Mar 7, 2025
Dick: you woke Marinette up?
Jason: after an all-nighter?
Tim: when you knew we were out of coffee??
Cass- stares
Damian: I'm guessing that's bad. Is she the type to hold a grudge?
Alfred: savors it, actually
seen from China
seen from Malaysia
seen from Russia
seen from Thailand
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Türkiye
seen from Malaysia
seen from Japan
seen from Japan
seen from Israel
seen from Türkiye
seen from Chile
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from Norway
seen from Germany
seen from Spain
seen from Norway
seen from Germany
seen from Italy
Dick: you woke Marinette up?
Jason: after an all-nighter?
Tim: when you knew we were out of coffee??
Cass- stares
Damian: I'm guessing that's bad. Is she the type to hold a grudge?
Alfred: savors it, actually
Day 20: Joke's on You. This one is actually a Boldly inspired fic!
@maribatserver
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Jon stood nervously to the side as Marinette and Damian had their latest screaming match. Honestly, it was impressive that the French girl hadn't backed down at any point in their animosity, and Jon wished they had made friends instead of enemies. Though with Damian's track record he shouldn't have expected anything else.
He tuned back into the argument just as Marinette reached a new shade of red.
“...and you can hate me but you can't make me shut up! And if you think you can get rid of me you're dead wrong, because I'll just date your best friend,” she shouted. To everyone else, Damian would have seemed unaffected but Jon could hear his heartbeat stutter slightly in response - which was curious. He hadn't thought his best friend hated Marinette, but if the thought of her dating him caused that big of a reaction.
“Tt, well the joke’s on you, Dupain-Cheng,” he sneered, eyes not even flickering towards Jon. “Because I only have acquaintances.”
Marinette's eyes narrowed and she definitely turned towards Jon slightly before something obviously occurred to her. A vicious smile erupted on her face and it made Damian's brow furrow ever so slightly.
“Fine, but I'm pretty sure I heard you're not an only child,” she sing-songed, turning on her heel. Damian's jaw slackened in surprise and, Jon presumed, no small amount of horror. It was almost a shame that Marinette had stalked away before she got to see the speechless mess she left behind.
“What was the argument about today?” Jon asked quietly once he was close enough to Damian. The other boy huffed in annoyance and glared at the door Marinette had exited through rather than answer. “Come on, why are you still arguing with her? Surely you could just ignore her, like you do with almost everyone else, right?”
Then I could just have you as friends separately, he thought wistfully, pouting slightly when Damian gave him a narrow look. He couldn't understand why Damian reacted so badly to Marinette when she was practically sunshine in a person. People described Jon that way and Damian had gotten used to him.
“I- she is not going to get away with speaking to a Wayne like that,” he muttered aggressively.
_ _ _
“Demon Spawn, why is there a little Pixie girl messaging me and saying she wants to get to know me better?” Jason drawled from the far side of the table. Jon gaped at him, wondering if he was messing with them. But there was no way Jason would know that much to mess with them so that meant…
“She messaged you?” Jon blurted out, wincing when Damian glared at him. “Wait, why would you ask Damian that?”
“Because her profile picture has her GA uniform in it and since I haven't been there in years I figured she must know him.”
“Ignore her, she is my nemesis,” Damian said curtly. Jon closed his eyes and prayed for patience. If there was any one thing that would have piqued Jason's interest in her, that was it.
“...so it would bother you if I got to know her?” Jason said with a manic grin. “You're eighteen already, right? Can I assume she is too?”
“You know, I'm not-” Jon began, only to be interrupted by Damian who, apparently, didn't know when to quit.
“Her being of legal age is irrelevant, Todd,” he seethed, body rigid with tension. “She has contacted you to get to me and therefore you should ignore her.”
“Oh, hell no, if it bothers you that much, I'm going to sweep this chick off her feet,” Jason said with a smirk, fingers flying over the screen of his phone. Damian hissed like an angry cat but Jon wasn't sure what he had expected to happen. “Guess I've got a date tomorrow.”
Jon was glad Jason decided to make himself scarce immediately.
_ _ _
Jason approached the table in the cafe that Marinette, the little Pixie that was trying to wind Damian up, had suggested. She was bent over a sketchbook, hand moving confidently over the page as a figure took shape. It looked suspiciously like a certain vigilante's civilian form and he cleared his throat as he arrived next to her. She squeaked and slammed the sketchbook closed before he could take a better look.
“Thanks for agreeing to meet with me,” Marinette said with a tired smile. Jason eyed her with concern as he sat down opposite her. She had been all smirks and pizzazz when she had messaged him about Damian but now…it was like she had completely deflated. “And I want to reiterate that I have no intention of dating someone more than half a decade older than myself - even if it was fake.”
“Yeah, don't worry about that. I don't need any accusations leveled at me about being a cradle snatcher, Pixie,” Jason said, shooting her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. If the way she raised her eyebrows was any indication it hadn't worked but she was smiling too so that was fine. “But I've gotta ask, why does the little brat have such a stick up his ass over you?”
Marinette sighed and rested her head on her crossed arms, which wasn't the reaction he had expected.
“We had an argument when I first started at Gotham Academy at the beginning of the year,” she said, voice muffled slightly. “And he said some very condescending things to me. I don't react well to condescension and it just…it escalated from there. Nearly everyone else at the school is fine with me and have assured me that he is cold with everyone but that doesn't strike me as a good enough reason to be rude to someone. And the only thing evil requires is that good people do nothing, so I have continued to clash with him.”
“Huh. If you're not willing to date someone older than you to make a point or drive the little devil mad, you could always just see if B wants to adopt you,” he said casually, taking in her features again. He laughed at her confused expression and elaborated. “Just imagine how much more in his face it would be if you lived with him.”
“That- I- no,” she squeaked, flushing. And wasn't that interesting; the response he had expected was either disgust or thoughtful contemplation, not getting flustered. “I- that would not be helpful.”
“So you think he's evil?” Jason said after pausing for a second, latching onto the other thing she had said. The startled look on her face was, again, unexpected.
“No! Damian is- I can tell he's a good person,” she said, hands waving in agitation. “He's…a little awkward, and unused to being challenged, but he isn't bad.”
“Then why do you hate him? Hell, why bother arguing with him at all?” Jason asked, genuinely curious as to what the point was. Again, she flushed, biting her lip this time and looking away. She muttered something and he raised his eyebrows. “Say that again for me?”
“Mon dieu, I do not hate him. To be honest, a lot of the time it feels like more of a game between us and I hate losing. But whilst I haven't lost yet, I haven't won either and as the end of the year approaches…”
“You need a conclusion,” Jason said, nodding in understanding. She really would fit in extremely well with the family with her stubbornness, he mused before shaking it away.
“Or to extend the game past graduation,” she agreed, fingers drumming on the table top. “Honestly contacting you was a spur of the moment idea, mostly because Jon said you two were particularly volatile as a pair.”
“Well, I can't promise to help you win your game, but we can certainly give it a go,” Jason said with a smirk, hunkering down to get into plotting.
_ _ _
Jon was hanging out with Damian in one of the drawing rooms at the manor when Jason arrived. They had patrol that night and he was likely just looking for a quiet place to hang out until then. Unfortunately, Damian spotted him immediately and jumped to his feet to talk to him.
“Todd, you will tell me what you discussed with Ma- with Dupain-Cheng,” Damian said imperiously. Jon eyed him like a particularly volatile chemical reaction but didn't intervene - yet. He wanted to know what Jason had to say as well.
“Why do you care? Pretty sure you said she was your nemesis, but she isn't mine. My relationship with her has nothing to do with you,” Jason said tauntingly. Jon furrowed his brow, disliking the way he had said relationship. Damian didn't like it either, judging by the snarl that came out of him.
“Considering the only reason she is speaking to you is because of me, I beg to differ.”
“Please, she told me all about your petty rivalry,” Jason said with a wave. Damian stilled entirely and Jon wondered if maybe they had passed the point of salvaging any of this conversation already. “You don't get on with most of the people I talk to, how is this one any different?”
“I knew her first, Todd,” Damian snapped, teeth clenched hard. Which was an interesting thing to say, Jon thought distantly. “And she is far too young for you. Not to mention you would put her in danger by associating-”
“Oh, I see, you thought you'd called dibs,” Jason said patronisingly. “You know what they say, brat; you snooze, you lose. And I wouldn't say too young, that's a woman we're talking about-”
“Whoa, okay, let's all take a second here,” Jon said, moving between the pair and holding Damian back. The look on the boy's face was nothing short of murderous and he wasn't certain he would be able to contain him for a long period of time. “Jay, you can't seriously be saying you're trying to hook up with someone in high school, right?”
“She's not gonna be in high school that much longer,” Jason said with a wicked grin. “So if that's the only issue…”
“Stay away from her,” Damian hissed around Jon, still straining slightly. “You are a disgusting, lecherous man and you are unworthy-”
“What's going on in here?” Bruce said, coming into the room suddenly. The tension remained palpable and Jon wondered if Damian would tell Bruce what was going on.
“Tt,” was all he said, shoving past Jon roughly and stalking out of the room.
_ _ _
“Why on earth did you think actually going on a date with Jason was a good idea?” Jon asked Marinette the following day. It was Friday and they had a free period together before the end of the day. She raised her eyebrows at him but he heard the sudden uptick in her heartbeat.
“I don't see the problem. Jay seems like a really cool guy. Besides which you're the one that said he was the most likely to get under Damian's skin,” she said accusingly.
“No, I said it was a horrible idea to try and date a Wayne, especially since the only single one that would take you seriously was the one Dames has the worst relationship with-”
“Yeah, see? The one most likely to get under his skin,” she said, nodding. “Now if you don't mind, I have some homework-”
“Dupain-Cheng, a word.” Damian had appeared next to their table while they were engrossed in conversation. Marinette dropped the papers she had been organising, blinking up at him owlishly.
“I mean, no? I have no desire to discuss anything with you currently, especially-”
“Please,” he interrupted, cheeks darkening slightly when her mouth snapped shut. Jon eyed him, wondering if he was dreaming. Damian, saying please? To Marinette of all people? He shot Jon a significant look before turning back to her. “I wish to speak with you privately.”
“Oh, um, okay,” she stuttered out, putting her papers down and standing. Jon could hear her heartbeat skyrocket as Damian led her away. He very much wanted to listen in on the conversation but he also knew that Damian would never forgive him for breaching his privacy like that. Well, he probably would, but they were best friends, so he really shouldn't.
Marinette followed Damian along the halls, only slightly worried about getting a reprimand for being out of class. Her heart was hammering in her ears and almost stuttered to a stop when he ushered her into an empty classroom. The lights were off and neither of them made a move to change that. She could just about make out his features, but she couldn't see details like his eyes so she wasn't sure how angry he was just then.
Truth be told, she had known that involving one of his brothers had crossed some kind of line. From what she knew about Damian, he liked to keep the different aspects of his life separate. She knew Jon spent time with him outside of school but that was because they'd actually only met because their fathers were friends first.
“Thank you for agreeing to speak with me,” Damian said in a low voice, standing close enough to her that she worried he could hear just how hard her heart was beating. “I don't know why you spoke with Todd but it needs to stop.”
“Oh,” she said, frown taking over her face. She narrowed her eyes at him, taking in the tightness in his shoulders and the way his fists were clenched. “No.”
“Dup-”
“You don't get to tell me who to be friends with, Damian,” she said firmly. “As long as Jason wants to talk to me-”
“He is my brother, it is wildly inappropriate for him to pursue you,” he said, teeth obviously clenching tight. She didn't need to be able to see his face to know he was scowling at her because that's how he always sounded when he was scowling at her. She scoffed and started to turn away from him only to pull up short when he gripped her upper arm and pulled her towards him. “Marinette, he is six years older than us and he has many issues that make it a poor choice to be romantically involved with him.”
“So he doesn't deserve to date someone because he has something dark in his past?” She asked, trying to ignore how closely they were now standing, and how he had uttered her name. After so many months of being called ‘Dupain-Cheng’ it felt almost scandalous to hear him say her first name.
“Let him date someone his own age,” Damian muttered, clearly glaring at nothing. “And…his history is colourful. I'm certain there are things that would give you pause if you knew them. You should be with someone like you.”
“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” She demanded, outrage adding to the slightly charged air between them. His hand, still on her arm, tensed and she had the abrupt urge to make him look her in the eye and explain what he meant. So she grabbed his blazer's lapel and yanked him to face her.
Unfortunately she pulled a little too hard and she overbalanced, feet going from underneath her as she tipped backwards. She braced for the fall but was stopped by his hand securing her lower back. She blinked up at him, blushing at how close his face was to hers. Now that they were closer together she could see the brilliant green of his eyes again, almost glowing from the light she could see peeking around the classroom blinds and the door.
She didn't dare move, even breathing shallowly as she wet her lips nervously. His eyes flickered down to the movement and she swore her heart stopped dead as his head dipped towards her. She tilted her head slightly and their lips brushed tentatively.
She felt the soft exhale from him against her lips and then he was pressing his lips back to hers more firmly. He straightened up, pulling her with him and the hand that had been on her arm slid up to cup the back of her head. She kissed him back, hands fisting in his blazer and keeping him close.
She sighed against his mouth as he angled her head slightly more and he took that as permission to deepen the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers. It was intense, the hand on her lower back pressing her closer to him and the one at the back of her head urging her to open to him.
Her hands began to move upwards, fingers brushing his jaw before moving into his hair and tugging gently. He broke the kiss but didn't pull away, tilting her head further to kiss her neck. She gasped when his teeth grazed a sensitive spot and it was like a switch had flipped. Damian jerked away from her, face flushed.
“I- that- I'm sorry, Marinette, I didn't-” he stammered, turning away from her. She tried to organise her thoughts, hand coming up to touch her now swollen lips as she stared at him. “I should leave.”
“Wait,” she said, grabbing for his arm. “Don't you think we should talk about- about what just happened?”
“I…I'm not sure what did just happen,” he said softly, hand buried in his own hair. He looked messy and horrendously attractive in that moment and she bit her lip against the urge to kiss him again. He sounded uncertain and that definitely put a damper on the thrill running through her veins.
“Like, because you blacked out, or just that you don't know how that happened?”
“The second one,” he muttered, turning back to look at her with an unreadable look. “Mar- Dupain-Cheng, I shouldn't have-”
“Oh, hell no, if you can put your tongue in my mouth you can call me by my actual name,” she said firmly. He gave a bark of laughter, turning back to her and leaning against a desk. “Care to explain what you were thinking if you ‘shouldn’t have’?”
“You are going to be the cause of my premature death,” he said sullenly, making her scowl. “You cannot stand me, Marinette, I should not have lost my head and kissed you. It was hardly a logical thing for me to do and I don't…”
“It's not as if I minded,” she said quietly when it became clear he didn't know where his sentence was going. He looked at her sharply. “And I'm not sure why everyone thinks I hate you when I don't. You're abrasive but I don't actually think you're an asshole, you know?”
He seemed to be surprised, just staring at her in the dark. It made her nervous and she wished she had turned the light on as soon as they'd walked in. And if he didn't say something soon she was likely to say something embarrassing during a rambling speech that was doubtlessly coming. Unfortunately he didn't seem to be forthcoming with any words so she did.
“I mean, I have to assume you don't hate me either, otherwise I am really confused about what just happened,” she blurted out, feeling a blush spread over her cheeks. “But, uh, I should probably say that I was never going to date Jason. Like, he's cool in an older brother sort of way but it would have been really weird, even just to pretend, given you're the one I wanted to kiss, obviously, and he didn't- he never tried to flirt or anything. I just wanted to get more of an idea what you were thinking, and you're kind of easy to rile up and-”
She was cut off when he pressed his fingers to her lips. She swallowed and stared up at him.
“I was not joking when I said you should be with someone more like you,” he said. She continued to look at him, confused. That didn't currently sound like an insult, but she wasn't sure how else to take a statement like that. “Marinette, you are relentlessly positive and brighten many people's days. People like Jason or- or like me wouldn't be capable of making you happy.”
“How would you know?” She demanded, grabbing his fingers and holding tight. “You know what, never mind that. I don't need someone else to make me happy. I make me happy. What I want is someone to challenge me, to make my life interesting. Do you think you're not interesting?”
He stared at her, eyes wider than she was used to seeing on him and she harrumphed and dropped his hand. Now that the rush from kissing him had worn off, she felt uncertain and uneasy. He looked like he might say something else but the bell signaling the end of the day sounded, making them both jump.
“I have to go,” she sighed, tugging her ponytail sharply. She looked at him briefly but he was frowning again, still staring at her, so she turned back to the door. “Jon has my number, if you want to talk at all. If I don't hear from you before Monday…”
She trailed off but he didn't say anything, so she sighed again and went to collect her bag from the classroom.
_ _ _
The weekend passed too quickly for Damian. He had every intention of speaking to Jon and obtaining Marinette's number so they could talk about…what had happened. But whenever he tried to bring himself to ask, he froze up. So he had thrown himself into patrol and honed his fighting skills and told himself that if he was supposed to contact her, it would have been easier.
That didn't stop him from freezing when he bumped into her outside the homeroom they shared. He was seldom at such a loss for words but instead of smirking and saying something borderline rude she blushed lightly and apologised before stepping around him and making her way to her desk.
From that point forward she avoided him. At least that's what he presumed she was doing, since every time he had her in his sights she vanished. It was the most peaceful day he had had in months and he hated it. He stopped trying to approach her after his fourth attempt, settling for watching her interactions with other students to try and gauge her mood.
It was definitely wrong of him to feel slighted by how easily she continued to speak with her other classmates. But knowing that and changing that feeling were two wildly different things and he wanted nothing more than to go over and demand that she explain why she was ignoring him.
“Okay, seriously Dames, what's the problem?” Jon asked during their lunch hour, after another angry huff of breath came out of his best friend. “I thought this was what you wanted? All you've talked about all year is getting her to leave you alone and you succeeded. I don't think I want to know what sort of verbal beatdown happened on Friday to make her completely stop antagonising you but-”
“Then why mention it?” Damian snapped, flushing as he thought of the darkened classroom and all that passed within it. He knew his heart rate had spiked momentarily, and that Jon had noticed it, because the super’s brow lifted. “It is none of your concern, suffice to say she confirmed that she is not pursuing a romantic relationship with Todd.”
“Okay, but that doesn't explain why you're not arguing anymore,” he said suspiciously. “Or why you're in a piss poor mood over it. Not to mention she's avoiding me as well now, so I ask again: what's going on?”
“Perhaps you should ask her during your free period,” Damian muttered, glancing involuntarily towards where Marinette was giggling with some of the idiots from the football team. He knew she was friendly with everyone (except for him) but his eyes narrowed when one of the idiots leaned down to whisper something in her ear. His hand clenched on the fork he had been using to toy with his food and it took several minutes for him to release it.
During his last period he tried to keep himself occupied as his phone vibrated in his pocket again and again. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what Marinette had said to Jon about what had happened between them on Friday. His stomach clenched when he thought how she might be approaching it - was she flippant? Upset? Angry? He didn't know which would be worse.
When the final bell rang he was the first one out of his seat, storming through the halls to get to the car as quickly as possible. He faltered when he saw a familiar bike and rider sitting out front instead of Alfred and his car. Brow furrowing, he stalked over to Jason, contemplating violence as a way to release some of the tension he had been feeling all day.
“Todd, did Alfred send you?” He clipped out, standing straight and glaring.
“Nope, I'm here for someone else,” Jason said with a smirk. Damian felt a tic in his jaw and had to remind himself that Marinette had assured him nothing was going on. It didn't stop an irrational, possessive part of him from wanting to warn Jason away from her. He grinned more genuinely before lifting a hand to shout to someone. “Yo, Pixie! Over here!”
“Sorry, Jon was- oh. Good afternoon, Damian,” she said, face going blank as she stopped several feet away. An awkward silence fell and Jason gave him a look that couldn't possibly mean anything good. “Well, Jay, we should get going. Have a nice evening, Damian.”
“Wait, I thought-”
“Yes?” Marinette said, eyes flashing as she looked at him properly for the first time all day. Her usually bright, clear eyes were full of a storm. He had thought he knew what she looked like truly angry, but it appeared not. He stood stiffly, not knowing what to say and she laughed without any humour or warmth. “As I said, we should go. Goodbye, Damian.”
He stood there, unable to form any words as she climbed onto the back of Jason's bike, helmet jammed over her head, before grabbing onto him and letting him carry her away. He was a riot of emotions, wanting to demand Jason bring her back but not sure how without making things worse.
_ _ _
When Jason finally stalked into the manor several hours later he made his way straight to Damian's room. Damian knew this because he hadn't bothered to take off his bike jacket and was still carrying his helmet. He scowled at his older brother but turned back to the homework he had been brooding over for hours.
“So, what the fuck did you say to Pixie?” Jason drawled eventually. Damian frowned but didn't say anything or look up again, not until Jason strode into the room and yanked him up by the arm. “Hey, brat, I asked you a question and I expect an answer. What. Did. You. Say.”
“Tt, I have not spoken to M- Dupain-Cheng today,” he said, shaking off Jason's grip. Then he paused thoughtfully before continuing. “Excepting, of course, that which you were present for. If she is spreading falsehoods about-”
“Oh, no, no ‘falsehoods’ from Pix. In fact, she wouldn't so much as talk about you, even when I pressed her, so I know you did something. And ‘that which I was present for’ looked like she was pretty pissed with you. So I'm gonna ask nicely one more time: what did you say - or do - to hurt Marinette?”
“I- nothing,” Damian said, cursing himself for stumbling over his words. He willed away the memory of the icy anger he had seen in her eyes. “I spoke with her on Friday about the inappropriateness of your acquaintance and thought we had reached an agreement. Clearly I was incorrect and I will speak with her again tomorrow.”
“Hmm, no, I don't think that's true. But hey, why don't we just ask her and find out.”
Damian frowned as Jason grabbed him and frog-marched him down, presumably to take him to wherever Marinette was. He would force the oaf to release him before he allowed him to remove him from the manor so he was surprised when they pulled to a stop in the kitchen. And then he cursed and tried to leave again when he saw Marinette chatting with Alfred. Unfortunately Jason had a decent grip on him and he had been unable to grab a weapon on the way.
“Oh my god, Jay, can we not?” Marinette said when she turned to see what the commotion was. “I told you, Damian and I have nothing to say to each other. You said you were grabbing something you needed and then you would take me home-”
“Yeah, I lied,” Jason said glibly, shoving Damian towards her. “Damian can make sure you get home safe, right Demon Spawn?”
“Todd, I have no idea where this idiocy is coming from-”
“Jason, please,” Marinette said softly. Damian looked at her, alarmed by the pleading note in her voice. He had never heard it before, and it shifted something in his chest and made it ache. Jason looked uncertain, like he was second guessing everything. She looked at Damian with a fake smile that felt wrong. “I'm sorry for intruding, Damian, I promise I didn't know he would do this. Please, Jason, just take me home.”
“Uh, I mean, yeah, okay. Sorry Pix,” he said gently, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and steering her out of the room. Damian could hear them talking softly as they got further away. He hesitated for another moment before darting silently after them, though he didn't know why or what he hoped to accomplish. They were standing in the foyer, Jason asking something in a low voice and Marinette shaking her head. Neither of them noticed him as he listened in.
“...tell me what happened, I know something must have.”
“Jay, you've known me for all of five minutes, you don't actually know me all that well,” she said thickly. “But it doesn't matter. I just want to go home. School finishes in two weeks and that will be the end of it.”
“What happened to winning?” Damian wanted to force Jason to let go of Marinette's shoulders, but he wanted to hear her answer more.
“Nobody wins everything,” she muttered, hand swiping at her face. “Just- please, I don't want to talk about it. Will you go and get the bike? I'm tired.”
Jason gave Marinette a long look but nodded and disappeared. As soon as he was out of sight, her shoulders slumped and Damian could hear her crying quietly. He moved without thinking, grasping her arm gently and turning her towards him. She jumped at the contact and hastily scrubbed at her face even as she plastered another smile on it.
“Was there something else you needed?” She asked in a polite voice he had heard her use once or twice with visiting parents during school open days, but never with him. He swallowed against the sudden anxiety swamping him and raised a hand to wipe away a stray tear.
“I'm sorry,” he said when she flinched away, slowly lowering his hand. “I didn't- I meant to speak to you earlier in the day but I couldn't seem to catch you.”
“You don't need to,” she whispered, arms coming up to hug herself. He looked at her, confused, and she shrugged. “I get it, okay? I won't say anything about- I won't tell anyone. And I'll stop arguing with you at school, you don't have to bother yourself-”
“Dup…Marinette, that's not-”
“Really, you don't have to explain anything,” she interrupted, looking vaguely panicked. “I understood, when you didn't message, that that was it. And I'm sorry you felt like you had to take such drastic measures just to get me to stop. I thought that we were…I thought it was playful. And I'm so, so sorry if I made you uncomfortable or-”
Damian placed his fingers back on her lips, making her freeze exactly as he had when she had been rambling on Friday. Her eyes were wide and she seemed to be trembling slightly as he moved his hand to cup her cheek.
“Marinette, I'm sorry. I should have called you, or messaged you or- or anything, but I didn't because I was overwhelmed by the very thought. Not that it changes things but I didn't intend to hurt you. I didn't consider that my lack of contact would make you think-”
They jumped apart when the door slammed open again and Jason paused with a spare helmet in his hand. His eyes narrowed at the guilty look on Damian's face and Marinette's tear filled eyes.
“Demon Spawn, what the f-”
“Todd, turn around and come back in an hour,” Damian said, glaring. “Or never, I will ensure that Marinette returns home safely.”
“No dice, I left her alone for five minutes and she's in tears-”
“This doesn't concern you-”
“Jay, give us another five minutes, please?” Marinette said softly, looking up at Damian with something like hope flickering in her eyes. Damian ignored the exasperated exclamation that emitted from Jason and focused solely on Marinette again. He stepped closer and hesitated for only a moment before taking her in his arms.
“Perhaps we can try again?” he asked, speaking into her hair. She nodded and he breathed out fully. “Marinette, I have wanted to kiss you during an argument for longer than I can remember and I have fought the urge for just as long. If it isn't too late, I would very much like to kiss you again.”
She smiled up at him before pulling him down for one.
@boldlyanxious
Can you find any wallynette fics??
here’s what I found!
Flash meeting by @boldlyanxious
Married to a stranger | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 | ao3 by @readingismyoxygen [note: incomplete]
Pure Energy | by @loveswifi
don’t you love me? | tumblr by @m3owww
Project: Null | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 by @rhub4rb [note: incomplete]
the YJ x MLB series by TheFairMaidenofFandom
Damian- aren't you supposed to ask my name for the order?
Marinette- you can tell me your name, but I'm just going to call you mine
A Simple Deception
masterlist
“I’m really sorry for you Jon. I know you have gotten close over the last few months,” Damian spoke into his phone.
“No, I really mean it,” he continued after a pause. “I know I’m not the most expressive person to talk to but it is clear that she means a lot to you. I wish her visa had worked out.”
Damian made a few more non-committal noises as his friend went on and on about his newer friend who would be moving away soon.
“I wish I had gotten a chance to meet her. Maybe sometime later in the future. I’ll take you to Paris for your birthday or something.”
“See you for New Year’s then. Merry Christmas to you and the rest of the Kents. I believe my gift should have arrived.”
He put his phone back on the desk and went looking for his family. Unlike Jon’s family, Christmas morning did not start promptly at 8am. With their evening activities, they all preferred to start a little later. Coffee and brunch would start at 10 am and the scavenger hunt for gifts would begin promptly at 11. The first one back after completing all the challenges would win Christmas.
It wasn’t the most traditional of Christmases, but it worked for them. And Damian was determined to win this year.
---
“Hold on, I’m putting you on speaker phone. I still have to be out of this apartment,” Marinette said. She moved her phone from her ear and put it on the mantle before shoving a pile of boxes.
She zipped back and forth as she continued talking at her phone.
“I just got the call that it was approved. Apparently, it went through last week but because of a mix up with the paperwork I didn’t get the call until they were closing today.”
“I can’t believe you still have to move,” the voice said from the phone.
“The cut off to stay here was a couple weeks ago.” Marinette stopped and looked at her phone with an uncertain look that even though the person on the other end couldn’t see her, would be able to hear the uncertainty in her voice. “But I had a friend tell me that if everything else failed, he would have a place for me in his apartment. He said it would just be a relief to have me in the same country.”
“I heard the same thing,” the voice laughed. “I have the space, and I already messaged a friend to borrow a truck to help.”
“You are a lifesaver; you know that?”
“I do, but I like to hear you say it.”
“Not to just call for huge favors, but I have to let you go now. I still have a ton of things to do. I haven’t even called my parents yet.”
“You told me before your parents? That’s cold.”
“Well, I sent a message saying I had an update so if they have been on, they can guess. But proper calls are hard while the bakery is open. They will call while they are closing, once they get the loud ovens off.”
“Best of luck. I know they were excited to have you back even though they wanted things to work out for you.”
“They were. But I did visit during the process, and they should be able to make another trip one day soon.”
—
The triumph of Christmas had not even lasted the week until New Year’s. His father had them gathered together to talk about their behavior for the New Year’s gala. It appeared to be a fabulous fancy dinner with all the Waynes and associated persons present, but his father was droning on about the behaviors that had been noticed at the last party. It had been a season full of parties where they were all expected to be dressed impeccably and a minimum not be caught causing disturbances and definitely not be written about in the press. Something that had been sorely lacking from the last Wayne hosted event.
Dick had been considered to be too drunk although it was more likely he just had had enough of the perfumed, elderly ladies pinching the wrong cheeks to tell him how handsome he looked all grown up. Stephanie, while not technically family, was not inconspicuous enough when doing impressions of Lex Luthor. Damian believes that she actually wanted Luther to see her. Tim and Jason both had a game of being confused any time someone spoke to them rather than greeting them as if they knew them. They had offended several long-time business associates and acquaintances of the Wayne Family.
Damian still believed that he had done nothing wrong. He was the picture of politeness and had greeted every person of note and some others. He remembered all the names, the grandkids and pets to ask about. He had not talked business once and he retrieved drinks when people were low. Apparently, his grave error was in not asking a single young lady to dance during the evening. He had the required skills, and he was not in any way unable to perform the motions at the time so he should have. It didn’t matter that he simply did not wish to dance with them.
“It is expected of you Damian,” his father said.
“There were plenty of other people dancing, including Dick and Tim. I think even Jason danced,” Damian complained.
“That makes it even more noticeable that you were not dancing. All of your brothers danced, and I danced. You should dance too.”
“I was busy making the rounds to all of the people who needed greeted.”
“I expect better time management next time then. I also made greetings for everyone and found the time. You will find the time for at least three to five dances–”
“That’s too many,” Damian cut in.
“Three to five dances and you will choose one of the suitable young ladies to kiss at midnight.”
“Absolutely not. I don’t want to kiss any of them.”
“You will and that is final.”
“But” Damian’s mind raced before he blurted out “I have a girlfriend.”
The stunned eyes of the entire table and the waiter turned to him.
“You have a girlfriend Dami?” Dick squealed.
“Of course he doesn’t,” Jason laughed. “He is just trying to get out of kissing some social climber at the gala.”
“Well,” Bruce said, “you certainly can’t kiss someone else if you have a girlfriend. You will bring her and kiss her at midnight. What is her name for the invitation?”
“Her name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” Damian said, “But she will be out of the country by then.”
—
“You got settled, I see,” Jon said laughing at Marinette in the kitchen.
“You have been to my place many times. You knew what you were getting yourself into.”
“That I did. And I’m delighted to have you, but I’m going to help you clean up. Damian is coming over and I didn’t mention you were living here yet. I don’t want to overwhelm him. He wanted to talk about something, and it sounded serious,” Jon said.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I’ll clean really fast and get out of your hair,” Marinette said.
“Nonsense. I meant it when I said it was your place too. You haven’t met Damian yet, and you should. You will love him,” Jon paused, choosing his words carefully. “I just don’t want it to feel too chaotic when it sounds like he is already having a tough time.”
“Right. You get the dishwasher going while I get the counters cleared. Then, I’ll wash the remainder and leave the floors to you.”
“Perfect. That should get you a chance to get out of your mismatched jammies.”
“Do not impugn my mismatched jammies. They are very comfy, but possibly too chaotic for meeting new friends.”
“Right you are.”
—
“You really don’t have to come up with me. I’m just getting the keys to the truck I let Jon borrow,” Damian said, climbing the stairs to Jon’s apartment.
“You have a girlfriend who is about to leave the country. I want to meet her while I have the chance. I’m sure you will want to stay and see her for a bit anyway. I remember what it was like to be young and in love,” Bruce responded.
“If it is anything like you are now with Ms Kyle, do not ever think I will behave like that.”
“To be in love is to be part fool and let yourself be open to another person. Perhaps you and Marinette just need more time.”
“You are already aware that the time is limited, yet you insist on encroaching upon it.”
Damian let out a long-suffering sigh before he knocked firmly on the door.
“Damian, you made it,” Jon said, quickly turning his attempted hug into a handshake. “Uh, Mr Wayne, how nice to see you again. I didn’t realize you were coming.”
“I’ve told you so many times to call me Bruce,” Bruce said with a warm smile.
“Right, I’ll get the keys. Thank you so much for letting me borrow your truck. My grandparents were supposed to help but they got held up in Kansas,” Jon said, shifting on his feet.
Bruce pushed past the keys Jon held out and looked around the apartment. “Tell your grandparents I said ‘hello’. I do hope to see them when they make it to town.”
Damian took the keys and grabbed his father’s arm, “We should go. Jon is clearly busy.”
Bruce looked around and raised an eyebrow at Damian. Jon said nothing until Bruce stepped into the kitchen and looked down at a tray of goodies.
“Can I offer you something to eat? Marinette was baking earlier. I’m sure she is willing to share,” Jon was relieved to have something to do with his hands. “Oh, Marinette is a friend of mine. She is from France and staying here.”
“Damian mentioned that. I was hoping to meet her,” Bruce’s eyes lit up at the mention of his reason for coming. “It’s a shame about her visa expiring though.”
“Actually, it was approved,” a dark-haired woman said as she walked into the room. “I found out too late to keep my apartment. That is why Jon let me move in.”
“That’s wonderful!” Bruce exclaimed, reaching for her hand. “I’m Bruce Wayne, Damian’s father. You must be–”
Damian cut it, hoping to stop his father from saying something he didn’t want anyone to hear. “Father, might I present Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”
“You may. Damian was so disappointed his girlfriend had to go back to France. Congratulations on your visa approval. You must come to my New Year’s Eve gala. It wouldn’t be the same without you.”
“So nice to meet you, Mr Wayne.”
Marinette was shaking his hand but then he suddenly pulled her into a hug. Her eyes were huge and confused looking over his shoulder at Jon and Damian. Damian was trying not to make eye contact, but Jon was looking at him and laughing.
“You must call me Bruce,” he said, patting her back.
“Bruce,” she repeated.
—
“I’ll take the truck back. Don’t be back too late,” Bruce paused with a smirk, “or do. I guess you will be celebrating.”
“I will see you at the usual time,” Damian said stiffly.
He turned back slowly to face Jon, who was clearly trying not to laugh and Marinette. He had just met her, but he had the distinct impression that was not her happy face.
“What just happened?” Marinette asked, hand on her hip.
“My father invited you to the annual Wayne New Year’s Eve Gala,” Damian said.
“As your girlfriend? That is the part someone would typically ask first.”
“Why did no one tell me the visa was approved? You were supposed to be going back to France.”
Damian looked accusingly at Jon who shrugged.
“I didn't think you would go get engaged because I was waiting to tell you until I saw you. I honestly thought you were bored of me talking about it.”
“I was bored, but it was too convenient to tell my father I couldn’t hook up with whichever socialite is most convenient for his business.”
“We are not engaged or hooking up.” Marinette said emphatically. “We aren’t even dating, and you will make this right. I did not sign up for a randomly assigned billionaire boyfriend.”
“Trust me, I have no interest in dating you,” Damian said firmly. He paused before adding, “But since you already told my father you would attend the gala, would you be willing to go as a favor to me.”
“I do not owe you any favors,” Marinette said.
“Please,” Damian said. “I would owe you one. Jon will be there too.”
“I go every year. It is the best one of the year. Also, least likely to be attacked by rogues and I know you have a dress you designed that you would love to show off.”
“I don’t want to go around lying to people. It isn’t fun for me, and I’m not interested in profiting off deception.”
Damian held up his hand to get them all to stop.
“Jon, would you leave us for a moment.”
Jon looked like he wanted to argue but Damian waited until he relaxed and then walked out of the room. Damian gestured at the chairs in the living room.
“Please allow me to talk for a moment. Once I have explained myself, I will ask you to go with me and then accept whatever response you give.”
Marinette studied him for a moment and then nodded.
“First of all, allow me to congratulate you on your visa. I know from Jon that it was very nerve wracking to not know where you would be by the end of the week. Even though I blamed you for not leaving, I am happy for you.” Damian took a breath and continued. “I am not typically a rash or unfeeling person. I may show a lack of concern for things that don’t affect me, but I don’t like to be cruel or use others carelessly. That being said, when my father told me that he wanted me to essentially woo the young ladies at the gala, I provided the easiest excuse that would be accepted at the time without planning to produce an actual girlfriend. Jon has spoken of you many times so your name came easily to me as someone who my family would not know, and you were so conveniently not going to be in town at the time of the gala that I would be off the hook from my father’s expectations.”
Damian stood up and circled the room a couple times before turning back to her.
“My father’s expectations make me uncomfortable, but his reasoning is sound. I made choices in my behavior at the last event we hosted that did not meet what was expected of me. Now, I am expected to show attention to the ladies in attendance by dancing and being a proper gentleman in polite society. If you refuse to go with me, I will tell my father when I see him about my deception. I will then behave as I must at the event. If you agree to attend with me, you will benefit from being seen and talking about your design work. That is not disingenuous of you. It is how high society works. Everyone there is trying to advance themselves while also showing off for each other. That would be a good thing for you, and I would also owe you a favor. I could do as much as buying you a fabric store easily, if that is what you wished. After the evening is over, I will come clean to my father, and we will not be romantically linked. You will have just been my date for the evening.”
“Wow. I didn’t expect all that.”
It was Marinette’s turn to stand up and pace around the space. Her hands were tightly clasped in each other, the skin turning white where she squeezed.
“I–” She took a deep breath. “I accept. You really don’t need to owe me anything. I understand why you did what you did. It was a series of unexpected events that collided. Besides, I want to be friends. I’m sure we will see each other from time to time.”
—
It wasn’t nearly as bad as she expected.
It nearly felt like she was in a period piece. Everyone was all dressed up and speaking formally. It was definitely the best collective posture she had seen anywhere during her time in the states and possibly ever. Damian escorted her around on his arm and smiled at all the people he greeted by name and introduced her as his date.
His family was different. They all seemed like they were laughing at some joke, but it didn’t seem like it was at her. They did all seem interested in why she started dating Damian. She supposed that was just how siblings were. She ended up dancing with all of his siblings, Jon and then his father. As well as several dances with Damian and a couple of the other men in attendance.
It was nothing like the fake dates seen in pop culture. Everyone just accepted her as Damian’s date, and she didn’t have to justify it. She made the appropriate responses to her current dance partner. Archibald was handsome and a great dancer; she made sure not to tell him that she didn’t realize real people still had that name. He had been very polite.
Damian was approaching her, but he did not look happy. She glanced around to see if anyone was watching her. She didn’t think she had made any faux pas that would reflect poorly on him, and no one had even suggested that she was only here as a ruse. She had no clue why he suddenly looked so serious.
The crowd was getting louder. Everyone was leaving the dance floor and waiters were efficiently passing out champagne. The glasses were clinking together and people chattering noisily and pairing off.
Damian took her by the arm and pulled her along with him. She stumbled slightly but his arm was there to hold her upright. He took two flutes of champagne and held them in one hand as he took hers in the other and pulled her along to a balcony. All the other guests were moving down outside and once they got out there, she could see a couple other balconies with guests on them. But they were the only ones on this balcony.
“There is a slight possibility that we will be expected to kiss at midnight,” Damian said.
Marinette was so stunned she didn’t register the voices of the crowd start counting down from ten.
“By slight possibility I mean my father just told me that he still expects to see me celebrating at midnight and it should be easy since you are my girlfriend.”
Damian pushed her hair back from her face and cupped her cheek.
“I really hoped he just wouldn’t notice.”
He tilted her face up and looked into her eyes. He didn’t move forward, but his eyes held the question in them.
Marinette pushed forward until she was kissing him.
It was just supposed to be a quick kiss, but she gasped at the spark she felt kissing him. She didn’t pull back, instead her arm went around his neck as she felt his fingers dig into her hair. He pressed closer and held on to her. The fireworks were going off all around, but they didn’t notice anything but each other. They pulled away slowly, breathing a bit more quickly.
Neither seemed to know what to say for a moment.
Marinette picked up a glass of champagne and clinked it against Damian’s glass before taking a sip.
“Happy New Year,” she whispered, before leaning in to kiss him again.
Choosing Fate
Part 1
Masterlist
“We have found her.”
The guard said nothing else but he and another brought in a girl with her hands bound. It appeared as if she had been struggling but she had given up. He couldn’t see her face because it was covered by her hood. Whether she had preferred to keep it up or if the guards had pulled it over her face to keep her from being able to attempt escape, he didn’t know. He pulled the hood down and he was not disappointed by her defiant scowl but he was angered that her face was marked with a cut on one cheek.
The guards had already been wordlessly dismissed and he didn’t bother to call them back. They could be called to account for their actions at any time. He turned to face her. Her hair was loose and wild. He suspected that was because of the struggle to find her. He had seen pictures and heard descriptions but once the word got out that he was searching for her she had run. She likely had help and all those who had helped hide her from him would be dealt with. He tilted her face up to his, holding her chin in his hand. She tried to pull away but he tightened his grip. Her blue eyes glinted with malice.
“You are Marinette?” he asked. “The daughter of the bakers from Anat.”
She didn’t look away from him. Her eyes bored into him but she refused to answer. He barely moved, just a slight gesture, but the guard on the wall reacted. There had been a child approaching with a pitcher. The pitcher fell with a shattering sound as the guard lifted him and drew his sword. There was barely a sound that came from the child after the initial surprise. That showed her that he meant business. They called him the Demon and she had heard that he was ruthless. She tore her eyes away from the child and looked back at the demon’s face before making a decision.
“I am.”
Her voice was surly but she had given him the information he needed. He still had to be absolutely certain.
“You were born when the algol star was dim on a night without a moon?”
She glanced back at the child again. The guard didn’t even reaffirm the threat. He just waited for the signal so she spoke before it was given.
“I was.”
“How lucky for you. We are to be married.”
—
No one reacted to her protests. They had to have heard her but the only thing that happened was the guard put the child down and instead took her down a hallway and locked her in a cell. It was cozy for a cell but even though the bed was soft, the window was high and narrow and the door was locked from the outside. She could hear occasional noises from elsewhere in the fortress but even though she could look out the small barred window on the door and see a guard stationed nearby, there was no sound in this hallway.
The days dragged on. She had no clue what was happening outside the fortress. She had pieced together that she had been brought to Nanda Parbat, the home of a man only known as the demon. Her village lived in the shadow of the fortress but they had always lived in harmony. She was certain that there were agreements made with the mayor to make the peace possible but she had never considered what they might be. She was unnoticed by most, living out her ordinary life until she learned someone was searching for her.
Usually she only left the cell for meal times and a daily walk with the demon. She started every morning with a bath in the cell and maids would bring her fresh robes that were ornately sewn with intricate patterns. They would do her hair and pin it in place before he arrived to walk her to breakfast. Over breakfast he would casually talk about the state of his domain or the political relations with the villages nearby, including her own. Initially she refused to eat, sitting stoically until he was finished but if she were given the opportunity to escape she would need to keep up her strength.
After breakfast they would stroll through the gardens. She had remained silent as he gave an account of his life until one day he took her to a new area and began showing her his animals. The first were peacocks because he thought they she would find them fascinating. She had and that was when she spoke. But only about the animals, at first. As time dragged on she spoke more and opened up a bit, hoping to eventually convince him to let her go.
She didn't know what he did after breakfast but she had a rotating cast of young girls who came to clean or play games with her. Their names were foreign sounding to her and it has taken her awhile to learn them all and tell them apart. But the routine was comforting and at least she often had company.
She didn't know when the supposed marriage would take place. It hadn't been mentioned since the first week. She used to be under guard every time she was out of the cell and there was always one stationed. Everything had been relaxed since then and they had developed a routine. She still missed her life outside but she was growing used to it here. She didn’t even mind the company of the demon. He was not kind or warm but it was more that he was reserved and hid his true feelings much of the time. She wondered whether that came from his position or if that had developed under his upbringing.
—
Damian didn’t think she had noticed his distraction. She had a distraction of her own in the form of the kitten he had brought her. The guards gave daily reports and one of them had said she seemed listless after her young visitors left in the afternoon. Some days he was able to make it back to her to visit in the afternoon or evening but not always. He didn’t want her to be lonely. She had recently been given access to books and writing and drawing supplies but a kitten would be someone she could love. He was altering the course of her entire life for his own purpose and he thought the least he could do was make sure she was happy here.
Upon first meeting the kitten, she told him how it reminded her of a kitten one of her friends had given her. Her eyes lit up as she talked about Adrien and how his father had found out he was keeping the kitten and made him get rid of it. She didn’t talk about him the way she did the rest of her friends. He would need to find out more about him. He couldn’t have any potential rivals. They were nearing the time of the wedding and it would not do for her to hope someone might prevent their union. So he found Adrien and invited him for a visit. His father certainly wielded influence, especially in Anat, where Marinette’s family was from but Damian had more power and would crush them if there was opposition.
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Choosing Fate
Part 7 (part 6)
masterlist
She was planning to spend the day with Damian because she had finished the outfit she had been working on. Not only that, she had made one for her to coordinate. She felt so brazen, feeling proud of how good it looked. But it was truly breath-taking. She wrapped it carefully, using the extra cloth to tie it as a hint to what he would find inside. Her excitement was making her jittery. She had to work hard to quiet her steps in order to surprise him.
She was far into the labyrinth of stone carvings, nearly as far as the place where they had attempted the ritual when she found him. She saw him first, laying back against a smooth stone while looking over his research materials. He was facing away from her, but she had gotten to know him well enough that she could picture the look of concentration on his face.
She thought he must have heard her because he put the materials aside. But he didn’t look back at her. She followed the direction of his gaze and saw that he was looking at her. Before them was her likeness, cast in stone. He had carefully carved every detail of her to appear just as life-like as the one of his father. Suddenly, she understood what he was researching without her, and she felt sick.
She covered her mouth to muffle her gasp as she ran through the gardens back to the fortress as quickly as possible. She knew there was no possibility of escape from Nanda Parbat, but she had to get out. She found her guard and told him she needed to go to the market. He didn’t show any surprise, just nodded and turned to prepare for departure.
—
Damian thought he heard something while he was researching. He would have preferred looking it over with Marinette. Her fresh perspective always gave him something new to think about. She was busy working on her sewing so he wandered outside and ended up in front of the statue of her. He had finally finished it and he was pleased with how it turned out. He was still trying to find the right time to show it to her.
He walked around to the path and didn’t see anything that would have made a noise. He found a scrap of fabric that he was fairly certain matched the fabric of Marinette’s current sewing project. He suspected her kitten had gotten out again and had been playing with a scrap of fabric. He checked the nearby bushes and didn’t see him.
He looked around and made a clicking noise, trying to find him. He wandered around for a few minutes and then returned to the statue to collect his research materials. He would have to find something to entice the cat. He entered the fortress and the guards were shouting. He saw the kitten running to hide from the commotion as he rushed in to find out what was going on.
—
Marinette walked through the market as if she had purpose. She hadn’t decided what the purpose was yet. She was having a hard time maintaining appearances with those who approached her to tell her about their wares or even their children. The children were a nice distraction, they always had questions and looked at her with awe. She didn’t feel like she could blame them, she had felt the same way as a child when she had seen people wearing clothing like her own. Thinking of that now, it could very well have been Damian’s parents she had seen. Long before fate had struck them in order to reach her.
They were nearing the end of the market. She would have to decide what her plan was, the guards did seem distracted now, so it might be the only opportunity she could ever have for escape. But even if she did escape, where could she go? She would never be able to see her parents again. They were benefiting greatly from her position and that would change if she managed to escape or even if she attempted and failed. Instead she walked forward to one of her favorite stalls. It had provided several of the embellishments that she had used for Damian’s robes. It was a clear choice for where she had to go suddenly after having decided to remain in the fortress earlier in the day.
She picked up a few of the offerings out on the table before the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She looked around her swiftly, as there was some sort of commotion in the market area. Her guards started shoving people back and the crowd seemed agitated. With a push they broke through the line and moved past. Marinette was knocked down in the bustle. A small hand pulled her robes and she turned to follow a child and hide under a table. Several others were there and someone passed down a jug which she drank from gratefully.
She climbed out as she heard the guard call for her. Whatever had energized the crowd had moved past and what was left standing in the market was all that remained along with a few other stragglers starting to peek out.
The guard grabbed her and moved her along, directly to the fortress. Normally they would trail around and see the sights but he wasn’t even giving her, or even the rest of the guards a chance to keep up with him. When she stumbled, he scooped her up and kept moving at an even faster pace. Her heart was racing and she didn’t even know why. It felt like she was absorbing his agitation.
He didn’t stop when they got within the fortress walls. He carried her into the heart of the fortress and up the stairs to a tower she had never been to.
“Remain here,” was all he said before he put her down and left.
She expected to calm down when she was alone for a while but that didn’t happen. Not knowing was getting to her. She could feel her skin heating and she started sweating. She sat on the dais and used a pillow to fan herself. That wasn’t doing it. She pushed herself back up and paced back and forth around the small space.
The additional movement wasn’t helping the heat. It must be trapped this high up in the tower. She listened but she couldn’t hear anything from where she was. There was no food or water here. She checked all the rooms, but they weren’t stocked with anything. Several of the small rooms were covered with dust.
It was becoming too much so she ignored what the guard had told her. Perhaps she just wasn’t used to being alone after the last year of having someone always with her. The heat was so overpowering she was beginning to feel faint and sick to her stomach. Before she could change her mind she rushed down the stairs. It was a poor decision. She moved quickly down the flights of spiral stairs. She was just past halfway down when she was suddenly dizzy. Not just a little dizzy. As soon as she noticed the feeling and stopped, the feeling overpowered her. Her eyes blurred and she sat down right where she was. Her vision swirled and she held her head.
She barely had the forethought to lean to her left so when she collapsed she wouldn’t tumble over the side of the stairs.
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