"You should take her to that café on Fifth Ave." Jon declared, "She loves sweets and they serve a variety of tea there. It's perfect!"
"Marinette, remember to be courteous of his diet." Kagami spoke, "Don't go anywhere there are few options."
"I think Damian is picking the place this time so that won't be a problem." Marinette replied.
"Is that seriously what you're wearing?" Jon shouted.
"What is wrong with my outfit?" Damian questioned.
"Oh, nothing." Jon snarled, "It's just your usual suit. It's a date, Damian! You're not going to a gala; dress down, like if we were going somewhere."
Damian rolled his eyes and walked back into his closet.
"I have the perfect outfit for you!" Adrien shouted, pulling out the viral strawberry dress, "It's perfect!"
"Adrien, I really don't think-" Mari began to refuse.
"It's spring. You look great in pink and as a designer can you really refuse?" he countered.
Marinette sighed and grabbed the dress.
"Make sure you wear your red bow heels." he shouted.
"What?" Marinette yelled, "No way!"
"Are you going to wear your converse and clash." Adrien smirked.
Mari growled and went back into her room.
"Hurry up!" he called back, "I'm doing your hair and make up, too."
Marinette couldn't help but feel utterly ridiculous right now.
'How did I let Adrien talk me into dressing up like this? I feel so stupid right now!'
Marinette smiled, embarrassed, as she waved to Damian.
'Jon, I'm going to kill you.'
Damian took in Marinette's appearance and felt completely underdressed. She was wearing a short pink dress with flowing sleeves with strawberries and Jon had convinced him to come in jeans! Marinette was wearing heels; she never wear heels! Damian was already thinking which piece of kryptonite he was going to use to kill his best friend with.
Marinette looked around the tiny café. It was definetely something new. They had never eaten there before. She could see stands her family used for cupcakes, but these had.....sandwiches?
Damian gulped as she looked around. She seemed excited.
'Maybe Jon was right; I'll just maim him.'
'I never thought Damian would like these kind of things. This place reminds me of the galas he always complains about. He told me he hated finger food so why are we here? Did I say something to make him think I would like this? Is this because I told him I want jalapenos on the veggie pizza last time?'
"I apologize for being underdressed, Marinette." Damian spoke.
"Are you kidding?" Marinette questioned, "I feel overdressed. Adrien suggested this outfit."
"Jon suggested mine." he admitted.
Marinete giggled, "What else did Jon suggest?"
"Coming here." Damian admitted.
"Seriously?" Marinette asked, "How about we split a veggie pizza? I'm buying."
Damian stood up quickly and rushed to pay. Marinette just giggled at his urgency.
'I knew he didn't like this place.'
"So, did Agreste suggest the hair, too?" he questioned, looking at her hair in space buns.
"Yeah." Mari spoke, " He insisted. He said something about wanting to style my hair like this for awhile and how he needed it to be long enough."
"That I don't mind." Damian stated, "Although, I'm sure you are eager to get out of those heels."
As Damian drove them over to her apartment, Marinette texted Adrien and Kagami. She lied and said the date had been a disaster and she was at home. The moment they arrived, Damian texted Jon saying there had been an accident at the café and he desperately needed a change of clothes. He told him they had gone to her place as it was closer to the café.
Damian quickly hid in her room and Marinette sat on the couch facing the door. She buried her face in her hands as she heard footsteps pounding the hallways like a stampede. Her front door was thrown open.
"What happened?" Adrien shouted.
"I have my blade!" Kagami cried, holding it up in the air.
Almost instantly, Jon barreled into them shouting, "I have clothes!"
"Ow." Adrien winced, "Jon?"
"Who is he?" the fencer demanded.
They turned to Marinette for answers, only to see her glaring at them. They hadn't even heard her get up from the couch.
"Sit down; now!" she demanded.
Jon had never seen Marinette pissed off, but Adrien had.
'Not good!'
Adrien quickly grabbed Kagami's arm and pulled her to sit down where Mari had been. Jon wasn't sure what was going on, but he rushed to sit next to the others.
"You can come out now." Mari called out and Damian walked out.
"Hey!" Jon whined, "You said-"
Damian grabbed the clothes out of his friends arms and went back to his girlfriend's room.
"All three of you made this date a disaster." Marinette claimed.
"But-"
"We didn't know where we were going so we were dressed horribly." Marinette stated, "As a fashion designer that is a huge no in my books. While I don't mind Damian dressed casual, it would be fine if we were going to the mall, the movies, or a shopping date. I'm wearing a $200 dress that you insisted I wear."
"But you look so cute!" Adrien defended himself.
"I'm in heels, Adrien!" Mari shouted back.
Kagami even looked at him, like he lost his mind.
"You had us go to a tea shop." she spoke, pointing to Jon.
"Damian likes tea and you like sweets." Jon shrugged.
Kagami sighed, "She grew up in a bakery. She bakes all the time. Marinette probably has five different types of bread or sweets in her kitchen, right now."
"While it's great you thought of both of us, they have specials on certain days. They were serving roast beef sandwiches today." Marinette explained.
"Oh." Jon whispered, sinking lower into his seat, praying that Batcow would forgive him.
Damian walked out of the room and took Marinette's spot as she walked into her room.
"Where did you get these ideas?" Damian demanded.
"Manga." they all answered.
Marinette walked out of her room in a new change of clothes. She kept her hair down, but was red crop top and black short. She had even traded in red heels for some white converse high tops.
"So?" Mari questioned.
"Manga." Damian answered.
Marinette facepalmed, "Swap mangas or something, but next time you want to give advice, make sure everyone has read it. Also, make sure you all agree with it."
Kagami pouted, "So, I don't need my blade, right now."
"No, Kagami." Mari responded.
"Fine." the fencer replied, sheathing it away.
"I'm sorry, Mari." Adrien spoke first.
"I'm sorry, Damian." Jon declared, " I was only trying to help."
"As was I." Kagami stated.
Mari smiled and grabbed Damian's hand, " Alright, well, now that that is over with; let's go."
"Where are you going?" Kagami questioned.
"We're gonna go on a pizza date." Marinette answered.
Damian spoke, "We are picking it up and then heading to my place to watch movies."
"It sounds boring." Huffs Adrien.
Mari stuck out her tongue at him and turned back to her boyfriend, "It sounds perfect."
The trio of friends pouted as all their hard work went to waste.
'Weirdos.'
As the couple walked out of Marinette's apartment, the three new friends began to go over what manga they had fixated on for the date and others they had read.
Jon was confused by the sudden phone. Damian had called him to meet him at the ravine in the woods. It sounded urgent, but he couldn't help but wonder about all the secrecy.
"Why did you want to meet out here?" Jon asked, floating down, next to Damian's motorcycle.
"I didn't want anyone to follow us." his friend sneered, "Isn't that obvious?"
Jon sighed, "Okay? What's up? Is it a League issue?"
Damian remained silent. Jon tilted his head in confusion.
'Is he seriously double guessing calling me out her? This must be serious! He usually just tells me.'
"Are you okay?" Jon questioned.
Damian nodded.
"Is ...your family okay?" he continued to pry, only to get another nod, "Did your dad adopt another kid?"
"Surprisingly not." the young Wayne answered.
'He spoke! Okay; progress.'
"Are you in trouble?" Jon asked.
After a moment of silence Jon opened his mouth for another question, only to be silenced.
"No." Damian declared.
'He hesitated? He already said it wasn't League related. He just tells me when his brothers bother him.'
"Do you my help for something?" Jon questioned.
Damian sighed and looked away.
'That's a yes.'
"Damian, tell me." Jon pressed, "You know I'll give my honest opinion and-"
"Marinette." the young Wayne spoke.
"The new girl?" the super asked, confused.
Damian nodded, crossing his arms and looking away. Jon looked over his best friend. His heart was beating rapidly. He wasn't making eye contact with him and he was fidgeting with his fingers, as if he want his dagger. He only reached for it when he was nervous.
'No way!'
"You like her!" Jon exclaimed.
His friend sighed, keeping his eyes on the woods.
"Okay! So, how do you plan on telling her?" Jon questioned, happily for his best friend.
"I'm....unsure." Damian declared.
"You want my help?" the super asked.
"I'm- I have never been one to express my true feelings." he answered, "Thanks to Mother."
Jon paced back and forth, thinking of how to help his best friend. His best friend with a crush! His smile only grew.
"How about you write it down?" Jon spoke, "Oh or you could draw her something!"
Damian shook his head at the options.
"No good, huh?" Jon questioned, "Well, what does she like? I can only assume you know."
"Fashion, she sketches, cooks, bakes, rock music." Damian began to list off.
"Maybe something to do with those?" Jon offered.
Damian said nothing as he revved his bike and drove away.
"That's it! You're not gonna tell me?" Jon shouted, "Did I even help?"
Damian walked up to Marinette at school and handed her a gift that was wrapped in paper. Marinette looked at him confused, but took it nonetheless.
"For you." Damian spoke.
Marinette looked down at the wrapped gift and then back up at him. When she got to Gotham Academy, she was told that the one person she never wanted to cross was Damian Wayne. She had him in several classes with him, but she couldn't comprehend why he was giving her a gift. They hadn't talked much, but they had worked on projects together. She had always made sure to get straight to the point with him and kept a physical distance. It hadn't been hard to notice that he didn't like other people in his personal space or people annoying him with unnecessary information.
"May I open it now?" she asked.
Damian nodded in response. Marinette curiously opened the gift. Inside was a leather bound sketchbook. She carefully opened the book and saw the first page. In beautiful cursive read: To fill the pages of your wildest dreams so they may come true. Underneath it was a watercolor painting of the Eiffel Tower.
Mari whispered in shock, "Did.....Did you paint this?"
Damian nodded, unsure of her reaction. When she began to tear up, he began to panic.
'This was not my intention!'
"I hoped that-" the young Wayne began.
Marinette quickly hugged him and kissed both of his cheeks. Damian knew it was customary in Paris, but it didn't mean it hadn't taken him by surprise for her to kiss him.
"This is so wonderful, Damian!" Marinette smiled, in French, "Thank you!"
Damian nodded and noticed they had attracted a crowd. No one else seemed to have any idea what was exciting the new girl.
'Good.'
"I was hoping I could take you out to dinner." Damian stated, back in French, "I am aware it's not the cooking you are use to, but there is a French resturant-"
"I'd love to." Marinette smiled, a blush prominent on her cheeks.
"Would tonight at six be open in your schedule?" he questioned.
"It is." she replied.
Damian grasped her hand and brought it to his lips, before placing a kiss on it. Mari blushed at the new contact.
'I could get use to seeing her like that.'
"I'll pick you up at 5:30." Damian smirked, before walking down the hall.
Marinette smiled, brought her new sketchbook to her chest, and wore a smile as she walked down the hallway to her class.
Jon quickly heard the rumor how the Ice Prince of Gotham brought the biggest smile to the new girl's face.
