#i like to think mari treats bruce as like a second son

[lady-literature]

Ok, we've seen Bio!Dad Bruce, Adopted!Dad Bruce, and both adopted and blood siblings for nearly all the robins. Now consider Bio!Mom Marinette. She's got the looks to be a Wayne, so do Jason/Tim/Dick. Imagine one of them being her actual son and then meeting Bruce. Imagine something happening and Marinette is separated from her child so Bruce adopts said child until she can come get them. Imagine all the different scenarios.

I have said it once, and i shall say it again: I fuck with mominette

but, hmmmmmmm. this is a tricky one. I can’t imagine that there would be much that could keep Mari away from her child for long enough for Bruce to need to adopt them. Unless she was presumed dead or, perhaps, previously knew Batman/Bruce and left them in his care and then something magical/inter-dimensional went wrong so she’s MIA for a bit (which, if he then turned around and made them a child hero I can only imagine the thrashing he’d receive when she came back).

keeping with backstories as much as possible I suppose it’d look like this:

The Flying Graysons are not a duo but a trio. Mary and John and Marinette, who are all as in sync as any three people could be. It’s no secret in the circus that, while Mary and John are the ones who are married, Mari is hardly the third wheel in their act. Mary and Mari have been together longer than they’ve known John, and when the three discuss children, it’s always Mari who they agree should carry the child.

(Mary’s life is in the sky, but Mari has always been able to flit back and forth. She can stand to keep her feet on the ground for a few months, but Mary always jokes that it would kill her.)

It’s Mary who gets final say on the name, and soon, Richard John Grayson is born to three loving parents and an extended family in the circus they all call home.

but when Dick is eight, Mari is called away for business, whether miraculous or fashion or simply friend related, it doesn't quite matter. She chooses to go on her own, for one reason or another and when she kisses each of her little family goodbye, she does not know it will be the last.

Mari doesn’t hear about their deaths until she catches back up with the circus a week later and when she does they break the news. she almost collapses with grief before the rage distracts her. because Haly explains to her that Dick is gone. That he’s an orphan now even though Marinette is his mother too.

(She’s had the name Grayson for years. all her official documents say Marinette Grayson. The fucking idiots in charge of this whole joke of an investigation seemed to have believed that Mary was a nickname, and no one would listen to her son when he cried about a second mother.)

and then, before she can storm in and demand the incompetent Gotham forces fix this Dick is already being bundled up and brought to Wayne Manor. Which is just,, great.

Mari’s never punched a billionaire before, but she supposes there’s a first time for everything.

***

(and yeah, i know Catherine wasn’t actually his mom but Shelia can choke for all i care about her) or like this:

It’s not drug addiction that takes his mother, but Jason gets to watch her fade all the same.

It’s a different sort of poison, but it’s just as deadly and painful.

The very air in Gotham suffocates her, digs into her skin and winds around her heart like a vice, turning her veins thick, inky black.

Gotham is killing her slowly, but their only alternative is her dying quickly instead. If his mother was to step foot outside of Gotham she would burn, a supernova on earth. 

Her miraculous was shattered, broken while she wielded it and the backlash was enough to send her to this death-life. her miraculous shattered and so did she.

His mother is broken and wrong but no matter how much Jason tries he cannot fix it.

He watches his mother wither away to ashes and later—when he is more man than boy and has tasted the death that took away the only person who ever seemed to give a damn about him—he wears her colors in remembrance. 

***

Marinette married Jack Drake out of obligation more than any sense of love.

But, she supposed, it could have been worse. Jack is not a cruel man and he’s gone on business more often than not, which leaves her and their son and the servants of the manor.

It’s not the life she wanted, but it’s far from terrible. Tim is the light of her life, and regardless of her feelings for his father, she adores him just as she always knew she would.

They are as close as Mother and son can be, which means she notices when he starts disappearing for long periods of time. At first she had believed him to be taking pictures—he’s grown very fond of photography and Marinette encouraged creativity at every opportunity—and well. Technically she isn’t wrong.

She stares at her son unamused when he tries to use that argument.

he’s oddly tight lipped about why he’s been following around Batman, and it takes all her skill in prodding and teasing out her son’s worries to get him to speak.

“Batman needs help,” he finally tells her. “Bruce Wayne needs help.”

And, oh. Well then.

“Okay,” she says simply, already planning how best to approach this situation. grief is a tricky thing and her and Bruce aren’t exactly close.

“He needs a Robin,” Tim insists then and multiple pieces suddenly click in her mind.

“No. Absolutely not.”

“But-”

“No. You are not going out and fighting crime at your age! If you think he needs a partner so much, then I’ll do it.”

if Tim is put out by being told he can’t go out and fight crime with Batman, it is very much overshadowed by the idea of his mom going out and fighting crime with Batman.

(Before the end of the week, Marinette has taken Tim over to Wayne manor and all but forced themselves on the household.

In six months, Nightingale takes to the streets of Gotham, fluttering at Batman’s side like she’s always been there.

In a year, Marinette has spoken to Jack—who gives his blessing which she appreciates even if she hadn’t needed it—and she begins spending more nights in Bruce’s bed than she does her own.)

[paintball169]

Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month 2021!

Day 2 - Family

Day1 - Day2 - Day3

Marinette Wayne was the baby of the Family. She loved her brothers to no end.

Maybe a little more because they treated her as the baby.

Being the youngest had both its advantages and disadvantages. On one hand they listened to her every demand. On the contrary they were over protective.

Being the youngest also had other perks. No one could ever say to Marinette. Growing up Marinette was given lots of love by her older siblings. She got everything. She always loved the attention her crazily big family paid her. Don’t get her wrong, She loved her family a lots.

They gave her everything she asked. All she had to do was ask.

A ride in the Batmobile. Done. Modelling her clothes. Done. A baby Tiger. Also done. But mostly Marinette enjoyed spending time with her crazy family.

She loved the gifts and all, But the most? It was spending time together.

Playing pranks, Making gifts for each other, Game nights, Cooking nights.

Yeah those were definitely her most fond moments.

Her father and Siblings tried not to blow up the kitchen. That was something straight out of the funny TV shows for Baby marinette. She always loved her brothers and father trying to cook, and later accidentally blowing up the Kitchen. That was the funniest part. She would fall down laughing while clutching her stomach every single time.

Don’t blame her, Her family managed to do the most impossible things. Setting water on fire, Blowing up an egg in the microwave, Her father couldn’t even make coffee!

And that was funny itself. Marinette loved sitting on a chair and watching her Dad trying to make sense of the Coffee maker. Everytime she ended up laughing out loud.

She also loved doing the trapeze with Dick. Playing pranks on everyone with Jay. Trying to stay up all night with Tim. Walking Titus with Damian. Dancing with Cass. Doing ridiculous things with Stephanie. Watching Babs help through the Comms. Baking with Alfred too.

Also there was another thing she loved the most. Going to WE with her Dad. The Employees were made to sign NDA’s so her Identity wouldn’t get out. Many times she got bored in Dad’s meetings. So she ended up talking to one of the employees while they worked. Marinette was curious about business. So she often ended up with her bombarding a person with Queries. At the end of the Day, her dad would realize she wasn’t with him. That ended with him panicking and announcing on the huge microphones in WE. She enjoyed scaring the shit out of her Dad.

So when it was time to stay with her mother. Everyone ended up crying. Marinette was confused and sad. Did heer family not love her anymore? Did they hate her now? What about Jay-Jay? And Dami? Sure he was four years older than her, but he loved her, Right? She pulled her father’s coat and timidly asked

“Do you all hate me now? Is that why you're sending me away?”

Gasps were heard among many. “No darling, we don't, we love you lots. But your mother gave birth to you right? Don’t you think she wants to meet you too? You can still visit every summer and winter break.We won't miss a single christmas without you. I promise we’ll all call you daily!” Her father says. Yes, that makes sense. She should thank the lady for giving birth to her. Maybe the lady wants to know what she looks like.

“Pinky Promise?”

“Pinky Promise.”

And the promise was kept. Every Summer she ended up with new memories. She also got to thank the lady who gave birth to her. She was her Maman now. And there was Papa too! Marinette hopes that her Dad finds her another Mom! Then she would get to keep two Moms and two Dads! One will always be her Dad, Bruce. Second will be her Maman. Third, her Papa Tom. And fourth her Mom or another lady her Dad finds.

Marinette loved her new life too!! She also missed her Brothers and Sisters and the craziness they brought. She loved cooking with her Maman. Also she loved Baking with Papa. She also had a two year old sister Bridgette! She looked just like her! Now she has a small Sibling. It’ll be just like her and Damian!

Marinette made a lot of friends. Bonded with her sister. Also Introduced her to her Dad!

She had such good friends! She also became a superhero. Her both families knew about that. But all that changed one day. Why? The one and only Lila Rossi.

She took all of Marinette’s friends. Except Chloe, Kagami, Luka and Nathaniel. Chloe is dating Nathaniel. And Kagami is dating Luka. She also has a boyfriend, Jon kent. She started dating him Last year. Her family knew about Lila. So did Bridgette. She always called Lila a Witch.

This year she won't be going to Gotham to visit her family! They will be coming here! She was Psyched. Now Bridgette could meet them in person! She and Bridgette were currently sitting in Le Grand Paris waiting for the Waynes. Her Class was also going to be there. Instead they will be talking with Mr.Agreste. Oh Boy, She was going to enjoy this.

As she was thinking about what her family brought her, They said it was a surprise. They even got Bridgette one! Bridgette wanted to become a Cop, Just like Dick. She wondered if that was related. Maybe a famous cop’s autograph. Ooh maybe Commissioner Gordon’s.He was her role model after all! As she was soaked in her thoughts she missed the group of men wearing suits. Everyone’s Jaw Dropped. Aurore started filming. Her train of thoughts were cut off when she fell down from weight. She looked to see it was Jason Todd.

“Ouch Jay-Jay! Get off!” Marinette shouts. “What? Am I not allowed to hug my Baby Sister anymore?” He asks with fake hurt. “Of course you can! But seriously you are jumping on me!”Marinette Retorts. Then she’s under a dog pile. “I’m gonna join the pile too!!” Bridgette and Damian shout. “Boys get off your sister!” This earns a lot of Gasps. “Thanks Dad, I missed you.” Marinette then hugs her father. “Missed you too.”

“Hey Bridgette, nice to meet you formally!” While the waynes are absorbed in their conversation they miss a class with a teacher and principal coming in and taking a seat. Mr.Agreste is here in person.

“Aren’t those the Waynes? Why are they sitting with Mari-trash?” Lila asks getting a lot of Gasps. “Lets go talk to them, they will make an excellent Buissniess partner.”Mr.Agreste says to Adrien, getting a nod in return. Everyone follows them. The first thing they here is

“-A whole fabric shop for me? Thank you!” Marinette says hugging her Father.

“Is this Commissioner Gordon’s Autograph? That’s so cool!” Bridgette says.

“Mr. Wayne! A surprise seeing you here!” The Waynes turn to see Gabriel.

“Hello Gabriel. A surprise indeed.” Bruce answers smoothly.

“If you don’t mind, What are you doing here?” Gabriel asks.

“Oh, I decided that this year I should visit my daughter in Paris, Instead of the other way around,” Bruce says Patting Marinette’s head.

“She’s your daughter? She has quite a lot of potentiel Mr.Wayne.” Gabriel says Surprised.

“Right? She’s MW! Marinette Wayne!” Bruce exclaimed. Everyone Gasps.

“Oh?I’m glad our kids are such good friends.” Gabriel says fuming to the fact she’s on the top of the Designers list. To his surprise Mr.Wayne Scoffs.

“Good friends? Good Friends? These children bully my daughter on claims of a liar! Your son knows the truth, Yet he let’s kids bully my Daughter!On what note are they Good Friends?” Bruce Fumes. Everyone pales.

“I apologise, I had no idea.” Gabriel says.

“Not your fault. You should pay more attention to your son. Like even I’m a lot of busy. I still make time for my family. Although I'll still be pressing charges against the class and School.”

That’s how Lila’s Reign ended. She loved her Family no matter how much Chaotic they were. Yes she loved them lots.

@maribat-bdbwm

[marauderundercover]

Taking Chances Ch. 18: Girl’s Night (Heroes/Villains)

AO3

Prev

First

Teleporting back into her room in Gotham, Marinette flops onto her bed. Passing Kaalki sugar cubes and Tikki a cookie, she suppresses the urge to scream into her pillow. She was sick and tired of Hawkmoth. Sick and tired of being the one who has to fix everything. She just wanted one week with no Hawkmoth, no akuma attacks. But no. Of course not. Of course he just had to send out a stupid akuma every single day. Because why not. How’re people supposed to know he’s still being the main villain of Paris if he takes a freaking day off? Once she finds out who he is, she’s going to punch him in his stupid face. A knock on her door pulls her from her plotting ways to get back at Hawkmoth. 

“Come in.” She sighs, sitting up and forcing a tired smile on her face. 

“Marinette, your father wanted-” Selina starts, pausing as she looks her over. “Come on kitten, we’re having a girls day.” She says. Marinette raises an eyebrow. Sure she’d met Selina before, but they hadn’t really hung out yet. 

“What?” She asks. 

“You look exhausted and angry, sweetheart. Spending too much time with these boys isn’t going to help. So you’re gonna grab anything you need for an overnight trip and we’re going to go watch movies and eat junk food til we’re sick.” Selina instructs. Marinette grins, jumping up and shoving stuff into her backpack. She puts Kaalki’s glasses into her purse and lets her and Tikki fly in before she turns to Selina. 

“Ready!” She says, practically bouncing up and down in excitement. It’d been ages since she’d had a girls day with anyone. She was so ready to just take a break and be silly. 

“Well come on then. Harley and Ivy are going to adore you.” Selina says, slinging her arm around Marinette’s shoulders. Somehow, they manage to not see anyone on the way to Selina’s car. Which is weird, but it is a weekday so everyone probably had something to do besides sit around the manor. Pulling away from the manor, Selina flips on the radio, the new Jagged Stone song blasting full volume.

“Nice taste in music.” Marinette says with a wide grin. Selina smirks. 

“I have to like the man at least a little, his designer is one of my kids after all.” She says. Marinette smiles, a warm feeling flooding through her. Selina didn’t have to accept her with open arms, she didn’t have to treat her like she was her own daughter. But she did, and Marinette was so thankful for that. Thankful that even so far away from her Maman, she still had a Mom there for her. The two nod along to the music, scream singing the chorus together as the car pulls to a stop in front of an apartment building. Marinette glances at the building, suddenly nervous. Would Harley and Ivy like her? Or would they just tolerate her for Selina. 

“Don’t make yourself nervous, sweetheart. Harley and Ivy are two of the sweetest people I know. They’re gonna love you.” Selina says reassuringly, reaching over and squeezing Marinette’s shoulder. Marinette lets out a breath before nodding. 

“Okay, let’s go.” She says, grabbing her bag and jumping out of the car. She follows closely behind Selina, not wanting to give anyone the chance to get between them. You could never be too careful in Gotham. They walk into the building and go straight into the elevator, Selina pushing the button and leaning up against the wall while they wait. Marinette bounces on the balls of her feet, excitement and nerves bundling together. The second the elevator stops, Marinette’s out, following Selina down the hall. She pulls out a key, winking at Marinette before turning and unlocking the door. 

“Honey, I’m home!” She calls, and Marinette’s jaw drops. The apartment was quite literally covered in plants and vines. They were beautiful. She grins as one of the vines near her leans towards her, a small flower blooming at the end of it. 

“And who did you bring with you?” A tall woman with red hair asks, walking into the room. The designer inside of Marinette instantly has a million questions about the woman’s outfit. It seemed to be made entirely of plants, but she could also tell that they were still alive. She had no idea how the woman had managed that, but she guessed that it was something that couldn’t be replicated for someone else. 

“I’m Marinette. Nice to meet you!” She says with a wide smile. The woman, who Marinette assumes is Ivy, grins back. 

“Nice to meet you, Flower. I see you’ve already made a friend.” She says, gesturing to the vine which was now wrapped around Marinette’s wrist. Marinette giggles. 

“Well, I was hoping they liked me and that’s what this was. I have a garden back in Paris, and I’d hate to find out plants actually hate me.” She says. Ivy shakes her head. 

“No worries there. They adore you, it’s a little odd if I’m honest.” Ivy says, dodging Selina who tries to flick her. 

“Did I hear Selina?” Another voice asks, a short blonde woman walking into the room. Her hair was short and choppy, the small pigtails at the top of her head dyed pink. Marinette grinned at the woman’s outfit- a Gotham Amusement Pier t-shirt, Batman pajama pants, and hot pink fuzzy socks. She wondered if her dad knows that Harley Quinn has Batman pj pants….probably not. 

“Yes, with a guest.” Selina says, plopping onto the couch and gesturing over to Marinette, who was still standing by her new vine friend. 

“Hi! I’m Marinette, it’s nice to meet you.” She says, smiling and waving with her free hand. Ivy whispers something and the vine squeezes a bit before letting go, letting her move away from the door. 

“Well aren’t ya just the cutest!” Harley squeals, running forward and giving her a big hug. “Didjya finally join your boytoy’s adopting habits?” Harley adds, still clutching onto Marinette. Selina snorts. 

“No, he beat me to her. But she’s definitely mine, too.” She says, making Marinette’s face turn red. Harley coos at her, ruffling her hair before stepping back. 

“So what brings ya here? Get annoyed with Bats already?” Harley asks. Marinette blinks in shock. Harley knows? She thinks about it for a minute, and realizes it just makes sense. They’d been fighting long enough and then he started his relationship with Selina, who was one of Harley’s best friends. It just made sense that Harley (who was extremely smart) would put two and two together. 

“No, just thought that Mari could use a girl’s day. She’s been stuck with just the boys for over a week.” Selina explains. Harley gasps. 

“The horror!” She says, making Marinette giggle. “Come on pumpkin, I’ve got the comfiest jammies ever. Oooo, and we can paint our nails! Ivy, find the movies, Selina, you’re on snacks. This is gonna be so much fun!” Harley orders, grabbing Marinette’s hand and tugging her along to one of the bedrooms, Selina’s laugh echoing throughout the apartment. 

“I did bring pjs, ma’am.” Marinette says, once Harley stops tugging her and starts searching through a drawer. 

“Bet that can’t be comfier than the ones I’ve got for ya! And call me Harley kiddo, or Auntie Harley if ya wanna.” She says, looking up from the drawer to smile widely. She looks back and cheers in victory, pulling out a pair of bright red pajama pants. Marinette snorts when she notices the logo all over the pants. 

“Really?” She asks, giggling. Harley smirks. 

“We’ll have to take a picture of us and send it to your old man. Really get ‘im riled up.” She says. Marinette nods excitedly, taking the Robin pants from Harley. This was gonna be awesome. 

---

Bruce sighs, looking at the news report from Paris from earlier. The damned butterflies were hard to track. He was used to figuring out problems quickly, and this one was taking too long for comfort. It wouldn’t bother him as much if it was anywhere else, but it was directly impacting his daughter. She was being hurt daily, and she’d even died and now she was plagued with nightmares. All because of a man with some magic jewelry. God, he hated magic. A knock on the study door stirs him from his thoughts. 

“Come in.” He says.

“Hey B, have you seen Mari? I was gonna ask her if she wanted to go get ice cream with me and Little D.” Dick asks, leaning against the door frame, Damian standing next to him with his arms crossed.

“Not since breakfast. There was another akuma attack earlier, but it wasn’t a bad one. She wasn’t injured.” He says, remembering the completely strange battle from earlier. It was some man with pigeons, and apparently this was the 34th time the man had been akumatized over pigeons. 

“Did you not check her room after the battle?” Damian asks, eyebrow quirked. Bruce sighs. 

“It was the pigeon one again. I assumed that she’d want to take a nap, if anything. She still hasn’t been sleeping well. Tim said she’s awake every morning when he comes up for coffee, whether it’s three or five, she’s up.” Bruce explains, frowning at the thought of his youngest daughter’s sleep habits. He certainly didn’t need another sleep deprived coffee addict like Tim. It wasn’t healthy. 

“Well I already checked her room. She wasn’t there.” Dick says, and Bruce frowns, pulling out his phone to send a text to Tim and call Jason. One of them had to have seen her. She never left the house without telling one of the family, unless it was for a battle. 

“What.” Jason says gruffly, Bruce is just grateful he answered. Up until a couple of months ago, Jason would have rather thrown his phone in the river than answer one of Bruce’s calls. 

“Have you seen Marinette?” He asks, getting straight to the point.

“No? Why? What’s wrong?” Jason asks, and Bruce hears shuffling as Jason rushes around wherever it is he is. 

“Nothing. I’ll call you back.” He says, hanging up. He glances down at his texts and notices Tim hasn’t seen her either. He frowns, but doesn’t panic yet. Pulling out his computer, he pulls up the tracker that was on each of his children’s phones. He scans the map, frowning when he sees that her phone is still in the manor. In her room. He stands and swiftly moves past his sons to get to his daughter’s room. He knocks, waiting for an answer. None. 

“Marinette?” He calls, knocking again. “I’m opening the door.” He warns, pushing it open. He frowns at the empty room, nothing appearing out of place. 

“Do you think she had to pop back to Paris for something?” Dick asks, coming up behind him. Bruce shakes his head. 

“No, she would have told us. Suit up, she has to be somewhere in-” He stops as his phone chimes. He looks at it and feels all of the tension leave his shoulders. 

Took our youngest daughter for a girl’s day, back tomorrow XO. Of course Selina had her. 

“She’s with the Sirens. She’ll be back tomorrow.” Bruce says, suppressing a smile at the annoyed look on his youngest’s face. She was safe, and that’s what matters. Even if he was certain he’d have to listen to Damian complain for the entirety of patrol. 

---

“Make all the boy moose go WAAAAAAAAA!” Harley says with the movie, laughing loudly. Marinette chuckles, passing Tikki a cookie in her purse before sticking another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. 

“I still like the first one more.” Selina says, taking a sip of her wine. Harley sticks her tongue out at her before turning her attention back to the movie. 

“Do you think Mia is secretly a superhero?” Marinette asks, frowning in thought. 

“What on earth are you talking about?” Ivy asks, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Even Harley pauses the movie to turn and stare at her. 

“Stan Lee.” Marinette says with a shrug. 

“Is that s’posed to mean something to me, kid? Cause I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.” Harley says, obviously confused. Marinette huffs. 

“Stan Lee makes a cameo in this movie. And Stan Lee is the creator of Marvel, right? He’s made a cameo in like, every single Marvel movie. So is Mia secretly a superhero? Is that why he’s in the movie?” Marinette rambles, almost flinging ice cream at Selina as she gestures crazily. 

“Sweetie, how much sleep have you had in the past three days?” Selina asks after a few moments of silence. 

“Not important. Is Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, Princess of Genovia, also a superhero? Does she secretly work for SHIELD? Or is she more like Iron Man, like a freelance superhero? Was she a hero in San Francisco too? Or did she take over a hero's mantle when she moved to Genovia? Cause she was really clumsy in the first movie and also super awkward, but now she’s less clumsy and she seems to be more put together, but are heroes really put together? I don’t think so. I think sometimes heroes pretend that they’re put together to make everyone else feel better when in all reality they’re seconds away from a breakdown themselves. Is Stan Lee coming to recruit her for SHIELD? Is that why he’s in Genovia? Does SHIELD have any jurisdiction there? Is there a Genovian branch of SHIELD?” Marinette rambles, suddenly stuck on the topic. Seriously, why is Stan Lee in Princess Diaries 2 if Mia isn’t a hero? Why would he-

“Kitten, take a breath.” Selina says, her hands on Marinette’s shoulders helping her to ground herself. Marinette takes in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She blinks a few times, instantly feeling bad. 

“I’m so sorry.” She says, frowning. 

“What for?” Harley asks, looking confused. 

“For ruining girl’s night.” She says quietly. Selina pulls her into a tight hug and Marinette sinks into it. 

“Sweetheart, you didn’t ruin anything. I don’t know everything that’s going on. But what I do know, is that you rambling out a conspiracy theory about the movie we’re watching is not ruining girl’s night. Trust me. One time, we invited your brother Dick, and he ate all of the cookies by himself.” Selina says, Marinette snorts. Of course he did. “Now that’s a way to ruin girl’s night.” She adds, squeezing her once more before leaning back.

“Let's watch something that we can just get lost in and not have to think at all.” Ivy suggests, looking through the stack of dvd’s. Marinette glances over, eyes instantly catching one of her favorite movies. 

“Legally Blonde?” She suggests, Harley squeals. 

“That’s it, you’re officially ours. Brucie can fight me.” She says, putting in the dvd. Marinette laughs, laying her head on Selina’s shoulder, grabbing a handful of popcorn. She could get used to nights like these.

Next Chapter

Bonus chapter: Harley Vs Bruce

Drawing of Harley and Mari’s pajamas

Tag list: @maribat-bdbwm @vixen-uchiha @stainedglassm @liquid-luck-00 @jayjayspixiepop @jjmjjktth @mizzy-pop @trippingovermyfeet @queenz-z @thepaceperson @iloontjeboontje @waiting247 @laurcad123 @toodaloo-kangaroo @ritacrow-blog @deathssilentapproach-blog @kittenmywaythrulife @nerd-nowandforever @tazanna-blythe @jaybird-and-co @jumpingjoy82 

[covertblizzard]

Julia Pennyworth VS Vicky Vale

Who is Julia?

Julia Pennyworth is Alfred’s secret daughter. He doesn’t know about her and she was raised by her foster father Jacques Remarque and her mother Mademoiselle Marie who were part of the French Resistance against the Nazis during World War II. She was HARDCORE, her initial appearance was her coming to tell Alfred about her foster father’s death (after discovering Alfred is her real father upon a letter from Jacques after he died) and she's here to AVENGE HER FOSTER FATHER. She had to be talked out of shooting someone lol and she keeps Bruce on his toes quite a bit.

What’s happening?

Julia comes to live in Bruce's house at first because she needs a place to stay and her father is Alfred. Bruce obviously never tells Vicki about it, and at that point they were dating, and she finds out when trying to reach him. Probably one of the worst way to find out. Of course, it’s his house and his right to let people in... but it does seem kind of courtesy to at least let her know about it, especially if she is affected by it.

But then, Julia finds Vicki for a job at Picture News and for some reason, she DOES give it to Julia. This happens because Julia promises that she will have NO designs on Bruce and says this to Alfred. (I do like her specific call out about him being “too arrogant” and that he can “afford not to care about money” because it’s not like I can say she’s wrong...)

Despite that, Alfred clearly wishes for Bruce and Julia to be a thing.

Julia does have her "bad arc" in my opinion, where she kind of does try to seduce Bruce despite her promise to Vicki which she exchanged for a job that Vicki didn’t really have to give her.

There’s this pretty mild scene which could be simply interpreted as her actually not knowing anyone and feeling awkward (even though it is her workplace, it is very new I think, first or second night if I recall correctly?)

But this scene is PRETTY obvious flirting...

However, after Vicki has a "break" with Bruce for the time being, Bruce agrees to go on a date with Julia. at this point, Vicki and Julia has reached a point of friendship where Vicki actually asks Julia if they could hang out and let her cry on her shoulder, and surprisingly, Julia actually offers to cancel her date for it! Vicki lets her go ahead though (unclear if she would make the same decision if she knows its Bruce, but my guess is probably yes).

However, Batman reasons make him stand Julia up again and she's CLEARLY no Vicki Vale (with regards to relationship). Vicki has taken many stand ups but Julia is NOT taking his bullshit. Alfred helps Bruce makes excuse for Julia and tries to convice Julia to give Bruce another chance. Alfred's comments on Vicki makes me very UHHHH but anyway, Julia surprisingly actually defends Vicki and I liked that very much (women’s solidarity, yes!). She also makes some... hmmm connections... but then agrees on her father's behalf to give another chance to Bruce. I feel like if she wasn’t retconned away she probably was well on her way to finding out his secret identity.

Just to note, this date is EXPLICITLY set up by Alfred after literally asking Bruce and being like how about you date Julia instead of Vicki. It makes me very iffy because at this point, Bruce and Vicki are still sort of having a thing and although it doesn’t seem super super exclusive (it’s confusing)... it’s still HMMM to me. The very different way he responds and treats issues with Julia and Vicki just really makes me think of Lady Barbrey Dustin’s words on Maesters and it fits really well for this scenario lol

The thing is, I’m not even sure this is with Bruce’s best interest at heart. If you were to try to compare Bruce's attraction to Julia and Vicki, Vicki CLEARLY comes off much higher than Julia. Alfred definitely wants him as a son-in-law, that is clear. But Bruce thinks of Vicki a lot while he is with Julia, one time at a party where Vicki is present at least, but the other itme when Vicki isn’t even present.

Besides not being as much of a pushover over Bruce standing her up, Julia also spends dates trying to get answers out of him lol. Honestly, I usually would care more but Bruce’s treatment of women has me like :/ and he doesn’t even care for her much so to be honest, you go girl, go for it or whatever.

Afterwards, Vicki goes on a mad workout spree to buff up or something to work away her breakup grief, and Julia makes THIS comment (which is kinda fruity??)

Anyway, I'm separating their final saga in a separate post here because it's worth its on post, but they have a little saga where Julia nearly DIES chasing a story and Vicki is extremely worried, chases after her, and saves her life. It's extremely fun. They also both turn up at Batman's anniversary later here and anyway what I'm trying to say is that Alfred should've gotten Vicki as a daughter-in-law.

Bonus panel: It’s not that funny because cheating is not really funny, but there is this panel of Julia kissing Batman because she thinks Batman is cool and Bruce is boring, while Vicki who thinks Bruce is cool and Batman is eh is like “cool, as long as it’s not Bruce” but it IS Bruce... just some identity shenanigans.

[lovysmtalks]

Fallen for the wrong you

(Based on this idea)

Even from when Marinette was a child she liked being more boyish- in her mind clothes have no gender and will never have.

But the world thought differently

Her father didn't like her for that

And neither did the people around her

Nino who was a childhood friend of hers always said that she should be more feminine.

She laughed it off as being a joke but when he didn't laugh with her she just stopped talking about it.

✎

She was 14, after she had one of the girls in her class confess her love for her, she realized that she was bisexual.

She started dating Lila, a popular girl in her school.

But once Lila visited her house, it was like hell was brought on her head.

Lila stated ranting about how she should dress like a lady and be more girly, and she should stop talking like a boy and talk more softly and be more demure.

(while Marinette literally had to go to therapist because she wasn't exactly talking and didn't talk to anyone for 4 years)

Marinette with a heavy heart took her advice and stepped out of her comfort zone by asking her parents to help her be more girly.

For the next few months Marinette observed Lila's personality traits and tried to recreate them as much as she could.

The soft and stutter voice

The soft smile

The pink dresses and short skirts

✎

After 2 years,  Marinette was now known as a bubbly and shy person. Dont get me wrong, Mari observed how Lila was flirting with other guys and started ranting about anything the short girl did wrong.

But Marinette observed something else too

People were really kind to her,

The teachers complimented her on the dresses that she wore

The people in school talked to her more

For fucks sake, even her dad talked to her more.

That kinda her the poor girl, but now she was finally accepted, right?

✎

Last year of lycée...

Year with a lot of exams and brought by excitment of starting a new chapter in your life.

Lila broke up with Marinette at the end of last year, turned out she was just confused and never actually liked Mari.

The girl was really hurt it.

But her dad said suck it and be a man.

(Ironic because he treated her badly when she was more boyish)

✎

When she started college, she met Adrien

A son of a big designer in Paris.

He befriended her, and they spent alot of time together

She started to fall for him and she tried to confess...

but then when they opened up more to each other, it turned out that he was an incel that believed a woman belongs in the kitchen and is basically a sex toy and a baby maker

Mari started to distance herself from him, and made a note in her mind that said "I hate men and I'm shit scared of them, never fall for anyone and dont get in relationships or anything more then hookups."

✎

Last year of college.

Marinette meet Chloe Bourgeois.

The two girls because friends fast due to both of them having similar childhoods and interests.

Chloe helped Mari open more and teched her to not give a shit about anyone or anything

✎

After collage, Mari and Chloe opened their own company

Even tho it was hard at the start.

They started with nothing else then a little help from Mari's uncle, Jagged, and Chloe's mom, Audrey.

It was hard, with most of the industry being controlled by selfish rich men

But they did it

They made it to the top

After 2 years of trying, they finally made  it up there

After many ups and downs, they finally did it.

Both girls were know for being the most kind people in the industry.

And they planned to keep that face on as long as they could.

After all, people dont like it when girls are rough and 'mean'

✎

Damian lost a bet.

That was what started the hell hole

Dick and him made a bet and he lost it? The world must have come to an end.

*Flashback*

"Ok little D, you must stop being in your room all the times,  dont you have friends to hang out with?" Asked Dick

Damian stares at him for a second

"Jon is on a mission with his family, did you forgot?" He said

"Yea but that doesn't mean you just stop going outside." Dick said seriously.

Damian wasn't the type to have many friends or go out a lot, everyone knew it, but now Richard was just being an asshole for reminding him that.

"Look, why don't you get a job? You will have to take father's place one day and you dont even know anything about what he does." Dick said

"Of course I know what he does, I..he..uhm" Damian was at a loss of words

'Am I really that ignorant?' He thought

"Look, why dont you two have a bet, if Dick over here wins, you will get a job, if Damian wins, Dick will leave you alone forever and never bring it up again." Jason said

Damian looked at his two older brothers

"I'm in." Dick said

After some seconds

"I'm in as well" Damian murmured

The bet was who can capture the next villain to appear faster.

Dick was faster with only some minutes, meaning that Damian lost.

*Flashback ends*

He was now standing infront of the building of a company he had no idea of. And he was very lost.

✎

Once Damian stepped through the door, he was pushed by someone, making them both fall on the floor

"I'm so sorry, are you ok?" Asked the soft voice of the person who pushed him

"Yea I am alright" he said

He opened his eyes to see a short girl giving him a hand to get up

They made eye contact

Damian's breath cut short

After some seconds, the girl heard her phone ring

"Oh hell, Chloe must be waiting. I'm sorry I have to go"  she said as she started to run

Damian didn't have time to ask any questions as she ran fast, very fast to the lift.

The guy linked repeatedly as he looked after her, a small smile forming on his lips.

✎

It's been 6 months since Marinette bumped into Damian.

The two of them got closer and they became friends... until the 4th month

That's when Damian confessed his crush on her.

She told him she felt the same.

And they started dating, and neither of them could be happier

✎

It was a late night after a celebration party

Both of them got drunk

When they got to the hotel, they started heavily making out, with no care into the world

Clothes started to come off as they moved to the bedroom

They got to the bedroom with him being in his bottoms and her being in only her shirt

They threw themselves into the bed

Damian slowly started to take off her shirt

But when his hand touches her skin

He felt something weird on her waist

Damian stopped the kiss so both of them could breathe

Once the dizziness from the kiss stopped his eyes went on her waist

His brain took a screenshot

He saw alot of tattos on her torso

Marinette looked up at him

Her eyebrows narrowed searching for his gaze. Once she found it, her mind panicked.

She pushed him off the bed and got up, searching for her clothes

Until Damian woke up from his shocked state, she was already gone out of the door.

He got up to look after her but once he was in the hallway, there was no sight of her anymore.

✎

*Some days after the break*

"Are you sure this is alright?" Marinette asked Chloe, who was sitting at her office.

"Babe, he lied to us about who he was and then got close to you, most probably to use it against you, you know how men are, they are all the same, plus,  you can give the job to someone who actually needs it" Chloe said as she threw a paper on the desk.

Marinette looked at the paper, it was  a dismissal paper.

2 days ago the girls found out who he really was.

The son of a rich competitor. Bruce Wayne to be more specific

Both Mari and Chloe know how the Waynes are.

They are cold, and mysterious.

Marinette was having second thoughts about this, but she couldn't risk her name being stepped on, not after working so much to get where she was.

The girl started to think if their relationship even was a relationship, they both were lying to each other.

She knew he wont accept her as she is, and now after learning who he really was, there was no doubts that it was real, and he probably didn't care, like everyone (besides Chloe) in her life.

"Hi Sam, call Damian in Mari's office please."  Chloe said to the secretary.

Marinette got behind Chloe and tried to ignore what was gonna happen

After some minutes, there was knock on the door

"Come in'' said Chloe trying to hide the rage in her voice

In the door stood tall no one other then Damian Wash- I mean Wayne.

"You called me Chloe?" he asked

Damian looked behind the blonde girl to see his girlfriend (?) Turned with her back and looking at the window

"Its Miss Bourgeois to you." She said in a icy voice.

Damian opened his mouth in surprise

"And yes, I called you, please sign this" the blonde says pointing at the paper infront of her

Damian hesitantly got closer to the desk to read the paper

"A dismissal paper? What's this about?" He asks confused as he looks at Mari again

"Dont play dumb Washington." Chloe said, putting anger on the word 'Washington'

Damian looks at the girl shocked, his eyes winded

"Marinette, if this is about that night I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" the man was stopped by Chloe

"Dont you dare try to talk with her after you lied about everything Wayne."  The blonde said loudly.

Damian let out a sort breath while he still looked at Marinette.

"This is a misunderstanding, I didn't lie to you guys, let me expl-" he was once again stopped by Chloe slamming the desk

"ENOUGH WAYNE, just sign this and were done."

Damian's eyes didn't leave Marinette

"Angel, please let me explain." He pleated

Marinette's head turned a little to the side

"We're over." She whispered, with a hint of sadness in her voice

Damian's eyes winded more

He looks at the paper and gets  the pen in his hand

He took one  more look at Mari

And he signed it.

"You are free to leave" Chloe said while turned to Marinette

And he did leave.

✎

After he was gone, Mari broke down in Chloe's arms as the blonde girl was stroking her back slowly

"I'm sorry sugar, I promise I won't let anyone hurt you anymore" Chloe whispered in Marinette's ear

✎

*at the Wayne mansion*

Damian's slammed the door closed as he entered the mansion, gathering the attention of his brothers and father

"Hey demon spawn, how was work?" Asked Jason as Damian walked past him

"Lilttle D, is everything alright? You seem down" Dick said

Damian stopped.

"I got fired" he says while his voice cracked a little

Bruce's eyes winded

"Son, I know you liked the job, but it's not that big of a deal, you can work with Tim" he suggested

Damian was looking at the floor

"And my girlfriend broke up with me"  he whispered

"YOUR WHAT?" says Tim as he spilled his coffee

"Since when did you had a girlfriend Damian?" Asks Bruce

"Since 2 months ago" he whispers again

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jason asked

"BECAUSE I KNEW YOU WOULD HAVE RUINED IT FOR ME." He screams

The family was stunned

"Master Damian, no need to yell, why dont you vent to us? You're very stressed, I can tell." Alfred says

And he did, he told them all about Marinette, all the dates, all the laughs and smiles they shared together, he even told them about what happened that night

"So you're telling me, you got fired because of some tattos?" Jason asked

"No, I got fired because they found out I was a Wayne" Damian says roughly

"How did they not know?" Bruce says

"They dont look into competitors families, it's a bad habit that both of them have" The young Wayne said

"So for 6 months nobody told them who you were?" Tim asks

"No, because we weren't seen in public, I tried to be as careful as I could so no one would know " Damian sighed

"Well fuck, you fucked up big time, but that's not exactly a reason for her to fire you, not a good one at least" Dick said

Damian shrugs

"Wait, I think I know how to resolve this" Tim says

"What do you mean, Tim?" Asked Jason as Tim put his laptop on the coffee table

Tim started aggressively typing on the keyboard

"We now have a charity event to go to" he smirked

✎

"I'm not sure what to think about this Chloe."said the dark haired girl

"We're going to leave when you want sugar, but we need to attempt at the event" Chloe said as she was looking through Marinette's closet

Since Damian left, he was all Mari could have think

about.

She was distracted, hurt, confused, maybe even kinda mad at herself

"Aha, found it, look Mari! You would look so pretty in it. Plus it brings your tattoos at life" says Chloe while holding a suit in her hand.

Marinette promised herself that she would finally show the world that she wasn't the soft girl she always pictured herself as

She knows her parents would be watching the event, and she wanted revenge on her father for the years of therapy that she needed to get because of him and every man that did her bad, every man that said she couldn't open a business because she was a woman.

So she put on the suit, and left with Chloe who was holding her hand protectively.

✎

Once the two girls exited the car, flash lights were all over their faces

They somehow got into the building

Chloe went to get to get them both something to drink, leaving Mari behind.

The girl looked around the big room, her mind being concentrated at one of the paintings.

Suddenly someone was dragging her out of the room

"WHAT THE HELL, LET ME GO!'' she yells to death ears

She continued to struggle but nothing moved out of the person's grip

They got into a dark room, Mari could hear the door lock, she closed her eyes, scared of what was gonna happened.

She heard the light turn on.

"Will you now let me explain" said a familiar voice

She opened her eyes in surprise

"Damian? What the fuck is wrong with you, have you gone nuts?" She said angrily to him

"You didn't let me explain myself, so I had to do something about it, I cant just go on with my life because I know you didn't know what actually is going on." Damian says trying to make his voice as soft as he could, so he wouldn't scare her away

Marinette remains silent, sign for him to start speaking.

"I didn't mean to lie to you, but have you seen how you reacted when you found out who I was? You started to treat me differently." He whispered

Marinette opened her mouth to say something,  but she decided to remain silent

"I didn't lie when I said I love you, god I still fucking do, but I had no idea how to tell you" he sighed

Marinette sighed a deep heavy

"If we start to confess things, I also have something to say" she says

Damian's eyebrows narrowed

"I'm not this bubbly shy girl, I am not the sunshine I make myself look like" she says

"Oh." He said

"I never was and I will never be, I print myself as that because people would treat me differently if they knew the real me"  she sighed

Damian took a step towards her

He kissed her forehead softly, then her lips aggressively

"Then show me the real you"

(Marinette's tattos/suit and Chloe's dress)

[soulmate-game]

Part 1

After the Discovery, things didn’t change as much as everyone thought they might. “Everyone” being just Marinette, of course.

She got a lecture from Lois about worrying her, and then a joke from the older woman about no longer having another non-hero in the house to team up with.

“Wait, Dad,” Jon spoke up after that comment from his mom, bobbing up and down on his heels. Both him and Clark had long since changed out of their costumes, which didn’t take long considering both of them having super speed. “Does this mean Mari can meet Damian? And is she going to join a hero team—“

“I already have a team, Jon,” Marinette interrupted, soft but firm at the same time. Two months was more than long enough to know that Jon could talk forever if he was allowed to. “Chat Noir, Viperion, Bunnyx, and Ryuuko are all Miraculous users like me,” she had already sat down and explained the bare basics of her abilities and the Paris situation. Lois had known better than to scold her, no matter how gentle the scolding was, before Marinette had a chance to say anything.

Clark blinked, looking between both of his kids. And yes, Marinette was well and truly one of his kids already. He couldn’t hold back a soft chuckle. “She can meet Damian when school starts back up again, Jon. We don’t want to rush anything,” he started out by telling his son. Marinette was still very jittery. Two months was nowhere near enough time to recover from the trauma of watching your parents die, after all.

(In fact, Clark thought, for some people not even a lifetime was long enough. Batman briefly came to mind as an example.)

The girl still had nightmares almost daily, and panic attacks that resulted in brief spans of mutism at least once a week. Those, at least, had severely decreased in frequency, but it was clear that she was far from ready to meet very many new people. Especially people like Damian Wayne, who was hard enough for someone in perfect mental health to handle even on a good day.

“And Marinette,” Clark switched over to his pseudo-daughter. “If you have that many teammates, surely they would understand that you need a break,” when Marinette didn’t meet his eyes, Clark felt dread build up in his stomach. “Marinette, they know about your parents, right?”

The girl fidgeted. Clark closed his eyes.

“Nobody knows my identity,” She admitted after a tense silence. “I know everyone else’s, even though I only found out Chat’s by accident. But they don’t know mine, and I can’t ask them to give me time off anyway.”

“Why not, honey?” Lois asked as gently as she could, picking up on the beginning signs of Marinette closing herself off. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything any of them could do to stop it. Marinette refused to meet any of their eyes, and even before she spoke her new family knew that they wouldn’t get anything else meaningful out of her about the Paris situation, at least for the day.

“They need me.”

Clark and Jon traded a look. That statement felt a bit too familiar for them. It was something they heard from a lot of heroes who tried to justify overworking themselves. It was something both of them had said before.

But they let the topic rest for the night. Pushing Marinette wouldn’t do any good for anybody.

—*—*—*—*—*

A week passed. Lois and Clark were sitting on the couch watching TV when Lois caught her husband’s eyes darting up to the ceiling. Sighing, she turned the volume down a few notches.

“Did she leave for Paris again?” She asked even though she already knew the answer. Clark nodded grimly.

“Yesterday she didn’t get back in until almost four in the morning,” he admitted, running a hand over his face. “And now, it’s already eleven and she’s just now heading out. I know she doesn’t want me or Jon going to Paris because of Hawkmoth’s magic, but…” he trailed off with his mouth set in a deep frown. Lois could only sigh and lean against his arm comfortingly.

“I know,” she breathed quietly.

“She can’t keep working herself to the bone like this, Lois. Sometimes she’ll head right over to Paris after a nightmare, like she needs to remind herself of something, but she always comes back in less than an hour in that case. But this— when she leaves to fight HawkMoth or patrol Paris before ever going to sleep in the first place— it’s like she’s trying to avoid the nightmares by overworking herself too much to even dream.”

“I know,” Lois rubbed a hand on Clark’s back in gentle circles.

“It reminds me of Batman sometimes,” Clark said, his voice filled with uncharacteristic defeat. “Marinette doesn’t get violent like Bruce, but… never sleeping, throwing herself into heroism, she even refers to Ladybug as if they are different people, Lois. I can’t always help Bruce since he’s a grown adult and more than capable of shutting me out when he wants to, but Marinette is our kid now. I’m just not sure how to help her.”

Lois took a deep breath. “Well, she’s not Bruce so you can’t just bait her into a spar to sort out her feelings,” she mused with faint humor. “But how about we start with sending Jon to Paris the next time you guys hear her leave? The sooner we figure out exactly what the situation and her relationship with her team is like, then maybe the sooner we can find some answers.”

Clark nodded, and looked back up to the ceiling. “I know you heard that, Jon. Don’t get in the way, and come back if Marinette finds you and tells you to. We don’t want her to think we don’t trust her.”

A beat passed, and Clark rolled his eyes fondly.

“Don’t forget to go to bed as soon as she gets back, Jon. I don’t want to deal with two overly exhausted children.”

A thump.

“I’m sixteen!” Jon yelled back, clearly for Lois’s benefit as his mom let out a short burst of laughter.

—*—*—*—*—*

“Ladybug!”

“Look, it’s Ladybug!” “Woo! Go ladybug!” “Could you beat this guy extra fast, Ladybug? I’m late for a meeting!”

People in the streets were shouting in French happily, pointing up at their resident spotted heroine. Some people groused at her in mild or fond annoyance, asking her to beat the Akuma-of-the-day a bit faster for various reasons or jokingly calling her a slow poke. Most people just got pictures or videos on their phones of her as best as they could, watching her swing by in awe and admiration.

It was familiar. Too, too familiar, and Jon made sure to get it all on camera. His parents would want to see this. The pair of contacts he was wearing, a gift from Red Robin, translated everything that was being said for him into helpful little English subtitles.

And there was his sister. Marinette had been tough to pin down, and this was Jon’s third time trying to follow her in Paris. The first time, the day after that late night discussion between his parents, ended in less than five minutes. Marinette caught him and sent him home firmly, which was followed by a heart-to-heart with all four of them when she got home.

She still refused to tell them anything more than the basics about Paris’s situation. For some reason, she seemed extremely reluctant to talk about it. She had no problem comparing experiences and hero jokes with him and his dad, but the moment they tried to talk about Paris-specifics, Marinette clammed up.

It was the second of Jon’s attempts to follow Marinette, just a week after the first, that brought up a possible reason. Because Jon had watched a civilian that he hadn’t been able to get to in time get pinned under a thrown car and killed—only for Ladybug’s powers to reverse all the damage and bring the man back to life.

Jon had raced back home right after that, not even giving Marinette the chance to see him. After relaying what had happened to his parents, they all agreed to one last tail. The pieces were already falling together, and none of them liked the picture they were painting. They wanted to confront Marinette as soon as possible. So here he was, another week later.

Jon kept recording throughout the fight, watching as Marinette clearly led her team. There was no mistaking that all her teammates respected her and treated her word as law. Even Chat Noir, who was Ladybug’s deputy, always referred to Ladybug’s opinion before issuing any orders. Civilians didn’t always flee the scene, taking their time as they tried to record the fight. And when the Akuma was beaten and only Ladybug made a move to catch the corrupted butterfly, the final pieces clicked into place. Jon managed to stay still long enough to catch the crowd of fans running forward, trying to mob Ladybug with pleas for autographs or statements or interviews, before he left. Ladybug’s team had acted as a buffer between her and the crowd anyway, so Jon was able to leave with a clear conscience.

When he walked into his house, already changed back into normal clothes, he waved his phone with a serious look on his face as both his parents waited anxiously.

“Yeah. This is pretty bad,” Jon warned them as he hooked his phone up to his laptop, and played the footage for them.

—*—*—*—*—*

When Marinette got home, it was to a clear intervention. Nervously detransforming, she looked to Tikki and back to her new family. The Kwami, who had previously just been explained away as the source of her powers, gently nudged the girl forward. She knew her holder needed this.

Clark and Lois gently explained why they asked Jon to follow her, explaining that they were all concerned about how badly she was overworking herself.

“You’re getting only three hours of sleep, and that’s on the days that you wake up with nightmares,” Clark’s

voice was quiet, begging her to listen. “Every other day, you teleport to what I can only hope is Paris every time, and you don’t come back for hours. Even if you spend that whole time fighting Akumas, you still only get an hour’s worth of sleep maximum when you get back. Sometimes you don’t even sleep at all until you collapse of exhaustion,” he leaned forward over the table, worry etched in every line on his face. “Marinette, we’re worried. We wanted Jon to see what the situation in Paris was like, because we thought that maybe it would explain why you seem to care about it more than your health. We didn’t know if it was just you needing to keep busy, or something else.”

“And you’re gone during the day too,” Lois added. “And we get that. HawkMoth attacks whenever he feels like, and we all understand if you have to disappear at odd times to fight his Akumas. But this is more than that, isn’t it?”

Marinette’s hands were clenched into fists, and tears were starting to bubble up in her eyes, but she didn’t say anything. Jon slowly approached her, waiting for her small nod before laying one of his larger hands over her fists and gently prying them open before she hurt herself. He kept his hands there, holding hers for both of their comfort.

“I took a video, today,” he admitted gently. “Dad already erased it from the laptop and my phone, don’t worry. But they— we all— needed to see it. The way Paris treats you, Marinette—“

“It’s like how Metropolis used to treat Superman. How they sometimes still do,” Lois interrupted, trying to get Marinette to meet her eyes. “We all thought that Superman showing up was the end of our problems. That as soon as he showed up, the villain or criminal or whatever that was causing us problems was done for. That he could save everyone,” Lois’s eyes grew melancholy. “But we had to learn the hard way that he’s not invincible, no matter how much he might seem like he is. We had to learn the hard way that nobody, no matter how strong or how many powers they have, can save everyone. The kind of trust we had in him before is toxic, Marinette. It’s toxic to us, because we stop being as careful as we should be if we think he’s always going to catch us. And it’s toxic to him, too.”

“How?” Marinette asked, her voice impossibly tiny and her eyes glittering with unshed tears as she darted her eyes between them. “They need someone to believe in. They— I make them feel safe. I— isn’t that good?”

“You feel like it’s your job to be there no matter what, right?” Clark asked, meeting her gaze with a warm, but firm one of his own. “That you have to do whatever it takes to win every battle, no matter what it costs you, because they believe you will. You start feeling like everyone you don’t save is your fault. And that’s not okay,” he stood up and Jon slowly backed away, allowing their father to kneel by Marinette and clasp one of her shoulders. “It always hurts. You might never forget the faces of the people you can’t save, but it isn’t your fault. You told me and Jon that you don’t blame us for what happened to your parents, that it’s stupid to blame the hero for something that wouldn’t have happened if the villain didn’t attack in the first place,” his grip tightened slightly, trying to offer comfort when Marinette tended at the mention of her parents. “If you don’t blame us, even though we were the ones in costume and fighting that day, then you need to stop blaming yourself too.”

The tears finally overflowed, salty water trickling down Marinette’s cheeks and sloppy sobs ripping themselves from her throat even as she threw herself into Clark’s chest. He hugged her tightly, letting her cry.

“B-b-But,” Marinette stuttered in between hiccuping sobs. “My powers reverse damage, m-my powers bring people back,” she sniffed, burying her face deeper into Clark’s chest. “I wanted t-to help. I-I was. S-s-So close to tr-transforming and fighting with y-you, but I didn’t. I d-didn’t, so I c-couldn’t bring them b-back. I should have been tr-transformed, th-that way they would be—“

“Shh,” Clark whispered gently, rocking her in his arms. “It’s not your fault. Metropolis wasn’t your city. You were protecting your identity, and that was the right choice.”

“But—!”

“No, Marinette,” Clark interrupted, holding her just a little tighter as she continued to tremble and sob. “If you had transformed, someone would have figured it out. A French class comes to Metropolis, and one of their students mysteriously disappears at the same time that a French hero shows up in America for the first time? Maybe you could have brought them back, but none of you would have been safe. Our villains, the villains of Metropolis, of the League, they would have suddenly known about you and might have researched Paris. Maybe HawkMoth would have gained a new ally, or maybe a villain would attack you just because you’re a new hero to target,” Clark sighed, rubbing his hand gently over Marinette’s back as her sobs quieted into a few hiccups and sniffles. She was listening. That was a good sign. “So yes, maybe you would have been able to save them that once, but you could also have opened up a new can of worms that you might not have been able to handle. Things could have gotten worse, and Jon and I wouldn’t have even known to help you. You would have continued to shoulder everything on your own, but you don’t have to. You did your best, and your parent’s deaths aren’t your fault. And you have Jon and I now, and your team even if they don’t know who you are. You can rely on us a little. If you keep going on like this, though, you’re going to kill yourself Marinette,” this time his grip tightened for a whole different reason and Clark buried his face in Marinette’s loose hair. Even after only almost three months, the thought of losing her made him breathless. She was his daughter, even if not by blood, and he couldn’t stand the thought of her hurting herself like this.

“Please, Mari,” That was Jon, who had knelt down by their side and joined the hug. “Let us help you. I promise we’re not incompetent heroes.”

Marinette’s laugh was watery, and hysteric. She accepted a tissue from Lois, who was suddenly sitting down only a foot away from the three’s group hug. After a good nose-blow, Marinette took a deep breath.

“Maybe now’s a good time to give them a proper explanation, Marinette,” Tikki said as she floated down to land on her wielder’s head, giving her the best hug she could. Marinette gave another wet chuckle.

“Yeah, I agree,” she took a deep breath. “But it’s a long story.”

“Not a problem,” Lois assured the girl as she forced herself up and stretched her arms out. “I’ll get the extra pillows and blankets. We can relax on the floor and have story time, and then binge watch movies and have a sleepover in the living room. Clark, could you be a dear and move the couch out of the way?”

—*—*—*—*—*

“You have a rule against killing, dear,” Lois whispered groggily from where she was laying against Clark’s side. Marinette was sprawled in between him and Jon, safely in their cuddle-cocoon. Both of their kids were deep asleep. Clark grunted.

“Yeah, but he put so much responsibility on kids, Lo. Kids,” he whispered back, turning his head to try and lessen the chance of waking up Jon. “And he didn’t offer them any support for almost a year, made them figure out the whole hero thing and their powers on their own,” the clearing of a tiny throat made Clark stifle a snort. “With their Kwami,” he whispered, quietly appeasing the eavesdropping Tikki who was laying on Marinette’s chest pretending to sleep. “But a god isn’t exactly a replacement for an actual hero mentor, you know,” he shot at her, making the tiny goddess shrug in acquiescence. “And making her Guardian— he basically threw all his responsibilities onto kids, and ran away. And now Marinette has to heal from all the unrealistic expectations she gave herself. So forgive me if I’m entertaining a few more violent daydreams than usual.”

Lois patted his arm and kissed his cheek. “I’m sure they will be just as violent and gratifying to imagine in the morning. Go to sleep, Smallville.”

—*—*—*—*—*

It was another two and a half weeks before Marinette met Damian Wayne for the first time. She looked from the fellow teenager in a perfectly-pressed uniform and then over to her brother with a raised eyebrow.

“Does he fly in on a helicopter every day?” She asked him incredulously, making Jon grin and nod. She looked back over at Damian, who was clearly annoyed at her for speaking about him when he was right there. “I will never understand rich people.”

Damian scoffed, rolling his eyes. “And I will never understand simpletons. Kent, who is your friend?” He practically spat the last word, making the inner bully-detector in Marinette go off. Her interactions with Chloe and Lila kicked in, and sparked her old habits. Marinette flashed a bright smile, stepping in front of Jon before he could say a word and holding out her hand to Damian. Clark, who was talking to Bruce nearby, out his hand over his mouth to hide a snort. Bruce raised his eyebrows, paying close attention to the interaction now.

“Hi! I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Clark and Lois took me in a few months ago, and they said I’m already family. That means that I’m Jon’s sister now, which means that it’s my job to keep him away from bad influences. My hobbies include annoying bullies and not being a welcome mat. How are you?”

Damian blinked once. Twice, and then took her hand and shook it firmly even as a smirk spread itself over his lips.

“Damian Wayne,” he replied easily. “And I apologize for assuming you were a simpleton. I think we can tolerate each other just fine.”

As Marinette and Damian kept trading sarcastic quips with one another that got steadily less passive-aggressive as time went on (with Jon watching in dismay as somehow Marinette seemed to get along? With Damian? And they were scheming? This couldn’t end well.), Clark and Bruce watched the kids walk into their school building.

A moment of silence stretched, before Bruce finally caved and asked; “Took her in?”

Clark grinned slightly, knowing Bruce never would have been able to resist sating his curiosity over the new girl in his care.

“Lois and I practically adopted her. Technically her paternal grandmother has custody and only gave her to us to take care of while she recovers from her grief in a different country, but that’s only because trying to adopt her without being French citizens would have been almost impossible.”

“Grief?” Bruce’s eyebrows pulled down, and Clark’s smile grew somber.

“Remember the attack in late May, back in Metropolis? The one that actually had the first fatalities in months?” Bruce’s face went slack in realization, followed closely by his eyes snapping to the school’s doors. Clark nodded. “Looks like your penchant for adopting black-haired, blue-eyed orphans is contagious. She was scraping the skin off her hands and giving herself burns trying to dig them out of the rubble. When Jon and I realized that they were both of her parents, I had Lois look into her to make sure she had family to take care of her,” Clark sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “The options were a grandmother who never stops traveling or a great uncle she barely knows who only speaks Mandarin when she doesn’t. So we pulled a few strings, and now she’s a Kent in all but name.”

“I hope Damian can avoid saying the wrong thing for at least a day before I talk to him later,” Bruce said with a sigh as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “At least she seems to have won his respect pretty quickly.”

Clark laughed. “Oh yeah, she tends to do that. No offense or anything Bruce, but I think it’s a good thing we were the ones that adopted her before you got the chance,” he turned and smiled at his old friend. “You wouldn’t be able to handle Marinette. She’s closer to a Super than a Bat.”

—*—*—*—*—*

@fantasiame @thestressmademedoit @amayakans @resignedcatservant @too0bsessedformyowngood @chocolatecatstheron

Part 3

This. Was. Supposed. To be. Fluffy. Damn it. But oh well, natural story progression calls for more hurt and comfort I guess? Maybe one part left in this story I think.

[pl-panda]

To Marry a Vigilante: Part 9

MASTERLIST || First || Previous || Next

To Marry a Vigilante: Part 9

------------

The Gala. The Wayne Gala. The Wayne New Year’s Gala. The Wayne Gala to celebrate the New Year.

“I can’t do it!” Marinette screamed. “What if I trip and fall on Mr. Wayne and then he will break his leg!? Or what if I accidentally babble something I’m not supposed to and make it a disaster!? Or what if Lila makes a mess and I get blamed for it in front of thousands of people!?” She started breathing heavily. “Or maybe I’ll just look awkward and people decide that I’m useless and Mr. Wayne decides that I should leave Damian to spare him the embarrassment?! I can…” Tikki slapped Marinette when she didn’t respond to any of her pleas.

“Marinette! Breathe.” The Kwami instructed her. 

“Sorry Tikki. I’m really nervous. I know that making the announcement today is the best option since we’re starting school soon and the news would break anyway, but it’s just so… I’m not used to all that.” 

“I know Marinette. But you must accept that your beloved lives in these circles and you must respect some of the needs. He’s changing for you, but you can’t just demand he abandon his old life.” 

“I know… I really want to make this work. He… I know I can trust him like nobody else. Even… even you… I love you, but you’re not…”

“Human?”

“Yes! I’m sorry Tikki. You’re still my partner and my best friend. Don’t tell that to Chloé though.”

“My lips are sealed.” The kwami giggled. “You’re my favorite chosen too, Marinette. You have the true creation inside you.”

“Thanks, Tikki.”

“Not get on and show them what you’re made of!” The little goddess cheered. 

“Yes! I’m going to rock! I’m great!” The girl said confidently and put on the purple mask with golden lines. 

-------

Damian waited impatiently for his beloved to come. The guests were already filling in and his father and brothers went to greet them. Tom and Sabine, dressed in their MDC original outfits, were already on the dance floor, showing everyone that they could still move even in their forties. Cass was probably somewhere with Bourgeois, stealing cookies or something. The two seemed to bond over being the third wheel and treating Sabine like their new mother. 

“Wassup Dames?” A voice startled him and Damian whirled around with a punch that stopped an inch from Jon’s nose. 

“Tt. Aren’t you supposed to be downstairs? With the guests?” He grumbled. 

“Nah. Mom and Dad are with your dad, going over the safe questions to ask your wi…” Jon didn’t get to finish that word because Damian lunged at him and covered his mouth. 

“Tt. Shut up. The last thing I need is drama caused by your big mouth.” 

*muffled sounds*

“I don’t care. Mouth shut or I’ll test the new Kryptonite dusters.”

*more muffled sounds*

“I did get them. Want me to try them out right now?” Jon shook his head. “Good. We’ve got an agreement?” A nod. “Fine.” Damian let him go.

“You’re very violent, you know that?”

“Tt. Shut up.”

“I’m just saying.” 

“I told you to…” Damian’s words died in his throat. Marinette entered the scene.

“Shall we?” She asked, handing him a sleek black mask with gold details. When light reflected from it, a very subtle purple gleam could be seen.

“It’s incredible, Habibti. Just like the rest of my suit.” He was dressed in a pure-black three-piece, a white shirt underneath, and had a black tie. He screamed style and power.

-------

All in all, the trip was not yet a disaster for Lila Rossi. Her lies were slowly taking root in the people around her. Like the clerk at the Hotel. Soon, she would have them all wrapped around her fingers. Only Maribrat and Chloé seemed to be completely immune to her charms. But that girl was too goody-two-shoes for her own good and Bourgeois was hated even before she started her work. 

There was also that exchange student, Grayson boy… Darren, Damien, something like that. She couldn’t believe she thought that guy was Damian Wayne when he first walked into her class. She went as far as stopping Alya from being mean to him. From her research, all Waynes were kind and helpful. Damian Wayne supposedly volunteered at an animal shelter. The press described him as ‘cute in a special way.’ Blasted Waynes and their no-pictures policy. The guy in her class looked a bit similar to Bruce Wayne, at least at first glance. Then, she noticed that his skin was darker (not just solar tan), his nose was a bit different too. And his eyes were green. It was the only constant with the Waynes. They all had dark hair and blue eyes.

As such, she dismissed him as unimportant and focused on her more important goals. Making a deal with Gabriel Agreste, or rather Hawkmoth, was risky. In the end, it worked out for her in many ways. She gained a foothold from which she made her small empire. And Agreste boy was nice arm candy for a while. Until he went all psycho on Maribrat that is.

Now if she found one of the Waynes, she could start working on worming her way in. Blasted masks! They appeared too good in the media not to have a big dirty secret to exploit. Blackmail wouldn’t be new for her. 

The Gala was slowly starting when all the lights turned off. Two stage flood lights focused on the stairs leading to the second floor of the manor. Two people appeared on them. First was a young man, about her age, dressed all black. He radiated money and influence and she was sure what he wore was in fact an MDC original. But he was nothing next to his companion.

Her dark-purple dress shone in the light like a thousand diamonds. It hugged her figure perfectly and while she was most likely the same age as her companion, she still looked stunning. The high collar was embroidered with a golden thread that formed intricate patterns around her slender neck. The sleeves went down to her arms where they seamlessly merged with gloves. The line was blurred by twin bracelets that each had a symbol of a bat with flowers. A nod toward the Bats of Gotham while keeping it original. From the waist down, it opened on the side, giving her the freedom to move while still keeping the near-royal appearance. With each step, it flowed slightly, revealing the golden underlining. Her legs were also covered with the same material down to ballet shoes in a deeper shade of purple finished with golden lining.

Her blue hair reached slightly beyond her shoulders and matched her eyes perfectly. All the gold and purple served to make everyone focus on her. 

Lila cursed under her breath. There was no chance anyone would notice her with someone like that parading around. Something had to be done. Lila checked her own dress. It was pretty, but when compared to that, it came plain. 

All her scheming came to the halt when the pair walked over to Bruce Wayne and got him to stop speaking with Gotham’s mayor. They knew him. A realization dawned on her. It was Damian Wayne and his date. They had to be. But his eyes… they were green. 

“No…” escaped the Liar’s lips. The woman she was talking to noticed and followed her gaze. Some part of Lila’s brain noticed she also checked her dress and was saddened. At least her reaction was not out of place. 

Bruce Wayne walked with the two back to the stairs where the stand with a microphone was prepared before the lights were turned back on. Sensing a juicy story, all the journalists and bloggers swarmed as close as possible. Some even lost their masks. 

“Can I have a moment of your attention?” The billionaire asked. His eyes swept over the crowd. “Before I start, I wanted to remind you that there is a strict no-photos policy on the gala. We’ve hired a photographer with an exclusive contract and any pictures taken not by him will be considered a breach and will be met with a lawsuit.” 

The murmurs broke all around the crowd. It was a known fact that taking unsolicited photos at Wayne Galas was forbidden. There was no need to remind anyone about it unless it was a really juicy piece. The last time Bruce Wayne took time to remind everyone about this was when Jason Todd turned out to be alive and well, only slightly amnesiac. 

“Now. First I wanted to welcome everyone to this year’s Gala. We’re closing another year and I thank everyone for showing up to celebrate with me and my family.” He raised a small glass of champagne. “In particular, I wanted to welcome a class from Paris that is participating in the year-long exchange program funded by the Thomas Wayne Education fund. I hope you enjoyed Gotham so far.” The journalists were frantically noting everything down. Either for publishing or just to put it in tabloids with some conspiracy theories. “Now, onto the main reason for the announcement. You know I’m not good at speeches.” He grinned and the crowd exploded into laughter. “Since my son just returned from Paris, I’m well aware that this news would break anyway when he returned to school. I ask you to respect their privacy and… well, at least try not to bother them. May I introduce Damian Wayne and his girlfriend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Everyone started to either whisper or frantically make notes and think of questions to ask. The fact that Damian Wayne, dubbed Ice Prince of Gotham, got himself a girlfriend serious enough to be introduced to everyone was already front-page news for many of them. Even just the dress she wore was front-page news. Any journalist that dabbled in celebrity fashion would recognize an MDC original by now, at least from Jagged Stone or Clara Nightingale. The two refused to even consider anything else. 

“Tt. Against my better judgment, I know that teenagers are walking gossip machines so you would all learn it the moment we entered Gotham Academy.” Damian started his speech. “As such, I want to clear any and all confusion before it can start. This,” he motioned at Marinette, “ is my girlfriend. We met in Paris and clicked immediately. I expect you to show her the same respect you show my family or I will challenge you to an honor duel.” 

Damian was not even trying to hide his distaste for journalists today. He could see that Marinette was uncomfortable with this attention even more than he was. He grew up used to attention while simultaneously being taught that newspapers were at best a propaganda tool and at worst trouble to be dealt with. Obviously, he disliked them, even more, when he became Damian Wayne. Usually, he tried to remain civil to the journalists unless they were irritating. Today, he didn’t bother. Not that they didn’t know he was a private person. A certain paparazzi with a blade going through his camera would attest to that. 

“Angel, do you want to answer their questions or should I?” He whispered.

“Um… shouldn’t you first tell them more?” 

“No. It’s better if I only answer what they want to know.” 

“Um… Maybe you start.” 

“Fine.” He turned back to the microphone. “I will be taking the first question.” He pointed at Clark who had his hand in the air. 

“Clark Kent, Daily Planet. Could you tell us more about how you met?” 

“I joined Marinette’s class for the exchange program my Father mentioned. The only free seat was next to her, so that’s where I sat. What got my attention first was her willingness to stand up to injustice and forgive those who slighted her. She was open-minded and didn’t back down even when I was… Ehm… a bit rude.” He admitted. “I managed to ask her out and she showed me the side of Paris you don’t usually see with a tour guide. We share a passion for drawing and she shared with me her favorite place in Paris. No, I won’t reveal it. After that, my respect for her only grew when she was willing to accept an apology from a girl that bullied her in the past, helping her actually change her ways. Next question?” He pointed at a different journalist. He really hoped he picked right. The masks were making it harder than he assumed. A flaw in their plan that they overlooked. 

“Vicky Vale, Gotham Gazette” The woman introduced herself and Damian resisted the urge to curse. His Father’s ex was not exactly the most favorable toward them after their breakup, even if she tried to stay professional. “What more can you tell us about the mysterious girl behind the mask? So far we know she’s from Paris and likes to draw, plus some traits.”

“May I answer this?” Mari asked Damian, thinking it was high time for her to step up and help. He nodded and stepped back so she had free access to the microphone. “Hi. I'm Marinette. Mostly, I’m just a normal girl with a normal life…” She started. What followed was quite a long introduction where she gave the press enough to satisfy them while keeping private the parts she wanted.

There were many more questions. About family, plans, dreams, etc. The young couple answered some while dismissed others as too personal and rude. Finally, after over an hour they ended the event and told those who would stay to move on with the gala while several journalists were removed. In total, ten photographic devices were confiscated and Chloé got the honors of handling everything with Tim. He was there for a technical site, she was there for intimidation. 

One of the particularly irritating paparazzi tried to argue, but then Chloé started to rant until he was cowering in the corner. Pretty much everyone around them was now glaring at him with a hateful gaze. After that, they mostly behaved. 

-------

“Well… that was exhausting. And it’s only ten pm?” Marinette and Damian were resting next to the snacks table. They were enjoying a moment of peace once the initial wave of well-wishers passed. Jason was keeping an eye on the class to make sure they were stopped from making anything worse for themselves and everyone else. So far they were too stunned to deal with it. He was pleased to see that Alix girl was finally doing something and pointing out many flaws in their reasoning. The problem was Lila disappeared in the crowd for the moment. Chloé was on the hunt though. She was a master of dealing with a rich crowd, probably surpassing even Drake. 

“Here you are!” A voice startled the couple. Marinette and Damian turned to see a group of four people. Jon was one of them. There was also a girl with blonde hair pulled into a long braid and a boy in a blue suit with medium-long black hair and blue eyes. The fourth one made Marinette’s blood run cold. Her eyes went wide and she acted before anyone caught the wind of it. A strong straight punch sent the boy looking like Adrien flying onto the ground. 

Chatter around them died in an instant. Marinette tried to lunge at him, but Jon caught her. He was probably the only one strong enough to hold her back. 

“Let me go! Don’t you see he is a criminal?!” She was doing her best to get out of his grip. Damian suddenly was holding the blade to the neck of the blonde boy. 

“You have five seconds to speak.” 

“I’m sorry, but I’m not my moronic cousin. Would you please let go of me?” He asked with a thick British accent. 

“Tt. Prove it.” Damian scoffed. 

“Ugh. I’m really tired of dealing with everyone taking me for a criminal just because I look like him. Ask my mother!” 

Indeed, a blonde woman in a gray dress was making her way through the crowd. “Felix sweetie!?” She kneeled next to him while glaring daggers at Damian and Marinette. Reluctantly, he took away the sword but didn’t put it away. Dick and Tim also arrived.

“What happened?”

“That twit attacked my Felix!” 

“Tt. He shows up and looks just like a known criminal. You should’ve really chosen something other than a black mask and a black suit.” Damian frowned. He didn’t exactly feel bad about the incident, but the press would jump on that.

“It’s alright mum. I admit I’m partially at fault. I forgot the reaction Parisians have to me right now.” He bowed his head. “Please accept my apologies.” His lower lip was bleeding.

“Um… here. Let me help you.” Marinette pulled a tissue from her pocket (of course her dress had pockets) and handed it to him. Nodding, he wiped the blood. 

“Tt. I’m still not convinced.” 

“Damian! That’s rude. I remember Felix. He was in Paris once.” Then, she mumbled under her breath. “Caused a triple akumatization.”

“I am sorry for that…” 

“Felix joined our class this year. You left the day before he came.” The blonde girl explained.

“It was all just one big misunderstanding folks. You can move on.” Dick took control of the crowd and allowed the teens some breathing space. Except that’s when the class finally decided to start speaking up. 

“Yeah right! Marinette is just a big bully! I’m in her class and she was mean to Lila from the beginning. I wouldn’t be surprised if she dated Damian Wayne just for money.” Alya had to babble. The rest of the class (minus Alix) was either nodding or giving their own confessions, real or not, and always against Marinette. 

So far the Waynes avoided any accusations about gold-digging. The one journalist that tried to pick up the subject (subtly at first) was silenced by Damian’s evil eye. Now more people murmured. And the number of people able to respond was greatly limited as Damian, Chloé, Jason, and Sabine had to be restrained from hurting people. 

To everyone’s surprise, it was Cass who jumped on the table.

“Shut…! Up!” She shouted. Or what stood for her shouting, which was only slightly louder than normal people’s speech. Still, it got everyone’s attention. “Cousin Nettie is… kind. Good. Sel… Selfless. She is my family. Not… digger.” She glared at several people that were still muttering. “Saw her… date with Damian. She did not let him pay. Not digger!” There was a dangerous edge in her voice. That was enough to shut people up. Except for the class. 

“Of course you would protect her!” Kim stared at her. “You’re probably…” He didn’t finish because Alix covered his mouth. The girl noticed that Bruce, who was restraining Jason Todd was about to let go. She wasn’t sure exactly what would happen, but she wasn’t willing to find out. 

“I think it’s time for you to leave. Where is your teacher/chaperone?” Bruce asked, also glaring at them.

“Um… Madame Bustier is…”

“Madame Cheng is right there!” Mylene pointed to where Tom was doing his best to stop his wife from grabbing the Bag and cutting the class into tiny pieces.

“I… I don’t think it would be healthy for us to go with her right now. She is very emotional right now.” Alix offered. She was trying to act like the voice of reason. Something this class lacked. 

The teacher was quickly located flirting with one of the musicians invited to the gala. She was completely unaware of what her charges did. 

“I’m sure it was just some misunderstanding. Marinette indeed started acting out a bit this year. They probably overexaggerated a bit.”

“Tt. You mean she stopped being a doormat?” Damian huffed. 

“As I said, it’s time for the kids to leave,” Bruce said in a harsh tone. 

“Oh… Okay. I’m sure Sab…” 

“Caline. You’re the one responsible for taking care of them. You’ll take them away when Mr. Wayne asks.” Tom then pointed at his wife, who he was holding a few inches above the ground to keep her from doing something stupid. 

“Um… Of course.” The teacher sighed. “Kids. Gather your things. We must leave.” 

As they were walking out, people applauded. After Alfred closed the doors behind them it was finally safe to let the more violent part of the family free. In all that mess, nobody noticed that a certain sausage-haired girl was not with them

“Now, Wayne.” The blonde started. “Want to explain why we had to learn about you having a girlfriend from a press conference?”

“Or why did Jon know her before us?” The boy added. 

“I would also appreciate hearing how my bloody cousin earned your ire,” Felix added. 

“Oh! Sorry.” The girl turned to Marinette. “I’m Allegra and this is Claude. You already know Jon and Felix. We’re Damian’s friends. Or the closest thing he had to such.” 

“Tt. I don’t have friends.” 

“Bro. Not cool.” Claude argued.

“Shut up. Claudius.” he huffed. 

“You wound me.” The teen gasped and put a hand on his chest. “Dami.”

Felix and Marinette watched from the sidelines how the quartet bickered. Jon tried to help Damian sort things out. 

“For what it’s worth, I am sorry,” Felix said after a moment of silence. “My cousin is a daft git.” 

“That we can agree on,” Mari said absentmindedly while trying to keep the eye on Damian. She hoped he didn’t bring the kryptonite dusters tonight. 

-------------

Masterlist // Next

[sea-owl]

Ok guys can we not cherry pick super powered individuals when it comes to the batfam. It's either all or none.

(Sidenote: I don't have issues with others who ship dickbabs or really any batfam ship, I personally ship timsteph myself, but there is some things I'm seeing that I need to talk about)

If you want to know where I'm mainly coming from it's Starfire and her kids with Dick Grayson. I've seen people toss Kori to the side while gladly taking her children and to the extreme stripping both Mari and Jake of their powers and any physical genetics that are not Dick's, mainly their eye color, just to get rid of any sign of their mother. That's disrespectful to all three, Kori for obvious reasons, Mari is so much more like her mother so that erasers a lot of her character, and Jake had a whole series about his developing powers and accepting that part of himself, the part that is his mother.

Now I am used to the issue of how the bat writers loves to downplay and make Kori out to be a slut, I'm used to them disrespecting her. I'm used to how the bat writers hate any interaction outside of the pseudo incest going on in the batfam, even though their interactions with "outsiders" sometimes feel the most natural. (Possibly because some effort was put in but that's another post) I've seen story, this I'm unsure if its from a bat writers but it is part of the issue, where Kori completely abandons her son with Dick for years just because she was pissed at Dick. Hell now that I'm thinking about it we don't even get to see her interact all that much with Mari either outside of a flashback or two, because they kill her off.

You gonna look me in the eye, actually knowing Starfire's character and say she'll abandon her child willingly? Absolutely the fuck not. I can see her leaving Dick's ass, we know she's got the strength to do it if she felt that's what needs to be done, but her child? Hell no, she would take that child with her.

All this, is the disrespect I expect from the writers, because they are dispresectful to Starfire just because she's not their creation and out their control. This is why I will always think of her children to be part of the Tameranean family first before the batfam

But the fandom? I expect a hell of a lot more from all of you. From the people who take back and do the characters more justice than the writers we need to step it up with how the extended batfam is treated. And I say extended batfam because that is what it is. Starfire and her children are extened memebers to the batfam, Kori has more then earned her place from being foil to Dick to legitimately being something whether a friend, teammate, possible maternal figure to the other male robins, and most of you have accepted her children.

So why are they constantly disrespected like this? There two main ones that I have seen, one is the whole no powers in Gotham, which can we throw out the window now? We have the supesfam in there so often that Bruce has Clark patrol Gotham on his own when he's away, not to mention all the team ups. The second reason is when I stumble across a fic or idea like this there is usually a dickbabs tag in it, and it usually entails Kori being dead or running away while Barbara fills the "motherly figure". I've seem this include Mari and Jake being ashamed and scared of their powers which in my opinion should give more reason to have Kori there, who knows their powers better than anyone. What's the batfam gonna do when two kids start using powers that none of them really have an understanding of pass baseline? Bruce would have a cow, and what call the supesfam? Guys no, don't do that. Those are Kori's kids with Dick, who in both stories she was married to. If you want a kid for dickbabs make an OC child, dont steal other people's children. Be respectful to them, that's all I really want, if you want your ship go ahead but if you include Mari and Jake you have to acknowledge their mother and that side of them. They are dickkory kids and I understand that not everyone cares for the ship, but be respectful. At the end of the day Kori's genes were strong enough to pass on her powers and by definition her children are batfam members.

At the very least let Dick and Kori co-parent two wonderful kids.

[cass-y0inks]

Anonymous prompt: during an akuma battle Marinette gets turned into a cat and gets adopted by Damian who is on a business trip with Bruce. Mari and Damian BroTP.

I’m sorry anonymous I didn’t save the message and it got deleted. But thank you for your prompt!

What a CATastrophe

If Marinette had to describe this day in one word would be nightmare. It was going great in the morning, she woke up early and it was the weekend. Her friends chose to go to the zoo where Alya’s father worked at and hang out. They were laughing at the lame jokes they cracked up here and there. It was a normal day for them in Paris. Well Paris ‘normal’.

Kim has gotten to cocky again and taunted the animals at the other sides of the cages. Alya’s father heard it and ordered him out of the enclosure. Though his frustration and anger caused him to get akumatized again. He still had animal related abilities but now he was “Animal Tamer”. He turned others onto animals.

So far some of her classmates had been changed. Kim, the cause of all this mess, had been turned into a monkey. Juleka into a crow, Chloe into a poodle, Ivan was changed into a small bear, and Alix into a rabbit. Though they were with someone so no need to worry about them. Right now Marinette’s top priority was to the akumatized object and cast the miraculous cure.

At first everything was going according to plan. Animal Tamer had taken the bait and they were now near the Eiffel Tower. She had casted her lucky charm e few minutes earlier but she was running out of time. Animal Tamer saw her in a rush and called back up. Soon different species of animals were surrounding her. Grabbing her yo-yo she sung away but the akuma managed to blast her when she landed on a roof.

One second she lands on her two feet the next she looks down, and now she’s covered in fur? She was turned into a cat... great. She was smaller that she usually was and had four feet. Her body now covered in fur was a color that almost resembled her hair color and her ears had two different colord patches which she guessed was there in place or her earrings. Her earrings!

She couldn’t exactly feel her ears so she tried calling out for Tikki. “Meow.” Damit. She was a cat now. All she could do was meow and make other kitten sounds. Funny, even as a cat she was still very tiny. Tikki popped up in front of her with her earrings in her hands.

“Marinette, I know what to do. Get down from here and I’ll go to master fu and see what he can do. I think mister bug might be back in commission. Though we’ll need to get you to the masters later and we’ll also have to find the previous lucky charm. But for now try to get down from here.” Before Marinette could do anything Tikki flew away as fast as she could.

Carefully and slowly she made her way back to the bottom on the ground. She wished she had seen the animals around the area because before she knew it she was running away from poodle Chloe. She though Chloe was annoying as herself in human form but animal Chloe’s barking and yapping was driving her crazy. She reached Le Gran Paris Hotel.

She must have been terrified at the moment because near the lobby she jumped on a tall table where a boy around her age was sitting reading a book. Sabrina came in rushing behind Chloe and trying to pull her back as she started babbling an apology. “I’m so sorry, I thought I had her under control. It’ll never happen again. I’m sorry.” Chloe felt Sabrina loosen her hold on her and leaped forward towards Marinette.

Though the boy in the chair had faster reflexes and picked her up seconds before Chloe could get her paws on her. “I suggest that you gain control of your pet.” For a boy around their age his voice was stern.

Getting hold of Chloes neck again Sabrina continued apologizing until she finally bribed Chloe with shoes. Marinette let out a relieved ‘meow’ and let her ears fall down flat on her head. The boy was still holding her but he looked like he was looking for something. “You don’t seem to have a collar, a basic indication of a stray. I doubt you’d survive with living in these streets with owners who have no control over their own pets. I suppose I should take care of you. Let’s go inform father.”

‘You seem to be a natural at this. Do you go around adopting random strays all the time?’ She thought. But she couldn’t think of that. She had to get away from him and get somewhere where tikki could find her. The kid had her tucked in his side and didn’t seem to budge no matter how many times she would try to kick him. Going into what she guessed was his father’s hotel room they met with a strict tall business man. ‘So this is your dad. Good luck on trying to convince him to let you keep a stray cat.’

Bruce looked up at his son and down at the kitten hidden under his arms and let out a tired sigh. Pinching the bridge of this node he said, “Damian we’ve talked about this. You can’t keep it.”

“Father, first off she is not a ‘it’. And she is a stray, she won’t survive with the way the owners here controll their animals.”

“You can’t keep her. End of discussion.” Looks like he was getting a bit frustrated with him.

“You kept Todd. I get to keep her.”

‘Seriously kid, just back down. He’s your dad.’

Narrowing his eyes he started at his son. “Damian don’t talk about your brother like that. And if I let you keep her, will this be the last one?” In return Damian answered him with a nod.

“Now father if you’ll excuse me I have to go get some supplies for her.” He was ready to leave when Bruce stopped him.

“Damian be careful, and remember we will be leaving later today.”

Damian nodded then left. While he was walking Marinette tried to process what was happening. So she was this kids cat now and they were leaving Paris today. This is the worst day in the history of her life as of now. Damian had gotten her a simple collar. Since her fur was dark he got her a light color so for the it to be visible. He also learned very quickly that she didn’t eat cat food. He tried giving her some food at a part but she wouldn’t eat it. So he gave her food considered human food which of course she ate.

Damian had left her for a bit while she finished eating. That was when tikki found her. “Marinette! I’m so glad I found you! Mister bug already defeated the akuma but we are trying to find your lucky charm so you can change back into your original form. Hold on for a bit longer ok?”

“Meow”

“Right I’ll be back. Take care!”

She tried to race after her but felt a tug at her harness. ‘He’s back’.

“Let’s go, father is waiting for us.” Damian noticed how she wasn’t moving so he just picked her up much to her dislike. They made it back to the hotel and Damian made his way back to his room. He placed her on the bed and packed up his clothes and her harness. There was no point in running away, he had closed all the windows and doors and he had even placed a tracker in her collar.

His father called him to his room to say his goodbye to the mayor for treating them well, even if it was because of their status. Tikki came in through the window and she looked worried. “Marinette I heard what was happening, don’t worry we haven’t found the lucky charm but we will. And I know where your going, we can get Kaalki to get you back here and change you back. Ok?”

At this point Marinette was just tired so all she did was nod and lay her head down. Tikki sighed at her chosen and tried to comfort her but heard footsteps coming so she quickly phased back through the glass window.

Damian came through the doors and picked her up and placed her in his jacket and made his way to the lobby. Outside his father and a taxi were waiting for them. “I have already called the airlines and told them about the extra cargo. Since you haven’t gotten her a cage yet they will allow you to take her if you make sure you hold her and manage to keep her under control while on the air. Understood?”

Damian had looked down at her for a moment then looked up at his father and nodded. She hasn’t given him trouble while she was with him, while she proved to be energetic she was also very calm with him. A few hours later they were at the airport and after what felt like a nother few hours they were finally on the plane. She had taken a nap on the plane ride which made it incredibly hard for Damian to move because he didn’t want to wake her up.

Hours later she woke up and panicked. This wasn’t her room, were was she. Oh right she was a cat adopted by some stranger. That wasn’t creepy or crazy at all. She might as well get used to her new life. Master fu must have used something to make it appear like she didn’t just disappear. She felt a pair of hands scratching her behind her ears.

“You know we haven’t picked out a name for you yet.” Marinette sat up and faced him. He was sitting on his bed sketching. “Let’s figure that out. How about Sam?” ‘Hiss’ “No? What about Nala?” What is this the Lion king. ‘Hiss’. “Ok what about... Nette or Netti? That’s kinda original right?” ‘Well it’s the closest you’ve gotten, ‘Meow’.

“Ok then. Netti it is.”

Days went on and Marinette had lost all hope. Maybe she was going to stay in as a for the. Honestly she was starting to except it. She learned that Damian, even though most of the time a brat, he also needed someone to vent to. He had a hard time making friends and had a harder time understanding how to be a “normal” 13 year old. Though she had a hard time understanding him. Language barrier damit. Yet she picked up on the basics and when Damian would read a book she would try to read over his shoulder and she was getting better at understanding it. His words for his age were considered more complex, not of an average 13 year old.

Sometimes he said that he considered her his voice of reason. When he was doing something stupid all she did was lay her ears flat and lightly shake her head at him and he would stop. When he was feeling down though he wouldn’t say it she would purr on his head and that would soothe him. He also introduced her to Titus which she adored. He was a giant compared to her but he was a big teddy bear. When he little paws would get tired he would pick her up like a mama cat with her kitten and carry her somewhere comfortable to rest. And they were both surprisingly energetic so they would play together.

It was past midnight and Marinette was sleeping when a bright light had woken her up. Tikki and Kaalki had emerged from the light. Guessing that they hadn’t see Damian because Tikki quite loudly said, “Marinette come on we can change you back now. Master fu is wa-.” Tikki froze when she saw Damian standing there staring at them.

“What are you? What are you doing here?” He asked, his voice was dangerously calm.

It took Tikki a lot more time than she thought to explain what was happening and what happened to Marinette. In the end Damian wasn’t sure how any on this was real.

“Prove it, prove I’m not dreaming then and change her back. She’s a cat not a person.” Before he knew it ladybug’s where surrounding Marinette and changed her back. To which she was more than great full.

Hugging herself she looked back at Damian who was ready to pass out. “Shh you can’t tell anyone about this.” Her whispering came out as more of a hiss.

Damian mimicking her tone replied, “How do you not expect me to have a reaction? I thought you were a cat for weeks. You lived with me as a cat for weeks! What th-“

“Don’t finish that sentence I already had to listen to you cuss multiple times without saying anything. And I couldn’t tell you I was a person because I was a cat!” He looked down at the floor with a glare displayed on his face. He slided down to the floor.

Marinette hesitantly made her way towards him and sat down next to him. They stayed quiet for a moment until she broke the silence. “You know all of this aside, we can still be friends. I noticed how hard it is for you to make friends, you vented a lot.” A small smile made her way towards her lips when he gave her an annoyed glare but it quickly fell Because he knew she was right. And she was the reason why he didn’t make many idiotic decisions.

He stood up and walked up to his desk. “Do you have a number I can talk to you from?” He sighed out in defeat and gave her a piece of paper and a pencil. She took them and wrote down her phone number on it and gave it back to him when she was done. They both stood awkward silence for a second. Marinette extended her hand to him, she had learned that he wasn’t an affectionate person. Damian shook her hand slightly and let it go. She made her way to were Tikki and Kaalki we’re waiting. Before she stepped into the portal she looked back at Damian.

“Thank you Damian.”

“Your welcome, Netti?” He wasn’t sure that was her actual name so that last part was more of a question.

She let out a small giggle, “it’s Marinette actually. Goodbye”

“Goodbye Marinette.”

Once Marinette had stepped into the portal and closed it. He knew it was the appropriate time to pass out.

Tag list: @the-black-fox

[anjuschiffer]

New Promise

AHHHHHHHH! The second to last update to To [Not] Be A Bat is here!!! To think it’s almost done QvQ Anyways, enjoy!

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P.Tag: @theatreandcomicfreak @damianette-is-life

Tag: @toodaloo-kangaroo @maribat-is-lifeblood @tis-i-beanbandit

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First | Prev

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AO3

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Jason heard a whimper, his head quickly snapping to look at Mari, her eyes quickly trying to adjust to her new surroundings. 

“Ja-”

“Take it easy, Bug.” Jason hushed, Marinette wanting to ask if it was him who yelled her name when she had passed out.

“I’m sorry.” Marinette whispered, her lips quivering. She didn’t miss the way his eyes saddened. “I should’ve never-”

“I’m the one who should be apologizing, Lutin.” Ah, so it was him who had called her out. “ I should’ve never let you go by yourself to-”

“It’s my fault for even making you agree with doing all this.” Mari cut off, placing her hand on his cheek. “I should’ve listened to Dad, because… he was right. I’m not cut out to play Gotham’s game. It’s nothing compared to Paris’ magical terrorist. Even with your short and harsh training, it still wasn’t enough. Gotham’s crime needed a more experienced player, something I am not.” God, how Marinette hated the lump that was forming in her throat, a pressure starting to weigh in her. “I should’ve just stayed back in Paris.”

“Nettie.” Jason grabbed her hand. “Stop blaming yourself. None of us expected for things to go the way they did.” Jason said, his eyes now stern. “And don’t ever say that again.” They softened again. “You don’t know what a blessing you are.”

“Mari!” Tim’s voice interrupted, Jason and Mari turning to see their little brother, his eyes red and filled to the brim with unshed tears, snot daring to run once again. “You’re awake!”

“Tim.” Mari managed to whisper, feeling responsible for his appearance. How dare she make Tim worry, how dare she make him cry! 

Didn’t she promise him to never make him cry? To always stay by his side? “I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t have to say sorry.” Tim said, climbing onto the bed, Jason getting off so that he can properly sit next to Mari.

“But I do.”

“No, you-”

“I made you cry.” Mari counted. “I left your side. I almost never returned.” Mari placed a hand on  Tim’s cheek, noticing his steel blue eyes warble. “I broke our two major promises. I let you down.” 

That’s all it took for Tim to release the waterworks.

“I was scared Mari!” Tim wailed. “I-I-I didn’t want you to die! I didn’t want you- I didn’t want you to leave me again!” Tim let out another hiccup, vigorously wiping away the tears that kept pouring out. “When I saw all that blood on you, I-I-I-” Tim stopped talking when Jason placed a shoulder on Tim,launching himself to Jason. He burrowed his face into his shirt, his cries and wails muffled, but still heart wrenching to hear. 

Marinette didn’t notice when she had started crying until she saw Dick and Bruce’s sadden expressions when they entered the room and saw her. 

Marinette looked at Dick but didn’t dare to look at their father, quickly looking away. Bruce didn’t miss this, watching as her mouth quivered.

“Marinette.” Bruce spoke softly, hating that she flinched when he spoke her name.

“Nettie, please.” Dick coaxed, his heart aching when he saw her attempt to turn over, her eyes shutting tight. “Please, just-” Bruce stopped him, shaking his head, prompting Dick to step down.

“Everyone. Leave us alone.” Bruce said, watching as his sons hesitated to leave. With a sigh, Dick rounded Jason and Tim, leading the two out of the room, closing the door with a soft click. “Marinette.” He watched as she flinched again. “Ma fille.”

An odd, yet comforting silence filled the room, the beeping of Marinette’s monitor providing some type of company. It broke with the slip of a tear.

“I’m sorry.” Mari said, finally turning to face her father, yet to raise her head. “I should’ve listened to you...because...because you were right. You were right about everything, and I...I-” A hiccup escaped her, Bruce shushing her as he sat next to her.

“That’s all over now.” Bruce held her hand in his, noticing how small it still was to his. But even then, they were covered in scars and calluses, proof of her growth as a fighter...as a person. “What matters now is that you're safe.”

“It does matter.” Marinette refuted, looking up to her father, hating that he seemed blurred in her vision. “You tried to warn me about the dangers of Gotham and I even saw it through the monitor in the Batcave and yet I went against you, I went behind your back and-”

“I forgive you.”

“But-”

“I made a promise to your mother...to Sabine.” He watched as Marinette looked at him with wondering eyes. “I promised her that I would protect you.”

“And I made you fail her.”

“No.” Bruce corrected. “You made me realize that I should’ve trusted you more. To believe that you knew what you were doing. Instead of sheltering you, I should’ve instead held your hand.” Marinette tightened her grasp on her father’s hand. “I should’ve guided you instead of treating you like a child when I fully knew what you were capable of. Even Tom told me of your experience as a martial artist when you were a child.”

Marinette let out a laugh, a small one, but one nonetheless.

“Papa always fought with Maman over that. He didn’t want me to do anything dangerous, but Maman always argued that I should be given the opportunity to try new things.” 

“I guess that’s what Tom and I have in common.” At that, Marinette smiled, a faint memory made its way to her. “I remember her smile when I told her I was Ladybug. She was so proud of me, boasting to Papa that all those classes were worth every cent.” 

“I bet she was very proud to have raised you the way she did.”

“She was.” Marinette managed to say without her voice cracking. “She really was.” Marinette led out a cry, a cry that catapulted to a long series of wails and sobbing, Bruce sitting there as she poured her sorrow out.

She rambled about missing her mother, she rambled about her conversation with her other father, the argument she had with her brothers, and endlessly apologized towards him about going against his warning.

Bruce didn’t interrupt her, not even once, simply holding her hand as she cried

“Marinette.”

“Yes?” Another sniffle.

“I’ve talked with the boys and discussed what to do next.” Marinette held in a breath. “We’ve decided that it’s best to let you join us when you’ve finished recovering.” Bruce watched as a twinkle made its way to her eyes. “Of course, we’ve also discussed arranging more time together as a family, attending family therapy as our first step. What do you think?”

“I think… I think we can do that.” Marinette said, a small smile appearing on her face. “I want to, with everyone.”

“That we will.” Bruce kissed her forehead, a giggle escaping Marinette. “Let’s recover together, okay?”

“Okay.”

Epilogue

[trashystar420]

Babysitter Maribat AU AGE Reversed Chapter 2!

“I am very sorry for the delay, Ms. Dupain-Cheng, it is a pleasure to meet you” Bruce Wayne spoke. Marinette had to resist the urge to gap like a fish, because god damn, he hot. Selina definitely knows how to pick em. But due to her years of masking her own emotions with a smile, she responds back in kind.

“The pleasure is all mine, sir” and giving a knowing look to Selina, who rolled her eyes and gave one back.

“Just be sure to treat her right.” She warned playfully, but the venom was there. Selina had to cover herself, lest she burst into a fit of giggles, while the man she wrapped her arms around had to do a double take. Giving a dutiful nod, he starts to introduce his boys.

“This is my youngest son, Dick Grayson.” Mari had to refrain herself from cooing at the adorable kid before her. But the sparkle in her eyes was fully noted by everyone else, and they felt pity for her. ‘She won’t be thinking that for long.’ Bruce thought bitterly.

“My second youngest, Jason Todd.” Jason merely rolls his eyes at her, and Mari can’t help but give a knowing smile.

“My second oldest, Tim Drake.” Said boy was too busy on his phone, and barely acknowledges her. Giving a meek wave. Bruce and Alfred both gave dejected sighs at the rude behavior of the young teen. Damien rolled his eyes, and shakes the hand of his replacement.

“Damien, Damien Wayne” he answers, the Bluenette returns the handshake politely. And with some serious warnings from Bruce, and some recommendations on what to do and what NOT to do, and a lot of pulling on Selina’s part, Bruce reluctantly went. Once the mansion door closed chaos ensued.

“Think you can manage?” Damien asked haughtily. Mari simply rolled her eyes at him and walked towards the two troublemakers. Dick noticed first, and hid behind Jason. Jason made an intimidating face to the Bluenette. Mari gave a nod, knowing that the warning was received. After staring into the young boy’s blue eyes, the babysitter gave a warm smile. One that threw off the the troubled child.

“I know this might seem tedious, but how about we introduce ourselves again? I didn’t get to hear your voices.” She offered. Jason gave a guarded expression, while Dick reluctantly looked up at the Bluenette, still clutching his older brother. Damien could only watch the scene, completely confused as to what was going on, even Tim looked slightly apprehensive.

“My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and I’ll be your babysitter” she outstretched her hand, offering a handshake to the two.” Jason looked at it wearily, but Dick took it first. ‘So cute’ she thought

“D-Dick Grayson” said boy answered timidly. That had Tim and Damien gap. It took Tim a week for Dick to even speak to him. For Damien it took a good year for Dick to gain the courage to look at him. A pang of jealousy went through the older boys. Alfred was shocked again, for the second time.

Giving a warm smile, she spoke.

“I really love your voice, Mr. Grayson, I hope to hear it more.” Dick blushed , but remained eye contact. Jason was smirking.

“And hello to you-“ Mari purposely pauses for Jason to say his name. Jason sighs, and playfully rolls his eyes at his new babysitter. However, that did not deter the young woman’s hand away. The boy reluctantly returned the handshake. Muttering his name, his eyes casted down.

“Jason Todd.” He meekly gave. Marinette has to RESIST the urge to hug out the two precious beans before her. It gets harder by the minute. Jason then pointed out the box she placed on a nearby table.

“What’s that?” He asked hopefully knowing the answer. Dick also noticed the box and was curious as well. Marinette gave another warm smile as she got up from her crouched position.

“How about I show you instead?” As she retrieve the box and opened it. The mansion was flooded with the sweet aromas of the mysterious French pastries. Strawberry, blueberry, chocolate, vanilla, and many more. It was a colorful batch of delicious looking goods. The boys all stared hungrily at the baked goods, wanting them soo badly, but refrained from taking them. Tim also looked hungry, while Damien scowled at the scene before him.

“What are those?” Dick meekly asked, while Jason nodded. She giggles again and responds in kind.

“These are called Macaroons. They are a dessert back in France. I didn’t know what kind of flavors you two liked, so I just made a bunch and hoped for the best.”

“T-t-those are f-f-for us!?!?” Jason pointed to himself and his baby bro. Marinette couldn’t help herself, she was laughing at their stunned faces. It was just soo fricken CUTE.

“Yes. Think of this as a bribe for you two to behave. And if it goes well, then I can come back again with even more treats.” Dick was clutching Jason’s jacket even tighter, while Jason was drooling like a dog. Afred sighed at their rude behavior. Tim was trying so hard not to laugh, while Damien was seething. Whoever this harlot was, is obviously using magic.

“Hey Alfred, is it ok if I can give them their treats now?” She asked, Alfred gave the nod.

“Thank you Alfred!!”

“You da best!!!”

...

...

...

“Do you think the mansion will stay in one place Selina?” The apprehensive bat asked, poking his medium done stake with a fancy fork. Selina rolled her eyes.

“Relax Bruce dear, my girl’s got this. If there is anything you need to know, it’s that Marinette Dupain-Cheng is not a quitter. Trust me, she’s even more stubborn than me.” Bruce still eyes her warily, but let’s out another sign. Selina felt bad for her lover, and put a reassuring hand on his.

“You need to destress a little dear. Say, how about we stay at my place for tonight?” Bruce perked up at the offer, and off the two went to do god knows what (ya I know what they do but do you?!).

...

...

...

...

“Wow Pixie-Bob you’re really good at this.” Jason complimented as he was beat yet again in ultimate Mecha strike three. Dick wanted to fight Mari next so the older bro gave the controller to him.

Damien had already left to the bat cave to let off some steam after the events that went on in the house. It was a miracle the house didn’t even burn down yet. Tim was also down there doing a real quick scan over the ungodly stack of papers,on another case in Killer Frost. The atmosphere was tense, until Tim spoke up first.

“What do you think of the babysitter, Demon Spawn” Demon spawn growled at the nickname, but gave his answer.

“A witch.”

“I am genuinely surprised she hasn’t been killed yet. And all those two are doing are playing video games!?!? Like NOrMAL kids!!!! How did she do that?”

Damien also wished to know how a stranger such as her, could lower the guards of his brothers when he’s spent years with them, and never seemed to get along with them.

He proceeds to cut another dummy into sixteen pieces with deathly accurate precision. Sheathing the blade, the older boy made his way to the costume racks.

“What are you doing?” Tim asked, already knowing the answer.

“ patrol” he answered. Tim sighed.

“Well try not to kill anyone demon spawn” he chided. Damien ignored him as he went off into the night as Robin.

...

...

...

“But Mari I wanna stay up longer!” Jason protested to the stern babysitter, already holding a sleepy Dick.

“No means no mister, what did we talk about with behaving?” Mari reminded him. Jason widened his eyes and pouted to the floor. The Bluenette made a sympathetic smile, and gingerly places a delicate finger on the chin of the child.

“How about a bed time story?” Jason practically jumped.

...

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...

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“I am terribly sorry if any of the boys gave you a difficult time” Alfred began, only to falter when the Bluenette giggles again.

“Don’t worry about it Alfred, the boys were absolute angels.” Now Alfred couldn’t help himself, try as he might, as he started to laugh at that. Marinette gave her farewells and went off into the night. Bruce returned the following morning.

A nervous knock, and Alfred answers the door.

“H-how much damage did they do, oh god I can’t look!” Bruce covered his eyes, wanting to deny the harsh reality that would come to him. However Alfred simply patted the man out of his breakdown.

“I assure you Master Bruce, the mansion is still in one piece, all thanks to Marinette.” Bruce gatherer the remaining courage he had and scanned the entire mansion. Not taking off his coat he ran to every nook and cranny. He checked every closet, only to find them all clean. He checked the bathrooms, bedrooms, hallways and dining halls. Going so far as to check under the rug to see if there were any hidden messes.

Nothing. The mansion stayed in one piece.

“The BATCAVE!!!!” He practically screeched as he bolted towards the supposed secret lair of his ‘secret’ vigilantie work. Only to find that it was neat. Everything was were it was supposed to be.

Feeling his knees go weak, he collapsed to the floor, not caring how he looked and laughed. He fricken laughs. As tears stream down his face. Tears of unbridled joy. The family butler offers him a handkerchief, the bat gladly accepting it.

“I believe a thank you card should be addressed to one Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Along with a rather generous tip, don’t you think?” Bruce was still crying, and only gave a nod. As if out of habit, the man summoned a blank check , signed his name and wrote $10,000 on it.

“Be sure to deliver this to Ms.Dupain Cheng for me Alfred. Make sure to include a gift along with a card as a part of my gratitude. If you will excuse me I need to make a phone call.” Bruce left to recollect his thoughts, while Alfred left with the check already on the task at hand.

Holy shit you guys chapter one was well recieved and I thank you all for reading, liking, and reblogging the shit out of it. I couldn’t wait I had to write chapter two to get it out of my system. You all really mean so much to me ahhhhh

@BlueRosette23

@novicevoice

@weird-pale-blonde-person

@theatrendcomicfreak

@Caffeinetheory

@liawinchester67

[otpnessmess]

Daminette December Day 5: “Fire”

Guess who decided to completely forgo studying to write instead :D For those who asked for more backstory on Day 2, here it is! It can still be read on its own, however. There’s also mention of a car crash near the middle, nothing long or explicit but I’d rather be safe than sorry. Now, enjoy!

Ao3 - Masterlist

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Marinette had always loved fire. Dangerous as it was, what with being able to consume entire rooms in seconds or entire forests in very few hours when it wasn’t controlled, it brought good memories to her. 

When she was a child, her parents used to take her camping during the summer holidays. They would close down the bakery for a week and camp out in the countryside. She would help her papa collect materials to make a campfire, making a circle with rocks, and piling the logs, sticks, and pinecones they had found in the middle of it. Her favorite part was always seeing it lit up. The blue and orange flames hypnotized her, the crackling sound of burning wood lulling her into a calm state. After they finished setting it up, the three of them would sit in front of it at night and sing happily, her dad occasionally adding more wood. They did that until it was time to have dinner or go to bed.

Marinette had fond memories of those times. 

She also associated fire with the smell of home. The giant oven where her parents cooked the bread every morning made its wonderful smell spread throughout the whole building, and she loved it when they let her look at it while it was being cooked. The little girl simply found herself drawn in by the intricate patterns of the fire, even if trying to commit them to memory was futile, as they kept disappearing into thin air before she could. 

One of the first dresses she had designed, when she was 12 years old, had been a homage to this particular aspect of her childhood. A beautiful gown with several tulle layers that tried to emulate the color range of the flames. Reds and oranges and yellows with very delicate touches of blue made up the skirt, while the top was a deep red corset with an asymmetric neckline. Young Mari had been very proud, and had made that dress as soon as she had been able to save up money to buy the materials she needed.

These were some of the main reasons why Marinette liked fire so much. 

But it’s well known that an innumerable amount of good can always meet its demise in the hands of one single bad thing. 

No matter how many compliments you receive on your outfit for the day, the one mean comment from that person that doesn’t like you will be the one to stick with you.

You can do several good deeds and favors to people. They will always resent the one time you couldn’t help them.

No matter how many good memories you associate with something, how pure the feelings you attach to it are. One bad experience will bring it crashing down.

And crash it did.

The smell of singed flesh and smoke was making Marinette dizzy. She couldn’t see anything but she could hear screams and calls for help. Was that her maman? She wasn’t able to tell. Where was her papa? He had been driving when a car derailed from the next lane over, colliding straight into the side of their car where Marinette was leaning against the window. 

Her body was screaming at her to move, to get away from the intense heat surrounding her, yet it hadn’t been able to. 

Mari thought she could hear someone calling for her, telling her to hang in there. She was trying her best, but the smoke was filling her lungs and she could feel the agonizing pain from her burnt skin. Turned out, trying her best wasn’t nearly enough, and the girl lost consciousness not long after.

Only to immediately wake up again with a scream.

Breathing heavily she tried to move her hands around to check where she was and started panicking a little when she couldn’t. She noticed something was holding her down and tried to squirm her way out of it.

“Shh, Angel. It’s okay, it’s just me.”

That voice made Marinette quickly snap back to reality. The something now felt like two very familiar strong arms, and they were gently holding her close in a tight hug.

“Damian…” She finally breathed out and relaxed against him, letting the warmth of his body seep into hers. “I’m sorry, did I wake you up?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t matter. It’s only 2, and you know I wouldn’t let you wake up from one of those nightmares alone.” Her boyfriend was trying to soothe her by running his fingers through his hair. “Was it the same one again?”

Marinette weakly nodded, still burrowing her face on his chest. Her little birdie smelled like home, a mix of his cologne and the baked treats Mari gifted him with every day. She knew she was safe with him.

Damian hated seeing his love like this, terrified and curled in on herself. It made him feel small and useless. Even if living together now let him be there for her every night, helping her settle back down and fall asleep again, he was powerless against the nightmares. They would keep on coming no matter what they tried to do. Provided, they had become much less frequent after she had agreed to start seeing a therapist (she had smacked him with a wooden spoon when he tried suggesting it that way, perhaps he shouldn’t have snickered), but they hadn’t been completely eradicated.

“Stop that. " Marinette could almost hear all of his thoughts spiraling down, as they always did whenever something happened that he couldn't fix. She felt slightly guilty about making her boyfriend so worried, but at least it wasn't as bad as it once was. Damian's reassurances that he didn't mind staying up with her whenever those awful dreams of hers didn't allow her to fall back asleep had managed to diminish the urges to bottle it up so she wouldn't bother him. 

Mari carefully cupped his face and used her fingers to ease the lines on his face. "If you keep frowning like that you'll get so many wrinkles before you're 25, birdy. It's not worth it."

"I was frowning 24/7 by the time I was 10, Angel. It's a little bit late for that." He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist, burrowing them further under the covers. Marinette had yet to let go of his face, but he knew what she was trying to do and closed his eyes. "Like what you see, Nette?"

As he received a rewarding giggle, the man felt himself completely relax under her delicate fingertips, her hands tracing the lines of his face in adoration. Mari would do this all the time after she found out it calmed him down. 

"Actually yes, even if my eyes have never been able to see you, my hands know you well. You know you're beautiful, mon petit oiseau. Have I not told you that enough?" She ran her fingers delicately over his lips before stealing a sweet kiss. "I love you Dami."

Marinette was aware that uttering those magic words usually made Damian forget about everything else and just focus on fighting her over who could give the other more affection. Lo and behold, this led to a war of kisses that had them rolling around in bed laughing. His favorite spot to leave kisses had always been her neck, and he enjoyed teasing her way too much. 

"That tickles! Ahhh, stop!" The giggles and whines echoed off the walls of their shared bedroom and Damian relented and let her go. Though not before kissing her once again on those lovely pink lips of hers. 

"Aww, you're no fun, Angel." He settled back under the covers while stroking her hair. 

"Don't think I forgot about what happened the last time you had too much fun, mister, Chloé said my neck looked like a murder scene and laughed for an hour before helping me fix it." 

"That wasn't my fault, You looked too beautiful and I couldn't resist." He pouted more out of habit than anything. Around the time they had started to become close, he had unknowingly started to mimic Marinette's expressions, at least until one of his brothers pointed it out, and now it just stuck with him. 

"Sure you were, you giant baby. I don't understand how anyone could think you're dangerous, you're a softie." 

Well, in all truth, she did know how. One of the reasons she loved it when they were alone was because he was so carefree then, he didn't have to cater to any kind of reputation. Damian didn't need to be Talia Al Ghul's son, or Bruce Wayne's son, or even Robin. He was just Damian. A guy a little bit rough around the edges, but devoted to Marinette in every way. Just as she was to him. 

"Only for you, Nette. Only for you."

Long forgotten were the nightmares and the fire in Marinette's mind, and as she snuggled closer to Damian's chest, letting his heartbeat lull her back to a (hopefully) peaceful sleep, the last thing she heard was a soft "I love you too Habibti. Always."

-

That’s it for day 5! Thank you for reading, and let me know what you thought of it! Also, I love all of your lovely comments and I cannot express how happy they make me. Love you all <3

Tag list

@daminette-december2019 @tbehartoo @18-fandoms-unite-08 @vixen-uchiha @thesunanditsangel

[tabloidtoc]

National Enquirer, June 8

Cover: Chinese COVID-19 Cover-up -- defecting diplomat murdered in Israel 

Page 2: Former Jenny Craig weight-loss spokesperson Valerie Bertinelli is packing on the pounds again and said she doesn’t care anymore 

Page 3: Disgraced former Today host Matt Lauer has come out guns blazing in his own defense claiming the rape charges against him were not only false but widely embraced by the #MeToo movement without proper verification 

Page 4: Ryan Seacrest shocked audiences with his slurred speech and shriveled eye on the finale of American Idol prompting fears he could go blind, busybody Jennifer Aniston and cagey ex-husband Justin Theroux are playing cat-and-mouse with each other about their love lives -- while Justin’s been living the single life since their 2017 split Jen is doing everything she can to get the details about his dates 

Page 5: Celebrity Cov-Idiot of the Week -- Maurice Fayne has been arrested for taking millions in emergency money from the government and spending it on over-the-top blind like a Rolex watch, a diamond bracelet and a 5.73 carat diamond ring plus leasing a Rolls-Royce Wraith and paying $40,000 in back child support from money loaned his company under the Paycheck Protection Program which is supposed to be used to prop up small companies during the COVID-19 crisis 

Page 6: The tragic overdose death of Melissa Etheridge’s son Beckett Cypher has insiders fearing for the well-being of his sperm-donating dad rock legend David Crosby -- David had an active role in the boy’s life and with his long list of health woes his friends are afraid he won’t be able to stand the strain of a loss like this 

Page 7: Wannabe actor Prince Harry is so desperate to make it big in Tinseltown that he’s subjecting himself to a grueling Hollywood boot camp and has signed up for a string of special classes and training sessions to follow in the footsteps of his actress wife Meghan Markle, Chip Gaines is going to trial in a million-dollar lawsuit against former partners who accused him of swindling them out of a fortune 

Page 8: Last year doctors concluded that Dolly Parton’s face had been partially paralyzed by Bell’s palsy and she may never sing again -- two videos last month showed her barely able to move her lips and struggling to get her words out and medical experts have warned she also may have suffered a ministroke, Brian Austin Green finally admitted his marriage to Megan Fox is finished

Page 9: Phyllis George was hailed as a TV pioneer when she broke up the boys’ club as the first female anchor of The NFL Today but faced humiliation after being shredded by horrific reviews as an anchor on CBS Morning News -- Phyllis died brokenhearted at 70 following a long illness 30 years after being run out of network television 

Page 10: Hot Shots -- Kristin Chenoweth and her dog Thunder, Chris Sullivan on a bike ride in Brentwood, Pierce Brosnan goes snorkeling in Hawaii, Dean McDermott and son Beau 

Page 11: Tom Cruise is keeping his romance with Sofia Boutella secret and is even donning disguises to avoid detection when he sneaks out to see his co-star from The Mummy, Zooey Deschanel’s pals think her hot romance with Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott will be a flash in the pan because she’s only interested in him for booty calls and raising her profile 

Page 12: Straight Shuter -- comedian Michael Showalter with shopping bags and coffee (picture), in a 2008 interview with Beyonce on the Tyra Banks Show all the questions were cleared in advance with Beyonce, friends and fans are worried about Adele’s recently unveiled massive weight loss because this is a cry for help from someone who’s always claimed she was very comfortable being her size and would never go all Hollywood skinny, now that Bruce Willis and Demi Moore have spent time together in lockdown the former couple are looking to make it permanent with Demi moving in with Bruce and his wife Emma and Emma is the driving force behind the idea -- she loves Demi and wants to get a place where they can all live together, super-healthy Gwyneth Paltrow didn’t always live on a strict diet but as a struggling actress she seemed to survive on cigarettes alone

Page 13: Kristin Cavallari’s diva behavior was behind the demise of her reality show as ratings for E!’s Very Cavallari plummeted in the third season and many of the crew say it was because she’s a royal pain, blowhard Alec Baldwin has been browbeating his pregnant wife in lockdown after Hilaria offered to cut his hair and he replied I don’t think she knows what she’s doing -- Hilaria and Alec hoped her latest pregnancy would boost their sagging union but his behavior may be a sign that the glow of the pregnancy has worn off, Jonah Hill doesn’t go anywhere without his dog Carmela but his pals said the dog stinks

Page 14: True Crime 

Page 15: Internet hackers who stole a trove of celebrities’ information from law firm Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks are getting desperate as the FBI closes in on their $42 million extortion scheme, devastated Mary-Kate Olsen is begging sister Ashley Olsen for help navigating her ugly divorce from Olivier Sarkozy and the twins are working up a game plan to protect the $500 million fortune they built together from the French banker 

Page 18: Real Life 

Page 19: George Clooney has resurrected his decades-long feud with romance-novel cover icon Fabio Lanzoni which was so bad the two had to be separated during a vicious confrontation in a Beverly Hill restaurant -- now that George moved back to L.A. after spending years at his homes in England and Italy their rivalry has reared its ugly head again because they run in a few of the same circles and word has gotten back to Fabio that George thinks he’s some type of big shot who deserves special treatment, Ruby Rose landed the role of a lifetime as the title superheroine in Batwoman but after the dark drama turned into a disaster she flew the coop -- Ruby was the face of the show and she got the blame when the writers didn’t do as good as job as they could have plus there was also a lot of fighting behind the scenes among writers and producers

Page 21: How to teach your kids 

Page 22: Health Watch, Ask the Vet 

Page 24: Sarah Palin and her husband Todd are no officially divorced 

Page 26: Cover Story -- Doomed Du Wei was China’s ambassador to Israel and he knew too much about his country’s involvement in the COVID-19 pandemic and its evil expansion plans and he paid with his life 

Page 30: Scott Disick has been hit with a second wave of heartbreak after girlfriend Sofia Richie ditched him after he checked into rehab to treat past traumas caused by the death of his parents and Sofia has already been hanging out with a new mystery man, Hollywood Hookups -- Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix are expecting, Dan Soder and Katie Nolan dating, Katie Maloney-Schwartz and Tom Schwartz are ready to start a family 

Page 32: Kanye West’s ridiculous rules and drastic demands have earned him the title of the worst boss in Hollywood and the bad rap has wife Kim Kardashian at her wit’s end, they’re liberal laugh legends but Bill Maher and Stephen Colbert can’t stand each other and they don’t need a camera running to batter each other with punch lines -- Stephen thinks Bill is pompous and Bill thinks Stephen is a smart-ass 

Page 34: Jennifer Lawrence admitted on Amy Schumer’s new cooking show that she can’t even wait for darkness to fall before drinking alcohol and getting her private house party going -- she said she tries to wait until 6 so she has a preemptive beer at 5, Charlize Theron hates ex Sean Penn so much she pretends he doesn’t even exist -- she dated Sean for a year and a half before calling it quits in 2015 but in 2019 she insisted she’d been single for a decade 

Page 36: Nicole Kidman shattered her ankle in a freak accident while running through their Nashville neighborhood and now her husband Keith Urban and concerned pals fear the effects may cripple her career 

Page 42: Red Carpet Stars & Stumbles -- designer Atelier Versace -- Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba 

Page 45: Spot the Differences -- Nancy Lenehan and Liza Snyder in Man with a Plan 

Page 47: Odd List 

[marilynngmesalo]

John Candy’s loved ones on his enduring legacy, 25 years after his death

John Candy’s loved ones on his enduring legacy, 25 years after his death John Candy’s loved ones on his enduring legacy, 25 years after his death https://ift.tt/2ISDlFx

TORONTO — Monday marks the 25th anniversary of Canadian comedy star John Candy’s death, but his family and friends say it feels like he’s still around.

With his legacy enduring to this day — through the impact of the sketch-comedy series SCTV and revered films including Splash, Uncle Buck and Planes, Trains and Automobiles — his children say their father is still fresh in the minds of many fans who often regale them with tales of meeting him or watching his movies.

“It’s something that can go from generation to generation to generation, so I don’t see that slowing down any time soon, just because of everyone who loved him and the work that he created was timeless,” his daughter Jennifer Candy said in a recent phone interview from Los Angeles.

“It’s interesting for us, too, because we’ve been in the centre of his life that’s lived on past his passing,” added son Christopher Candy.

“And to see all of the people who are still interested in wanting to write emails about him to us or want to do projects about him or whatnot, he’s still very much desirable for people to talk about. He’s still very loved.”

Born in Newmarket, Ont., the jovial actor honed his comedy chops as a member of Toronto’s Second City sketch troupe and then a cast member on Second City Television.

His memorable SCTV characters included TV personality Johnny LaRue, and clarinetist Yosh Shmenge of the Shmenge Brothers polka duo.

Candy went on to a major career in Hollywood, with other films including Stripes, Summer Rental, Home Alone and The Great Outdoors.

Behind the scenes, Candy was able to shut off work and focus on his family, said the siblings, who were born in Toronto and moved with their parents to Los Angeles in the mid-1980s. The family still has a farm in Queensville, Ont., and is often in Canada and in touch with the SCTV gang.

Jennifer Candy marvels at how much of a multitasker their dad was, juggling his family with his acting career and business ventures, which included running his own production company and becoming co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts.

Wayne Gretzky with Raghib Ismail, Bruce McNall and John Candy after purchasing the Toronto Argonauts.

Through all that, the only thing he neglected was himself, admitted the two, who both followed in their father’s footsteps by becoming actors.

“He was just overworked, he had too much weight on,” said Christopher Candy, 34.

“The interesting thing with him is, he was beginning to turn his life around. I remember right before he passed he was starting to go to a cardiologist and doctors and he was in therapy and was beginning to start working on himself.”

Candy died on March 4, 1994, after suffering a heart attack while shooting the film Wagons East in Durango, Mexico. He was 43.

While he died young, he made a huge mark on the lives of his co-workers, who describe him as incredibly warm and authentic with everyone around him despite his massive fame.

“I loved John dearly,” said Eugene Levy, who played the other Shmenge brother on SCTV and the villainous scientist in Splash.

“We were very, very close friends. I think I worked with John more than anybody else in TV, and on four or five movies. John was a lovely man, first of all, who cared deeply about people. And he was, I think, one of the most gifted comedic actors that honestly has ever been in the business.

“He made such an impact in his movies and people truly loved him. And as an actor, I have to say I think he was kind of underrated…. It always seems like John is still around. That’s how much of an impact he made on your life, you know? You’re still kind of waiting for a phone call.”

Fellow SCTV alum Catherine O’Hara said Candy was “just as wonderful and fun and sweet and great as you would imagine he would be,” and got a kick out of fan interactions.

“If they started doing some little bit with him, he would pick up on it and throw something back to them and they would look at him like, ‘Well, I didn’t expect that,'” she said.

“But he would also treat them as an equal,” added O’Hara, who delivered a eulogy at his memorial service in Toronto.

Clockwise from bottom left: SCTV cast members Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Andrea Martin and Joe Flaherty.

For many years, his children found it too difficult to visit his resting place of Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, Calif.

Now, on March 4, they try to drop by with flowers. They also remember him in other ways throughout the year, sometimes getting together at his favourite restaurant or going to his favourite movie theatre.

Jennifer has also revisited his career through her Couch Candy stage series, featuring Q-and-A’s with Second City alumni.

“I honestly can’t believe this much time has passed,” said Christopher Candy, who was eight years old when his father died, while Jennifer had just turned 14.

“I know, 25; it’s like you’ve lived longer without him than you did with him,” added Jennifer, now 39, who recently gave birth to the first Candy grandchild — a four-month-old boy named Finley John William Sullivan.

“But it feels like he’s never left.”

COMEDY STARS REMEMBER JOHN CANDY

Canadian comics remember John Candy as a genuine talent whose legacy continues to reverberate among new generations of fans.

Here is what some comedy stars told The Canadian Press about Candy, who died 25 years ago on Monday:

JAYNE EASTWOOD

Jayne Eastwood. ORG XMIT: CPT126

The Toronto actress, who knew Candy through the SCTV gang, remembers being on a plane with him rehearsing for an appearance on The David Steinberg Show and not being able to get through a line without laughing.

“He was adorable,” Eastwood said. “John was as nice as you think he was, if not nicer, and he just wanted to laugh all the time and have fun. He made me howl.”

MARY WALSH

Mary Walsh.

The St. John’s-born creator of This Hour Has 22 Minutes recalls “yelling” at Candy for five minutes about his use of the term “Newfie” in a Second City show he directed in the 1970s.

She quickly backed down after he showed tremendous empathy.

“I would have yelled much longer but he was just the nicest man, it seemed to me, so I had to go, ’Well, I mean, it’s not right,’ and he was going, ’Yeah, it probably isn’t,’” Walsh said.

“He was the most agreeable fellow. He certainly damped down my righteous rage.”

RICK MERCER

Rick Mercer.

The political satirist from St. John’s said Candy was an influential and beloved part of his generation.

“Everyone watched SCTV and John Candy was the big breakout star, and that was in a room of people who all became giant movie and film stars,” Mercer said.

“So everyone is impacted by him. These days, of course, his legacy lives on because SCTV is bootlegged the heck out of on YouTube. I think at least a dozen times in my life I’ve spent the night watching John Candy clips, and of course he lives on in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which will be a classic as long as there’s an Earth.”

JENNIFER WHALEN

Jennifer Whalen.

The Baroness Von Sketch Show cast member said Candy connected with a lot of people.

“There was something about him that you just want to hug him and be around him and near him,” she said. “I went to go see the SCTV panel last summer and they were talking about how he had an entourage … because people just liked to be near him, so they would just follow him around.

“He had that amazing thing of just so funny but so warm and so human, that he drew you in and you just can empathize with him so much.”

//<![CDATA[ ( function() { pnLoadVideo( "videos", "-yIqgICSXCE", "pn_video_664856", "", "", {"controls":1,"autoplay":0,"is_mobile":""} ); } )(); //]]> Click for update news Bangla news https://ift.tt/2Up6N7D world news

[trashystar420]

Babysitter Maribat reverse age AU

“No Grayson DO NOT TOUCH THAT!!!” Shouted the eldest Brother in the mansion, as his youngest baby brother, Richard Grayson pressed a mysterious red button that was actually linked to a near by explosive.

Explosions ensue

“EAT SHIT DEMON SPAWN!!!” As the second youngest, Jason Todd fires at the ex-assassin with rocket launchers.

“Can you two please not make so much noise, I’m trying to work on the current case with Joker!” Shouted a tired Tim Drake, second oldest son of the Wayne family.

Followed by the explosives from the rockets launched by Jason.

“Todd I SWEAR I will not hesitate to use my katana!” Shouted a rather pissed off Damien Wayne. Somehow, the young lad had sliced one of the rockets in half and redirected the other towards a nearby chair.

In all the chaos that ensued, a rather, stressed Bruce Wayne collapsed on a hard-wooden table, lookin utterly done with life and all that is his family.

“Where did I go wrong.” He muttered to himself. His faithful and only sane adult in the family standing near his side placed a comforting hand on the older bat’s shoulder.

“Perhaps we hire a babysitter for the two troublemakers?” He suggested.

“Who is going to babysit those two? They don’t even act normal, they are a hazard to themselves and everyone else in Gotham!” He whispered shouted, so utterly done with the drama of his demonic boys.

...

...

...

“Hey Mari-Dear, would you please help me dress for my date tonight, Brucie and I are going out to a late-night dinner and I really want to make this extra special.” Selina Kyle asked her favorite designer.

“Don’t worry Miss.Selina, I’ll make you so beautiful Monsieur Wayne won’t be able to take his eyes off you!” The Young woman replied confidently. An elegant dress the shade of midnight, that reveled her clients’ left leg and thigh. A very mature look, but one Selina could strut in. It was rather time consuming getting all the intricate designs into her dress, but nothing impossible. Not for Marinette Dupain-Cheng, of course.

On the table was Selina’s phone and it was buzzing. The elegant, older lady picked it up with her dainty hand, only to read that it was Alfred, usually not a good thing. Especially on the day her and Bruce planned for a romantic getaway. Usually meant something terrible came up. Selina answered the phone.

“ Alfred dear, what went wrong now?” She sighed. This has been the FIFTH time Bruce stood her up. FIFTH. She was starting to feel lonely at night.

“Afraid the little ones cause some explosions to go off in the mansion, and Bruce is not feeling so confident in letting Master Damien handle the babysitting, as they don’t listen to him” the butler delivered. Selina gave a questioning look.

“Explosives?! How the hell did that happen?!” She nearly shouted, but it was loud enough for the Bluenette to hear.

“Is everything alright?” The worried Bluenette asked. Selina gave her a reassuring nod, before listening to more of Alfred’s rambling.

“So your telling me that Bruce needs a babysitter otherwise he can’t come?” Summarized the anti-hero. Alfred on the other line gave a nod and confirmed her statement. Selina made a ‘tsk’ sound, clearly displeased by the events that unfolded. She couldn’t find fault in her beloved Bruce, it’s not his fault his kids are uncontrollable, mostly. He can lack in the emotional department.

Marinette perked up at the mention of needing a last minute babysitter, and when she listened in on the conversation on the phone, suddenly felt bad for her client. Selina didn’t deserve to be stood up like this.

But then Mari had an idea.

“Hey Miss, what if I could babysit? That way you and your boyfriend can actually enjoy yourselves?” The young lady offered. Selina perked up at the offer, but quickly shook her head. Covering the phone as to block the sounds of the conversation.

“A-Are you sure darling? The boys tend to be a bit, on the destructive side. They might actually destroy half the mansion in less then five minutes, trust me, I’ve seen and been there first hand.” Marinette placed her hands on her hips and gave a confident smile.

“I‘ve babysat before, and trust me, I KNOW how bad they can get, but with enough experience under my belt, I assure you that I can handle it, though if I’m going to do this, I’m going to need to know who I’m to babysit and what do they like?” And with a simple nod, Selina told Alfred the plan. The butler reluctantly agreed.

...

...

...

The sounds of the doorbell ringing echoed throughout the mansion, as Afred opened the door already well aware of who the guests would be tonight.

“Alfred dear! It’s so good to see you!” As the older woman kissed both sides of the butlers cheeks. Then she scanned the mansion for her dear.

“Where is he?” She asked innocently, but was seething inside. Marinette gave Selina a look. Selina was an impatient woman, one you don’t want to trifle with. Whoever the Bruce guy is must really be worth all the wait, Mari thought.

“Ah you must be the babysitter Selina talked about on the phone?” Asked the butler, and said babysitter gave a nod to confirm his inquiry.

“Alfred, show Mari Dear around the place, while I go look for that poor excuse of a fiancé of mine” as Selina stormed off towards the one place she knew damn well he’d be at. The clacking of the high heels fading into the background. Mari gave a nervous smile as she offered a macaroon to the family butler.

“Macaroon?” She offers, and he accepts. After taking a bite, he pauses, and is surprised to find just how good this simple treat was.

“I must say Miss Dupain-Cheng, I am surprised to find this macaroon exquisite. Tell me where did you get these?”

“ oh I um baked them myself.”

Alfred had to do a double take, because did he hear that right, she BAKES!?!? Just how many talents does this young lady have?!

“I must say Miss. Dupain-Cheng-Marinette.” Interrupted the Bluenette, before giving a sheepish smile at him.

“Please call me Marinette, I don’t exactly do well with formalities, and my last name can be a pain to say every time, so please I’d prefer if you would call me by my first name” Alfred gave a smirk.

“ only if you call me Alfred” the Bluenette giggles at his antics and agrees to the butlers demands.

“Do you think they will like them? The macaroons?” She asked pensively.

“ oh definitely! Just be sure they won’t eat too many.” He warned playfully. Mari nods. The two continue the tour of the mansion, while the rest of the family have a serious meeting down in the batcave.

...

...

...

“ Todd if you don’t put down that gun right now I’m gonna -you’re gonna what Demon Spawn? Shove this up my ass?” The barbaric Jason Todd shouted at his prissy, and totally a bitch, older brother Damien Wayne. Dick was currently snickering at his older brothers antics, while Tim looked ready to fall asleep.

Bruce gave a defeated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose to relieve some stress. And then Selina bursts through the door.

“BRUCE!!!” Said man gave another defeated sigh as he was pulled away by the well dressed woman. Everyone else followed suit.

Hey everyone, thanks for readying this, this was the first fanfic I’ve ever done, so yeah.

[trashystar420]

CHAPTER4 Age Reversed, Babysitter AU MariBat!!!

Marinette was swamped for the rest of the week. It wasn’t easy being a young fashion designer trying to make ends meet because she wasn’t getting paid enough for her internship (yes she miraculously gets paid, but like not enough). But after getting her first pay check from that baby sitting gig, she realized very quickly how much time she can salvage if she were to live off the payment from Mr.Way-er-Bruce

“Finally came to your senses?” Tikki asked with a cheeky grin. Marinette rolled her eyes and gave the kwami another macaroon.

“Why do you always have to be right?” She asked and the goddess had the audacity to giggle.

“I’ve lived much longer than you, I know how this world works honey you got nothing on this spectacle of wisdom.”

“Spectacle of making herself look like a fool more like it” she muttered to herself.Tikki just ate her macaroon.

“Ugh well, guess I better get the day started.” And up she went to do her daily morning routine.

After making sure all the magical barriers were in place, she mentally checked to see if the kwamis she summoned were ready.

“Ready!” Tikki said

“Ready!” Said Kalki

“You know it!!!” Said Trixx

“Of course Marinette” wayzz answered.

“Alright. Let’s go, keep me updated if anything suspicious happens.” As the three kwami’s flew out. Tikki quickly flew in her jacket pocket. Marinette makes her way down to the place she works as an intern.

...

...

...

“Master Tim, perhaps you should lay off the coffee?” Alfred suggested. The butler was convinced if he drank anymore, he would die from overdose. Tim just gave Alfred a crazed look.

More crashing noises came from the living room. Alfred sighs and pinched the bridge of his nose, while Tim drank another mug.

“Perhaps tea would be a better alternative?” The butler offered. Tim didn’t even acknowledge the butler. The only response he gave were more ‘sipping’ noises. Then that got interrupted.

“TODD! PUT DOWN THE -GAH!-DIE SCUM!!!!”

“That’s what you get for being mean to our Marinette!!!” Dick reasoned, as he push Damien down the fancy stairs.

“Yeah Dickie I’m soo proud of you!!!” Jason hugged his baby bro, messing with his hair. The troublesome duo looked to see their work. Damien was lying on the floor completely owned.

“Let’s leave before Demon Spawn tries to kill us again.” Jason offers and Dick eagerly agrees, holding Jason’s hand as the older of the two led him to his room.

“You really shouldn’t be insulting the babysitter with those two around.” Tim advises, sipping his third cup of coffee that morning. Eventually the eldest brother got up, limping on his leg.

“They are so dead” he promised. Tim just sipped more of his coffee.

“Don’t let Bruce hear you say that Demon Spawn.” Damien just gave him a withering glare, but Tim didn’t falter. Eventually the caffeine addict left the mansion to start his work at Wayne Enterprise. Damien stayed at home to treat his wounds after Alfreds nagging persistence.

As Alfred was treating the injured Wayne, Damien started to grumble.

“What seems to trouble you, Master Damien?” He asked. Damien looked away, almost ashamed.

“That babysitter...” he grumbled.

“You mean the one from yesterday?” Alfred clarifies.

“Who else?” He menacingly spoke. Alfred was unaffected by the young lad’s tone.

“Well what of her? I think she is a nice young lady with a good head on her shoulders.” Damien ‘tsked’ clearly upset. Alfred, already having a pretty good idea why the boy was upset, sighed.

“What about Marinette do you not like Master Damien?”

“She is clearly a witch if she managed to have those fools become her lap dogs.” He reasoned as though it were the most obvious thing. The butler resisted the urge to sigh.

“Surely you jest, Master Damien”

The butler finished wrapping the last bandage over a rather nasty cut.

“I’m going to investigate that witch, she is clearly hiding something.” Alfred looked scandalized.

“You will do no such thing Master!!” But Damien with a goal in mind marched towards the bat cave. Alfred sighed and immediately called Bruce to relay him the news of what was going on.

...

...

...

“Good evening Marinette” Alfred greeted the babysitter.

“And good evening to you Alfred.”she responded in kind.

“I see you brought another box of baked goods?” He asked.

“Haha yes, the boys really liked them you know.” She giggled.

“Allow me to show you inside, please take a seat, I will be right back with the master and kids.” The butler walked a bit faster to get the Wayne’s.

When Alfred walked in the bat cave, it was already a mess. Bruce looked stressed as usual. Damien was glaring daggers at a stubborn Jason and Dick. And Tim looked ready to pass out. The butler coughed, interrupting the mood.

“Is she here?” Bruce asked a little too hopeful. Alfred nodded.

“Is Mari here?” Dick asked and Bruce smiled.

“Make sure you change before meeting her. We don’t want to reveal ourselves.” He warned as Jason and Dick immediately changed out of their outfits and bolted to meet their babysitter. Alfred was smiling at how normal those two were acting.

“Alright Damien, let me be clear here, I have already done a background check with her, she is in the clear. I don’t want you snooping into her personal life, got it?” The bat warned, Damien pouted and looked away. Bruce heaved another sigh and looked at Tim, whose head rested on the table.

“Tim” that woke the teen up.

“Go get some rest.” Tim reluctantly agrees and left the bat-cave as well. Bruce gives a hard glare to his eldest son. Damien looks back with a stubborn glare.

“Damien.” He growls. Said boy just caves in.

“If you insist, Father.” He sighed. Bruce got up from the table and left. Alfred gave one last look to the ex-assassin, then went after Bruce.

When the coast was clear, Damien went to the monitor, and pulled up a file he made sure was hidden from his family. A picture of said babysitter was in display. An innocent, younger version of Marinette with her signature pigtails.

“Just what are you hiding, Marinette Dupain-Cheng” he muttered to himself, as he pulled up a documented report, and read it.

All completely unaware of a certain kwami’s eyes.

...

...

...

“Thz iz irrly gooz!!” Jason compliments as he stuffs his face with more macaroons. Dick tugged at the sleeve of his babysitter.

“Yes Mon Chou?” Dick twiddled his fingers, and blushed.

“I-I was wondering if you could tell us that bed time story you told Jason last time.” He asked. Mari swooned and scooped him up in a hug.

“Yes I would love to sweetie.” Jason also looked eager.

“Hell yeah!!!”

“What did we talk about young man.”

“No swearing like a sailor.” Mari giggled. She couldn’t help herself, she pinched the cheek of the cheeky one and kissed his forehead.

“Alright , everyone settled?” Eager nods were given. Before the Bluenette started, Tim walked down the stairs.

“Hey what’s going on here?” He asked. Marinette noticed the bags under the tired Wayne’s eyes. Jason looked peeved, while Dick had a sparkle in his eyes.

“Mari is telling us a bed time story!!!” Tim gave a look to Marinette, as she gave a sheepish smile and shrugged.

“You know what, can I join?” He asked. The boys made room for the older boy. Marinette stood as she begun to tell the tale.

“ once upon a time, there lived a young girl.

She lived in a village that suffered at the hands of a cruel beast.

What made the beast so cruel was his ability to curse someone for one night, and turn them into a monster. Due to the terror these curses cause for the people, everyone in the village suffered.

But there was nothing they could do, for the monsters would go on into the night, seemingly with no end.

But a miracle blessed the villagers. A goddess, who granted the power needed to end the nightly terrors. And she gifted it to the girl. But the power came at a cost.

‘No one is supposed to know you are their savior, otherwise your powers will vanish forever, and the nightly terrors shall persist.’

So the girl kept it to herself. It wasn’t bad, at first. She just kept going throughout the day with a smile, always eager to help.

And then....

A mischievous fox happened upon the village.

What made this fox so mischievous, were the lies she spoke. Tales of her ‘grand’ life. Making bold claims that she knew all the gods and goddesses.

That she could help eradicate the beast that haunts the night.

How she was best friends with the savior of the night.

And the girl with a smile on her face heard. Never believing for a second that what the fox said to be true.

She pleaded with her friends

‘Please you mustn’t listen to that fox, she speaks nothing but lies!’

But it was too late. The trap was set, and her friends fell for the fox’s lies. Eventually the fox confronted the girl, threatened to turn all that she loved against her. Hate her. Banish her.

And the naive girl never believed the fox for a second. Until it did.

Slowly but surely, lie after lie, the fox made good on her promise.

And now the girl who sacrificed herself everyday for the foolish villagers, found herself alone.

Gone were the days were she could smile.

Gone was her laughter.

Her spark fades every night.

Seeking the goddess who gave her the power to protect, all the goddess could do was shake her head.

For if she broke the vow that she was protecting everyone, she would lose her powers. And the village would be thrown into disarray once more.

And so, hiding her pain with a smile, she continued on.

Eventually she found the beasts lair and destroyed the terror or the night. And since the girl couldn’t find a home within the village she was raised in, left to make her own home.

No one from the village heard from the girl they all betrayed ever again.

Some say she lives in the mountains. Others say she resides by the beaches.

But no matter where you go, be kind to everyone you meet. You don’t know their life story. For they may also suffer just as much, if not more.”

Marinette finished. She found a tearful Dick, and immediately pulled him into a hug.

“Dawww Dickie.” She cooed reassuringly. But Dick his his face in her chest.

“Tha-that’s so sad! How could -the *hic* villagers *hic* be so cruel!!!!” He bemoaned. Jason wasn’t doing much better either, for his eyes were glazed. It looked as though were about to cry but didn’t want to.

“Oh Jason, come here.” And motioned for him to enter the hug. Which he did. And also cried about how the girl deserved to be happy.

“Now guys, please, let’s keep our voices down, look.” Their babysitter pointed to a sleeping Tim.

“Oh wow.” Dick mumbled. Jason could only nod. It was rare seeing their older brother sleep.

“Here, why don’t you two help me put your brother to bed” and so the two dutifully helped. Marinette picked up the teen with surprising ease.

“Is he supposed to be this light?” She whispered to Jason. The boy only shrugs.

Marinette ticks him in bed, and closes the door quietly. Dick and Jason walk back down the stairs with their babysitter. And then Dick yawns. Marinette checks the time.

“Oh wow, it’s already this late?” Jason looked dejected, while Dick had a hard time standing, so the bluenette picks him up as well.

“Come on Jay-Jay time to put you to bed as well. Jason reluctantly went as well.

Marinette gently placed the sleeping boy in his bed, and tucked him in. Then gave him a kiss on the forehead, and left.

“Hey Pixie-Bob, I know I should be in bed, but can I at least play against you once? I promise I’ll go to bed afterwards.” As he gave his best puppy dog eyes.

She held out a pinkie finger. Jason blinked.

“Promise. No complaints. No ifs no buts. After this one game, you are heading straight to bed. Alright?” Jason nodded.

“You got it pixie-bob!”as he gave her his pinkie. They both shook on it.

Marinette beats him yet again. And Jason doesn’t complain. He heads straight to bed, is tucked in by Marinette and is also given a kiss on the forehead, similar to Dick’s.

The young babysitter descends the fancy steps in thought. Holding onto the railing so that she wouldn’t fall.

‘Anything suspicious?’ Mari mentally asked to her kwamis.

‘Nope’ said Tikki

‘Nothing’ Kalkki said

‘All clear’ spoke Wayzz.

‘Trixx?’ Mari asked again. This time in fear.

‘Trixx please answer me what is wrong, did you get captured?!?!’

The other kwamis came from their respective hiding spots as well, also worried for their dear friend.

‘Sorry sorry, I got caught up in something. Uh. Marinette you might want to hear this once we get back home.’ Trixx warned. Marinette did NOT like that. Making sure the miraculous she wore are where they are supposed to be, she summons for Trixx, and the kwami still has not arrived. Marinette is getting anxious. She is supposed to be leaving, but she can’t leave Trixx all alone!!!!

‘Trixx where are you I’m going to come get you!’

‘Wait don’t!’

‘Trixx what the heck are you doing? Why won’t you let me track you?’

‘I seemed to have been caught in something...’Trixx said.

Marinette feels her nerves spike up tenfold.

‘That’s it I’m tracking you now! Just wait where you are I am coming to get you.’ Marinette follows the magic resonance left by the kwami.