer people who wanted to be near him. It was funny, to Marinette, how Luthor seemed to avoid the table as well.

Unfortunately for you, that doesn't make you safe. Unbeknownst to the general public, the gala venue was extremely dynamic since it was designed to cater almost any event. There were panels and advanced machinery controlling parts of the area, including the elevated stage that doubled as a gallery for the charity's exhibit.

The one who had guest access to the control was none other than Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

She just had to be patient. Luthor moved around a lot, likely because he didn't want to be caught off guard. He had stepped up onto the stage following an exec who was proud to show the gallery. At the time they came down, Marinette pressed a button on her tablet to make the steps move.

With a smack, Luthor's face met the polished floor.

Dramatic gasps echoed around. Faces of concern, some of indifference, others mocking. Like the hero he was, Bruce rushed to Luthor's side to offer a helping hand.

Luthor looked just about to slap his hand away, but he accepted it with a firm grip instead with an overly forced grin.

"Maybe you should lie down after all, Lexie," Bruce pouted. "You can't even walk straight."

The other man laughed a little too loudly. "No need to make it a big deal. It was just an accident."

Bruce clapped him on the back. "No need to be shy around me, hm? Tell me when you need to get some rest."

Whoa, that blood vessel is ready to pop on his head, Marinette observed when Luthor broke away from Bruce and stalked towards the drinks table near her in irritation. He poured out a drink for himself—

"Lexie, why did you run off? You should stay with me, you might cause another accident!" Bruce cried out.

Luthor whirled around. "That—that's a tempting offer, but I shouldn't trouble you," he said through gritted teeth.

"You look really red. I think you should step away from the wine . . ."

"I barely had a sip!"

Luthor turned back around to pick up his glass but it was gone. Meanwhile, Marinette brought the glass to her lips, savoring the expensive wine. She unintentionally locked eyes with Luthor, who looked like he realized who stole his drink. No one will ever believe you if you try to tell them, Marinette inwardly said. Giving him her most feral smile, she downed the drink in one go.

"That!" Luthor jabbed a finger in her direction. "Bruce! Isn't that your assistant?! She's the one causing trouble for me the whole night!"

"My assistant? Lexie, you must be seeing things! I gave her the night off—why would I need my assistant at a gala?"

At the moment Luthor forced him to look, Marinette had already slipped away somewhere else as if she'd vanished.

***

To other people who didn't know of Bruce's alter ego, it would be a mystery why he never had bodyguards with him. But to those in the know (exempli gratia, Marinette) it made sense, since Bruce had to slip in and out in times of emergencies and can defend himself pretty well. Marinette also had prior knowledge that Bruce sometimes let himself be captured to comply with the act. This kind of situation was one Marinette never wished to witness.

They were heading to a hotel for an investor and partnership meeting. Only Marinette, Bruce and the driver were in the limousine when the vehicle grinded to a halt. Peering towards the driver's seat, Marinette saw that the driver had slumped on top of the wheel.

"What the . . ."

The door was pulled open, and masked men armed with guns started pointing at them and telling them to get down. A couple pulled Bruce out of the limo, throwing him down on the pavement to be restrained.

"A kidnapping!" Airheaded 'Brucie' was on display, almost marveling at the situation they were in. "Haven't had those in a while. Careful now, don't be rough with my assistant."

Marinette stared at her boss in disbelief.

Is he . . . is he serious right now?!

Bruce was barely fighting back. No, he didn't fight back at all. You could've taken them all out and told me to keep quiet! Are we seriously doing this right now?! Are you secretly a masochist? Kwamis, we are going to be late for that meeting!

Marinette shut her mouth as she was also pulled out. The men were about to throw a gagged and bound Bruce into their (totally not suspicious) white van. We can't afford to miss this event, it's important for WE!

First, she disarmed them, kicking and knocking off the guns in their hands. One by one they fought back at her but she broke bones and pulled muscles flawlessly, not letting them land a single hit on her. Finally, she rounded them up in a neat circle with their own ropes and zip ties before dabbing the sweat on her forehead. Some of the men were unconscious, some were just disoriented.

Bruce was gawking at her. "Was that in your resumé?"

Marinette put her hands on her hips. "I didn't think it was relevant for the position. I took martial arts lessons in case . . . you know . . . I needed to kick an akuma's ass back in Paris."

"Oh."

"What were you even thinking, Mr. Wayne?" She glowered. "I know you also had self defense lessons—you could've fought back!"

"But—"

"Don't tell me you did it on purpose!"

Bruce quickly avoided her gaze. "I know how to stall the kidnappers until the vigilantes arrive for rescue."

"So you just sit still and do nothing?" Marinette scolded. "Mr. Wayne, who will sign my paychecks if something happens to you?"

"I'm used to it."

She gave him an unimpressed look. We're going to be late for the meeting anyway. Not to mention I'd have to get him a new suit and send his current one for drycleaning.

"Fine. You pride yourself now as a professional captive?" She smiled humorlessly. "Give me one good reason not to sacrifice you to these kidnappers right now."

"Wait, no—"

Marinette didn't even wait. She ushered her boss into the kidnappers' van and practically skipped towards the astounded masked men to free them. Albeit confused and still disoriented, the kidnappers took Bruce away and Marinette bade them goodbye while waving.

***

Of course, Marinette wasn't going to just leave Bruce like that. She still had her paycheck to worry about after all. After calling an ambulance for the driver, she drove the limousine herself and raced through the streets of Gotham, following Bruce's location through her tablet.

She arrived in a typical warehouse near the docks, as expected from amateur kidnappers. It was getting dark, but she allowed herself to enjoy the sunset for a little while. From her guesses, the rest of the family members would've already been alerted of his situation, so she took her place beside the building's door.

Lo and behold, it was Batman who arrived. Dick-Batman.

"Wait," she said when he passed by her.

. . . And she pretended not to notice him leaping back in shock.

"Huh?" Dick-Batman sputtered out. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous—"

"Don't rescue him yet."

"What? Why?"

Marinette examined her fingernails casually. "He's enjoying playing damsel in distress right now while learning a very important lesson. Give it around five to ten minutes."

"Uhh, okay?"

Dick-Batman just leaned on the wall beside her in an awkward stance, trying to inconspicuously talk through his comms.

Taglist: @hammalammadamdam @animegirlweeb @fairlyfatale

@agentxx92

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Maribat and Other Crossovers Works Masterlist

One Shots

Damian Wayne, the Sy-on Boy | AO3

Pledge Myself to You | AO3

Remembrance | AO3

The Perfect Blend | AO3

Camellia japonica | AO3

Aime Trent | AO3

The Bird Who Cried Coffee | AO3

Fox DCW: The Birth of Inari | AO3

The Assistant Poser | AO3

Maid for Each Other | AO3

One True Three | AO3

Cloudburst | AO3

Reunions | AO3

Petals of You | AO3

Sketching Strangers

Menace | AO3

Secrets, Masks, and Family Gatherings | AO3

A Real One for Christmas | AO3

It's Just Me, You, and the Cosmos | AO3

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far | AO3

Chaptered Works

Fox DCW (Tumblr Only)

D-DAY | AO3

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Rebirth (continuation of Remembrance) | AO3

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Proximal Universe | AO3

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Heirs Apparent (a DP x DC x MLB story) | AO3

Part I: A Message Has Arrived

Part II: Back in the Demon's Den

Part III: The Consequences of Her Visit

Part IV: Secrets, Thrice Divulged

Part V-1: Fight for the Throne: First Kill

Part V-2: Fight for the Throne: Obsession

Part V-3: Fight for the Throne: Dreams

Part V-4: Fight for the Throne: Battle

Part V-5: Fight for the Throne: Babysitting Bat

No, Mr. Wayne, You Can't Adopt Me! | AO3

Part 1: in which Tim Drake tries to propose to the PA

Part 2: in which Damian Wayne wakes up to an odd breakfast

Part 3: in which Jason Todd is saved from a catfish

Part 4: in which a boy becomes jealous of his niece

Part 5: in which Marinette Dupain-Cheng is behind schedule

Part 6: in which he orders a strawberry lemonade and peach iced tea

Hey, if you like my works, you can support me on Ko-fi :3

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6 | in which he orders a strawberry lemonade and peach iced tea

Part 6 of No Mr. Wayne You Can't Adopt Me! | Masterlist

Marinette was reminded that she somehow had the phone numbers of the Wayne family members when Damian called on a Sunday morning. Rubbing sleep away from her eyes, she answered with her summoned 'PA' voice. "Good morning, Damian. What can I do for you?"

She could feel the wave of hesitance from the other end of the line. "Marinette. I didn't want to call suddenly on a weekend but . . ."

"If there is something you need, I'll be happy to help."

"I'll make sure to pay you—any price, you just name it." Damian sounded a little nervous. Her curiosity merely grew upon hearing it.

"Firstly, I don't want you to think that my time is easily bought with money like I'm some automated assistant—"

"I'm sorry—"

"Secondly," she sighed, "You don't have to offer me payment every single time you ask a favor, okay? I'll be happy to help regardless of the monetary compensation."

"Yes . . . alright, I understand."

"Now, what's the problem?"

Damian coughed lightly. "It's about the oil painting piece I'm working on. I considered it a preposterous idea to ask my siblings since they don't know a lick of art to offer good constructive criticism. I have no intentions of asking Father and I don't want to disturb Pennyworth. I thought perhaps someone with a good eye for artistry can advise me.

"I've finished my painting but I think something is missing from it . . . or something is wrong. Unfortunately, I will barely have any time to remake another one so I plan to salvage this one with the help of your criticism."

Damian Wayne asking for criticism. Huh. Marinette's eyebrows raised. He continued before she could speak. "I will send you a picture shortly or if it's favorable for your schedule, you may come to the manor to get a look."

"Nope."

"Excuse me?"

She swung her legs at the edge of the bed and stretched. "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to bring your painting to Gotham Park. Bring an easel if you can. And you're going to wait for me there and I'll tell you what I think. Got it?"

"But—"

"Okay, Damian?"

". . . Yes, okay."

***

Marinette couldn't help but skip along the path on her way to the park. Since it wasn't technically a work-related meetup, she had decided to wear a light summer dress matched with a coat, a beret, and a pair of boots. She wouldn't tell Damian, but she was flattered he chose to come to her for help. Proud even.

She kicked a pebble aside. That means I'll have to do my best then.

She suppressed a laugh seeing Damian sticking out like a gloomy sore thumb in the park. He was hunched over on a bench, with the easel and canvas in front of him but facing away from her.

"You look like a lost kitten." The comment drew a frown from his face.

"It's a simple critique," he said quietly, "Why do we have to be at the park for it?"

"You dare question my methods, Monsieur?" She puts a hand on her chest in mock offense. "Now let's see it."

He turned the easel around.

The image was easy to put together: it was a painting of Titus, curled up in a nap near a window which traced a path of light that illuminated him like a spotlight. The striking point was the overall style of the artwork—visible strokes of warm and cool colors, swirling lines as the texture of the window frame wood, and Damian's signature cleverly disguised into the rough carpeted floor. It was easily a magnificent piece, one that transported Marinette to that same spot in the manor and basked her in the same warmth.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Damian looking back and forth between her and the painting. She could feel his uneasiness, having felt uncertainties about her craft as well, like when a thread became annoyingly loose or a design wasn't quite satisfactory.

"You're right." She tapped on her chin. "It's awful."

He stared at her.

"The choice of the colors are so contrasting that they just end up looking muddy when combined." She pointed to a part of the canvas. "And those proportions on Titus are just unrealistic, the painting focuses too much on the two subjects: the dog and the window, that they outshine the details of the surroundings, and overall? It's boring. No emotion invoked at all. You said there's no time to redo it but you're honestly better off painting a new piece even if it ends up unfinished."

Marinette wished she could take a picture of Damian's unhinged jaw.

"That's not . . . it's not . . ." He looked at his work again. "The colors are meant to contrast and I made sure their combination isn't desaturated. Titus' proportions aren't an issue because the shadows and negative spaces fill in the missing shapes, the subjects are meant to stand out but the details are also exaggerated, and it's not boring—it is meant to appear subtle and simple."

He turned to her, scowling. "You of all people should also know that art doesn't necessarily invoke emotion, rather it is more important that the artist communicates their personal meaning and the audience finds their own interpretation—"

He stopped suddenly and took a good look at her smiling face. At last, the boy catches on, Marinette thought.

"Oh," he mumbled. "I see now."

She nodded. "I brought you out here because I guessed it's much better to look at it under natural light. No offense, but the manor barely gets any of that, especially if you're looking at it inside your room."

Damian touched the edge of the easel, as if connecting once more with his creation.

She inched closer to the painting, bending down a little to examine the finest details he added. "You said you felt something was missing but I think it's as complete as it could be. It's beautiful, Damian, really. I'm happy you let me look at it."

Pink. His ears are pink. Marinette fought off another smile.

"Thank you." Damian looked away. "I've been wondering for a long time what to do with it."

"Are you going to ask for it to be put in the manor gallery?"

"If Pennyworth approves, yes. After the exhibit."

Marinette pouted. "What do you mean 'if Alfred approves'? Of course he will! If not, I'll buy this painting myself!"

His eyebrows raised. "You must know Pennyworth has some criteria for the manor gallery. Mar'i's drawing has only been put on the refrigerator door."

She laughed at that, imagining the scenario play out between the girl and the butler. She let her joy subside when she noticed Damian glancing at a building next to the park. Following his gaze, she spotted a newly-opened store that sold bubble waffles and drinks.

"If you do not like monetary compensation," Damian began, "Perhaps a drink will be more favorable? I heard that the place is in its soft opening."

A smile slowly formed on her lips. "Damian Wayne, are you asking me out on a date?"

"It's not a date!" He hastily denied. "It's a repayment."

"Mmhmm, sure why not? It's getting hot anyways." She sat down on the bench, crossing one leg over another.

He told her to wait there before jogging towards the store. Marinette took more time to admire the painting. Based on Bruce's stories, a younger Damian wouldn't be the type to gently ask for critique, nor one to make sure he did a favor in return. There was even a chance that if she ever recounted the day to her boss, Bruce wouldn't believe any of it.

But if Damian's being all soft and gentlemanly, I've no problem with it, she mused. Minutes later, she got a message from him: a semi-blurred picture of the shop's menu. She aimlessly chose her order and waited some more. He returned not long after with two bright-colored drinks.

"Are you sure this isn't a date?" She asked again.

"A date would require at least one of us to harbor romantic feelings for the other," he told her. "Therefore, it is not a date."

Well no, a date can be a prelude to any romantic feelings, she wanted to argue. But instead, she leaned towards him and smirked the cheekiest of her smirks. "How sure are you that I don't have any romantic feelings for you?"

He choked on his drink.

Marinette let him recover as he dabbed the corner of his mouth. "You have not given indication that you do." He avoided her eyes. "Also, you are legally not allowed to."

"Pfft, my contract with Mr. Wayne says 'thou shall not enter into a relationship with any of the Wayne children'." Her grin is stuck like glue to her face. "Not 'thou shall not flirt with Mr. Wayne's cute son.'"

"But—you . . . what . . . Why would you find me 'cute'?"

"I just do," she replied. "Why do you find Titus cute? Alfred the Cat?"

Damian started sputtering uncharacteristically, barely getting a coherent phrase out.

"Oh, you are just so fun to tease, Damian."

He scoffed loudly, then sipped more of his lemonade. "I'm glad I provide entertainment to your bland life, Ms. Dupain-Cheng."

"Yeah, thanks for that!"

It seemed that he couldn't top her comebacks so he changed the subject. "Finish your drink quickly. I'll take you home."

"A ride home!" Marinette gasped. "This is a date!"

"It's common courtesy. Pennyworth will be disappointed with me if I don't make sure you get home safe."

***

That same night, Marinette was delighted to see that the weather stayed fair, and the sky cloudless. Instead of taking her motorbike, she opted to take a stroll to her favorite fabrics shop a few blocks away from her apartment. Luckily her patterns of choice were all available despite being hard to get.

Unluckily, she noticed shadows following her as she heavy-lifted three bolts down the street.

Marinette tugged down her cap. She was close—just a hair's breadth—to saying, 'It's a bit too late to be stalking your assistant on her way home, don't you think Mr. Wayne?'

But she held onto her tongue and stopped at a well-lit area to glare at the big furry following her. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Batman?" She huffed at him.

Batman coughed, shielding himself with the darkness. "I need to talk to you."

She peered at the bright colors hiding behind him, sporting curious gazes filled with both wonder and excitement. "If it’s only you who needs to talk to me, why is the entire flock here?"

Actually, the others didn't even bother to hide. Black Bat was hugging the lamppost, Spoiler bounced on her heels and Red Robin carried a professional camera. Heck, even Red Hood was there, even though Crime Alley was miles away from the area.

She could feel the exasperation radiating off him, a truly tired parent, as he turned around to give his children vigilante partners a Look™️. In a second, they all grappled upwards, perching on their respective ledges and balcony railings as if they were an eager audience to a performance. (Marinette didn't miss the way Robin glanced her way before he went away).

Marinette arched an eyebrow. "So?"

Batman coughed. That awkward cough Bruce also does. Seriously, how come the world doesn't know his identity yet? "I would like to apologize. For intruding the office and catching you off guard and . . . throwing my weapon at you."

She gave it a minute. Just full silence and a hard stare.

Just to make him squirm.

"Okay," she said slowly. "And why did you think it was a good idea to do this in an empty street at twelve am?"

"You shouldn't be out so late at night anyways."

"What was that?"

". . . Nothing."

Stifled laughter rang from above.

She frowned. "Did Mr. Wayne agree to this? Couldn't you have done this at, I don't know, back in the office where it's safer and less creepy?"

"Wayne said you don't have overtime anymore this month," Batman grumbled.

"What, like you can't drop by during the day? No don't tell me—" She paused. "You're allergic to sunlight!"

He shifted from one foot to another. "Hn. I am not."

"You're a vampire."

"No."

"Don't worry, I won't tell." If her sore arms weren't occupied at the moment, she would've made a zipping motion with her fingers. Seeing Bruce in the spotlight of embarrassment was enough to make up for the incident. "Look at the time, I need to go now."

"We can escort you—"

"No thanks," she declined sharply while walking away. "Don't follow me home or else I'll personally ask Mr. Wayne to put a restraining order on all of you."

Marinette stopped again, remembering something, and without missing a beat, plucked something out from her sweatpants pocket. She grinned. "You forgot this."

With a flick and whoosh, the Batarang sailed towards the vigilante and stuck atrociously to the ear of his cowl.

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unordinary-but-extraordinary · 8 months

Text

1 | in which Tim Drake tries to propose to the PA

Part 1 of No Mr. Wayne You Can't Adopt Me! | Masterlist

Bruce tried not to flinch as he sat down on his swiveling chair. He had twisted his ankle from pursuing Penguin's goons the previous night but had to cover it up for work. Sure, he was used to hiding injuries and slipping into his CEO persona, but that didn't mean his muscles weren't sore and beat-up.

Just in time, his PA entered the office, carrying a stack of folders and a hot mug of coffee. "Here are the partnership offers I filtered from the initial pile." She placed the papers atop his desk. "I've also noticed that there is a defect in the new prototype of the research department that they are yet to attend to."

Bruce frowned. "But isn't the demo and meeting for it scheduled today?"

"Yes, that's why I've convinced the head supervisor to push it back to next week after they deal with the defect," Marinette reported. "I've also postponed the investors meeting to tomorrow since there was a delay in the materials."

She lowered her voice as if relaying a secret. "I noticed you have difficulty walking today, Mr. Wayne. With your modified schedule, all your work can be done here at your desk. If there's other legwork to do, I'll take care of it."

Somehow, in perfect timing, Marinette always managed to accommodate the times when he was injured. Bruce didn't know if he was getting bad at hiding it because of his old age or if the girl's intuition was just crazy sharp. Maybe it was both. He cleared his throat. "Thank you, Marinette. I appreciate it."

She opened up the first folder in front of him and transferred the mug to an electric warmer. "Another skiing accident?"

"Not as bad this time. Just a twisted ankle."

Next, she lowered the blinds just to allow just a peek of the sunlight and prepared a snack tray on a circular table beside his desk. Bruce never communicated the particulars about his preferences and he wasn't actually picky about his office space (unlike his son-slash-co-CEO). But this PA of his, just somehow knows. Like Alfred-levels of expertise. It creeped him out a little if he were to be honest.

She clasped her hands behind her back. "Anything else, Mr. Wayne?"

"None at the moment, thank you."

She raised an eyebrow.

. . . Which drew out a sigh from him. "Fine. Can you maybe help limit Tim's caffeine intake today? He had too many cups last night and he didn't listen when I told him to take the time off today."

"Of course, I'll do that right away." She nodded in satisfaction.

When she left, Bruce pulled up a tab on his computer to search for the legal documents, wondering if there was etiquette about an employer legally adopting their employee.

***

Marinette entered the office of Tim Drake after receiving a greeting from Tam at her desk beside the door. The young PA kept her hands behind her back as she approached the boy who was glued to his computer screen. Upon closer look, she could see the heaviness under his eyes, accentuated by the dark circles on his pale skin.

"I looked into your request of acquiring a commission piece from M.D.C.," Marinette told him.

There was only a slight shift in his exhausted expression—a downturn of the mouth—before his scratchy voice replied. "I thought they don't accept commissions anymore."

"Yes, but I re-visited our correspondence and apparently they still make pieces for selected clients." She took a deep breath. "And I got you an in."

The clicking of the mouse suddenly paused, followed by the widening of Tim's red-rimmed eyes. He practically crawled out of his seat to kneel before Marinette to take her hand in his. "Please marry me."

Marinette gently pulled away. "Sorry, Mr. Drake, my contract with Mr. Wayne prohibits me from marrying or getting into a relationship with any of his children."

"Why?!" Tim cried out.

"Perhaps he precisely predicted this kind of situation." She smiled apologetically. "And by my guess, I think he wants to adopt me first and not marry into the Wayne family."

Not that she actually wanted to be the newest addition to her boss' family.

With a pout, Tim retreated back to his chair while muttering about Bruce's adoption addiction. But in a second, he brightened up once more as he seemingly remembered the new opportunity he gained with M.D.C. "I have to compile my requests for the clothes!" He furiously tapped at his keyboard.

Marinette's heart went out for Tam. It looked like Tim wasn't getting proper work done that day again.

"I will forward the list to M.D.C. as soon as it's ready," she assured.

And while the co-CEO was immersed in researching designs in his half-conscious state, Marinette brought out the mug from behind her back and exchanged the coffee on his desk with decaf: a custom brew which was guaranteed to help him sleep for the afternoon.

In triumph, she exchanged thumbs-ups with Tam through the glass window of the office.

***

Marinette kept a watchful eye on Bruce's office to keep anyone from entering and disturbing the boss. But when she peeked into the room to deliver more files to him, she saw Bruce facing the open window and talking softly with Superman himself, who was at the other side of the glass.

Fortunately, neither of them seemed to notice her. She closed the door slowly and leaned her back against it, wondering if she should be guarding the door with her life. At the strike of bad luck, one of the company executives was heading straight towards the direction of the office.

He shot her a look as she blocked the way. Head to toe. "Mr. White," she greeted slowly.

"I have some papers Mr. Wayne must sign urgently." He narrowed his eyes.

"Sorry." She forced out a smile. "Mr. Wayne is a little . . . preoccupied at the moment. Why don't I take those papers off your hands and I'll have him sign them later?"

The executive clutched the stack tightly as if it were some precious treasure. "No, I need to have them signed now. If you can let me in, I'm sure Mr. Wayne won't mind a short interruption."

He stepped to the side but she moved in his way just as swiftly. Marinette sighed inwardly. This is beyond my paycheck. And judging by how White went here on his own, it must be some fund-farming project proposal Mr. Wayne would never agree to.

"Get out of my way!" He cried out. "Who do you think you are?!"

"I apologize, but Mr. Wayne is meeting an important guest. Under no circumstances must he be disturbed," she told him firmly. "I'm certain the papers can wait. He's not going anywhere."

"Listen here," Mr. White spat out. "I have more authority over you. You will do as I say right now!"

"Mr. White—"

"I will tell Mr. Wayne how incompetent you are! Rude to company executives! How dare you speak to me like this?!" Marinette stared with disinterest as his neck turned red and his forehead threatened to pop a vessel.

"What is going on here?"

Marinette felt the door open behind her to reveal Bruce, looking at White with clear exasperation. What she didn't expect was a bespectacled man emerging from behind her boss clad in business clothes.

"Mr. Wayne!" The executive squeaked. "I need you to sign these—"

"Did you not hear my PA?" Bruce punished him with a cold look. "I was receiving a guest. And you had the nerve to cause a commotion right outside my office."

"But—"

"Leave. Now."

Mr. White scurried away, tail between his legs, as other passing employees whispered to each other. Marinette stepped aside to give way to the two men.

Bruce cleared his throat. "Thank you for your time, Clark. I'll get back to you soon."

Superman—Clark—responded with a nod and a gentle smile before excusing himself out of the area. Marinette watched his back whilst he left. If anyone looked more attentively, they'd notice that the button-up and slacks Clark was wearing was too tight for his size, pointing to the fact that they were Bruce's and not his.

"Marinette, if you can keep quiet about . . ." Bruce trailed off, face twisting as he tried to pick his words carefully. She, of course, would know that no guest had entered his office despite Clark Kent exiting it only a few moments ago.

"Don't worry, Mr. Wayne. I won't tell anyone about your affair with Mr. Kent," she promised before walking back to her desk.

"Thank you . . . Wait, my what?"

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