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bellaireland1981 · 4 years

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Lights, Camera, Coffee in LA Part 2

Ok! Here’s part 2!!! I hope you all like it! I’m really loving writing this one, so I may do more, but we shall see!!

Thank you again to @denisemarieangelina for bouncing ideas around with me and for reading it over!

Characters: Chris Evans x Reader

Warnings: Minor angst (if you squint) FLUFF

After breakfast, I went to grab a shower and get dressed while Michael and Chris discussed the movie project.

Thirty minutes later, I felt more awake and energized. I was excited about being able to spend more time getting to know Chris better. I wrapped my long brown hair up into a towel to soak up some of the excess water before I attempted to wrangle it into any kind of style. While it was towel drying I looked through the clothes I brought with and decided on a pair of boyfriend style cropped distressed jeans with a white v-neck, buttoned down loose fitting tank.

I tackled my hair next, deciding to just comb out the tangles and allow it to air dry. When I didn’t take time to blow it dry and flat iron it, I had a natural wave to my hair. Sometimes it was a nice change of pace to leave it natural.

My phone chimed alerting me to a new text just as I was finishing my makeup. I set my mascara down and picked up my phone to see who had text me.

C: (10:34) I just wrapped up the meeting with your brother, I’ve got a few other things to do this morning, then I’m free. Want to meet at Caffe Luxxe in Santa Monica around noon? It’s close to the pier…

L: (10:35) Sounds great! I’ll see you at noon! I may have to check out the pier after we get our beverage. I’ve never been there. ;)

C: (10:36) Wow! I’m not living that one down. You’ve NEVER been to the PIER?? That’s it...we’re going.

L: (10:38) You’re probably not wrong about that! And you obviously can’t see it, but I’m doing a happy dance right now about seeing the pier!

C: (10:39) So… only happy to see the pier? You can’t see it, but I’m crying over here.

L: (10:41) Wow...needy much? LOL Don’t cry, I’m more excited to see YOU again! ;)

C: (10:42) That’s better! ;) See you soon!

Smiling, I tucked my phone in the back pocket of my jeans and headed downstairs to find my brother again.

It wasn’t hard, he was out on the patio where I’d left him and Chris earlier. He was finishing a phone call as I sat down in the chair Chris had been in.

“So, figure out what you’re doing today?” Michael asked after hanging up the phone.

“Yup!” I replied beaming at him, “I’m meeting Chris for coffee at Caffe Luxxe in Santa Monica and then we’re going to go to the pier. I’m trying to tame the inner freak out before I go meet him so he doesn’t realize I’m a complete dork.”

“Dork or not he’s the lucky one to get to spend time with you, Little Bit.” Michael replied looking worried, in a way only a big brother could. “Just be careful. I don’t know that you know what exactly you’re getting into here Lena.”

“I thought you liked Chris, Mickey.” I said, frowning at my brother. “Why are you now cautioning me against him?”

“I do like him, Little Bit” He explained, “He’s a great guy, but he’s not just some random guy you met on a plane with a “normal” job. He lives in the public eye, and has a very large fan base. Dating a celebrity isn’t easy. Not to mention, he seems to have commitment issues.”

“Wow” I replied, annoyed with my brother. “I admit that your concerns about him being a celebrity have some merit, only from the standpoint that you’re right, I’ve never dated anyone famous. Not that I’d call going for coffee and hanging out at the pier necessarily “dating”. I don’t even know if he is interested in me that way or if he simply wants to be friends. But you’re not in any place to talk about commitment issues, Michael. Before you met Talia you were a manwhore and said often you didn’t want to be “tied down”. Obviously, people can change and what may be true of someone when they’re younger, may not be the case as they get older.”

I got up from the table to head back into the house. I loved my brother, but he’d always been overprotective of me and never really seemed to get that I’d grown up.

“Lena,” Michael called after me, “I’m not trying to piss you off, I just want you to be careful is all. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m a big girl, Mickey.” I replied glancing back, “I don’t need you to protect me. I am capable of deciding who I am friends with and even who I date.”

“I know that, Lena” He replied, “I’m just trying to look out for you. It’s my job.”

Thankfully, Lia walked out onto the patio at that moment, having just gotten back from her meeting. I needed her to run interference with Michael and give me a chance to breathe.

“She’s not even here for a day, and you’ve already pissed her off I see.” Lia commented, eyeing us both as she sat down in the seat I had vacated. “Does it have anything to do with a certain Captain Hottie?”

“Not you too” groaned Michael, scrubbing a hand over his face in frustration, “You’re not even Team Cap!”

“No, but I’m Team Lena” Lia said, looking at Michael with a raised eyebrow, “And I like Chris. I think they could be good for one another. Now stop being an overprotective brother and tell your sister to have fun today!”

“Have fun, Little Bit.” Michael parroted his wife, “I’m still planning on grabbing stuff to grill out tonight… maybe see if Chris would like to come for dinner?”

I knew he was trying to smooth things over so I cut him some slack for now. I walked back over and gave him a hug.

“Now was that so hard?” I asked, smiling. “I can check to see if he’s available, and I’ll text you to let you know.”

“Have fun, Lena!” Lia said, winking at me. “I can’t wait to hear all about it!”

“Thanks, Lia!” I laughed, hugging her, “I’m so glad you married my brother!”

I left them on the patio and went back inside to grab a drink and head up to my room to finish getting ready.

________________________

A few minutes before noon, I arrived at the coffee shop as luck would have it found parking close by. I pulled my phone out to send Chris a quick text to let him know I’d arrived. He’d text me twenty minutes ago letting me know he was headed back towards the cafe, but that traffic was heavier than he’d anticipated.

L: (11:55am) Just got here, I’m going to head inside. No rush, please drive safe!

I headed inside not expecting a reply as he was driving. I found a quiet table in the back corner where I figured we’d be able to blend in a little more. The cafe wasn’t overly crowded, being noon, so we’d have some semblance of privacy.

My phone pinged with a new message as I sat down. I quickly pulled it out to check it.

C: (11:58am) I’m about 5 minutes away. Be there soon!

L: (11:59am) STOP TEXTING AND DRIVING CHRISTOPHER!

C: (12:01pm) Voice to text, I swear! I kinda like it when you yell at me lol.

L: (12:02 pm) You’re a meatball. You can’t see me right now, but I’m rolling my eyes at you. Just be safe. I found a table in the back corner to the left as you walk in.

L: (12:02pm) Gonna order drinks, whatcha want?

C: (12:03 pm) Hold on, walking in now!

A couple seconds later the cafe door opened up and Chris strolled in, eyes scanning the room. A smile lit up his face once he saw me and he headed back to the table I had claimed.

“That was a very accurate time estimate” I said teasingly, “5 minutes on the dot.”

“Do I lose cool points if I admit it’s what my GPS told me?” He asked, laughing.

“I’ll give it to you this time.” I said, smirking at him.

“I’ll go grab us some drinks,” He said, still smiling. “What would you like?”

“Iced mocha, please!” I requested, “Too warm for hot coffee.”

“It’s never too warm for coffee.” he said, giving me the cocked eyebrow look and failing to look stern.

While Chris went to the counter to get our drinks, I glanced at my phone and saw a missed text from Talia.

T: (12:06 pm) Don’t forget to invite Captain Hottie for dinner!

L: (12:08 pm) LMAO, does Mickey know you’re continuing with that nickname? And I will ask him…if you promise to keep my brother on a leash ;)

T: (12:08 pm) DEAL! And he knows my heart belongs to him...and Iron Man.

I laughed at my sister in law as I tucked my phone away.

“One blasphemous iced mocha for you.” Chris said, and set the drink in front of me, “One normal and perfectly perfect coffee for me.”

“Blashphemous coffee, huh?” I asked, laughing at him. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard coffee referenced in that way.”

“I mean, I just call it like I see it.” He replied, taking a sip of his coffee. “What had you laughing when I was walking back?”

“Lia text me” I said, suddenly nervous to ask him over for dinner. I didn’t want to appear over eager or assume too much about our new friendship. Of course, Chris was perceptive enough to catch the change in my voice.

“Hey,” he said smiling, “I can hear you thinking over there, everything ok?”

“Yeah” I replied, taking a deep breath. Deciding the worst that could happen would be he’d say no, I forced myself to ask him. “She was reminding me to ask ‘Captain Hottie’ over for dinner tonight. My brother is grilling.”

Chris threw his head back and grabbed his chest, laughing. It gave me a rush to know I’d accomplished making him laugh hard enough for the left boob grab twice now since meeting him. I had to laugh with him, because his laugh was actually contagious.

“There’s so much to unpack there” he said, once he got himself under control again. “First, I’d love to come to dinner, it sounds great. Second, I’m not sure how I feel about the new ‘Captain Hottie’ title… at least from your sister in law… I could be open to it from a certain new friend… and finally, were you really nervous to ask me? You’re adorable when you get nervous by the way.”

At a complete loss for words, I took a moment to collect myself and took a sip of my coffee. I wasn’t sure how to handle Chris flirting with me. Was he flirting? Ugh!

“I don’t even know what to say to any of that.” I admitted, blushing. “So, I’ll just let them know you’ll be coming to dinner.”

Chris laughed again, and winked at me as he took a drink of his coffee.

“So, how did the rest of the meeting go with my brother?” I asked, changing the subject.

“It went well, actually.” He smiled, knowing what I was doing. “It looks like I’ll be in LA most of the summer.”

“That’s great!” I exclaimed, a little too enthusiastically, “I mean, since it was a project you were wanting and all.” Smooth, Lena, not at all obvious here.

“It is great!” He agreed, “I’m very excited to do this movie, but I’m also really interested in spending some more time with this fun, gorgeous, wicked smart, and hilarious girl I met on the way out here.”

“This person sounds pretty great” I replied, melting at his words, “You’ll have to introduce us! I could use some friends to hang out with this summer. And did you seriously just use “wicked” as an adjective? You’re so Boston.”

“Alright, Miss sassy pants” he said, tossing a balled up napkin at me, “Let’s head to the pier, see what kind of trouble we can find.”

We spent several hours hanging out at Santa Monica Pier. We rode the roller coaster, ferris wheel, played a bunch of games, ate way too much junk food, and I swear, I’ve never laughed so hard in my life. I really enjoyed spending time with Chris.

After we finished exploring the pier we decided to head down and walk along the beach for a bit before we needed to head to my brother’s for dinner.

“I had a lot of fun today, Chris!” I said beaming at him. “I can’t believe I’ve never been here before.”

“It was fun seeing it as new through you,” He replied, causally reaching out to hold my hand in his as we strolled, “It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I think my nephew Miles was three the last time we were here.”

I enjoyed the feeling of his strong fingers laced through mine as we walked along the beach. I always loved being by the water, but being here with Chris made it even better. It was like we were in our own little bubble.

We walked a little further down the beach lost in each other’s company, laughing, and just enjoying the afternoon. Suddenly, Chris stopped walking, his hand squeezed mine tighter, causing me to stop walking and turn towards him.

“Everything OK?” I asked seeing that he had tensed up, a frown on his face.

“Yeah” he replied, his voice full of tension mixed with what sounded like anxiety. “We should head back.”

I wasn’t sure where the abrupt change in him came from. Had I said something wrong and upset him? I frantically went back over the conversation, not sure what could have upset him.

“Chris?” I started softly as we walked back towards the pier and his car. He had dropped my hand and was moving at a faster pace. I wasn’t even sure he’d heard me. When he didn’t reply, I decided to keep quiet and follow his pace.

It only took a few minutes to make it to the parking lot where Chris’ car was parked. He unlocked it remotely and walked over to the passenger side to open the door for me. Even now, he was a complete gentleman. I quietly got in and buckled my seatbelt waiting on him to walk around and get in on the driver’s side. I kept quiet on the way back to the cafe where my car was parked, trying to figure out what to say to him.

He pulled in next to my car and put his in park, turning to look over at me. I could see the wheels turning in his head. Deciding to let him off the hook and get out of this before my emotions got the best of me, I turned towards him and tried to paste what I thought was a genuine smile in my face.

“Thanks for today, Chris,” I said softly, not trusting my voice, “I had a lot of fun.” I quickly unbuckled the seatbelt and reached over to open the door.

“Lena” Chris jumped out of the car and quickly caught up to me. He reached out and gently grabbed my hand, turning me around. “Wait.”

“It’s OK, Chris” I reassured him, my resolve quickly leaving me, “We can hang out another time…. If you want that is. If not, I had a really great time getting to know you.”

“Lena, stop” He replied, thankfully stopping my babbling. “I had a lot of fun with you today, I like being with you. It’s easy to forget the rest of the world exists when I’m talking to you…. I just got so caught up in you, I let my guard down and forgot to be on the lookout for paparazzi. They followed us on the beach, and I’m pretty sure they got pictures of us together.”

“So, it wasn’t something I said or did that upset you?” I asked quietly, hating that I was feeling so insecure.

“Fuck no,” He replied instantly pulling me towards him and engulfing me in a hug. God, this man could hug, and he smelled amazing, even after being in the hot sun all day. “Lena, I doubt there’s anything you could say or do that would upset me. It’s just that in the past, my relationships often tanked because of the media or over-critical fans hounding whoever I was dating. It would kill me for you to be hurt by that.”

“I’m made of tougher stuff than that,” I replied, “Today’s insecurites aside, that is. I guess I just wasn’t really sure what this was, and didn’t want to assume anything. I thought we were having a great time and then after the beach I thought you wanted to get away from me as fast as humanly possible...or that you were wishing you had some of Cap’s super speed. I’m going to shut up now.”

Chris laughed and dropped his head down so that his forehead was now resting against mine, which brought me up against the solid wall of his chest again.

“This,” he started pulling away slightly to look me in my eyes, “was definitely a memorable first date. That is going to quickly be followed by our second date, which is dinner at your brother’s. Then, being as it’ll be our second date and all, I’m hoping to get to kiss you goodnight after making arrangements to meet up for our third date. I’m thinking Disneyland for that by the way. After that, I plan on continuing to date you until I eventually wear you down and you agree to be my girlfriend. How’s that for transparency?”

“I got stuck on the second date and mentions of kissing.” I smiled up at him, biting my lip, “Is that a hard rule for you… waiting for the second date? Because then I can make the argument that coffee was technically the first date then, the pier was our second and dinner tonight would be third.”

“That’s where you got hung up?” He asked laughing, “Ok, what about the rest that whole spiel?”

“Dinner, kiss, Disneyland, more dates, girlfriend, got it.” I answered, “So back to the second date thing.”

“As long as we’re on the same page.” He joked, tilting my face up towards his. He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine gently before pulling back again way too quickly.

“You’re killing me Smalls” I groaned at the teasing kiss. “You’re not playing fair.”

“Great movie!” He laughed, “I promise to make it up to you, Sweetheart. After our third date.”

“I plan to collect.” I replied smiling.

“I look forward to it.” he said then leaned in and brushed another quick kiss on my lips, “See you in a bit. Drive safe please, precious cargo and all that.”

“Ditto.” I said getting into the car. “I’m really glad I had an early morning flight to L.A.”

#chris evans fanfiction #Chris Evans

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taliatremblay · 5 years

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meanwhile the world goes on. meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers. meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again. whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination. x

SECTION 01. APPEARANCE.

A T T R A C T I V E N E S S

Talia doesn’t think of herself as unattractive, but she doesn’t think of herself as attractive either. In her eyes, she’s pretty average. She felt a bit self-conscious about her appearance in high school, of course, as puberty and post-puberty are always a tough time, but it wasn’t ever something that truly affected her life. Really, Talia sees herself as the girl-next-door. She doesn’t think she’ll ever grab someone’s attention through her looks, whether that be positively or negatively. Basically, she doesn’t think that her looks affect her life all that much. Personally, I think Molly Gordon (Talia’s faceclaim) is gorgeous, but of course, the way Talia feels about herself has nothing to do with the way I feel about her faceclaim.

H E I G H T

Talia’s 5′5″, which is just a tiny bit more than the average. Growing up, she was actually one of the tall ones, even being taller than most masculine presenting people at some points, but she stopped growing around her second year of secondary school, whereas other people her own age kept on growing taller. She’s pretty happy with her height, because although she tends to be more attracted to people who are taller than her, she doesn’t necessarily adore feeling like she’s being towered over, so yeah! Not that that’d stop her from being attracted to someone, but it’s just? Not her go to, I guess?

T A T T O O S & P I E R C I N G S

Talia’s a bit of a stick in the mud, and terrified of pain, and has therefore never even considered getting tattoos or piercings outside of the one (1) piercing she has per year that she got as a four year old. She cried and screamed super loudly then, and would probably act in a similar way now, to be honest. LOVES them on other people, though. She finds piercings and tattoos way too attractive for her own good, to be honest. She’s not going to like, be less attracted to someone who has none, but tattoos and piercings just do something for her. Maybe it’s the whole good girl being corrupted by the bad boy/girl/enby trope and what not, but yes!

G R O W I N G U P

I kind of covered this in the last few questions, so I’m honestly not really sure what to add? OH! She was legit ADORABLE as a toddler. Like, ridiculously so. And Leo, her two years old son, inherited that, to be honest.

SECTION 02. RELATIONSHIPS.

CHARLOTTE SINCLAIR ( COWORKERS )

Charlotte and Talia are both secretaries at the Maison des Marguerites, Ellingham’s nursing home, and they get along pretty well! Talia tends to like most people, and I can easily picture her enjoying Charlotte’s company! Also, she DEF was like “holy shit” the first time she saw Charlotte. Because, like, YEAH.

DAKOTA HEFNER ( FRIENDS )

The two of them met at the Maison des Marguerites, where Talia works as a secretary and where one of Dakota’s family members resides. Talia and Dakota ended up becoming friendly, and basically, Talia’s son (Leo) adores Dakota; Dakota is after all a voice actor and can do voices that simply awe tiny lil Leo.

ELIJAH WINTERS + 4 MORE ( GROUP OF FRIENDS )

They’ve been friends since high school, and are still a tight-knit group of friends to this day. With elijah, Talia’s a bit more of the mom friend™, but with the others, that’ll depend on who plays the other characters! I’ll probably make a group chat once all of them are taken to make things easier!

MIA FISHER ( FOUND FAMILY )

They’re both bookworms, and Talia always went to Mia’s bookstore a lot, but after Leo was born, she started asking for recommendations for picture books, and the two started getting closer. Nowadays, they often hang out together in the store and chat whilst Leo plays behind the counter. It’s like, the cutest thing.

NOAH ANDERSON ( REGULAR HOOKUP )

This connection is pretty much exactly as is advertised, to be honest! The two regularly hook-up, because, although Talia may have a child, she does still want fun and what not, so yes! They keep it on the down-low, though, because Noah doesn’t want his parents to find out, and Talia is generally quite a secretive person.

VERONICA “RONNY” JACOBSON ( FRIENDS )

Currently plotting this out with Amanda! Will therefore be updated sometimes soon!

???????? ???????? ( BIG SISTER FIGURE )

I REMEMBER plotting this out with someone, but I don’t remember who it is because I have the memory of a goldfish cracker, so if it was you, please please please message me to let me know because I feel super bad and am seriously sorry, and would love to plot more with you!

SECTION 03. PERSONALITY TYPES.

49 ARCHETYPES: The Authentic (Approachable, Dependable, Trustworthy).

ALIGNMENT: Neutral Good.

ENNEAGRAM: Type 9, The Peacemaker.

MBTI: INFP, The Mediator.

SOUL TYPE: Helper.

INTELLIGENCE TYPE: Interpersonal.

BIG FIVE: Agreeableness.

TEMPERAMENT: The Phlegmatic.

ZODIAC: Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon & Sagittarius Rising.

#ellingham:task01 #( task. )#( character development. )

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monstersmutpeddler · 3 years

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Mating the Huntress: A Halloween Romance (Monsters and Mates Book 1)

By Talia Hibbert

Monster Scale

Level 02: Mostly Human But Minor Differences

He’s a werewolf!

My Overall Rating For The Book

“I Bought The Series And Want Them Signed Please Holy Shit”

This book is so much fun to read, the dynamic between these two love birds is absolutely hysterical.

Overly Simplified Summary

Luke has found his fated mate! Too bad she’s a monster hunter out to kill him.

If you’re looking for a short shifter werewolf romance that is light, steamy and takes place during Halloween, this book is for you!

Keep reading for ‘This Book Has Everything’ and possible Trigger Warnings.

This Book Series Has Everything

[x] Big buff love interest

[x] Soul mates or fated mates

[x] Miscommunication happens between leads at some point

She thinks he’s an evil werewolf out to kill innocent people. He’s not, he’s just a lovable dork.

[x] Smut first plot second

[x] Straight

[x] Main character gets chased in the woods by the love interest at some point

[x] Love interest has to fight hard to win the love interests heart

[x] Holiday season vibes

Halloween!

[x] Enemies to lovers

[x] Love interest is an absolute cinnamon roll

[x] Lead or love interest gets injured and the lead or love interests drop everything to take care of them

[x] Happy Ending Guaranteed

[x] Super scary/dangerous but very gentle and sweet with the one they love

Here’s a link where you can read/buy the book!

#werewolf #Big buff love interest #Soul mates or fated mates #Miscommunication happens between leads at some point #Smut first plot second #Straight #Main character gets chased in the woods by the love interest at some point #Love interest has to fight hard to win the love interests heart #Holiday season vibes #Enemies to lovers #Love interest is an absolute cinnamon roll #Lead or love interest gets injured and the lead or love interests drop everything to take care of them #Happy Ending Guaranteed #Super scary/dangerous but very gentle and sweet with the one they love

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kazz-brekker · 3 years

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I posted 3,591 times in 2021

197 posts created (5%)

3394 posts reblogged (95%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 17.2 posts.

I added 5,257 tags in 2021

#q - 1974 posts

#fanart - 853 posts

#marvel comics - 562 posts

#xmen - 497 posts

#books - 350 posts

#asoiaf - 248 posts

#tma - 243 posts

#pie says stuff - 206 posts

#this amuses me - 166 posts

#shadow and bone - 158 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#i've been anticipating this movie for like 6 years and i was just thinking about how excited i was that it was finally coming out next year

My Top Posts in 2021

if feyd-rautha harkonnen is supposed to be a villain then how come he was introduced in the deeply relatable situation of “teenager desperately wants to leave room where the adults are arguing about something he doesn’t care about but isn’t able to because that would be rude” huh? explain that to me?

94 notes • Posted 2021-10-27 02:19:36 GMT

Regressing back into my X-Men phase has caused me to realize that I, too, would also like to be an incredibly powerful mutant who does things purely for the Aesthetic™

115 notes • Posted 2021-03-03 21:11:47 GMT

i am so glad that the wheel of time understands that the best ship dynamic is “hot people threaten each other with knives, then begin an uneasy alliance and develop sense of mutual respect for each other”

119 notes • Posted 2021-11-28 23:30:00 GMT

tired: jason and talia sleep together during red hood: the lost days

wired: talia makes jason babysit damian in between his murder apprenticeships

151 notes • Posted 2021-09-22 01:04:14 GMT

john gaius has many reasons for not being valid (exhibit a: the whole fascism thing, exhibit b: the whole cult thing, exhibit c: you get the idea) HOWEVER one thing about him that i do think is valid and i will defend to my dying day is his constant use of memes because if i, personally, was to be made into an immortal god-emperor necromancer at this exact second i guarantee that in 10,000 years i would probably be much more likely to be quoting none pizza with left beef than the classic literature that every other character in far-future space opera books seems to remember

175 notes • Posted 2021-10-01 18:26:14 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #wow i all of my top posts are about books and comics who EVER could have guessed that?!

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editorofeverything · 3 years

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I posted 4,661 times in 2021

10 posts created (0%)

4651 posts reblogged (100%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 465.1 posts.

I added 24 tags in 2021

#daminette - 4 posts

#marinette deserves better - 3 posts

#guardian marinette - 3 posts

#damian wayne - 2 posts

#marinette dupain cheng - 2 posts

#alfred pennyworth - 2 posts

#miraculous ladybug - 2 posts

#marinette x damian - 2 posts

#...ok i’m done now - 2 posts

#writing is hard - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 103 characters

#four times marinette got teleported to where she would be safest and the one time she was already there

My Top Posts in 2021

Anyone have any advice on how to avoid plot phobia? It’s what always gets me in the end... I’ve decided that I’m going to announce that I’m finishing up the next part of my daminette fic today so I won’t make a liar of myself and just do it.

7 notes • Posted 2021-01-05 20:35:39 GMT

Four Times the Ladybug magic teleported Marinette to where she would be safest, and the one time she was already there

Sooooooo, chapter four is a MONSTER (at least by my standards) so I’ll just be linking the AO3 chapter here! Have fun!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27270427/chapters/73560921

Tag List: @starlightshield, @nickristus-dreamer, @liquid-luck-00, @chocolatecatstheron, @kuroko26

47 notes • Posted 2021-03-07 02:34:21 GMT

Daminette draft

Here’s a cute draft I’ve had for like two years now that I don’t think I’ll ever finish but still want to share <3 I know this was inspired from other fics I read at the time, but I have no idea what they could’ve been after so long, so the premise is definitely similar to ones I’ve read with my own spin on it. Heavy dialogue warning.

A little bit of my world building summary since I was too lazy to write it out at the time:

Sabine Cheng was a part of the League of Assassins and fell in love with Tom Dupain when she had her first mission in Paris. She couldn’t complete the job and ran away from the League to be with him and be normal. She got caught and had just had a baby girl. The League demanded the baby go to them in exchange for Sabine’s freedom, but her and Tom already had planned for it. Sabine agreed to go with Marinette and Tom would start setting up bakery chains throughout the world as a front for Sabine to eventually escape with Marinette through. Things don’t go quite according to plan as the League got in a war with the Order of the Guardians over the use of the Miraculous. To settle to war, Marinette was used as a bridge between them. She would train as the next guardian as well as a member of the League. Eventually, with the rocky relationship with the League and the Order, Marinette was named the Guardian of the Miraculous and the Bride of Damian al Ghul.

Once they were both old enough, they began training together and soon became inseparable. It was clear to both sides that they were only loyal to each other, and the rest of them could burn for all the two kids cared about. They were used against each other to keep them in line, so when one made a mistake, the other would get hurt. When they were both 10, they planned a coup to take down both of the clans. Marinette went to the Order’s Temple in order to steal her Miraculous and expected to either fight her mother or have her join her. It all went awry when Damian’s mother, Talia, found Marinette attempting to steal the Miraculous box to run away with. Damian defeated most of the League and demanded the loyalty of the rest, which he succeeded. He expected to find his mother waiting for him, but she was nowhere to be found. Sabine came to the League with the news that Talia and Marinette fought leading to the Temple being destroyed and no survivors were ever found. Sabine and Damian mourned Marinette together before Damian relinquished his position as the head of the League over to Sabine and she guided him to his father, Bruce Wayne.

None of the Wayne family knew what to do when a 10 year old child showed up, proud and rude, yet obviously needing a home. In this AU, most of the Batfam are on good terms. Bruce, Alfred, Dick, Jason, Todd, Barbra, Kor’i, Mar’i, Cassandra, etc. This includes the Justice League members like Wonder Woman, Superman and his fam, and etc. They all visit very often to the suspicion of the public.

When Damian shows up, he’s a danger to anyone who tried to talk to him. He doesn’t open up about what happened to his mother or the League. All he tells Bruce is that the League is under new leaders who allowed him to defect without punishment and that he didn’t want to go back or kill anyone anymore. They accept him into the family as he is and never asks for him to change, despite how he comes across. He does end up making friends with Jon at Gotham Academy and with his help he learns how to open up more and gets closer to everyone. He never opens up about what happened and never mentions Marinette until Sabine shows up one day looking wrecked.

She sneaks into Damian’s room where Jon is sleeping over and causes a huge fight to break out between the three of them. Damian finally recognizes her and gets everyone to calm down.

“Sabine.”

“Damian. I see you took my advice.”

“Why are you here, Sabine?”

“Marinette’s alive.” Damian sucked in a breath.

“What?”

“I know how it sounds. It’s been years and-”

“You’re the one who told me she was dead, Sabine,” Damian’s voice was simultaneously harsh and vulnerable. “How could she be alive? It’s been five years. We checked the Temple. There was no one left.”

“And yet I saw footage of my daughter fighting a League member today. She incapacitated them before disappearing.” Sabine projected footage of a petite girl getting grabbed by the shoulder by a large man. In three moves, she had him pinned down and knocked out before he could move against her. Damian couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was wearing a scarf wrapped around her head, but she seemed to know exactly where the camera recording her was as she looked right into the lens and Damian stared at the bluebell eyes he could never forget.

“It is her,” Damian whispered, touching the screen in front of him gently. The footage went on to show her disappear off frame and Sabine started to fast forward it.

“There’s more, Damian.” Sabine placed her hand on his arm gently. “With Marinette’s appearance… came another. I tasked agents to track her down, but someone found them first.” The video played again, footage captured seven hours afterwards. Three League members were shown checking the alley Marinette left when someone emerged from the shadows. She was fast and precise as she killed the men before going the direction Marinette went. A few seconds later, the camera was hit with something and went out.

“Mother.”

“That was Talia?” Dick asked, looking at Damian, though the boy couldn’t take his eyes away from the screen where the footage was replaying. He paused it at the point that Marinette looked pointedly at the camera. Five years had changed her too. She had lost the last of her baby fat and her skin was pale with freckles speckled across her nose and cheeks. Her hair was still a beautiful black that caught blue in the light.

Damian replayed the portion of the video with Marinette in it, staring intently at the screen.

“Where was this captured?”

“An old Order base in California. But first, Damian.” Sabine brought him to stand in front of her and gripped his chin tightly. The room tensed and Damian held up a hand to them to not interfere. He knew where this was going.

“You’re going to tell me if you knew about her all this time. Because if you knew my daughter was alive this whole time without telling me…” Sabine trailed off and Damian dug his nails into her arm at the threat.

“I didn’t know,” he said evenly, looking into her eyes. “And if I did? If she came to me and not you, I wouldn’t tell you anyways.”

“If you keep my daughter from me-”

“Marinette makes her own choice. She always has. If she never came to you, it was because she didn’t want to, Sabine. I can’t imagine there’s much affection between you after you nearly got her killed.”

“Me? You’re the child that staged a coup to overthrow the two oldest clans in existence and for what? So you two could run away together and do whatever you wanted? Was it worth it, Damian, to destroy everything you are and everything you had for your own selfish gain?”

“First of all, if Marinette and I wanted to be together, we would’ve just stayed under the thumb of the Order and the League. You don’t think we picked up on the obvious truce you held with the intention of marrying us to tie it all together? I would’ve become the head of the League and Marinette was already the Guardian of the Miraculous. We could’ve taken over everything if that’s what we were planning. Second of all, the only one who had access to the Order was you. You don’t think I realized the reason my mother caught Marinette and destroyed the Temple was because you let her in? Lastly, the coup was Marinette’s idea. I was following her orders, and I will again if she asks me to.”

“You're still the same child as when you left,” Sabine hissed, pushing him away from her finally. “Claiming loyalty to only each other and not caring about the consequences. Why do you think Talia is still after Marinette after all these years? We thought she was dead too until today. Why do you think they’ve come out of hiding now?”

Damian was turning sixteen. In the League, members must complete a rite of passage when they turn sixteen to prove their loyalty to the League above all others. He knew he would fail when he was ten years old, and he knew he would fail now if he was still in the League. His loyalty now and always was to Marinette, and now, his new family. The League meant nothing to him. It only served as bad memories and the reason he was missing his heart since he was still a child.

They must not know he defected. If his mother was chasing Marinette after the Temple was destroyed, it was because she had something. Something that protected her all these years and let her escape from the Temple as it was destroyed.

Damian froze and looked at Sabine, who looked just as upset as he did. “Marinette is the last Guardian. She is the sole carrier of the last of the Miraculous. Talia won’t stop hunting her until she has them all in the possession of the League. And when Talia finds out you’re defected, essentially a traitor? Who do you think she’ll go after for that? It will be mine and Marinette’s blood on your hands, all because you couldn’t follow orders.”

“Do you know what the League asks us to do during a Rite? How we pledge our loyalty?” Sabine narrowed her eyes. “When a League member turns sixteen, their Rite is to complete a series of tests ending with the murder of those closest to us. They don’t care if it’s another member or a civilian. Do you know who would’ve been at the end of my Rite?”

“Is this- This is why you threw your coup? Because of a Rite you would have six years later? How do you know things wouldn’t have changed by then?”

“We were going to wait until after we were married to deal with the Rite. We knew you were planning on completing our ritual when we turned fourteen. We thought that would be enough to give her immunity during the Rite, but then new information came to light and we had to act accordingly.”

“What information?” Bruce finally stepped forward, standing by his son’s side, but never taking his eyes from Sabine’s.

“The League and the Order were planning on betraying each other within the year. The League viewed Marinette as a means for the Order to keep their new leader under control and viewed me as weak for allowing her to. The Order thought having the daughter of a former League assassin who was to be married to the next leader was a blight in their sacred duty. Everyone was planning on killing us. We both just turned ten years old,” he said softly to Bruce and the others who looked ready to set fire to the world. “We didn’t know about the plans to kill us until it was nearly too late, so we went with the first plan we came up with. Marinette had just been named the Guardian of the Miracle Box. It contained immense power and was a sign of peace between the two clans for her to have it at the League.

“Marinette could come and go from the Temple of the Guardians and the League freely. She went to retrieve her Miraculous Box and incapacitate the Guardians while I took care of the League. We split up and, after I finished my end of the plan, I waited for her to return for three days. By then, I knew something had gone wrong and planned to go out and was prepared to either find her in the Guardian’s prison, or whatever was left of her to bury. Sabine came to me before I had a chance to investigate and told me that the Guardian’s Temple was destroyed and there were no survivors. We mourned her, and Sabine told me that Bruce was my father and if I wished to defect and live here, she would back me up. I renounced my title and named Sabine the Leagues leader in my place and came here.”

“So why is Talia after Marinette still, after all these years? She was in hiding for so long, wouldn’t they think the other was dead?”

“Not if Marinette used one the the Miraculous to escape, and Talia somehow followed her by the same means, or just got very lucky. Now that Damian is to turn sixteen, he would be preparing for his Rite soon. It’s almost certain Marinette came out of hiding to protect him.”

“Need I remind you that the reason Marinette joined the League at all is because you sold her to them.”

“I did what I had to in order to protect my family. That’s more than I can say for you, little boy. You destroyed yours.”

“That’s enough,” Bruce finally spoke up, separating them and pulling Damian to his side again. “Sabine, if all you’ve come for is to inform and accuse my son about your daughter’s whereabouts, I believe you’ve succeeded. She was last in California, so I suggest you should start there if you’re really concerned about her. Otherwise, I believe you’ve outstayed your welcome.”

Sabine took one more long look at Damian. “I knew the second your grandfather named you his successor, you wouldn’t be any good for my daughter. I’ve already lost her once on your behalf, Damian. She’s always deserved better than you.”

“Get out,” Jason growled at her intently while Dick and Barbra backed him up. Damian appreciated the gesture, but Sabine’s opinion was not something that he held highly. If Marinette truly felt that way about him, then she was honest enough she would tell him herself. Until then, he would do everything in his power to protect her from his mother.

After Sabine left, the others continued to watch Damian carefully over the next few days, even though he seemed normal, just deep in thought and even less interactive than before.

“Son... “ Bruce started one day, and Damian looked up expectantly.

“What is it, Father?”

“About Marinette… Why haven’t you gone after her? We’re here if you ever need backup, Damian, and if she means that much to you, then we want to be prepared to act on it sooner rather than later.”

“Hmm… It seems there’s been a miscommunication, Father. I will not be going after Marinette. She can take care of herself, and any interruption from myself or others could cause more harm to her than help. She knows what she’s doing, and she already has a plan in place.”

“How do you know?”

“She revealed herself to that camera in California on purpose. She looked right at it, and made herself known after five years. She obviously has a plan in place. If I were to guess, it could be a means of drawing my mother out of hiding as well and allowing Marinette to be more open than she has been. I won’t claim to know anything substantial about her planning, though. She’s far more advanced in the art of forethought than I am. I’ve never been able to beat her in chess. What we see and believe to be her move is usually three moves behind where she actually is. It’s how she’s evaded my mother for so long, and it’s why I’m not concerned about finding where she’s going because she’s most likely already there.”

“Umm, dude? Isn’t your wife like our age?” Garfield asked, earning an eye roll from Raven and Starfire. “What? It’s a fair observation! Talia is Damian’s mother and a part of the deadliest organization in the world! Sorry if I find it scary that Damian’s wife has managed to avoid her for so long.”

“First of all, she’s not my wife. We never intended to marry each other and haven’t seen each other for five years. Not to mention the part where I thought she was dead all this time. I was trained by the world’s most lethal assassins. Marinette was raised the same and was bestowed upon the power of the Miraculous, which could very well destroy the known world. She’s twice as deadly as I am, and has to be twice as prepared to protect herself.”

“I wonder where she’s going?”

“That’s an easy answer. Here.”

“What? Your badass, death defying- Talia defying- girlfriend is coming here?”

“When?”

“Like I said, not my girlfriend. Also like I said, I don’t claim to know her plans. All I know is that she intentionally revealed herself and indirectly revealed my mother hunting her down. I don’t know what she’s planning or where she’s going, but she will eventually find me again.”

“Thought you weren’t married,” Cyborg teased.

“Sounds like you're pretty smitten to me,” Raven added, giving Robin a rare smile. “I, for one, can’t wait to meet this mysterious girl of yours, Robin. I’m curious what she’s like if you’re so loyal to her after all these years.”

“You’ll likely have your chance. Father brought up an excellent point earlier. We should tell the others that Marinette will likely find her way to Gotham in the near future. We should all be prepared for anything.”

“But why will she come for you if she’s being hunted by your mother?” Kor’i asked.

“Because if anyone’s getting rid of my mother, it will be me. I trust Marinette to know that will likely be our endgame. Talia has tormented us for long enough. If it comes down to it, if she threatens our family, I will end her.” He looked directly at Bruce while he said it and the room turned cold at the sudden turn of the conversation.

“You know I don’t condone killing, Damian. But if Talia comes here and tries to take you away from us or threatens our family, none of us will rest until she is gone.”

“Thank you, Father.”

A loud crash woke the manor one night. Everyone was armed and tense as they investigated the noise. There was a figure covered by a silk hood lying facedown on the broken glass coffee table. There was no obvious entrance she could have fallen through. No hole in the ceiling, no windows open or broken, and no other structural damage.

Damian and Dick raced in last, just coming back from patrol when they heard the others awake and on guard. They come up still in their uniforms when they arrive to see Bruce roll the mysterious person over and pull away their hood. Damian gasped and rushed forward.

“Is that…?”

“Marinette,” he whispered, seemingly to himself and the girl. She looked like she just got out of a fight as there was blood smeared on her cheek and clothes. Her nose was bleeding and there were rips in her hood.

“We should get her to the infirmary. What do you think, Damian?”

“Yes. I’ll bring her down.”

Marinette is kicking Garfield’s ass in chess while the three of them talk and Marinette reveals her strategy.

“Damian and I were raised around each other. Where one of us has a weakness, the other has a strength to balance each other out. When Damian learned to be King, I learned how to be his Queen. When he learned how to reveal his enemies, I learned how to bring them down. And when he is the judge and jury…” Marinette cleared the board with a flourish and smiled when Garfield looked up in awe and fear. “I am the executioner.”

“Except that’s all pointless now that we’re both defected,” Damian pointed out while Marinette let out a startled laugh.

“Technically, you’re the only one who’s defected. I was just dead for a while, and I’m sure your mother has made me a traitor now that we’re revealed. I still have my oaths, since I had no one to renounce them to.”

“Would you? Renounce them?”

“I haven’t really thought about it,” Marinette said airily and helped Garfield reset the board.

“It seems the two of us are just as bad at lying to each other as before.”

“Despite not being married, I totally feel like I’m in the middle of the big fight right before a couple gets a divorce.”

“Ah, he can’t get rid of me that easily. Destiny has crossed our paths…”

“And we shall walk it with no fear.”

“Together.”

“Oh, so now you’re married right? That was some serious vows right there. I think I can hear the bells.”

“Another round?”

“I know I’m going to get my ass kicked, but it is totally worth it, my dudes.”

Damian watched as Marinette watched the board with a spark of intrigue and intelligence that shone through her eyes. Damian hated to admit his agreement with Garfield.

Whatever would come their way, no matter how fate had crossed their paths, it would be worth it indeed.

74 notes • Posted 2021-10-24 22:23:38 GMT

Four Times Marinette teleported to where she would be safest, and the one time she was already there—Part Three

Okay, so, obviously being out of school didn’t help me finish this at all. I discovered recently that I have a phobia to plots which kept me from finishing this earlier. I had originally planned this series out to be one shots that sort of went together, with little plot besides the daminette aspect to it. This, however, is plot heavy. So. Much. Plot. SO many details to keep track of throughout each chapter… My anxiety said “How about no?” But! I am back! And more determined than ever to finish! Just two (I think?) more chapters after this one! And they’re mostly written already! Hooray! I hope you like it!

I think this may read a little clunky and seem to jump around a lot, but there is a reason for everything, I promise! A lot to unpack in this chapter. Lots of emotions to work through and decisions to be made.

Without further ado:

First - Last - AO3 - Next

A month passed since the start of Marinette having the Wayne’s on her side.

Three akumas passed with ease in the time, leading to their monitoring the situation, but not really needing to assist. Her parents were ecstatic that Marinette had an internship at such a prominent company and they noticed how much effort she put into everything she did. They had concerns about Marinette slipping in school or taking on too much like she had in the past, but after a long conversation about priorities and responsibilities, Marinette stepped down as class president and her parents decided to hire a temp so Marinette wouldn’t have to step in all the time.

She and her parents started having family nights every Sunday where they either bake, play video games, or watch movies. Their trust in Marinette was slowly starting to be restored, and Marinette loved being able to not lie outlandishly to her parents all the time. Even though she was still technically lying, Marinette felt better telling her parents she had internship stuff to do, and then following through.

The first few weeks were bumpy, jumping from disappearing during an akuma attack to going to her internship, but learning about business and how to market her brand… it was like being paid to do what she loved.

Along with getting used to her internship, Marinette also started feeling more comfortable leaning on the Wayne’s for support, whether it just be to talk or when she was struggling.

Like a few days ago when Lila had ruined Marinette’s newly made sundress by “accidentally” spilling paints all over Marinette’s desk. Lila had immediately started sobbing through an apology, trying to rub out the paints which only ruined the expensive, sensitive fabric more.

Marinette had broken down, knowing there wasn’t anything she could do for the fabric and ran home. Unluckily for her, the Wayne’s had been monitoring the school more closely and Tim had just happened upon the footage of Lila very purposefully grabbing a pallet of paint and “tripping” onto Marinette.

A video call from Dick and Tim calmed her down and gave her some advice about being more aware of her surroundings and how to take care of her things so that people don’t find them or get them away from her easily. Jason also had some choice words of advice about how to get out of fights even if she started one, making her laugh.

She had went back to school the next day with her head held high and ignored everyone’s attempts at justifying Lila’s behavior and villainizing Marinette’s. Marinette thought long and hard that day about her friends in the class, and, after Damian’s prompting, decided that “taking the high road” wasn’t in her best interest, no matter how selfish she felt putting herself before her friends and classmates.

Which lead her to where she was, pulling Adrien aside after class when she knew he had some free time and even looked grateful that she pulled him away from Lila.

“We need to talk,” was all she said, and he followed her all the way to the bakery and up to her room silently.

After they sat in silence for a moment, Marinette to gather her thoughts and Adrien to admire her new setup—She had taken all of his photos and other crush memorabilia she had out, and painted her room a lavender color with white and gold accents. More sophisticated and mature, Damian had said with what she would take as pride after she facetimed him the first time since she redid it.—Marinette turned towards Adrien and tried to prepare herself for whatever outcome could come her way.

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

“Adrien, I need to tell you something, and I need you to let me talk until I’m done.” At his concerning frown and hesitant nod, Marinette straightened up and looked him right in the eyes, trying to channel the Wayne’s confidence and all the advice they had given her up until that point. “I won’t stay silent about Lila anymore. You said that what she’s doing isn’t hurting anyone, but you’re wrong. As you friend, I was hoping you would give me the chance to prove it to you. Otherwise…” Marinette swallowed, and clenched her fists. “Otherwise, I don’t think I can be friends with you or the rest of the class anymore.”

The alarm and hurt on Adrien’s face both wounded and relieved her. At least he genuinely cared for her. She wasn’t really sure about any of her friends in the class anymore.

“Marinette-” he cut himself off and took a shaky breath. “I’ll listen. Of course I’ll listen to you, Marinette. I… You were one of the first friends I made here… I don’t want to lose you over her.” His voice was so soft and emotional, and Marinette grabbed his hands in hers and pulled him closer to her.

“I’m sorry to make such an ultimatum. You know I’d never do anything to hurt you, right?” He nodded instantly and Marinette sighed. And then she told him everything. How Lila’s lies to their classmates could hurt them in the long run, how she keeps purposefully causing akuma attacks, and, finally, how Lila was obviously attacking both Adrien and Marinette.

“She’s bullying me, Adrien, and she’s harassing you,” Marinette said bluntly, if a little stern. If she was channeling Damian a bit there, no one else needed to know except for Tikki who was bursting with pride at her Lady Guardian. “I understand that you were homeschooled and that your father is really strict, but this can’t keep going on. The people around you who truly love and care about you should never stand by when you’re obviously getting uncomfortable or hurt.” Adrien was pale, and he looked as stricken as she felt, but she powered on.

“Badmouthing me to everyone who will listen, where I can hear her while she knows I promised you I wouldn’t do anything about it… she’s been hurting me since she threatened me when she first got here and I tried to expose her. I won’t let her hurt you or me anymore. Have you ever wanted her by your side? Hugging you? Trying to convince the class that you should be dating? Coupling up with you at every chance?” Marinette tried not to cringe at how she could relate to some of the words she was spouting. Between her, Lila, and Chloe, there was a good chance Adrien would never know what proper courting and dating behavior should be if she didn’t get through to him. “If she wasn’t working for your father, if she wasn’t lying about everything convincingly, she would’ve been removed from our class, maybe even our school, by now. No one would put up with her and they would be supporting us more. Now, it’s more complicated, because the class truly believes her every word, and we’ve been too complicit, but I would rather stand against her and take whatever consequences come with that than stand aside and let the people that I once cared about and called my friends be used and abused by a faker. I need to look out for myself from now on. I feel selfish, but I can’t keep babysitting the entire class to make sure Lila’s lies don’t hurt them permanently and stay sane. It’s part of the reason I stepped down as class president, and part of the reason I can’t keep staying friends with people who won’t have my back when I need them.”

Marinette tried to calm her breathing and watched Adrien’s face wearily for any signs that he would brush her aside or take Lila’s side. She didn’t want to lose him, didn’t want to lose any of them, but she wouldn’t keep drowning herself to make sure everyone else stayed afloat.

“…I… I am so sorry, Marinette,” he finally said, pulling her into a surprise hug. She could hear the thickness in his voice and felt her eyes fill with tears in response as she held him tightly. “I never thought that… No, I knew that what Lila was doing was wrong, but I thought everything would work itself out.” Adrien pulled away from their hug, but kept her hands in his, giving them a squeeze and a wobbly smile. “My father wants me to keep Lila happy… but I’m not happy anymore,” he admitted, avoiding her eyes, where she had begun to cry in earnest. “I haven’t been for a long time. What you��re saying now… I know it’s true. I’ve thought it before, but I just wanted everything to go back to the way it was before. Even though I wasn’t willing to put in the effort to get there. I let Lila hurt you and your reputation—your entire relationship with the rest of the class—just to make my father happy, even though he’s allowed Lila to—to harass me like you said. I think you’re right. Maybe it’s time we be more selfish.”

Marinette pulled him into a hug again and they cried together until Nathalie called demanding that he come home for practice. Adrien and Marinette were pilled on her bed, watching a movie and Adrien gave her a mischievous grin.

“Maybe being more selfish can start with staying with you a little while longer?” He asked gingerly and Marinette smiled at him.

“Maybe we can start with you staying the night. You ever had a sleepover before?” Adrien shut off his phone excitedly and threw it across the room.

“You have to teach me everything about sleepovers!”

Having Adrian by her side was something Marinette never really knew she needed in her life. She always wanted him by her side, but not like this. Not like she truly needed him. Not like how he needed her. And no matter what thirteen year old Marinette might’ve thought, Marinette wouldn’t trade the love and friendship she had with Adrien for anything else, and she really believed that she would never have to.

They didn’t do much anything differently in class, though Nino and Lila seemed to know something had changed between them. Maybe it was how they seemed to both disappear together after school all the time, ignoring invites to after class activities… Or maybe it was how one of them would sneakily intervene whenever Lila would corner the other. The rest of the class didn’t want to cause a fuss, so they turned away whenever the three of them would get into it, which Marinette actually appreciated.

She could fight her own battles now, and so could Adrien as he became more and more outspoken towards Lila’s drama, but fighting the people she once cherished as her closest friends… it was something that she was most afraid of.

Almost a week of no akuma attacks and peace throughout Paris led to Ladybug taking to the rooftops. The sky was clear and the stars seemed to glow as bright as the lights on the Eiffel Tower, and Marinette was able to actually look around and appreciate her surrounding for the first time in a long time. The way the Seine glowed at night; the people milling around the streets; the sounds of music drifting through the light wind kissing her cheeks. Marinette felt… bright. Her heart was light and she would bet the world that her soul was taking on a pinkish hue, beating with her heart in time to the sweet piano still playing somewhere.

She ended up, as always, at the top of the Tower, looking out over her city. Seeing her school, her parents’ bakery, Andre’s ice cream stall… it had been a long time since she could look at these places and the first thought of them be ‘home.’ She closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the music once more.

A noise came from behind her, though she didn’t bother moving from her spot. She had taken to lying down, her legs swinging over the edge of the platform, staring at the sky.

“…My Lady?” Chat’s soft voice drifted around her and she smiled at him upside down. His soul seemed to be lighter than it had been and Marinette couldn’t help but smile at the soothing dance their souls took on as they slowly intertwined with each other.

“Hi, Chaton. Wanna come look at the stars with me?” She asked, returning her gaze to the night sky.

“Oh, um… of course, My Lady.” Chat walked over to her and sat down, though he didn’t lie next to her. Something was obviously on his mind, but Marinette didn’t ask. She would wait for him to speak, if he wanted to. And if he didn’t want to talk, they could gaze at the stars together and she would let him know she’s there for him.

After a little while, the piano stopped playing. The wind died down and there was less chatter on the streets. Marinette took a breath and sat up, pulling herself around to look at her partner. He was lost in thought, gazing out at their city.

“Chaton…” Marinette started, gazing at him warmly. She had thought about this a lot over the past month, and Tikki and the Waynes seemed to think it would be in their best interest, but there was still something holding her back.

“Ladybug,” Chat said, turning to her and the look in his eyes was determined, and Marinette was hit with a wave of unease, though she cursed herself for it. Chaton meant well, and he was her partner. She shouldn’t feel so uneasy around him just because she knew he had feelings for her. “Ladybug, I need to say something to you and I need you to listen to me, and I need you to listen until I’m done. Please. I—I need to apologize to you.”

Marinette froze. “…What?” She breathed out, confused and dazed and… hopeful? She shook her head. She would unpack all of those emotions later. “Whatever for, Chaton?”

Chat Noir straightened up, took a breath, and look her right in the eyes. She saw it then. The sadness, the fear, and the resolution there.

“A good friend of mine recently showed me signs of… harassment. Before, I just thought… I thought everything was fine no matter how uncomfortable I was… How upset I was the longer it went on and when my friend helped me out… I realized I acted the same way with you. You kept telling me over and over again that you didn’t want to reveal our identities. You told me over and over how you didn’t love me back, but I kept pestering you about my feelings and what I wanted. I—I’m so sorry, My Lady. I never should have ignored what you said about how you felt, or got upset when you told me the truth. I’ve realized that… The truth, no matter how upsetting, is always better than lying, and you’ve never lied to me, My Lady. I hope you can forgive me for pressuring you so much. I swear I’ll be better from now on and be the partner you deserve… if you still want me to be.”

Marinette felt frozen. There was no way… Was he really…? Marinette shook herself and sucked in a breath at sudden wobbling of her Chaton’s lips the longer her silence went on.

“Oh, Chaton,” she cried out, pulling him into a hug and holding on as tight as she could as his shoulders shook. “Of course I forgive you. You’re my partner, Chat. No one can replace you. Thank you for apologizing. I… We’ve been through a lot and… I’m not going to say it’s okay, making me uncomfortable and not listening to me, but I do believe you. I know how it feels to want to be with someone and everything else falls away. I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t forgive you.”

After a few moments of holding on tight, Chat pulled away and looked her in the eyes. “Thank you, My Lady.”

Marinette knew right then. She knew deep in her soul that she wanted her Chaton to know who she was out of the mask. She knew she could count on him and trust him, and she knew that he felt the same. Their souls swirled together like a storm and she rested her head against his.

“I do love you, Chaton.” She watched as his tearful smile and sweet green eyes met hers warmly.

“I love you too, My Lady.”

With Adrien by her side during school, Chaton by her side during akuma attacks, and the Wayne’s with her every day, Marinette knew she was stronger than ever before. Her heart, mind, and soul were finally at peace, and working together versus being constantly at war was liberating. No matter what Lila did, Marinette honestly couldn’t be bothered anymore. She still called Lila out for lying and harassing Adrien, but she could no longer care about the rest of the class’s reaction or Lila starting something every day. Marinette learned how to walk away when the fight wasn’t worth her time.

If a certain green eyed, aloof Wayne came to her mind more and more often as she chose her battles, bringing her a type of strength she never knew she could have… well, no one needed to know that.

Adrien knew about the Wayne’s and they were aware of him, but both parties didn’t seem interested in knowing more about the other as long as they both supported Marinette. Chaton also knew Ladybug had been in contact with The Batman and his team, leading to an amusing freak out session when she announced that they’d be in contact with them in the next akuma attack.

Except it didn’t quite go as well as Marinette was hoping.

It wasn’t easy focusing on the akuma in front of her while forming her own plan and listening to Tim, Damian, Alfred, and Bruce making comments and giving their own opinions on the fight in her ear.

They just barely manage to defeat the akuma, and Marinette heard hers and Chat’s miraculous timer beep their third warning.

“My Lady?” Chat mumbled, keeping one hand on his side and Marinette tried to keep her balance with Chat’s added weight on her bruised ribs. The timing of her Miraculous Ladybug and a sudden explosion… was unfortunate, leading her and Chat trying to protect the nearby civilians and damn near getting blown up if she hadn’t pulled a car in front of them at the last second.

Yay for not getting blown up, but still ouch for being squished between a wall and the car.

Lady Luck didn’t seem to be on her side still as more civilians took to the street, demanding to know why Ladybug’s magic didn’t protect them from the bomb. How could their heroes not stop the bomb from going off sooner? Why were they running away instead of cleaning up the mess they made?

Marinette tripped as the fourth beep sounded off, and she barely managed to prevent herself and Chat from collapsing to the ground. There were still people close by and they would surely notice the appearance of two injured teens in place of their missing heroes.

Marinette couldn’t focus. Her hear hurt so bad, and the static in her ear from the earpiece that cut out with the explosion was deafening and she was getting dizzy and Chat was getting heavier and the voices were getting louder—

The sudden appearance of a red portal was all she saw before she gripped Chat tight and jumped just as the final beep of their Miraculous sounded off.

Marinette and Chat dropped onto the soft mattress of a bed right as their transformations wore off. Marinette, who landed on top of Chat and kept her face hidden in his shoulder, clutched him tightly to her.

“Um, My Lady?” Chat asked, holding her close and Marinette just knew he kept his eyes closed ever since they transformed, and she felt her dusty rose colored soul warm while it swirled with his minty green. “Did we just go through a portal?”

“…maybe,” she answered, not lifting her head just yet. She knew that if she asked, Chat would look away from her and allow her to mask them both again before he betrayed her trust, and Marinette considered her options.

“You don’t seem too overly concerned about this,” he said, shifting their weight to a more comfortable position. Her side twinged and she knew he must still be hurting as well.

“It might have happened to me once or twice before…” Chat barked out a laugh and Marinette felt her soul shift with his as she made her decision.

“Of course it did, My Lady,” he said softy—fondly. “So… where are we, exactly? Your house? I’ll keep my eyes closed if you want to go into another room. Plagg and I can be out of here as soon as he’s recharged.”

Marinette took a deep, steadying breath before pulling away from Chat without looking at him and sitting up. They sat back to back on the bed, heads tilted together and Marinette knew for sure. She looked over, finding Tikki and Plagg looking seconds away from passing out on the futon. Marinette gave them both a meaningful look and Tikki nodded her head in understanding while Plagg looked surprised. It was time.

“This isn’t my house, actually, and it’s a little hard to explain.”

“I get it, my lady! Secret identities are important and Master Fu made the rule for a reason. I respect your decision to keep your identity safe, as well as mine.” He sounded so… proud as he announced the words and Marinette wanted for the hesitation. Waited for the anxiety and the fear… but it never came. She just felt… happy. Excited even. Yes, this was right.

“…And if I said I changed my mind?”

Chat’s pause made her smile as she felt him straighten behind her.

“…you can do that?”

“Well, I am Guardian now… I’ve been thinking a lot about our team, Chat, and while I believe Master Fu’s intentions were good and his rules were necessary for the time, he’s gone now and I’m the Guardian. Things are different, and I trust you,” Marinette grabbed his hand and heard his breath catch.

“My lady, are you sure?” He asked vehemently, and she felt her eyes sting. Kwami, she loved him. Loved him with her whole heart and soul.

“Yes, chaton. I’m sure. I want us to be able to support each other completely. How can we truly be partners if we don’t know each other? I was scared for a long time, but I’m not scared anymore. I trust you, Chaton, and I love you.”

“…Alright, My Lady. I trust you and I love you. I’ve never regretted taking your lead, and I will follow you to the end.”

“Together?” Marinette asked, pulling her hand away and standing. She heard her Chaton do the same and took a breath. She had never felt this exposed… this seen and he hadn’t even looked at her yet.

“Together.”

They turned around. Blue met green and Marinette let out a laugh. A laugh of pure disbelief and joy that she couldn’t stop if she wanted to. Adrien smiled fondly at her while she giggled and walked around the bed to her.

He grabbed onto her hands tightly and brought them up to his lips. They were both crying now, tears slipped from the corners of their eyes and met at the curves of their lips that were wearing matching smiles.

“My Lady… I wish I could say I was surprised… but it’s always been you, hasn’t it?” He said, not letting go of her hands as they gazed at each other.

“It’s always been us, Chaton,” she corrected, and she pulled him to her and held on tight. “It will always be us.” Marinette knew a year ago she would’ve thought their embrace was romantic—knew that anyone could walk through the door and think they were a couple, embarrassingly enough—but she knew they were on the same page. Knew that when they met eyes unmasked that first time, it felt like coming home. The Lucky Ladybug and her Black Cat would always find home in each other, and she would never let him go.

Marinette waited until Adrien was asleep as comfortably as he could be while still injured with Tikki and Plagg watching over him before heading out the door. Unfortunately, she didn’t remember where she was in the Manor or how to get to the Batcave from where she was, and she didn’t have either of her phones on her since the akuma attack caught them off guard during school. Her ribs ached with every step she took, but it wasn’t bad enough to make her stop.

They were probably worried since her comms cut out after the explosion, but surely they would see the news where she and Chat—Adrien—disappeared. She vaguely recalled hearing Damian shout her name when the explosion occurred and felt her chest warm, though she decided to ignore it.

She tried the door next to hers, but it was locked, which seemed to be the trend down the hall as she tried each one. At the end of the hall, there was what looked like a servants staircase and she decided if the Batcave were anywhere, it’d be as far down as she could go.

Except her hand didn’t even meet the door knob when someone’s hand gripped her shoulder tightly and pushed her up against the wall. Marinette’s right arm was pinned behind her back, but her left arm was free, so she got her palm flat against the wall and prepared herself despite the throbbing in her side and head at the sudden attack.

“Who the hell are you?” A female voice snarled at her, and Marinette pushed against the wall, kicking off of it and coming up behind her attacker, moving her arm so that it wouldn’t come out twisted and wrapping it around the girl’s throat.

“Who are you?” Marinette yelled back, not letting up even as the woman elbowed her in her bruised side.

The woman seemed to freeze at Marinette’s words and dropped her guard enough that Marinette pushed to woman to the ground and flung herself towards the stairs as she heard the scrambling sound of her attacker coming after her.

She managed to race down the stairs just as she noticed a door at the bottom that was conveniently opening as she met the last step.

Her attacker reached the top of the stairs just as Marinette got to the door and hoped the person behind it didn’t see or hear her coming. Whoever opened the door was looking behind him and talking with someone. His mistake. Marinette didn’t recognize him either so she bolted down the last few stairs, not bothering with being stealthy, and launched her feet at the person who had just started to turn around at the noise. She hit him square in the right side with both of her feet and caught herself from falling with him by gripping the doorframe and launching herself over his falling body.

It wouldn’t be enough to knock him out, but it would slow him down enough that she could attempt to find the Wayne’s or get away to call for help. There were two women standing in the hall who turned at the noise, but Marinette saw them before they saw her and grabbed the rug as she ran along the hall, making them lose their balance and trip over each other in surprise. For good measure, Marinette flung the heavy rug over the two of them without stopping.

“Hey!” and “What the fuck,” came from behind her, but she just hoped they would be tripping over each other for another minute or so while she fled.

Marinette rounded a corner and ran straight into someone else, who grabbed her arms to prevent them both from falling. Marinette didn’t even look him in the face before she flipped his arms around so she had hold of him and dropped backwards, using her legs to fling him over her head and onto his back with an audible “oof” while she rolled from her back onto her feet.

She continued into a foyer where her exit laid. A large set of wooden double doors offset by beautiful ceiling high windows. Marinette dashed to the doors and pulled them open with ease despite their size. She took a single step outside when she heard people behind her.

“Marinette!” She skidded to a halt and turned, panting hard and finding Damian, Alfred, and Bruce Wayne coming from the stairs above her. To her left, Dick and Jason rounded the corner with concerned looks on their faces, and to the right, the group of people she got passed in the hall came through just as Damian and the others reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Who in the hell is the girl who used a rug like a fucking cartoon character?” One of the young women in the room asked. She had shoulder blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.

“Tripped you up, didn’t it?” Marinette shot back, still feeling vulnerable and uncertain about the group of people in the room. This was her safe place… but not at the same time. The safe place she came to before was with a few of the men she knew whose souls resonated with her. These people were a mix of different souls and emotions, and some of them obviously didn’t know who she was and mostly likely also didn’t know about her identity.

“Why were you running through the house like a madwoman anyways? Don’t you recognize me, Ladynette? I’m hurt,” one of the men said, pouting at her. Tim. She had just thrown him onto his back.

“Oh no, Tim, I’m so sorry, I just reacted on instinct when I ran into you. Um…” Marinette shifted on her feet and look wearily at Bruce. “I was teleported back here after the akuma fight with my partner, Chat Noir. We ended up in the room I used last time I was here and I thought it would be best to come find someone since I didn’t have my phones on me when someone attacked me in the hall.” She shot the dark haired woman a look as Alfred came behind her to close the front door.

“When a strange girl appears in my family’s home, I don’t ask questions first, little girl. What’s your excuse?”

“When someone attacks me while injured, I don’t ask questions either, and I certainly don’t sit there answering all their questions while they have me pinned to a wall.”

Damian was at her side in the next moment, tugging on her elbow and looking her over, catching her attention. Jason also sided up to her, throwing an arm over her shoulders and making a face at Damian. Bruce and Dick were shouldering the other girl in between them as well.

“Alright,” Bruce said, “that’s enough. Introductions should be in order now, I believe. Marinette, this is Cass. Cass, this is Marinette, our sporadic guest we discussed.” Cass didn’t reveal much on her face, but the tightening of her lips and the slight twitch of her eye told Marinette enough as Dick nudged her with his elbow. Cass didn’t move, and Bruce looked at her disapprovingly, opening his mouth to say something.

Marinette sighed before marching up to Cass before he could, feeling drained from the sudden burst of adrenaline and feeling the throbbing in her head and side return with a vengeance. “I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot. You were just trying to protect your home and family from a stranger. I was still… defensive when you grabbed me. I should’ve known better than to think someone random would get into this house.” She tried for a smile, but it came out as a grimace as she adjusted her footing to ease her side.

Cass narrowed her eyes before relaxing and nodding once. “I apologize as well. Your maneuvering while in your state was impressive.”

Jason snorted behind her and threw an arm around Marientte’s shoulders again, causing her to suck in a breath at the jostling.

“Shit,” he said, immediately pulling away but keeping her steady, “sorry, little lady. Let’s get you looked at.”

Alfred was looking over her bruised side as she laid on a plush couch when Tim, Jason, and Damian came into the room.

“Bruce is speaking with the rest of the family now. They had been told about you before, but I don’t think they really expected you to just show up out of nowhere,” Tim explained while they circled around her. Instead of feeling surrounded in such a vulnerable situation— injured and with her shirt off—Marinette felt safe with them all around her. She shivered at the cold patch Alfred applied to her side.

“You have some bruising, but nothing appears to be broken, My Lady Guardian. How’s your head?” Alfred asked, helping her sit up.

“Better now,” she answered honestly. Whatever Alfred had given her eased the pain while allowing her to remain focused. “I’m not hurt anywhere else. The Ladybug Cure healed everything from the akuma attack. The explosion is what got my side and head.”

“We saw,” Damian said briskly where he stood to her side with his arms crossed. “The news caught what happened when your comms went out. Do you know where the explosion came from?”

Marinette shook her head slowly, not wanting to cause the throbbing to come back. “Someone started screaming about a bomb and Chat and I tried getting the area clear as quickly as we could. We were still too close once the crowd cleared so I pulled a nearby car over for protection which blew us back, but kept us safe at least. He’s upstairs still, sleeping now. I think his leg is hurt, and maybe his head, but he seemed to be as good as me when I left.”

“Your partner is ok with being here?” Jason asked, sitting next to her and helping Alfred pull her shirt back over her head without stretching her side.

“…I haven’t told him where we are yet. Though I did reveal my identity, which went… better than I thought it would.” Marinette couldn’t help but smile and rested her head against the back of the couch.

“I’ll take you back to your room,” Damian suddenly announced, stalked out of the room before Marinette had even processed his words.

She missed the Look Alfred, Tim, and Jason shared over her head as she stood slowly.

“Um, I’ve been meaning to ask… About Chat Noir…” She looked uncomfortably away from their warm gazes. “I can have us teleport back to Paris as soon as our kwamis are recharged, and I take a look at Chat’s leg.”

Jason rubbed her head and gave her a smile. “We already discussed what would happen if your partner were to ever stop by, little lady. If you want to tell him where he is and who we are, we don’t mind. You’re a team and we wouldn’t ask you to keep our secret from him. Not if we want to keep working together in the future.”

Marinette felt her eyes sting again and she nodded shyly, unable to properly thank them through the lump in her throat.

Alfred passed along the first aid kit he was using to Marinette and patted her cheek.

“Go look after you partner, My Lady Guardian,” he said, “I’ll bring up some food for all of you in a little while.”

Marinette and Damian didn’t speak for a while as he led her to the room she was in. The made it all the way to the foyer before he slowed just enough that she was nearly walking by his side.

“Your attempt at escaping was admirable, but you should have been more forceful if you thought you were in a potentially dangerous situation,” Damian said as they walked. Being so close to him as she trailed after him once again was distracting to her. Why was his soul so… loud to her? “What did you think?” He continued, not bothering to turn around to see her reaction. “That they broke in? Rendering a potential enemy unconscious would be far more effective in a getaway than tripping them or knocking them down.”

His tone was cold. He sounded harsh, but Marinette could sense that he was trying to get a point across without saying it. He obviously knew what he was talking about, and he wasn’t one to sugar coat things. She could respect that.

She hummed in agreement and felt his soul flicker for some reason. “You’re right,” Marinette said and Damian turned his head at her. She caught a glimpse of surprise in his eyes before he jerked his head around again. “I was so concerned about just getting out of the house that I didn’t think ahead. If this was a different situation, I would have gotten caught just outside.”

“…Correct. And you don’t know where we are, do you? An unfamiliar territory could hurt you more than waiting to take stock of where you are or who has you.” They started up the stairs, going at a much slowly pace thanks to her ribs.

Marinette sighed. “Guess I should add ‘What to do in a kidnapping situation’ to my research list right under ‘What to do in a bombing.’” She swore she saw Damian’s lips curl as he glanced at her once again before continuing ahead.

“I’m surprised your instincts proved resourceful enough to allow you to get passed four well trained individuals after a draining attack and while still injured.”

“‘A Guardian must trust her instincts above all else to protect the vulnerable and stay one step ahead of her enemies,” Marinette recited proudly, bursting with the unspoken praise in Damian’s words.

Damian paused at a door at the end of the hall and Marinette tilted her head at him.

“Everyone will be waiting in the dining room for you both if you decide to stay. It’s been a while since everyone’s been together for dinner, so Father and Alfred are making a big deal out of it. You and your… partner are welcome to join us. I trust you’ll be able to find your way back to the foyer from here?”

Marinette hummed and smiled at him, feeling her soul swirl happily with his. Something about his eyes… she could get lost in them easily if she let herself, but she wasn’t going to go down that road. Not again.

He opened his mouth to say something when a thump came from the room that drew their attention.

“Perhaps I’ll see you, then,” he said briskly as he turned away.

“Thank you for your advice,” she called after him softly, hand on the door to her room. “I really appreciate it.” She entered the room with a smile that grew at the sight of Adrien on the ground while Tikki and Plagg snuggled together on the bed.

“Little help here, My Lady?” Adrien asked when he saw her in the open doorway.

“Of course, Chaton,” she giggled, letting the door close behind her, missing the way Damian had paused by the door to the stairwell, rubbing at his chest as if that would stop his heart from beating out of it.

Word Count: 6645

Hehehe, this chapter was soooooo fun to write, but it had soooooo much content in it and I kept having to go back and forth between chapters to make sure I was presenting the right information and emotions accurately. Also, what the hell is with the Wayne’s eyes?? I kept having to look it up and came up with different examples of whether Damian’s and Jason’s eyes were blue or green, so I just settled on them both being green because of the Lazarus Pits (ignoring Bruce’s dealings with it completely because why not? So Bruce’s and the other boys’ eyes are blue.)

What to look forward to in the next part: More interactions with the rest of the Batfahm and the rest of the class, and a look into Marinette’s internship as well as Adrien’s sudden burst of rebellion getting much, much worse. Hope you like it! Comments are always welcome!

Tag List: @starlightshield, @nickristus-dreamer, @liquid-luck-00, @chocolatecatstheron, @kuroko26

82 notes • Posted 2021-01-06 04:16:21 GMT

More WIPs because I'm tired of pretending like I have any idea where to go with them :)

Mari and some of the Batfam get trapped together. Someone is injured and they don't have a lot of time, and Marinette is caught between doing the right thing and helping and revealing her identity to a bunch of strangers.

"We need a plan," Robin hisses, still pressing on the wound.

"What do you expect us to do? We can't move any of the rubble without causing a collapse and we can't signal for help without activating the device. Nightwing is the only one who knows what the hell is going on here—"

"Batman will come for us. He's probably already noticed we're not answering comms and—"

"Even so, Batman still has to track our last location, head this way, and then figure out how to get us out of here not to mention the train car full of civilians. What we need is—"

"A little luck?" Marinette said, hovering anxiously a few paces away from the group of vigilantes who were all instantly tense at their intruder. She noticed how the three others formed a protective circle around their injured friend and felt a pang. She knew what that felt like. She had to help.

"Listen, you should really stay with the other civilians out of the way while we—"

"And if I'm not? A civilian, I mean?"

"Then, what are you?"

"Let's just say I have a little luck on my side. It seems like your friend could use a little of that right now. And I… I want to help."

"…If you make any moves against us—"

Marinette raised her hands and didn't stop as they raised their weapons. She grasped the edges of her hood and pulled it back, her plaited hair falling out. With another glowing warmth of approval from Tikki through her soul, Marinette pulled her black face mask off as well and looked at each of the heroes, one by one.

"My name is Marinette, and I think I was called here to help you." She let a bit of her power filter through her eyes, making them glow a bright blue and felt their souls react in kind.

Oh, yes. This was right. They were what called her here.

"…Batman doesn't care for metas in Gotham."

"I am not a meta, petit oiseau. I am a Guardian, and my soul was called here to assist. Please, allow me to complete my mission."

"…He's lost a lot of blood."

Marinette knelt at Nightwing's side and let her hand hover over the blood-soaked uniform and took a deep breath. Slowly but surely, she felt the impulse of the dark energy swirling around it. The pain and fear kept building and Marinette tried to follow it back to its source, following the trail until she reached a bundle of inky blackness.

Marinette adjusted her position for a better grip and let her palm press against the wound—except it didn't stop there. Unseen from the other heroes, Marinette's hand continued to descend through until it made contact with the destruction energy at its source, and she grabbed it. She vaguely heard Nightwing cry out in pain and took another grounding breath before she started to drain the energy into herself, feeling the pain and fear and darkness and drowning it in her own soul light. It hurt, but nothing Marinette hadn't felt before. She absorbed it all and replaced it with her own light until there was no more darkness—no more pain or fear.

And then, just as she could see the brilliant blue of the vigilante's open eyes, she passed out.

"A guardian," Alfred breathed out, looking shocked. "A true guardian hasn't been declared in hundreds of years, and to have one called here, to Gotham? There must be a larger reason than saving Master Dick and the boys."

"You are correct, Monsieur."

Marinette slowly sat up, touching the center of her chest gingerly feeling the last remnants of the darkness dispel.

"There is something building here, and I have been called to balance the scales."

"You want to help with a little luck, little lady?"

After a quick sweep of the room, Marinette couldn't help but smirk. The destruction energy here wasn't just a product of Gotham's imbalance—it was because of her use of creation magic. And there was only one way to balance the scales again.

"Actually, I'm thinking we blow it up."

"…what?"

"Didn't you want to blow it up?"

"I want to blow everything up. Most people try to dissuade me of that plan, though, not agree."

"Well, I'm agreeing. And I have a plan."

"Lady Luck. Red Hood. What's your status?"

"We're blowing it up," Red Hood responded with a little too much glee.

"What? Lady Luck, you have to stop him immediately—"

"I'm actually with Red Hood on this one, Robin."

"Wha--? How? Why?"

"…It's hard to explain."

"Try."

"There is a balance to all things. Energy included. I can sense energy and plan out what to do to balance it all again. Up until now, there has been a lack of luck here, so I used a little bit to balance it out. This, however, is an imbalanced caused by an abundance of luck. Therefore…"

"To rebalance the scales, you need bad luck?"

"And this brand of bad luck is letting Red Hood blow it up."

Red Hood laughed maniacally.

120 notes • Posted 2021-10-26 14:37:47 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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gaymusicchart · 6 years

Video

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GAY MUSIC CHART - 2018 week 23

Due to an increasing music actuality and votes on our channel, we try to make a TOP 60 LGBTQ+ related music videos chart. Let’s see if it’s possible, because we are so frustated to see so many good music videos which don’t enter or stay more in the chart. In this format, votes of fans are limited to 4 weeks. Please notice that this new format is just an experimentation.

Welcome to the Gay Music Chart, the LGBTQA related music videos TOP 60 actuality and most request.

Vote for your favourite LGBTQA related music videos by leaving a comment for this post on :

YOUTUBE (in the comment section of the video of the week) : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz7yfp-xq-b08tD6mAWwclA

BLOGGER : http://gaymusicchart.blogspot.fr

FACEBOOK : https://www.facebook.com/GayMusicChart/

TWITTER : https://twitter.com/GayMusicChart with #GayMusicChart

TUMBLR : http://gaymusicchart.tumblr.com

Here is the recap for this week :

OUT : Be Steadwell - Sometimes (LW: 43 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 43)

OUT : Titica - Reza Madame (LW: 45 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 45)

OUT : Jaloo feat. BADSISTA - Say Goodbye (LW: 47 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 47)

OUT : New Jiew - Tonight (LW: 48 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 48)

OUT : Ryan Beatty - Bruise (LW: 51 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 51)

OUT : Leon Markcus feat. Bilal Hassani - Hot City (LW: 52 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 52)

OUT : Ірина Білик / Iryna Bilyk - Не ховай очей / Don't Hide Your Eyes (LW: 55 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 19)

OUT : Juan Guiã - Despacho (LW: 56 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 29)

OUT : Gumball Machine - I'm Gay And Instagram Is Ruining My Life (LW: 58 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 58)

OUT : K's Choice - Je Ne Rêve Plus De Toi (live @ Liefde Voor Muziek) (LW: 60 / WO: 1 / PEAK: 60)

01 (=) : Troye Sivan - Bloom (Lyric Video) (LW: 01 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 01 (x2))

Australia - 2018

The Australian singer deleted a tweet where he said that the song was talking about bottoming. Now, he answer that it only talks about flowers. If the first explanation is real, the brilliant metaphore makes this song an enjoyable gay sex anthem.

02 (+ 1) : Years & Years - If You're Over Me (LW: 03 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 02)

UK - 2018 / from the album "Palo Santo"

03 (+ 4) : Francisco Victoria - Todo lo que tengo (LW: 07 / WO: 8 / PEAK: 03)

Chile - 2018

04 (- 2) : Ryan O'Shaughnessy - Together (LW: 02 / WO: 13 / PEAK: 01 (x5))

Ireland - 2018

Congratulations Ireland for your 16th place in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest! But in semi-final, this act was censored in China because it includes two men dancing together. Meanwhile, in Russia, the commentator said that this act showed a strong male friendship.

05 (+ 5) : Calum Scott - What I Miss Most (LW: 10 / WO: 13 / PEAK: 01 (x1))

UK - 2018 / from the album "Only Human"

The singer won the Metro Guilty Pleasures Award of the British Music Awards 2018.

06 (=) : Kodaline - Follow Your Fire (LW: 06 / WO: 8 / PEAK: 01 (x1))

Ireland - 2018

There is a gay couple in this music video.

07 (+ 1) : Céline Dion - Ashes (LW: 08 / WO: 4 / PEAK: 07)

Canada - 2018 / from the album "Deadpool 2 OST"

This is Yanis Marshall (and not Ryan Reynolds) who plays Deadpool dancing in high heels in this music video.

08 (+ 17) : The Diesel Tykes feat. Scott Free - LGBT Alphabet Song (Pride Song) (LW: 25 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 08)

USA - 2018

09 (- 5) : Kim Petras - Heart to Break (LW: 04 / WO: 9 / PEAK: 04)

Germany - 2018

The transgender singer will be on first part of Troye Sivan's Bloom Tour.

10 (+ 1) : Openside - No Going Back (LW: 11 / WO: 6 / PEAK: 10)

New Zealand - 2018

11 (+ 9) : Blair St. Clair - Now or Never (LW: 20 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 11)

USA - 2018

This is the first music video of the drag queen who was a contestant on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.

12 (+ 2) : Eli Lieb - The Nights We Lived (LW: 14 / WO: 4 / PEAK: 12)

USA - 2018 / from the album "The Nights We Lived"

The music video is composed with his own home footage taken over the past 15 years.

13 (+ 5) : Ryan Amador - Loverboy (LW: 18 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 13)

USA - 2018

Such a romantic love song...

14 (- 2) : Jackson Krecioch - Little Things (LW: 12 / WO: 7 / PEAK: 05)

USA - 2018

Jackson Krecioch is a 19 years old Musical.ly star and YouTuber. He came out publicly in 2016.

15 (+ 1) : Lostchild - Blacklist (LW: 16 / WO: 9 / PEAK: 06)

UK - 2018

16 (+ 1) : Christine and The Queens feat. Dâm-Funk - Damn, dis-moi (LW: 17 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 16)

France – 2018

You can call the queer artist Christine or Chris now. The english version is titled "Girlfriend".

17 (- 8) : Namuel - Poder (LW: 09 / WO: 15 / PEAK: 03)

Chile - 2018

18 (+ 1) : Tiago Braga - Ilusão (LW: 19 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 18)

Portugal - 2018

A story of infidelity.

19 (+ 25) : Lars von Keitz - We Are Weeds (LW: 44 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 19)

USA - 2018

20 (+ 14) : Francisco Victoria - Marinos (LW: 34 / WO: 23 / PEAK: 03)

Chile - 2017

This is the first single of the Chilean singer, produced by Alex Anwandter. A revelation.

21 (- 16) : Saara Aalto - Monsters (LW: 05 / WO: 17 / PEAK: 02)

Finland - 2018

Finland came 25th in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

22 (+ 18) : Jake Shears - Creep City (LW: 40 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 22)

USA - 2018 / from the album "Jake Shears"

This is the debut single in solo of the lead singer of the band Scissor Sisters.

23 (+ 30) : Tuure Boelius - Lätkäjätkä-Ville (LW: 53 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 23)

Finland - 2018

The 17 years old Finnish YouTuber decided to release this music video just before the debut of the Ice Hockey World Championship 2018, hoping changing mentalities for more acceptance and diversity in this sport. It caused a mediatic storm in Finland.

24 (NEW) : Roy Kinsey - BSAYF (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 24)

USA - 2018

25 (+ 14) : Not.Your.Regular.Boy. - Crazyland (LW: 39 / WO: 6 / PEAK: 25)

The Netherlands - 2018

Revealed on X-Factor and the Voice, this is his debut single.

26 (NEW) : JC Brooks Band - Anywhere But America (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 26)

USA - 2018

27 (+ 3) : Smashby - Wild One (LW: 30 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 27)

UK - 2018 / from the EP "Wild One"

28 (NEW) : Monét X Change feat. Bob The Drag Queen - Soak It Up (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 28)

USA - 2018

29 (- 2) : Don Diablo feat. Calum Scott - Give Me Love (LW: 27 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 10)

The Netherlands / UK - 2018 / from the album "FUTURE"

30 (- 2) : Years & Years - Sanctify (LW: 28 / WO: 13 / PEAK: 01 (x3))

UK - 2018

Years & Years singer Olly Alexander says the band’s new single Sanctify is about straight men who experiment with gay sex.

31 (- 18) : Netta - Toy (LW: 13 / WO: 11 / PEAK: 04)

Israel - 2018

And Israel won the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 : congratulations Netta!

32 (+ 1) : Keiynan Lonsdale - Kiss The Boy (Official Lyric Video) (LW: 33 / WO: 10 / PEAK: 15)

Australia - 2018

33 (+ 16) : Ian Sepheer - Cries Of The Jungle (LW: 49 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 23)

The Netherlands - 2018 / from the EP "After Dark"

This is the debut single of the 21 years old Dutch singer.

34 (+ 20) : Trevor Moran - Sinner (LW: 54 / WO: 25 / PEAK: 01 (x2))

USA - 2017

35 (- 9) : Janelle Monáe - Pynk (LW: 26 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 21)

USA - 2018 / from the album "Dirty Computer"

36 (+ 1) : Openside - I Feel Nothing (LW: 37 / WO: 17 / PEAK: 06)

New Zealand - 2017

Lead singer Possum Plows, who is gender non-binary, raises the transgender flag in this music video.

37 (- 2) : Sam Smith feat. Logic - Pray (LW: 35 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 16)

UK / USA - 2018

Finally, a music video is available for this awesome collaboration.

38 (- 9) : Alex Aris - Wrong Love (LW: 29 / WO: 4 / PEAK: 14)

Sweden - 2018

This is the first single in solo of the 29 years old Swedish singer. His song is talking "about someone who constantly falls in love with the wrong people. And it does not matter if it's a man or a woman", he said.

39 (RE-ENTRY) : Chester Lockhart - In Loving Memory (LW: - / WO: 2 / PEAK: 39)

USA - 2018

40 (- 9) : Ben Davidson - Fallin In (Official Lyric Video) (LW: 31 / WO: 5 / PEAK: 14)

UK - 2018

41 (NEW) : Eli Lieb - Ashes (Celine Dion Cover) (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 41)

USA - 2018

42 (- 21) : SAKIMA - Daddy (LW: 21 / WO: 25 / PEAK: 05)

UK - 2017

43 (- 1) : King Princess - Talia (LW: 42 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 42)

USA - 2018

44 (- 20) : BuzzFeedVideo - The History Of Queer Dance (LW: 24 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 24)

USA - 2018

The story of this young teen is emotional.

45 (- 13) : Emmanuel Moire - Et si on parlait d’amour (LW: 32 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 32)

France - 2018

46 (NEW) : Hayley Kiyoko feat. Kehlani - What I Need (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 46)

USA - 2018 / from the album "Expectations"

47 (- 32) : La Prohibida - La pubblicità (Un mondo ideale) (LW: 15 / WO: 4 / PEAK: 09)

Spain - 2018 / from the album "100k años de luz"

This is the new music video of the Spanish drag queen.

48 (+ 9) : Leon Else - My Kind Of Love (LW: 57 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 48)

UK - 2018 / from the album "13 Reasons Why - Season 2 OST"

49 (NEW) : Elodie, Michele Bravi, Guè Pequeno - Nero Bali (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 49)

Italy - 2018

50 (- 4) : SuperKnova - Night's A Bitch (LW: 46 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 46)

USA - 2018 / from the EP "Splendor Dysphoria"

51 (- 10) : HEIDRIK - White Flag (LW: 41 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 34)

Faroe Islands (Denmark) - 2018 / from the album "Funeral"

52 (NEW) : J Pee - Candy Rapper (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 52)

USA - 2018

53 (- 15) : Melo Moreno - One More River (LW: 38 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 53)

Spain - 2018 / from the album "No soy una Señora"

54 (RE-ENTRY) : Michael Medrano feat. Steve Grand - Heal (LW: - / WO: 2 / PEAK: 38)

USA - 2018

55 (- 5) : Asbjørn - Nothing 2 Lose (LW: 50 / WO: 3 / PEAK: 31)

Denmark - 2018

56 (- 20) : Steven Redant + Joe Gauthreaux - Together and Always (LW: 36 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 36)

Spain / USA - 2018 / from the EP "Together and Always"

The music video is focused on an intriguing trouple.

57 (NEW) : The Irrepressibles feat. Jon Campbell - Submission (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 57)

UK - 2018

58 (- 36) : Colapesce - Maometto a Milano (LW: 22 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 22)

Italy - 2018 / from the album "Infedele"

The Italian singer dares to represent two Daesh fighters falling in love and then executed when their relationship is discovered. His music video is aged restricted on YouTube because of that.

59 (=) : The Internet - Roll (Burbank Funk) (LW: 59 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 59)

USA - 2018

60 (- 37) : Zolita - Come Home With Me (LW: 23 / WO: 2 / PEAK: 23)

USA - 2018 / from the EP "Sappho"

Her girlfriend in real life is in this music video with her.

ALSO NEW THIS WEEK

Kesha - Hymn

USA - 2018 / from the album "Rainbow"

Kylie Minogue - Golden

Australia - 2018 / from the album "Golden"

Brandi Carlile - Hold Out Your Hand

USA - 2018 / from the album "By The Way, I Forgive You"

The music video has been filmed at the March For Our Lives in Seattle, WA on March 24, 2018.

TMBOY - Focus

USA - 2018

Dorian Electra - Career Boy

USA - 2018

Davis Mallory - Sun and Moon

USA - 2018

Renato - I Can't Wait

Czech Republic - 2018

This is a cover of Nu Shooz.

Les Funambules feat. Alexandre Faitrouni - Tu es là

France - 2018 / from the album "Les Funambules"

Isaura - Closer

Portugal - 2018 / from the album "Human"

Cristiano Malgioglio feat. Fernando Proce - Danzando Danzando

Italy - 2018

Lia Clark feat. Heavy Baile - Q.M.T.

Brazil - 2018

BeBe Zahara Benet - Jungle Kitty

USA - 2018

Monet X Change - Strange Fruit

USA - 2018

Hyukoh (혁오) - Love Ya!

South Korea - 2018 / from the EP "24: How To Find True Love and Happiness"

There are some same-sex couples in this music video.

The Lovers of Valdaro - Lost Forever

Sweden - 2018

MNEK feat. Hailee Steinfeld - Colour (Lyric Video)

UK - 2018

Matt Fishel - Twinks (Official Lyric Video)

UK - 2018 / from the album "M/F"

Madblush - Homophobic (Lyric Video)

Brazil - 2018 / from the EP "Cactus II"

Allie X - Focus (Official Lyric Video)

Canada - 2018

Isaac Folch - Warm Summer Nights (Audio)

Spain - 2018

Дмитрий Гревцев / Dmitry Grevtsev feat Teo Entertainment - Курортный роман / Holiday romance (Stason project demo remix)

Russia - 2018

David Courtin feat. Izia - Nous deux (LW: - / WO: 1 / PEAK: 25)

France - 2018 / from the album "Volupté des accointances"

Calum Scott, Barbara Pravi - You Are The Reason (French Duet Version/Audio)

UK / France - 2018

SAKIMA - Show Me (Audio)

UK - 2018

Anthony Bowens - How We Met [Official Audio]

USA - 2018

The professionnal wrestler made a song for his boyfriend's 24th birthday, Michael Pavano.

Betty Who - All Things ("Queer Eye" Theme Song)

Australia - 2018

RuPaul feat. Skeltal Ki - Supermodel [RuPaul's Drag Race: SEASON 10 QUEENS - Trailer & Meet the Queens Supercut]

USA - 2018

Pabllo Vittar feat. Coral de Drags - I Will Survive (Live @ Prazer Pabllo Vittar Multishow)

Brazil - 2018

Troye Sivan - Bloom (Live on The Today Show /2018)

Australia - 2018 / from the album "Bloom"

Troye Sivan - My My My! (Live on The Today Show /2018)

Australia - 2018 / from the album "Bloom"

Tuure Boelius - Lätkäjätkä-Ville (live)

Finland - 2018

Years & Years - If You're Over Me (Live @ The Biggest Weekend)

UK - 2018 / from the album "Palo Santo"

Christine and the Queens - Girlfriend (Live @ The Biggest Weekend)

France - 2018

Sam Smith - Too Good at Goodbyes (Live @ The Biggest Weekend)

UK - 2018 / from the album "The Thrill of It All"

Sam Smith - Pray (Live @ The Biggest Weekend)

UK - 2018 / from the album "The Thrill of It All"

Sam Smith - Midnight Train (Live @ The Biggest Weekend)

UK - 2018 / from the album "The Thrill of It All"

Rickard Söderberg - Bögtåget (Fag-Train)

Sweden - 2018

After receiving homophobic hate mail over a concert that included music by LGBT composers, a Swedish orchestra has responded by turning the messages into music.

Steps - Chain Reaction (Live From The SSE Arena, Wembley)

UK - 2018

Steps - Stomp (Live From The SSE Arena, Wembley)

UK - 2018

Steps - Neon Blue (Live From The SSE Arena, Wembley)

UK - 2018

See you next week and don’t forget to vote for your best LGBTQA music videos ! Here are the rules :

1 ) You can vote for many videos as you want under the videos on YouTube in the comment section. It could be recent or past music videos, which must provide at least one among the following conditions:

- the music video has LGBTQA related content, in the lyrics or the music video

- the artist is LGBTQA, an LGBTQA icon or eventually ally

- LGBTQA medias talked about it.

2 ) You can’t vote more than 3 songs of a same artist per week.

3 ) In case of an artist who receive votes mostly by a fan base, we will count only one song, in a limited time of 4 weeks of presence in the top.

4 ) You can vote with only one account.

5 ) If you make 5 votes or less, your first vote will represent 5 points, your second vote 4 points, etc… until your last vote and following 1 point. If you make 6 to 10 votes, your first vote will represent 10 points, your second vote 9 points, etc… If you make more than 10 votes, your first vote will represent 20 points, your second vote 19 points, etc…

6 ) People who make 1 to 5 votes form the amateur ranking, those who make 6 to 10 votes form the fan ranking, those who make more than 10 votes form the expert ranking. We form the jury ranking. And we count now the ranking of minutes of views of our weekly playlist of the previous week. The Gay Music Chart is the addition of the five charts. In case of equality, the number of votes and the dates of votes will count.

7 ) The votes will close on Thursday, 8 PM, European time.

#gay #music #chart #2018 #week 23 #LGBT

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fondazioneterradotranto · 5 years

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Nardò: Alberico Longo e la sua inedita (doppiamente ...) versione di un mito

di Armando Polito

Sul neretino Alberico rinvio per una nota leggera a http://www.fondazioneterradotranto.it/2015/02/11/una-nota-su-alberico-longo-di-nardo/ e http://www.fondazioneterradotranto.it/2019/10/06/nardo-alberico-longo-e-ursula/. Sulla sua morte violenta segnalo http://bitesonline.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Bites_003_Catelvetro.pdf e quanto si legge in Biblioteca modenese, a cura di Girolamo Tiraboschi, Società tipografica, Modena, 1781, v. I, pp. 443-447 (https://books.google.it/books?id=ZC1fAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA446&dq=alberico+longo+pubblicati&hl=it&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwivnZO9xonlAhUB2qQKHRTLA7sQ6AEIYTAJ#v=onepage&q=alberico%20longo%20pubblicati&f=false). Sui sentimenti che essa suscitò in chi lo stimava rinvio ad una lettera di Annibal Caro del 13 luglio 1555 indirizzata da Roma a Vincenzo Fontana (in Lettere scelte di Annibal Varo, Barbera, Firenze, 1869, pp. 90-91: https://books.google.it/books?id=LDg-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA90&dq=alberico+longo&hl=it&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjinrPp_YflAhVPPFAKHUtLDFgQ6AEIOzAD#v=onepage&q=alberico%20longo&f=false.

Il mito è quello di Polifemo e Galatea1. La bella e al bestia, se non fosse il titolo di una fiaba più recente, si adatterebbe molto bene a sintetizzare l’infelice storia d’amore tra Galatea, graziosa nereide (ninfa delle fonti) e il giovanissimo e bellissimo pastorello Aci. Ma della ninfa si era innamorato pure il rozzo e brutto gigante Polifemo che, senza successo, tentava di fare colpo su di lei ogni volta che ne aveva l’occasione. E venne il giorno fatale in cui pensò di attirare la sua attenzione con una serenata fatta con la siringa mentre era seduto su una roccia (sarà poi questa la composizione ricorrente nei pittori che hanno celebrato il mito). Neppure questa volta Galatea lo degnò di una sguardo, anche perché impegnata in effusioni con Aci. Polifemo, allora, reagì violentemente scagliando loro addosso un grosso masso, che colpì mortalmente Aci. Il mito non ci dice se Polifemo tornò alla carica, ma solo che Galatea traformò il sangue del giovinetto in una sorgente.

Questa storia ebbe grande successo come soggetto artistico, dalla pittura alle tavole a corredo di libri a stampa. Di seguito, in ordine cronologico, alcune tra le più significative testimonianze.

Tavola a corredo di: Raffaello Regio, P. Ovidii Nasonis Metamorphoseo vulgare,s. n., Venezia 1521

Siamo in presenza di una tecnica cinematografica ante litteram, titoli in sovrimpressione (leggi didascalie) compresi: partendo da sinistra, il primo fotogramma (o, per usare il linguaggio digitale, frame) mostra Polifemo che seduto su una roccia suona la siringa (lo strumento musicale, anche perché nessuna fonte ci ha tramandato un Polifemo tossicomane …), mentre Galatea ed Aci si abbracciano sulla riva del mare; il secondo vede il ciclope nell’atto di lanciare un masso contro Aci, che (e siamo al frame finale) fugge verso il mare, dove già si è rifugiata Galatea; sullo sfondo una città.

Tavola a corredo di: Niccolò degli Agostini, Tutti gli libri de Ovidio Metamorphoseos tradotti dal littelario (sic!) verso vulgar con le sue Allegorie in prosa, Giacomo da Leco, Venezia, 1522. Composizione identica a quella della tavola precedente, con l’aggiunta del bastone posato per terra.

Tavola a corredo di: Ludovico Dolce, Le trasformazioni (uno dei tanti volgarizzamenti delle Metamorfosi di Ovidio), Venezia, Giolito de Ferrari, 1553, p. 273. Qui il frame che mostra Polifemo suonare la siringa mentre Galatea ed Aci si abbaracciano è sostituito da quello del suo accecamento da parte di Ulisse; nel secondo il ciclope è ritratto di spalle nell’atto di lanciare il masso contro Aci che sembra essere caduto sulla riva , mentre Galatea si tuffa in acqua. Sullo sfondo in alto a destra la nave di Ulisse.

Olio su Tela di Nicolas Poussin risalente alla prima metà del XVII secolo e custodito a Dublino nella National Gallery. Siamo ben lontani dalla drammaticità delle rappresentazioni precedenti, ma è il momento che precede la tragedia:quello in cui Polifemo intona la sua serenata a Galatea mentre è tra le braccia di Aci. La scena corrisponde ai versi ovidiani (Metamorfosi, XIII, 778-804 (è Galatea che racconta): Prominet in pontum cuneatus acumine longo/collis utrumque latus circumfluit aequoris unda;/huc ferus ascendit Cyclops mediusque resedit,/lanigerae pecudes nullo ducente secutae./Cui postquam pinus, baculi quae praebuit usum,/ ante pedes posita est, antemnis apta ferendis,/sumptaque harundinibus compacta est fistula centum,/senserunt toti pastoria sibila montes,/senserunt undae; latitans ego rupe meique/Acidis in gremio residens procul auribus hausi/talia dicta meis auditaque verba notavi:/“Candidior folio nivei, Galatea, ligustri,/floridior pratis, longa procerior alno,/splendidior vitro… (Si protende inmare un colle a forma di cuneo dall’alta vetta e l’onda del mare lo circonda da entrambi i lati. Qui sale il feroce ciclope e si siede al centro, mentre le lanose bestie lo seguono senza guida. Dopo che il pino, atto a reggere vele, che gli offrì l’uso di bastone, fu deposto ai suoi piedi e fu presa in mano la siringa composta da cento canne tutti i monti sentirono i fischi pastorali, li sentirono le onde. io nascondendomi dietro una roccia mentre stavo tra le braccia del mio Aci da lontano colsi con le mie orecchie tali parole e ricordo a memoria le parole sentite: “Galatea, più candida di un petalo di ligustro, più fiorente dei prati, più slanciata di un alto ontano, più splendente del vetro …)

Ancora di Nicolas Poussin questo schizzo a penna sullo stesso tema. In primo piano Galatea seduta su una roccia ha le braccia intorno al collo di Aci che a sua volta appoggia il braccio sinistro sulla spalla di Eros che gli sistema il manto. In alto a sinistra Polifemo sfdraiato su una roccia con la siringa vicino sembra giardare verso il mare, dove, a destra, si vede il carro di Apollo, dio del sole. Al centro a destra una nereide fa il bagno.

Il mito conobbe pure una versione inventata da Properzio2 (I secolo a. C.) e ripresa da Nonno di Panopoli3 (V secolo d. C.), secondo la quale Galatea avrebbe corrisposto all’amore di Polifemo. Le rappresentazioni artistiche di questa versione sono in numero decisamente minore e la maggior parte, come ora vedremo, molto antiche.

Affresco del I secolo d. C. proveniente da Pompei (Casa della caccia antica) e custodito nel Museo Nazionale di Napoli. Bacio sensuale tra la ninfa e il ciclope. Dettagli distintivi: l’ariete, la siringa e il bastone.

Affresco del I secolo d. C. proveniente da Pompei (Casa delle pareti rosse). Qui non compaiono (oppure non si leggono più) segni distintivi ma è chiaro che la situazione è l’evoluzione di quella precedente …

Affresco del I secolo d. C. proveniente da Pompei (Casa del sacerdote Amandus). Perfettamente distinguibili Galatea, Polifemo, le pecore e in alto a destra la nave di Ulisse. L’artista sembra essersi ispirato ai versi ovidiani precedentemente citati, a parte l’assenza di Aci.

Affresco del I secolo a. C. proveniente dalla villa di Postumo Agrippa a Boscotrecase e custodito a New York nel Metropolitan Museum of Art. Parecchi dettagli sono in comune con l’affresco precedente, ma questo è scomponibile in due metà-sequenze: nella prima il ciclope esegue la sua serenata a Galatea che certamente non si nasconde; nella seconda si vede il gigante lanciare un masso contro la nave di Ulisse.

Affresco del I secolo d. C. proveniente da Ercolano e custodito nel Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli. Cupido recapita a Polifemo una lettera, si presume, di Galatea (foto di Stefano Bolognini).

Mosaico del II secolo d.C. rinvenuto a Cordova durante la sistemazione della piazza della Corredera e custodito in quella città nel palazzo Alcazar de Los Reyes Cristianos.

Roma, Palazzo Farnese, dettaglio della volta della Galleria. Affresco della scuola di Antonio Carracci (XVII secolo). Segni distintivi: la siringa e il bastone. La ninfa sembra gradire la serenata del ciclope.

Nella stampa che segue, anch’essa del XVII secolo (disegnatore e incisore Pietro Aquila, editore Jacopo de Rubeis) l’intero dipinto.

Fuori campo in basso al centro quattro esametri: Ardet amans, scopuloque sedens POLYPHEMUS acuto,/ad numerum inflatis calamis,dat sibila cantu;/concomitata choro gaudet GALATEA sub antro,/et latitans rauci suspiria ridet amantis. (Arde l’innamorato Polifemo e, sedendo su uno scoglio, ritmicamente gonfiate le canne, e mette sibili col canto; accompagnata dal coro Galatea si compiace sotto una grotta e nascondendosi deride i sospiri del roco innamorato).

Da notare una certa discrepanza tra la descrizione emergente da questi versi e il dipinto, in cui Galatea certamente non si nasconde, tanto meno in una grotta.

Un ribaltamento ancora più spinto (rispetto alla versione dominante del mito, l’unica ricorrente a livello letterario nel XVI secolo ed in quello successivo, come dimostrano gli esametri appena esaminati) è quello operato da Alberico Longo, che ci presenta un Polifemo suicida per amore. E lo fa in un componimento in quattro distici elegiaci, come nove altri parzialmente inedito4, tramandatici nel manoscritto Vat. lat. 9948 custodito nella Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (integralmente leggibile in https://digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Vat.lat.9948). Di seguito riproduco il dettaglio della carta 41v con il componimento che prima trascrivo e poi traduco.

Alberici Longi Salentini

Non per te rigidam, non per fera numina ponti:

per vada, per scopulos, quos Galatea colis.

Non per me miserum, non per pia numina ruri,

per iuga, per fontes, quos Galatea colo.

Non vivam: at nostro si torva leaena cruori

insidiisque inhias artubus, emoriar.

Dixit et intuitus fluctus Polyphemus amarus

transfixit gladio pectus, et interiit.

(Del salentino Alberico Longo

– Non (vivrò) per te inflessibile, non per i feroci numi del mare,

per i guadi, per gli scogli che tu, Galatea, abiti.

Non (vivrò) per me infelice, non per i virtuosi numi della campagna,

per i gioghi, per le sorgenti che io, Galatea, abito.

Non vivrò: ma se tu crudele leonessa al mio sangue

e alle membra con le insidie aspiri, sparirò -.

Polifemo disse e, dopo aver guardato i flutti, triste

trafisse il petto con la spada e morì.)

Una sorta di originale, rivoluzionario (la figura dell’uomo suicida per amore, magari subito dopo che, sempre per amore …, è stato un omicida, pardon …, femminicida, è l’ultimo, recente portato dei nostri tempi) divertissement mediante l’ironica, garbata dissacrazione di quanto di più stabile e di intoccabile all’epoca si potesse immaginare: il mito. Neppure i poeti successivi (Alberico morì nel 1555) osarono tanto e si limitarono a cantare le intenzioni suicide del gigante (ma non la loro attuazione), come, per esempio, Giovan Battista Marino (1569-1625), L’Adone, XIX, 216, 7-8: Vuol uccidere se stesso o nel’aperta/gola del mar precipitar dal’erta. E la sottile ironia io la colgo anche nello strumento che il Longo fa utilizzare a Polifemo per suicidarsi: la spada, sulla quale, dopo aver appoggiato l’impugnatura sul terreno (se si fossero infero colpi la morte non sarebbe stata, quanto meno, immediata), gli eroi greci la facevano finita con la vita. E non mancano nel mito propriamente detto casi simili, addirittura con duplice morte5. C’è da chiedersi dove il ciclope potesse mai aver trovato un gladium, il cui significato, in alternativa a quello di spada, è pure quello di lama dell’aratro. Polifemo era un pastore e, per evitare qualsiasi interpretazione ironica, sarebbe stato sufficiente farlo morire trafitto dal suo stesso bastone preventivamente appuntito e usato a mo’ di spada oppure facendolo precipitare dalla cima dello stesso colle da dove, ad un’altitudine intermedia, aveva trasmesso il suo personale festival della canzone.

La composizione si presenta originale anche dal punto di vista formale, tutta costruita com’è sul concetto chiave (la decisione di farla finita) espresso con una inconsueta litote. Com’è noto, questa figura retorica consiste nell’esprimere un concetto diluendo la parola utilizzata nel suo contrario preceduto da un avverbio di negazione, con finalità eufemistica: non bello per brutto. Qui si ha da una parte non con sottinteso vivam (da vivere), cui, con una litote pedissequa dovrebbe corrispondere moriar (da mori, che significa morire). Invece Alberico utilizza emoriar (da emori, composto dalla preposizione e che significa lontano da) e dal citato mori. Il composto aggiunge così, se possibile, un’ulteriore nota di allontanamento che coincide con la volontà di Polifemo di sparire senza lasciar traccia alcuna, nemmeno, se possibile, del suo corpo.

______________

1 Riporto in ordine cronologico le fonti antiche con l’indicazione bibliografica e, per non appesantire il tutto, una volta tanto, senza il relativo testo; per Properzio e Nonno di Panopoli vale quanto specificato nella trattazione.

CALLIMACO (IV-III secolo a. C.), Epigrammi, XLVI

TEOCRITO (IV-III secolo a. C.), Idilli, VI e XI

VIRGILIO (iI secolo a. C.), Eneide, IX, 103-104; Bucoliche, I, 27-32; VII, 37-40 e IX, 37-43

OVIDIO (I secolo a. C.-I secolo d. C.), Metamorfosi, XIII, 738-897

PROPERZIO (I secolo a. C.): Elegie, III, 2, 7

ORAZIO (I secolo a. C.), Satire, l, 5

APOLLODORO (I-II secolo d. C:), Biblioteca, I, 2-7

LUCIANO (II secolo d. C.), Dialoghi degli dei del mare, I

NONNO DI PANOPOLI (IV-V secolo d. C.), Dyonisiaca, 300- 324

2 Elegie, III, 1, 29-34: Orphea detinuisse feras et concita dicunt/flumina Threicia sustinuisse lyra./Saxa Cithaeronis Thebas agitata per artem/sponte sua in muri membra coisse ferunt./Quin etiam, Polipheme, fera Galatea sub Aetna/ad tua rorantes carmina flexit equos. (Dicono che Orfeo con la lira tracia incantò le fiere e fermò i rapidi fiumi. Dicono che le rocce del Citerone spintesi verso Tebe grazie alla sua arte spontaneamente si unirono in parti di muro. Anzi, o Polifemo, la crudele Galatea piegò ai suoi versi gli umidi cavalli [sono i cavalli marini che accompagnano Galatea]).

3 Dyonisiache, VI, 300- 324: Καὶ τότε κυματόεσσαν ἰδὼν ὑπὸ γείτονα πέτρην/νηχομένην Γαλάτειαν ἀνίαχε μυδαλέος Πάν·/‘Πῇ φέρεαι, Γαλάτεια, δι᾽ οὔρεος ἀντὶ θαλάσσης;/μὴ τάχα μαστεύεις ἐρατὴν Κύκλωπος ἀοιδήν;/πρὸς Παφίης λίτομαί σε καὶ ὑμετέρου Πολυφήμου,/μὴ κρύψῃς δεδαυῖα βαρὺν πόθον, εἰ παρὰ πέτραις/νηχομένην ἐνόησας ἐμὴν ὀρεσίδρομον Ἠχώ./Ἦ ῥά σοι ἶσον ἔχει διεπὸν δρόμον; ἦ ῥα καὶ αὐτὴ/ἑζοθένη δελφῖνι θαλασσαίης Ἀφροδίτης,/ὡς Θέτις ἀκρήδεμνος, ἐμὴ ναυτίλλεται Ἠχώ;/δείδια, μή μιν ὄρινε δυσάντεα κύματα πόντου·/δείδια, μή μιν ἔκευθε μέγας ῥόος· ὣς ἄρα δειλὴ/ἄστατος ἐν πελάγεσσι μετ᾽ οὔρεα κύματα βαίνει·/ἥ ποτε πετρήεσσα φανήσεται ὑδριὰς Ἠχώ./Ἀλλὰ τεὸν Πολύφημον ἔα βραδύν· ἢν ἐθελήσῃς,/αὐτὸς ἐμοῖς ὤμοισιν ἀερτάζων σε σαώσω·/οὔ με κατακλύζει κελάδων ῥόος· ἢν ἐθελήσω,/ἴχνεσιν αἰγείοισιν ἐλεύσομαι εἰς πόλον ἄστρων.’/Ὤς φαμένῳ Γαλάτεια τόσην ἀντίαχε φωνήν·/‘Πὰν φίλε, σὴν ἀνάειρε δι᾽ οἴδματος ἄπλοον Ἠχώ·/μή με μάτην ἐρέεινε, τί σήμερον ἐνθάδε βαίνω·/ἄλλον ἐμοὶ πλόον εὗρεν ὑπέρτερον ὑέτιος Ζεύς./Καὶ γλυκερήν περ ἐοῦσαν ἔα Κύκλωπος ἀοιδήν./Οὐκέτι μαστεύω Σικελὴν ἅλα· τοσσατίου γὰρ/τάρβος ἔχω νιφετοῖο καὶ οὐκ ἀλέγω Πολυφήμου.’ (E allora Pan madido, avendo visto sotto un a vicina rupe Galatea che nuotava, esclamò: “Dove vai, Galatea, attraverso il monte davanti al mare? Non brami forse l’amato canto del Ciclope? Ti prego, per la dea di Pafo [Venere che a Pafo, città dell’isola di Cipro, aveva un tempio]e del vostro Polifemo [Thoosa, ninfa che con Poseidone generò il ciclope], non nascondere di bruciare di un grande desiderio, se presso le rupi hai visto nuotare la mia Eco che corre per i monti. Forse ha un agile movimento simile al tuo? O anche lei, la mia Eco, seduta su un delfino della marina Afrodite, naviga senza velo come Teti? Ho paura che l’abbiano turbata le terribili onde del mare, ho paura che una grande corrente l’abbia sommersa. Forse infelice insicura attraversa o mari dopo i monti. Eco un tempo montana apparirà marina. Ma tu lascia il tuo lento Polifemo; se vuoi ti salverò sollevandoti sulle mie spalle, la rumorosa corrente non mi sommerge. Se vorrò giungerò alla volta del cielo con i piedi caprini. A lui che così diceva Galatea rispose gridando con tali parole: ” Caro Pan, solleva dal flutto la tua Eco che non sa nuotare; non chiedermi invano perché oggi qui mi aggiro: Giove pluvio ha trovato per me un’altra navigazione. E lascia che il canto del Ciclope sia dolce. Non desidero più il mare siciliano: infatti ho paura di siffatta pioggia e non mi prendo cura di Polifemo”.

4 Solo l’incipit di ciascuno ne riporta Mario Marti in Dal certo al vero, Edizioni dell’Ateneo, Roma, 1962, p. 273 e seguenti.

5 http://www.fondazioneterradotranto.it/2017/06/15/gelsi-dellincoronata-mi-piace-ricordarli-cosi-13/

#Alberico Longo #Armando Polito #Polifemo e Galatea #Libri Di Puglia #Miscellanea #Spigolature Salentine

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dylan-hague · 7 years

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Chapter 38

Jump City. June 3rd, 2018. 1:34 AM.

Something wasn’t right.

Don’t misunderstand, Jump City had always been more peaceful than Gotham. That much is easy to assume, and Damian already knew full well. But something just felt off about tonight… maybe it was the anticipation of Mara’s next appearance. Not knowing what she had planned made everything more nerve-wracking, and knowing just what she was capable of only made things worse. Or maybe it was the fact that he was out on patrol with both of his parents. Talia had proven to be a bit more renegade as Phantasm than Damian or Bruce would have hoped, but Damian still felt the pressure of being observed by two of his greatest and closest teachers rather intently. Or perhaps it was the fact that Nashton was still at large… although not likely. Damian wasn’t particularly concerned about him getting away; Riddler was far too stubborn to skip town in the middle of his convoluted trials. Whatever it was, Damian did not like it. Not one bit…

“Hey. You alright, D?”

Damian jerked back to reality to see the masked face of Jaime Reyes looking back at him. Jaime was a good man; the second-oldest of the Titans after Garfield (excluding Kori, of course), the Blue Beetle spent most of his downtime performing community service as a civilian. Volunteering at the local homeless shelter, cleaning up litter on the roadside, even joining up as a volunteer firefighter. (He just barely scraped past the age restriction, but he got in.) Even when he wasn’t in the uniform, Jaime proved himself time and again to have the heart of a real hero.

“Yeah, sorry…” Damian ran a hand through his hair as he attempted to clear his head. “Just a lot going on tonight. I didn’t exactly think my first mission back in the field would involve hunting down my long-lost cousin. Y'know?”

“Try to relax, ‘mano,” Jaime replied, placing a hand on the younger Titan’s shoulder. “Everything will be fine, promise. You got us here, we got your back.” Damian nodded with a smile. That meant a lot coming from Reyes; after his initial hostility, Damian had come to admire the older Titan in an almost fraternal sense.

"Dame! You there, man?” Jonathan’s voice crackled over the comlink. “You guys got anything yet?”

“Nothing yet, Superboy… and come on. We’re on patrol right now. At least ACT like you know how being a superhero works.” Damian grinned as he replied.

“Yeah, yeah. So sorry, RED X,” the farmboy snickered. “Just… does it seem quieter than usual to y'all, or is that just me?”

“I know what you mean…” Jaime chimed in. “Usually we get at least a few cabrónes tryin’ to knock over the 7-11 here on Gomez, right? What gives?”

“I dunno, but I’m not sure I like it…” Damian continued solemnly. “I mean, yay, there’s no crooks out tonight, but everything just feels uneasy…”

“I agree.” Damian looked over his shoulder to see his father standing behind him, his cape flowing back with the wind. “Something doesn’t feel right about tonight. I’m not sure why, but it’s almost like… like something is keeping everyone inside. Out of sight. Like…”

Damian squinted his eyes as he peered out over the street below. “Like they know we’re coming for her.”

“Dios mío…” Beetle muttered under his breath. “Wait a second. You said she was part of that Assassin’s Creed thing right?”

“League of Assassins,” Damian corrected, “but yes. Why?”

“Well what happened to everyone she was in charge of?”

Damian stopped to think, and his eyes went wide as the realization dawned on him. The entire Gibraltar chapter of the League was under Mara’s command. If she had been in hiding all this time…

“… Hundreds… no, thousands of the world’s most dangerous killers… and they all just dropped under the radar with Mara… and now that Mara’s coming out of hiding…”

A loud crack of explosives and a fireball rising into the night sky from the Wayne Enterprises building uptown cut off the Titan’s musing.

Bruce let out a heavy growl as he pulled out his grapnel gun. “… great.”

Wayne Enterprises, Jump City Headquarters. June 3rd, 2018. 1:43 AM.

Tara and Raven flew into the smoldering hole in the top of the building, immediately equipping their breathers as they entered the smoke-filled conference room. Tara, upon looking around the room to find a television mounted to the wall to be the only piece of furnishing present, noted to herself that there was a suspicious lack of tables and chairs, considering how much work got done here every day. Damian made sure of that; even if he was only fifteen, Damian inherited his father’s work ethic. Every now and then he popped in to ensure things were still running smoothly, and every time the boy visited, things were running like a well-oiled machine. This was because of one single incident where Damian had half the Board of Directors fired, calling them a “hindrance to his company”. Bruce later called, fuming, demanding to know why Damian made this decision without consulting him first. As it turns out, Damian had been investigating everyone in the Jump branch. The members of the Board he’d fired were embezzling from the company. Millions lost without anyone the wiser until Damian noticed. From then on, nobody dared to cross the boy whenever he made his rounds about the place.

Of course, none of this was relevant at the moment, because there was no board meeting going on tonight. The building was practically deserted… Except for one unwanted visitor in the middle of the room, surrounded in flames: the false Red X. She stared back at the pair of heroines as they made their way into the room, her stare penetrating their nerves underneath the opaque lenses in her mask.

“Hmm…” the fake Titan’s voice was finally clear, without the concealment of her voice filter. “You’re not who I was hoping to see.”

“You’re not exactly my first choice of dance partner either, dude,” Terra quipped in response. “Heck, I had a date tonight.”

“Cute,” the false X hissed beneath her mask. “I almost like you, blondie. If it weren’t for the fact that both of you will be dead soon, I’d almost say I would keep you around just for your wit.”

“That’s enough,” Raven interjected. “You need to end this, Mara. We know who you are, and we know you’re here for Damian.”

The fake X said nothing, staring back at Raven for a moment before slowly reaching up and pulling off her mask. As her black hair fell down to her shoulders around her face, a lock of red drooping down between her eyes, Raven grimaced as Damian’s suspicions were confirmed: this was definitely Mara al Ghul. She matched his description perfectly… and she had the same intense look in her eyes as Damian did when he was angry. They were family, alright.

“And you must be Raven…” Mara said with a smirk. “… Damian’s blushing bride-to-be. Tell me, how exactly could you hate yourself enough to fall for a monster like him?”

“Damian’s not half the monster you claim him to be,” the witch-girl answered. “And he’s hardly half the monster I am.”

“Oh, so I’ve heard!” Mara shot back, her smirk stretched into a grin. “Daughter of Satan, and all that! It’s a wonder how you have any friends at all, isn’t it?”

“Really? That’s your best comeback?” Tara cocked an eyebrow as she chimed in. “Get with it, kid. That was just sad.”

Mara rolled her eyes. “Okay, I think that’s enough.” The false X snapped her fingers, and the TV switched on. Terra froze when the screen displayed Garfield’s unconscious body, a dark figure holding a single sai against his throat.

“He really should learn to mind his surroundings, wouldn’t you say?” Mara crossed her arms as she stared Terra down.

The three of them remained silent for several seconds as Terra clenched her fists, her whole body trembling with anger and fear. She finally turned back to the false X.

“What do you want?”

Wayne Enterprises, Jump City Headquarters. June 3rd, 2018. 2:02 AM.

Damian lighted on the ground in the empty conference room quiet as a mouse. As his eyes darted back and forth across the room, he felt himself becoming more and more uneasy when nothing notable revealed itself. The fire from the explosion had died out in the time it took to get here (which would have been considerably sooner if Damian’s father hadn’t been so insistent on coming with him), which meant the culprit may very well have disappeared as well. Either way, at least Damian had something to do now; this patrol was shaping up to be a complete bust. Thank Azar he’d been able to convince Batman to start searching from the first floor, because he didn’t know how much more of the old man’s growled complaints he could stand tonight. And boy, would he be griping right now; the conference room was practically cleared out. All that was left was a TV set…

… with a webcam. Come on Damian, duh.

As if on cue, the television switched on. Damian was greeted to the face of his cousin Mara, her heterochromic eyes boring into him even from the other side of the screen. This was NOT an encounter he was looking forward to.

"Mara.” Damian clenched his teeth as the name rumbled out of his chest.

“Damian.” The girl on the screen responded. “I’m glad to see you’re in good health, cousin.”

“Cut the crap,” Red X barked back. “Tell me why you’re here so we can be done with each other.”

“Snippy as always, I see!” Mara smirked. “Fine. Let’s get right down to business.” The assassin swiveled the camera around the empty room she was in to reveal Raven, Tara, and an unconscious Garfield, all bound and gagged, each with an assassin of their own holding a blade to their throat. “I have your friends here, Damian. I’m in the basement of this building. If I see your father, they die. If I see the robot-man, they die. If I see the aliens, they die. In case you still don’t get what I’m saying…”

“Come alone, yeah. I got it,” Damian replied roughly. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Good. I look forward to seeing you soon, cousin.” Mara smirked into the camera.

Damian sneered. “Screw off, Scarface.”

…

It wasn’t easy to slip past his father without him noticing, but Damian finally made his way into the basement. He couldn’t help but grumble as he made his way slowly through the maze of wooden pallets and crates. In his head, Damian made a note that this place needed to be organized as soon as possible. He’d let the idiots know later, once Mara was in custody.

As Damian rounded the corner around an unnecessarily tall crate (maybe it was necessary, Damian didn’t know what was inside… he didn’t really care either way, he was just irritated), he froze when he saw Beast Boy’s unmoving body splayed across the ground. Tossing his gaze quickly around the room, he rushed to the Changeling’s side, feeling for a pulse, letting out a sigh of relief when he found it.

“Wake up, Logan,” he whispered, gently slapping Beast Boy’s face as he did so. The older Titan winced as he slowly stirred awake. His forest-green eyes locked with Damian’s, and he let out a quiet groan.

“Hey, X…” Garfield hissed groggily. “How long have I been out…?”

“I have no idea,” Damian replied, helping Gar to his feet. “You got kidnapped by my cousin. We’re gonna get you out of here, but first I need you to help me find Tara and Raven. Alright?”

Garfield’s eyes widened. “They got Tara??”

“BB, calm down.” Damian grabbed Gar’s shoulders, trying to keep his attention. “I know, you’re angry. She has Raven too, I know how you’re feeling right now. But I need you to stay with me, okay? We’re doing this together.”

Beast Boy nodded slowly. “Yeah… yeah, okay. I’m good. Let’s go.”

“Alright,” Damian handed Gar a spare earpiece. “Try to keep quiet.” Gar nodded, and quickly snuck off in one direction as he slipped the earpiece into place, Damian going the other way. This wasn’t how he was hoping this would go; he was hoping Mara would just make her demands up front. He could probably talk her into letting his friends go, then take her in a straight fight, even without his weapons. But of course it couldn’t be that simple. This was Mara they were dealing with. Mara has always been awful.

Damian came around another corner to see Tara, still bound and gagged. He rushed to help her up, quickly cutting her bonds away with an X-star and pulling her to her feet. He held a finger up to his lips, silently telling her to keep her voice down, then beckoned her to follow. After searching for another minute or so, Garfield’s hushed voice sounded over the earpiece; he’d found Raven. Damian sighed with relief, smiling as he thanked Azar for her safety, and gave the order to move for the exit. Retracing their way out was simple enough, and for a moment as they regrouped it seemed as if everyone would be getting out just fine.

“Has anyone seen her?” Damian asked quietly as the four Titans made their way towards the exit.

“Not yet, but I’m sure she’s still around,” Raven replied, her voice hushed. “She made it pretty clear this was all about you. She wants you dead.”

“Kinda figured she wanted us all dead…” the Son of Batman mused as he reached for the elevator button. “Look, can you take everyone up to my father? He’s probably looping back down to the bottom floor by now.”

“Damian, I’m not leaving you down here with her by yourself,” Raven insisted.

“Yes you are,” Damian grunted. “I need you to. You have to get these two out of here.”

“Damian, we can handle ourselves,” Garfield interjected. “Y'know I’m a grown man, right?”

“Yes. You also have one arm and probably a concussion,” Red X replied as the elevator door began to open. “Just get going before Mara–”

Before Damian could finish his thought, he was interrupted by the crack of a steel boot heel to his chest that sent him flying back down the stairs as Mara leapt out of the elevator at him. Before any of the Titans could react, the girl whipped out a pair of pistols and aimed directly for Damian’s head.

“The three of you get into the elevator. Now. If anyone tries anything, he dies.” Mara pulled back the hammer on both guns, the clicks acting as a grim period establishing her point. After a moment of hesitation, the three Titans boarded the elevator.

“Damian…” Raven called out, “be careful.”

“I will,” the boy replied as the elevator doors closed. “I love you.”

As the elevator carried the other Titans away to the main building, Mara lifted her weapons away from their target, slowly making her way down the stairs as Damian rose to his feet. Once he had stood up properly, Mara tossed a pistol his way.

“What the…” Damian looked down with disgust as he tossed the gun aside. “No way. I don’t do guns.”

“I know,” Mara sighed as she cocked an eyebrow. “I know all about your precious rules. I’ve been keeping my eye on you ever since Grandfather died. And honestly, I’m disappointed. You could have been so much more than what you are, cousin.”

“What? A murderer? A danger to society? Don’t start, Mara.” Damian scowled back at his cousin, crossing his arms as he did so. “I got out when I could because Ra’s was wrong.”

“You dishonor your family by spitting his name!” Mara shrieked as she cracked her pistol across Damian’s face, causing him to drop to his knees as she aimed the gun between his eyes. “Have you forgotten what you were born to do? Who you were born to be?! You are Ibn al Xu'ffasch! You are an al Ghul!!”

Damian glared back up at Mara for a moment. “No, Mara… I’m not an al Ghul. Not anymore…” Letting out a sigh, the boy pressed his forehead against the tip of the weapon as his eyes closed. “Do it if you must. But I’m not an al Ghul… I’m a Wayne. I’ll always be a Wayne.”

Time seemed to stop for a moment.

They say when you face your death, your life flashes before your eyes… As it turns out, that’s not entirely true. Damian knows from personal experience, having died twice already. You don’t see your whole life; all you see is the important parts. The things that mattered most. The people you loved more than anything else. And in this moment, it all started to happen again… his parents, Grayson, Alfred, his team, Titus, Jonathan. All his fondest memories rushed to the forefront of his mind, and finally, one last time, he saw his Raven, dressed all in white, smiling back at him with her hand outstretched. He smiled, and in his mind he reached out to take hold of her hand…

The gun clattered to the floor.

Damian opened his eyes to see Mara staring down at him, wide-eyed and trembling. A single tear ran down the length of her face.

“I don’t understand…” the girl whispered. “Why? Why did… why did he choose you? Why did he always choose you?”

Damian sighed as he rose to his feet once more. “Ra’s al Ghul was a vile man. He chose me only because I was male. He wanted a man to lead this world. That’s why he chose me over you or my mother. Nothing more than that.”

“I gave him everything… I was his tool, an extension of him.” Mara’s hands clenched into shaking fists as she fought back her tears. “And... and for everything I gave…”

Damian put his arms around the girl. “I know, Mara… I’m sorry. I let him control me too, for years. But it’s over now… Let us help you find yourself. Let us help you decide who to be, so you can move forward.”

After a moment, Mara’s hands slowly came up around Damian’s back, and the two of them pulled each other in tightly. Two sides of the same coin, the last two of the al Ghul bloodline. After years of hatred, it was clear now that they were not so different after all. It would take time, but Mara would heal. And Damian owed it to her to be–

Damian’s eyes crashed back open as he felt the sting of Mara’s X-blades dig into his back.

“I can't believe you fell for that!” Mara snickered as she pulled her blades out of Damian’s back, kicking him back down. The boy cursed himself for dropping his defenses like that; what did he expect Mara to do? This was practically the same stunt Wilson had pulled on him before. Fortunately she hadn’t pierced his heart, so he knew he wasn’t quite dying yet, but he still had to act fast. Shoving off with his arms and biting back the pain, Damian launched upwards, locking his legs around Mara’s neck and throwing the two of them in a wide circle as they fell to the ground, Damian now sitting on Mara’s chest. Having snagged the upper hand away, Damian began throwing his fists across Mara’s face again and again, hoping to put her down before things got anymore out of hand. But before he could cross her again, the true Red X let out a howl as he felt Mara’s fingers digging into the open wounds in his back, instinctively throwing himself off of her to escape the stinging pain. As the girl scrambled to her feet, Damian equipped his own X-blades and threw himself at her, unleashing a fearsome roar as he took back the offensive. The twannng of blades clashing rang out again and again as the two X’s tore through the maze of crates, swiping at one another like lions battling for dominance over their pride.

“You think you can seriously do this, Titan?!” Mara jabbed as she leapt towards Damian. “You’re already bleeding out! You’re only alive right now because I want to enjoy this kill!”

“Shut up.” Damian kept his words short as he fought back at the girl. She was right, though; he was losing blood fast, and he couldn’t keep up the fight much longer. He had to put Mara down fast. Reaching into his belt, he began slinging tranq-stars in her direction as quickly as he could. Unfortunately the weakness from his blood loss hindered his judgment, and he couldn’t quite get his aim right. Mara grinned as she saw her cousin slipping up, and pulled out a handful of her own X-stars, flinging them all around the labyrinth of boxes. As soon as they made contact, the shuriken all burst into flames, creating a haze of smoke and fire all around, dizzying Damian even further. Hacking and coughing, his eyes stinging from the smoke in the air, Damian struggled to keep his footing. Before he could react, he felt Mara’s X-blades plunge into his stomach, driving the breath from his lungs. Slowly he found himself unable to stand, and dropped to his knees, Mara’s blades now crossed at his throat. The young Titan looked up to see his cousin grinning wildly down at him.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this day…” Mara began. “Your mother thought she’d dealt with us when she disbanded the rest of the League, but by then my chapter had sworn their fealty to me. Now with your death, and her heinous discarding of our family’s legacy, I am the only one left to lead our people to glory. I am Mara, the Demon’s Head, and I will take this world as my grandfather saw fit!”

Damian’s vision began to blur, and colors began to fade. His heart dropped into his stomach as Mara spoke; after everything, after years of fighting back against his heritage, his world came crashing down around him. There was nothing left he could do… he’d lost.

“Ohhhh, I’ve dreamt about this for years, dear cousin,” the girl continued. “You have no idea how badly I wanted this. How long I’ve relished the ides of cutting your head clean off…” the false X sucked in a hissed breath and began to giggle. “Oh gods, this is it! This is my moment! After all these years I can finally look into your eyes and watch you die!!” Damian felt a tear well up in his eyes as he heard the blades slide across one another, closing in on his neck…

But the hiss of steel scraping steel stopped as a large blade burst through Mara’s chest.

Damian watched in horror as Mara’s hands fell to her sides, and the girl was hoisted up helpless into the air on the massive blade, a figure looking like death itself emerging from the flames behind her. Without another word, the figure pulled Mara back into the fire, seemingly vanishing altogether.

Damian fell back, his vision almost gone, as a familiar cloak descended around him…

Titans Tower. June 5th, 2018. 2:30 PM.

Damian’s vision was still blurry as he stirred back to consciousness. As he looked around the room, he made out the shape of two people, about his own age, seated beside him. As his vision cleared, the Son of Batman easily identified them as Raven and Jonathan.

“Guys…?” he croaked. His lips couldn’t help but twitch into a smile as he saw the pair lift their heads and smile at him.

“Dame!” Jon shouted, practically jumping onto him. “Man, I didn’t think you were gonna make it for a while there!” It was lucky Damian was already healed, or the shock alone of being jolted so much may have killed him. The boy’s wrapped their arms around one another and laughed.

“Ah, c'mon Jonno, you know me…” Damian said with a grin. “I can’t just leave you guys to fend for yourselves, you’d be lost without me.”

“Maybe so,” Jon replied, pulling back and grinning down at the Wayne. “But I think you’d just miss me too much!”

Damian chuckled. “Maybe so, farmboy. Maybe so…” Slowly, Damian turned to look at Raven, who had a look of gratitude in her eyes as she smiled back at him. “You came back for me, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did,” Raven replied. “We’re a team. We’re better together.”

Damian smiled as he took Raven’s hand in his. “So… what happened to Mara?”

“Your mom happened, man…” Jon answered as he crawled off the bed back to Raven’s side. “Killed the crap out of her.”

“Christ…” Damian moaned. “Where is my mother now?”

“We’re not sure,” Raven replied, putting her other hand over Damian’s. “But she told us to tell you she’s sorry she had to break the rule… and that she loves you.”

“Man…” Damian pouted for a moment. “Well, that’s what she does, I guess. Nothing we can really do about it. Any word on Riddler?”

“Oh yeah!” Jon grinned as he chimed in. “Turns out, he was hidin’ under the Tower the whole time! Still had all the gold and everything! What a moron, right?” Damian cracked just for a moment, letting out a chuckle as Raven shook her head smiling.

“Oh, uhh…” Jon slowly backed out of the infirmary. “I should give y'all a minute. I'll see y'all around!” Damian nodded with a smile, and the hybrid stepped out of the room.

A moment of silence sat between the two Titans. Damian looked up at Raven, not knowing what to say…

“… Thank you for saving my life. Again.” Damian smiled as the words came out of his mouth.

“No problem,” Raven let her lips curl into a shy smile as she met his eyes again.

“How is everyone doing?” Damian sat up as he asked, and Raven gently sat down in front of him, both of them cross-legged on the infirmary bed facing one another.

“Actually, I kind of need to talk to you about that…” Raven’s voice was low. “… we’ve made the decision to go our separate ways for awhile.”

“What?” Damian was visibly taken aback by this. “Why? Did something happen while I was out?”

“No, we just… everyone needs some time. Time to figure out who they are outside of the Titans.” Raven leaned forward, her fingers gently tracing over Damian’s knuckles as she spoke. “Gar and Tara are going on a trip across the country, Jon is going back to high school, Jaime got a job back in El Paso, Kori went back to Tamaran…”

“Tamaran? Seriously?” Damian looked back at the half-demon puzzled. “What about her sister?”

“She brought along some of the League to help her work things out…” Raven looked away for a moment blushing before she looked back at Damian. “And I was thinking… maybe I could come back to Gotham with you? If that’s okay?”

Damian could feel his cheeks burning as his smile spread. “Why not? We might as well get started on planning.”

Raven’s smile spread into a grin as she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around Damian’s neck as they both tumbled out of the hospital bed. Damian laughed as he put his arms around Raven’s waist and held her tight before helping her to her feet. As the two of them left the infirmary, they stopped by the window and looked out over the river, where they could see Jon hovering outside. The hybrid waved back at the two of them, then took off into the sky. Damian smiled; Jon would be around plenty enough, and Wayne Manor would be open to him day or night. He turned and looked at Raven, who kept on staring out at the river below them. He slowly put his arm around her, and pulled her in to press his lips to her cheek.

“Y'know, Raven…” he whispered. “I really don’t know what I would do without you.”

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