#tim prefers energy drinks over coffee

[feelingthedisaster]

its really funny how tim drake liking coffe is 100% fanon but jason todd reading jane austen is canon

[ew-selfish-art]

Dp x Dc AU: Damian and Ellie become friends, and for all his research into her ‘Guardian’ older siblings, he can’t seem to understand why they’re asking after his own homelife. 

Ellie was an annoyance to him from the moment they met, and this unfortunately meant that her and Jon got along like a house on fire. She’d transferred to Gotham Academy in the middle of the year and clearly had no idea what a private school was like politically- She walked right up to him and declared them friends. He’d retorted something about preferring to be enemies, she immediately had a shark like grin and after school they had their first spat- which Jon immediately flew into town for upon hearing Damian’s typically fight related biometrics (which, yes, he always listened for). 

Immediately upon Jon pulling them apart, Ellie asked again if they could be friends and Damian accepted. Jon is bewildered but hey! New Pal! And she can throw down! How Neat! (plus she didn’t ask how Jon appeared so quickly-he wasn’t caught flying because of their fight- success! Identity kept secret!) 

Ellie eventually invites them over to her place since she lives closest to the school, and the apartment is meager if not incredibly well kept. Jazz is the one home at this time, makes them all some apple slices and ensures that they did their homework. Jon declares that Lois would love her. Jazz asks if Damian is safe at home, and she has a weird green color to her eyes for just a second when she asks, but Damian assures her that the Wayne family is merely a rambunctious one with too many children. 

The next time they come by her older brother Danny is the one who is home, and he looks absolutely exhausted as he mixes instant coffee granules into his energy drink. Damian learns that he’s an engineer at WE and working night shifts- apparently Danny was home the last time they visited but was asleep. Danny also kind of looks at Damian funny for a second, and asks if he’s safe at home, Ellie protests that they can’t keep asking him and Damian defends his family once more. 

Damian goes home after one of their visits and at the family dinner table if there is anything about him that reads as ‘abused child’ since he keeps getting this treatment by the Nightengale siblings. Tim doesn’t add anything towards Damian’s predicament but does explain that Danny Nightengale is off limits from the rest of the family- He’s not to be adopted and he’s not to be researched, this dude is his main engineer on a Bat project and Tim’s personal project to crack. 

Jason, who happened to attend because it was Alfred’s Eggplant Parmesan night, voices that his new therapist is also a Nightengale. She’s great (the whole family has noticed) but he’s also contemplating dropping her as a therapist for... reasons. (The whole family understands that he’s in love with her and theres a betting pool around it.) 

Bringing the conversation back to the start, Bruce suggests that Damian invite them over for dinner so that they can see he has a stable homelife. Tim and Jason protest but it gets ignored. Damian asks Ellie at school and she happily accepts with “Great! I can’t wait to haunt your house!” 

The Nightengales arrive, and fit right in. The evening goes off without out any major issues or bumps in the road- although the entire family + Danny are all keen on Jason pursuing Jazz (who keeps refusing to comment despite blushing every other word he says to her). Ellie is adored by the whole family, though Damian does his best to threaten them away. Danny is incredibly loose lipped about the project he’s working on to Tim’s horror but Danny just kind of winks and says “this feels like a room of people that can keep a secret.” (Danny doesn’t know they’re bats, he just assumes this cause they’re all family and so nice.)

Eventually at the end of the night Bruce asks why they keep asking after Damian’s homelife and safety- what makes them so concerned? Danny just spills the beans: 

“I’ve met a lot of undead in my day, but Damian was brought back to life in a way I’m still trying to understand. Like Jason? Easy peasy, got dipped in the green stuff. Damian? So Strange. Plus like the kid is like 15, it took me until 14 to die the first time but I had a portal to another dimension under my house and he lives in a mansion.” 

Chaos. 

[butwhyduh]

Guy from the Window

Batboy x reader

This is ambiguous as to which of the boys (Dick, Jason, or Tim) because a name is never mentioned. So kinda a pick-your-fav to imagine story. It’s sexy but just a kiss.

“Of course, Mr Wayne, I’ll leave these in your office. You can sign them when you get back. The deadline is next Thursday so no rush. I’ll be sure to remind you then-“ you said as you carried a filing folder into Mr Wayne’s office. The words fell silent on your tongue and the folder slid to the floor from your hands.

There was a man standing behind the desk in the darkened room. He appeared shirtless and holding something white like thick paper. The curtains were drawn closed and the only light was the pale blue of the electric wall clock.

The man turned. Mr Wayne was saying something over the phone but you paid him no mind. The man stared at you. He was imposing and fit and more importantly injured. The paper was a bandage he pressed against his side.

“I have to go,” you said numbly on the phone before hanging up. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said quietly. You tried to ignore the way his shoulder muscles rippled as he turned to grab another bandage. Part of you was terrified. This was Gotham. He could be a killer. But the other part saw possibly the most attractive man you’ve ever seen needing help because he was hurt.

He tried to wrap gauze around the injury on his side below his ribs. You could see the set in his sharp jawline as it clearly hurt to twist.

“What are you doing here?” You asked. He hummed, clearly amused at your question.

“This office is closed. Why are you here?” He countered. He set his teeth as he twisted for another round of gauze. You grabbed the roll and moved closer to give to him.

“I’m working late. You-you don’t even work here,” you replied. He looked at you and nodded. He smelled like gunpowder and mint gum. Even in the dark room, you could feel his intelligent eyes assessing you.

“The tape,” he muttered softly. His deep voice was calm, even, and certainly not scared of being caught. You reached across him and grabbed the tape. Rather than giving him the roll, you pulled off a piece and taped the end of the bandage he was holding.

“What happened?” You asked with more curiosity than you should have. He hummed again before sitting down painfully in Mr Wayne’s office chair.

“Gotham.”

“That’s not really an answer. Why are you here?” You pressed. He seemed amused at your questions. Even while injured and caught trespassing, he clearly saw you as no threat.

“Let’s say, I know the owner,” he finally said. You sat back on the desk. Your feet hurt after working all day in heels. His eyes looked down at the hem of the pencil skirt you wore and down your bare legs. He looked at the clock on the wall. “No offense, but you’re too pretty to be in an office this late at night alone in Gotham.”

“Why? Someone might break in?” You quipped. He laughed before stopping with a little frown in eyebrows. His side clearly hurt more than he let on.

“Something like that. You don’t have to but can you get me a drink? Water preferably,” he said. His voice was soft and probably trying to hide the pain he was in.

You didn’t bother replying but instead reached over him to the mini fridge beneath the desk. He stared at you. You pushed past energy drinks and a can of coffee to give him a bottle of water. You also grabbed an ice pack.

“You don’t have to-“ he started before you touched the soft ice pack to the bruise forming on his bottom lip. The words failed him and he said nothing as you pressed the water bottle into his hand. At this close you could see the blue of his eyes and the scattering of freckles and scars on his nose.

His hand grasped your side. Fuck, why were you practically in the lap of a stranger? He was hot but this was Gotham. He could be a killer.

His other hand reached up and slid around your wrist and gently pulled the ice pack away and you let it fall to the plush carpet as you steadied yourself with an arm pressed back on the desk. You were still sitting on the desk but now his leg was basically between yours almost touching.

“What’s your name, doll?” He breathed. His voice was breathy and his eyes lingered on your lips. Your voice was softer as you told him your name.

“What’s your name,” you asked back. He chuckled with a shake of his head.

“Can’t really say,” he replied with a smile on his voice. It was infectious. You grinned despite yourself.

“And why not?” You said while leaning forwards. It was all a game where hopefully you both would win. “You can whisper it if you need.”

His hand on your side slid up your back pulling you closer. “You’ll keep my secret?” He asked. You felt goosebumps on your flesh as his other hand grasped your mid thigh. Your heart beat out of your chest.

“Why don't you tell me it?” You suggested. He grinned before shaking his head. The hand on your back slid up to the back of your neck. Other than your ass on the desk, you were basically in his lap.

“Not quite,” he answered. His hand on your thigh slid up the thin fabric of your skirt to your hip and ther other hand on the back of your neck moved to cup your jaw. You inhaled quickly and your hands jumped out to press on his thighs as your balance tipped towards him.

“You’re alright,” he muttered. His eyes were on your lips. His thumb reached up and gently swiped over the pad surface of your bottom lip. The hand that was on your hip pressed on your lower back with just enough firmness to bend you even closer to him. Your hand reached up to hold onto his shoulder.

“May I?” He asked softly. His eyes were on your lips and hand cupped your jaw.

You softly replied “yeah.”

He pressed his lips against yours. The kiss was soft and slow but deep. Your mind was reeling as you made out with this stranger. You didn’t even know his name for fuck sake. His tongue swiped against your bottom lip like a question. You opened your mouth and the kiss deepened. His hand on the small of your back pulled gently and you slipped into his lap. You ignored the way your skirt slid up your thighs.

Your hands skirted along the muscles in his arms. Fuck, who was this fit? He was so fucking muscular. His hands reached down to your ass and pulled you flush to his body. But in doing so, he brushed your knee against his injured side.

He hissed out a “fuck.” You pulled back immediately. He was panting. His eyes showed lust mixed with pain.

“Sorry,” you said. You still sat in his lap but your knee was far from the injury.

“It’s fine,” he insisted.

The phone rang on the desk. You turned in his lap to grab it. He sighed a little annoyed while looking down at his side.

“Hello?” You answered. It showed Mr Wayne’s personal phone. “Oh, so sorry to hang up on you.….No, no. Everything is okay…. No need to come to the office.”

The man you sat on looked at you concerned.

“No no, Mr Wayne. I already ordered a cab. I’m leaving now. I’ll close up shop,” you replied. “Yes sir, have a good night. Thanks.”

You hung up the phone.

“I should probably go,” he said to you. You turned to look at him after hanging up.

“How can I contact you?” You said as you slid off his lap. He pulled your skirt straight before groaning as he stood up.

“I’ll be in touch,” he answered before pulling you into a mind numbing heart racing kiss. When he let you go, you sat on the desk looking dazed. “A cab is on the way. And sweetheart? Keep this between us, okay?” He said with a wink.

“Sure,” you replied as he grabbed his shirt and climbed out on the fire escape. He jumped off and disappeared into the night before you could get to the window. It was only a few minutes later as you closed everything down that a cab showed up just as he had planned.

A few weeks later you found a rose on your desk with a little piece of paper wrapped tightly around it. You carefully unwrapped the paper and read a little note.

I’ll see you this weekend Sweetheart -guy from the window

“Who sent you that?” Asked your coworker with a grin.

“Nobody,” you replied and she laughed.

“Sure.”

[delusionalmultifandomwriter]

Batfamily Caffeine HC

requested?: no

My Batfam obsession is going on so enjoy!

HC: What kind of caffeine does the Batfam consume?

Bruce drinks plain black coffee, no sugar, no creamer. Even at Starbucks he will order plain black coffee. He will never consume energy drinks, maybe occassionally a black tea.

Dick has a sweet tooth. He prefers coke or energy drinks. If he drinks coffee he will fill up that cup with cinnamon creamer. You can imagine Tim shaking his head in the back.

Jason prefers tea. He is the type of guy to drink earl grey tea or matcha. He will occasionally drink coffee but never cheap one. Jason is someone to celebrate his coffee. Opposite to that, he will drink the cheapest energy drinks there are and just chug them down if he needs the effect fast.

Tim. We all know Tim is a caffeine addict™️. He drinks regular coffee in large quantities. If it is a bad day, he will switch to Death Wish Coffee (500mg caffeine per cup) and have two. Alfred regulary hides the coffee beans from him to avoid Tim having a heart attack. He drinks Iced Americano at Starbucks and has at least once tried to brew his coffee with an energy drink instead of water. Tim has no survival instinct when it comes to his caffeine intake.

Babara takes her coffee with creamer and sugar. She prefers vanilla flavoured or drinks cinnamon like Dick. She will occasionally drink energy drinks but only high quality ones. She is the one in the fam that has her caffeine intake under control the most.

Steph is a sucker for Starbucks seasonal coffee. She is a pumpkin spice girl and awaits every autumn with heart eyes. She drags Tim to Starbucks every year when PSL season starts. Peppermint flavour for Winter Season is also fine by her. She prefers fancy coffee and stocked up one of the kitchen cabinets at Wayne Manor with different flavours of Barista syrup.

Cass is that kind of person that takes caffeine pills. She will also chug down black coffee, not that she likes the taste. She consumes it for the effect only. Sometimes she is even worse than Tim.

Duke prefers energy drinks. He is not picky with the flavours, i believe he prefers the regular flavour. I dont see him consuming a lot of caffeine, he mainly does it because being a vigilante messes with your sleep schedule and, like everyone, he is always running low on sleep.

Damian is a kid, a trained assassin, but also a kid. He probably has a big sweet tooth, i see him drinking fruity frappucinos. He will sip his strawberry cream frappucino while Tim is fighting with the Barista over adding seven shots of espresso to his Vanilla Latte. Damian also drinks hot chocolate, he will probably drink coffee when he gets older. I believe he will develope similar preferences as Stephanie.

Alfred drinks tea. Good british black tea. It also is ridiculously expensive but that is not a problem if you are the butler of Bruce Wayne himself. He sometimes celebrates tea time with Jason when he is around.

[virgil-my-emo-son]

*materializes into existence*

Hey there :D

Heard you were taking a few fic requests? If you're still up for one more, I have a lil idea.

Request: Prinxiety where Roman is not having a very good day cause of burnout and Virgil helps him rest? Hurt/comfort style.

If ya don't feel up to writing this, then think of it like a fun lil idea to look at :3

Have fun and take care :D

Hey!!!

Soooo I really liked your request and I wrote about 750 words in 45 minutes! This was quite therapeutic to write, I've been in a similar situation to Roman recently and this weekend/the beginning of next week is the culmination of all this work I've been doing for months, so it's been very very busy. I put out fic requests bc writing helps me to unwind, and writing this actually really helped me work through some of my stress and anxiety.

I hope you guys like it and it doesn't come off as just pure unadulterated projection 😅 Let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

TAKE A BREAK

Prinxiety, creative burnout, hurt/comfort

Summary: Roman's pushing himself too hard. Virgil knows it.

Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54701638

Note: I'm imagining this situation being in some sort of college AU, where Roman's working on a giant project for class, but I intentionally kept it vague so that if you want it can be more canon-compliant and he's working on a video idea for c!Thomas or something too. Or interpret it however you want! That's the joy of writing :)

“Hey.”

Roman jumped a bit as a hand touched his shoulder. He looked up to see Virgil, who wore a concerned expression.

“What’s up?” Roman didn’t know what was wrong.

“Your foot is being a little loud.” Virgil’s eyes flicked to Roman’s foot, which was tapping an erratic rhythm on the floor.

Roman stilled his leg. “I apologize.”

“You only do that when you’re, like, really stressed. Really stressed. Dangerously stressed.”

“I’m not worr—Not—I’m not—” Roman paused, taking a deep breath. “I apologize, Virgil, for worrying you. I’m not stressed, I just don’t have the time to take a break from this.”

Virgil’s eyes narrowed. “Have you been sleeping?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Roman waved a hand in the air. “Unimportant. I need to keep working.”

“You’re mixing up your words.” Virgil crossed his arms. “You only do that when you haven’t been sleeping.”

“Truly, babe, it’s of no consequence.” Roman put on his most convincing smile.

Virgil recoiled. “Stop doing that with your face. It’s scary.”

Roman let his face fall. “I just have…” he sighed. “I just have a lot to do.”

“Can you take a break?”

“A break?” Roman hadn’t had that idea.

“You know. When you get some water—not coffee or energy drinks—and a snack and watch… I don’t know… Hercules or something.” He shrugged. “I prefer Tim Burton, but I can stand Hercules. I like the titans.”

“Are you offering to watch a cartoon with me?” Roman gave a small but sincere grin. “You object to most of my movie choices.”

“And then we watch your choice anyway.” Virgil smiled, a fondness in his eyes. “Because you’ll throw a fit if we don’t.”

“But, still, you suggested an uplifting Disney cartoon. That’s… that might be a first.”

Virgil rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling. “Yeah, yeah. Come on, you need a break. We’ve been sitting in here working for like three hours.”

“Yes, but…” Roman’s grin faded. “I’m not even close to done, Virgil, and this needs to be done. It needs to be done. I need to be done with it.” He didn’t know how he could impress on Virgil how much he wanted to never think about this project again.

“Do you need to be done tonight?”

“I should have it done tonight.”

“That’s not what I asked.” Virgil said, his voice soft, gentle.

Roman sighed. “I suppose I have a few more days to really finish it, but—what are you doing?” Virgil had crossed the room and was gathering his art supplies, putting them in his bag.

“Come on, we’re watching Hercules.”

“I really—I can’t—”

Virgil threw his bag over his shoulder. “You can, and you will.”

Roman sighed. “I need to keep working on this.”

“Can you keep working on this?” Virgil crossed his arms. “Be honest with yourself.”

“I…” Roman’s mouth was slightly open as he searched for the words. For the answer. “I can’t. Not right now. Virgil, I can’t. But I have to.”

“Okay.” Virgil nodded his head. “Then let’s go back to my place and we can make popcorn, and we’ll cuddle and watch the first half-hour of Hercules. And then you can get back to work for an hour, and I’ll sketch. And then we’ll watch more Hercules.”

“Okay.” Roman said softly, closing his laptop.

Virgil waited by the door as Roman packed up his things. “You’re working hard, Roman. You’re doing what you need to do. But you know as well as I do that you do better work when you’re fully conscious and energetic.”

“I suppose I’m not quite as bouncy as I usually am.”

“Not even a little bit as bouncy as usual.” Virgil shook his head. “It’s quite sad. You’re adorable when you’re excited about what you’re working on.”

“I know.” Roman grumbled, standing up. “Self-care makes my work better. But—”

“No buts.” Virgil bumped his shoulder. “Let’s go watch your movie. I won’t even complain when you sing along.”

“Really?” Roman’s eyes lit up.

“Really.”

Roman began to hum “I Won’t Say I’m In Love” as he walked out of the room behind Virgil, pulling the door shut behind him.

Virgil grinned. “You’re already starting to sing. I may have made a mistake.”

“I’m not singing, I’m humming. There’s a difference.” Roman said with mock offense.

“There’s my Roman.” Virgil said, and Roman couldn’t see his face, but he could hear the grin in his words. “A break will do you good.”

[shinjukuppoi]

my celia headcanons! under the cut because there's a lot. a lot are very specific but... 😛

celia is a lesbian (no one is surprised by me saying this) and i don't think she has a preference when it comes to mascs and femmes.

celia would make several fake facebook accounts to make fun of people she doesn't like at work. she would be very deliberate as to not get caught. expert cyber bully

celia is a night owl. she'd have to be up early for work, obviously, but i feel like she would definitely feel safest to be herself and indulge herself at night

celia not only sleeps on her back, but she stays very still the whole night, like a rock

she has a very complicated skincare routine so she can keep herself staying "youthful" (not that she needs it 🙄)

celia's everyday perfume is delina (because she can afford it and i think she would like to smell a little fruity and like roses!). i think on nights out she would wear something a little stronger and more mature. going to meet the mc, i think she wouldn't put in the effort to freshen herself up or put on more perfume since it's the only space where she can be herself!

celia would definitely drink kale smoothies regularly (i'm sorry, i can't stomach these!)

celia would pick going to see the mc over going out to the club on most days

celia would have been so focused on her career that she'd have very little time to watch tv series or read book series. i think as a kid she would have played something like pokemon on the game boy, and gets confused when she sees things about the new pokemon games, but that's about it

celia is a high-functioning alcoholic and sometimes mixes her alcohol with coffee or energy drinks so she can stay more alert! sugar free vodka redbull, if an energy drink, but she doesn't like the flavor.

celia listens to house music and jazz so she can relax

i think lede is celia's maiden name so she and harold have different last names (he would have agreed to it reluctantly)

if celia gets tim hortons, she gets a double double and an old fashioned donut (extremely rarely), but she doesn't like tim hortons because they aren't canadian anymore

celia is 5'9 without heels, and she wears 3-inch heels for work every day, so she's usually 6'0 😆

i think celia came from a poor household and worked very hard her whole life to get where she is! this adds to why she is so stressed all the time. she thinks any slip up could cost her everything.

celia is lactose intolerant.

celia's ideal captive is plus sized

even on her days off from work, she is still dressed to impress!

celia's favorite makeup brands are Cle de Peau and La Mer

celia drives a luxury hatchback. the interior is always very clean and she gets it cleaned regularly. it smells like the black pine-tree car air freshener, although when she's very stressed she lets it get a little messy as long as no one sees.

i have headcanons for the "You ran away together" ending too, but i'm saving those for when i start writing a fanfiction in a few months. i want to see other people's headcanons, too!

[tinybriewrites]

Parfum - 1

"A triple quad black eye but make it ristretto," Marinette mumbled with her eyes half closed, thrusting a ginormous tumbler into the hands of the aghast cashier.

She stumbled her way to a counter seat and promptly collapsed onto the marble surface. The chill of it was sharp enough to keep her on the knife-edge of lucidity while waiting for her dose of sweet, unforgivable addiction.

A chuckle rang through the vacant shop amidst the whirring of the espresso machine.

"Didn't think there'd be a free range one of you nutcases out there," a baritone voice said with undisguised mirth.

Normal Marinette would've ignored the weird voice. Normal Marinette was smart, usually. Even Sleepy Marinette knew better than to jeopardize everything. Unfortunately, the only Marinette left running the show was One-Foot-Into-A-Grave-Slash-Coma Marinette.

And this Marinette was a downright idiot.

She opened a striking blue eye for a moment before turning the other way and mumbling, "...Ngh bad stranger."

"Name's Julian. Not a stranger now, am I?"

Marinette's current slower-than-a-turtle brain took a hot second to process the words and string them together before slurring out, "Mah-ree-nettie," squinting at Julian afterward like a satisfied housecat.

"Well, Nettie, what brings you to Gotham? Secret Wayne? You have the looks for it, that's for sure." The barista couldn't help but let out a snort at that. If there was anything Gotham was known for, it must be the gaggle of black-haired blue-eyed children with wildly tragic backstories.

Marinette slow-blinked like a lagging computer at Julian before sluggishly reaching to the top of his head.

"Flatcap."

"It's Paper Boy Day, y'see."

"...Weird."

"Kid, this dude's one of the resident crazies. This," the barista gestured to all of Julian, "is what happens when you live here too long. God knows, the air here reeks of insanity."

"Don't forget the water too," Julian snickered.

He eyed her up and down before adding, "And you, kid, scream visitor. Your outfit is drab enough to pass for a gargoyle here, but your scent— It's a dead giveaway. You smell too nice to be here. All lavender and cinnamon and puppies."

Before Marinette could begin to muster up a response, the barista came back and placed her filled-to-the-brim tumbler down with practiced caution.

Marinette cared not for anything but her preferred dose of insanity, immediately gulping down the still steaming drink to the resigned and amused eyes of the duo.

"Even after all that, not even a hint of hesitation, huh? Just like that Tim kid, I swear."

"Uncannily so, indeed."

Three straight minutes of inhaling the more-caffeinated-than-should-be-legal drink later, Tired-As-All-Nine-Hells-But-Still-Pulling-Through Marinette took the stage.

With scrunched brows, she turned to look at Julian then the barista then back to Julian.

"...Wayne?"

Guffawing, Julian replied, "The growing brood of Bruce, Playboy Prince of Gotham. You one of his? Last name Wayne?"

With the caffeine charge belatedly rebooting her critical thinking skills, Semi-Dead-But-Not-Quite Marinette realized how much shit pre-coffee Marinette could have already landed herself in. Idle chatter with strangers was a privilege not granted to a newbie runaway.

"...No. And I- I think I have to go now."

Marinette rushed out of the coffee shop, tumbler clutched like it was her life, under the indecipherable gaze of the odd stranger.

"Hey, Nettie," the barista greeted, moving to make her drink the moment she walked in.

Over the course of a week, Marinette had kept running into the strange man on her coffee runs. After the second meeting, she indulged in the newfound paranoia her journey had encouraged. Under Tikki's disapproving gaze, she casted no less than thirty-seven different spells to be absolutely, beyond any doubt certain that he was in no way a threat to her. Her actions were morally ambiguous, sure, but that coffee shop was the only place in Gotham that didn't stink of corrupted energy.

Marinette could only either take the plunge or go coffee-free, and she's seen how well that would go.

"Hello again, little bean. Need another death drink already?"

Silently acquiescing to that, Marinette admired Julian's newest garb. "...National Bride Day?" she guessed.

He wore an ivory wedding gown, the skirt billowing out around his seat in heaps of tulle and lace. A white camellia rested on his right ear, pinning back part of his flowing blonde wig, pearls hanging from it like a star-lit waterfall.

"Tsk, tsk, Nettie, close but not quite." He bopped her on the head with a bouquet of fake carnations, eyes gleaming with an odd affection. "World Marriage Day, actually."

"What do you think, I'm rocking this one, aren't I?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

Marinette rolled her eyes at his antics. "Felix put it all together, didn't he? You and Mitch together can't measure up to a pinky of his fashion sense."

"How dare you speak to your father like that, young lady!" he gasped in mock offense.

"Thought you called me a Wayne, Jules," Marinette teased back, brow raised.

"You could be both," he joked. "I don't mind being called father-in-law."

"Ju-"

Her righteous indignation was interrupted by the clink of porcelain on marble and the chuckles the barista didn't bother holding back, much to her dismay.

"You- I- Just- No! You guys, no! Felix and I aren't anything even close to that," she exclaimed. But unfortunately for her, her reddening face hid nothing.

"...Sure, kid, sure. But hurry it up, will you? I've got a hundred bucks on the line."

"You bet on me?!"

"I want in. Twenty bucks Felix makes the first move." The barista held out a crisp fifty, adding, "Thirty Marinette avoids him after."

Julian grabbed the bill, pulling up a purse from his fake cleavage.

Before Marinette could protest more, a loud siren blasted from her phone speakers. Her eyes hardened instantly as if a switch was flicked, and without another word, she left like Cerberus himself was on her heels.

By the time Ladybug had arrived on the scene, half of Collège Françoise Dupont was up in flames. Chat Noir was nowhere to be found, but from a cursory glance, the students stayed a distance away from the burning building, seeming neither harmed nor controlled or otherwise affected aside from the bone-deep fright.

"Marinette! Where is Marinette!" the akuma—Manon—screeched.

"We don't know a Marinette," a student cried out in fear of the looming figure.

"Stop. Lying. To. Me!" She flung around her wand-holding arm in her rage of a tantrum.

Staunchly ignoring the rabbit hole of implications of Manon's demands, the heroine came up with her gamble of a plan. Trying to take the most efficient route, she cautiously approached a pastel pink Puppeteer, hand at the ready on her yoyo. From behind the akuma, she nabbed her wand and broke it in half on her knee.

But, nothing changed. Instead, her move only served to incense Manon, not unlike pouring water on sizzling oil.

"LADYBUG!" Manon yelled. "You remember Marinette, right?"

"N-" Ladybug moved to shake her head, but the akuma was quick to cut her off. "You wouldn't lie to me, right? Not you, the perfect sweetheart of Paris, right? Our darling heroine would never lie to a little kid? Right?"

Marinette weighed her options. It was an innocent child versus the entire world. Faith against fate.

Manon stared at her with the same hope-filled gaze she had once had when she wanted her plush dolls. It plunged her into memories she once resolved to forget. It made her weak.

She bit her lip.

"No. I've never heard of a Marinette."

But not weak enough.

"LIAR," she screamed, flinging tiny pink sparks from her fingertips in all directions.

Spinning her yoyo into a shield, Ladybug managed to repel all but one, the littlest of the bunch. But that was enough to damn her.

With its landing point as the origin, it spread from the soles of her feet to the tip of her waist at an alarming speed. The heroine was protected by the magic of the suit, but even through that, she could feel the burn of the pink flame. It was beyond what words could describe. She felt like she was bathing in a hearth straight from Tartarus. She could feel the conflicting magics tearing her apart and putting her back together, tendon by tendon.

In her haze, she could hear Manon roaring out, "If you won't reveal the truth, then just go reveal everything else. Hmph!"

Manon shot out a pink beam from her index finger, but before it could hit her, someone jumped in the way.

Adrien.

Gritting her teeth, Ladybug aggressively blinked her way into focus. Her former friend was in a similar blazing state. His face was deathly pale and covered with a sheen of sweat. His brows were scrunched tight, but still, he held on.

"S-Storyteller! I- I-" he stuttered out, jaw clenched and eyes shut tight.

Looking closer at the school, the brightest flame within came not from the objects set ablaze but from a group of teenagers—her old classmates—writhing in pain on the ground yet unable to escape from the fires of akuma-delivered retribution. They were beneath a fallen column in the innermost part of the building, crawling like worms to hide from the akuma's line of sight.

"I never wanted to be a model." The confession was pulled from Adrien's throat, word by word. "But it's the only I can do to remember maman."

The heroine had seen plenty of gruesome scenes in her time. From a city drowned and silenced to the screams of young children being beheaded, there was no shortage of such scenes in Paris.

But Manon—Storyteller—was a first. She didn't kill, no. She kept everyone alive in a perpetual cycle of torture.

It was cruel.

And it was her fault that this happened at all.

"I have hundreds of pictures of Ladybug on my phone. My... friend says I'm obsessed. I imagine meeting her, dating her, kissing her." Words spilled from Adrien's mouth like air escaping a punctured balloon, and at that, the flames licking at his torso eased an inch.

A sliver of repulsion shot through her at the admission, but she put that aside at her newest theory.

"Manon!" she yelled, shielding Adrien behind her. "I have something to say."

Her eyes darted around, looking for the akumatized object, but her mouth never stopped.

"You want to hear secrets right? I'm adopted," she said, but there was no change to the pink flames.

"No, no!" Manon stomped her feet. "I don't want your secrets, I want Marinette! I'm not the liar, it's everyone else!"

"Manon..." Ladybug slowly approached, hands held out in appeasement.

"It's a consh-pirah-see," the child screamed, and the flames burned brighter at her rage.

As the child spun in her agitation, a flash of unblemished white caught the heroine's eye. It wasn't visible from the front, but a ribbon gleaming like arctic ice trailed from Manon's hair.

Ladybug's eyes flashed.

"Marinette..." she enunciated slowly, catching Manon's attention. She approached the child at a snail's pace, careful not to startle her. "Did she go to school here?"

Manon's eyes flashed brighter, "Yes, yes! Marinette is real. You believe me, right?"

The heroine inched her right hand to her side, but the motion attracted the akuma's attention.

"Liar! I hate you! Give me your miraculous!"

Faster than the beam could reach her, she moved to seize Manon's ribbon.

Ladybug felt words bubbling in her throat, but she resisted. Who knew what sorts of world-ending secrets could escape her lips? The list was far too long, and the risk, magnitudes too great.

With veins throbbing on her skin while her heart and lungs burned with the desire to reveal, she ripped the ribbon straight through the middle, releasing the akuma and leaving behind a child with stained cheeks and puffy eyes.

Gasping for breath, the heroine caught the akuma before collapsing onto the pavement. Her city burned around her, but for once, she wanted to take a small, selfish break. Even if only for a moment.

Sprawled out on the ground, her chest rising rapidly, she heard the whimpers of a child who couldn't know better. She tasted the flames of desperation in the air, smelled the burnt ashes of hope. She saw Manon's heart break, and she felt her lose her faith in the world.

Marinette closed her eyes.

Another failure.

Preventable, necessary, agonizing failure.

Later, she would get up and be the hero Paris needed her to be. Later, she would be Ladybug. Now, she just wanted to be what she was— a child.

---

Prev  |  TOC  |  Next

AO3

@maribat-bdbwm

[thatonewatching]

Masky/Tim head canons and scenarios

Head canons and scenarios for each! CW: Self-hate and swearing,

Stubborn: "Tim, oh my fucking God. Can you just admit you were wrong? You do not know where we're fucking going!" Brian yelled, slumping back against his car seat. "I do fucking know! I just made a wrong turn!" Tim retorted. "Sure," Brian muttered, rolling his hazel eyes underneath his black mask. "Quit being a stubborn asshole."

Chubby: As his eyes grazed over the parts of his body, a kind of shame washed over him. Grabbing at his tummy, a sickness fell over him, complete disgust lacing his sullen features. "Tim, your body is fine," you assured, wrapping your arms around him from behind. "It's perfect to me, okay?"

Dad bod: His arms raised, and he flexed his gained muscle. "Dad bod energy!" Brian cheered. Tim's eyes fell onto the brunette man a foot or two away. "Up yours!" Tim joked. 

Not very touchy: You extended your arms, waiting. "What?" he asked, flicking the ashes of his small cigarette onto the concrete. You moved your arms, giving him a look. "You want a hug?" Tim scoffed, taking a long drag of his nicotine stick. (Lmao idfk) "Tough luck, kid."

Bad hygiene: As Tim stared in the dusty mirror, the smell of sweat overwhelming, he peeled off his clothes, dropping them into the hamper, he stepped back into his bedroom, walking to the closet. He grabbed some clothes, slipped them on exhaustedly, and fell into bed, falling asleep as he hit the pillow.

Hairy motherfucker: Your fingers brushed along the revealed skin of his, hand being tickled. "Damn, you hairy motherfucker." you joked. "Whatever," he rolled his eyes ruefully. "You still love me."

Intimidating: Tim's figure towered over the smaller boy, casting a dark shadow over his cowardly features. "Who are you talking to?" he snapped. "I'm sorry," the boy apologized. "Who the fuck are you talking to?" he repeated. "I'm sorry, sir."

Doesn't like sugary things: "How do you want your coffee?" you asked, peeking your head from the kitchen to watch Tim's eyes flicker to yours before his answer. "Black," his eyes flicked back to the book he was reading, eyes moving slightly with every word he consumed. "Like your soul?"

Doesn't like cheesecake (y'all ruined it): "Want a slice of cheesecake?" you questioned, slipping a piece of the sugary treat onto Brian's plate. "No?" he said, yet his answer sounded almost questioning, as if he were confused by your inquiry. "What?" you replied, noticing his foreign tone. "I don't like cheesecake anymore," he said, eyes refusing to leave his distraction. "Why?" you pressed. "Brian."

Black coffee: "What can I get you to drink?" the waitress asked. "Coffee," Tim answered. The waitress' eyes turned to you, waiting. "And you?" she pressed. "I'll have (f/d)," you answered. She nodded, walking off. Returning a moment later, she placed your drinks down, sliding packets of sugar to Tim's side. "Milk?" she asked. He shook his head. "I like my coffee black; thank you, though,"

Favorite food is prob grilled cheese with tomato soup: As your eyes fluttered open, the scent of food filled your nose. Toddling into the kitchen, you watched as Tim put the last grilled cheese onto his plate. "Whatcha eatin'?" you asked. "Grilled cheese and soup," 

Basic bitch: Opening his closet, flannels, jeans, and hoodies hung. "Red flannel, red flannel, or red flannel?" you teased. "I think I'll go with the red flannel," he joked. "Good choice,"

Listens to classic rock (like AC/DC or something): Climbing into the car, Tim flicked on the radio, scowling and sighing as some hip-hop song began to play. "Hand me that CD, would you, (y/n)?" he requested. Handing him the flat piece of plastic, he took it gratefully. Inserting it, he pressed play, and AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell' began to play. After a few minutes of the song playing, he sang along the entire time. "I'm on a highway to hell!"

Aero sexual: "What's your sexual preference?" you asked, glancing over at Tim, his eyes red. "None of the above,"

Needs time to himself: "Tim, can't you just tell me what's wrong?" you whined, following behind the towering man. "Nothing's wrong, (y/n), I just need some time to myself. "Are you sure?" you pressed. "I'm sure!" he slammed the door behind him, making you stop in your tracks. "God damnit, Tim."

Smokes all the fucking time: You clambered out of the bed, the smell of smoke slightly preset.  "Tim?" you muttered, eyes adjusting to the dim lighting of the room. He hummed slightly, torso pressed against the windowsill, hand and head out of the window with his other cupping his hand's elbow. "Why the fuck am I in your bed?" 

Brian forces him to drink tea 'cause it helps smokers: "Timothy, you smoke excessively. Just drink some tea," Brian said, placing the steaming cup in his friends' reach. "Fuck you, Brian," he snarled. "Well, I'm not going to let my friend die from black lungs!"

Good at math: You groaned loudly, eyes snapping shut in anger and frustration, as your hands pressed against your cheeks. "Oh my fucking God," you whined, tears pricking at your eyes, but you couldn't tell from what emotion. "What?" Tim asked. "Nothing," you lied. Eyes scanning over the paper once again, for the millionth time, perhaps, you sighed. A shadow cast over your figures, making you struggle to read the other equations. The paper lifted as Tim took the paper from your desk. "Are you kidding? The answer is negative sixty-seven,"

Hates math: "Thanks, Tim," you muttered. "No problem," he sighed. "What?" you inquired, writing down the answer. "I have to help you write out the equation, don't I?" he mumbled. Looking back down at the question once more, you concluded that the answer was yes. "Yes..." you answered. "I fucking hate math,"

Petty: "Tim, where's my slice of pie?" you asked, closing the fridge and standing to your full height. "My stomach," he replied. "Why?" you hissed. "Because you drank the last beer,"

Strongly opinionated: "Tim, oh my fucking God..." you pinched the bridge of your nose, holding your eyes closed angrily. "I'm sorry, is Brian not dirty blonde?" he hissed. "He's fucking brunette!" you yelled. "He's fucking dirty blonde!"

Hard to convince he's not right: "Tim, coffee is/isn't better than tea," you argued. "Lying asshole!" 

Bad at reading: "Tim, what's the order say?" Brian asked, glancing at his friend. "It says that we have to," he stopped, squinting his eyes. "Kill a guy names Duke Aubertine."

Needs glasses but refuses to get them: "Dude, you can't even read the fucking cover!" you teased. Tim's eyes squinted. "Fuck you,"

Anger issues: "Tim, you've got something on your shirt," you said, pointing to a spot in the center of his chest. He looked down, and you flicked his nose up. He grunted, pushing you away lightly, as he stormed off.

Okay cook: Your door creaked open, and you spun around to see the towering man in your doorway, holding a plate. "Made you some spaghetti," he said, placing the glass on your desk. "Thanks, Tim."

(NOT PROOFREAD; I'M SORRY IT'S BAD)

[electricea-archive]

@thenihilistofthevoid​ sent - 21, 23, 30, 31 ( Munday This or That - Accepting! )

21. Hot coffee or iced coffee?

I have tried coffee and don’t much care for the taste but I’ve never tried iced coffee.  I do like a drink at Tim Hortons called an iced capp - iced cappuccino - it’s my usual order and is pretty great.

23. Board games or video games?

Some Guess Who is always fun to play as a board game - as is Battleship.  As for video games, I think that more ‘casual’ games like Mario and Kirby are always relaxing and fun.  Spent a lot of time up at the cottage playing Kirby Star Allies with my brother in law.  As I like to always say, it’s near impossible to feel stressed out when playing a Kirby game.

30. Books or movies?

Honestly, it depends - like for example, I was reading The Hunger Games up at the cottage and it’s a book that’s filled with so many little details and moments - things that surely wouldn’t fit into an hour/hour and a half/two hour movie.  I also just found some elements of the book to be darker and more unsettling whereas the movie felt pretty sanitized and tame, in comparison.  So that’s one example where I’d prefer the book over the movie.

However, movies can be great when you just feel like turning off your brain for a while - I enjoy just going onto Disney+ and mindlessly throwing on whatever nostalgic film I feel like watching.  Sometimes reading a book takes a certain amount of brain power and energy that I just don’t have, so it’s nice to just lie down, turn my thoughts off and watch Shrek or something.

31. Android or iPhone?

Never used an Android phone so I can’t really judge them, good or bad.  My last two phones have been iPhones and they’ve served me well.  One minor gripe I have is that for my newest phone, Apple didn’t include the little box where you plug your charger into - and the box for my old phone was too small to actually use - and the slot was a different size, so I found myself having to pay an extra 20-40 bucks just to buy something that honestly should have been included with the phone to begin with.  But like I said, it’s served me well, it’s been a good one phone.

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[dragonofthestone]

Metabolism/Food and Stone

I don't really know what to call this but here we go.

I'm sure I've touched a little on the subject here and there but figured it couldn't hurt to expand on/ try to make a more detailed and expansive post I guess.

For starters the basics, for the most part he can eat just about the same thing as any other regular person, provided he hasn't become so hyper focused on something that he forgets to eat.

He tends to prefer smaller meals / snacking through out the day over like trying to put aside time for specified big meals or something but he's not against them.

That said there are a lot of things he can get away with eating most can't.

Raw meat: Not exactly a first choice meal but if necessity called for it he could survive off it with little to know risk of illness for the most part. Or at least no risk of death

also while they don't taste good his stomach technically is able to partially digest and handle stuff like fur and if it's a real small animal bones too if he really wanted.

Although he's no scavenger and even he'll get sick from rotting meat- and even if he'd be fine he still wouldn't touch it.

Poisonous plants: Now it's not something he's willing to risk or actually try himself but he'd be pretty okay with a lot of toxic plants. Not all but the stones power would be able to fight back against it.

(Unless we're talking about lab!life Tim who's survival skills and instincts are rather stunted unless stopped likely would shove anything at least once in their mouth to try it)

However stone or not the animal DNA does bring some downside an intolerance

Caffine- as it is he's not big on coffee anyway but his body doesn't handle it well and needs far less to get sick.

Chocolate: Technically he can eat it in small amounts and will, he loves chocolate but he does have to be careful needing less to get sick.

Raspberries: Not related to being a Chimera at all he just has a general intolerance to them (but it won't stop him from eating them in small amounts anyway consequences be damned they're tasty and he likes them)

Alcohol: Both the smell and taste alone for most drinks are enough to put him off, to strong and can't stand it. He's either unable or has an extremely high tolerance to actually getting drunk but needs a hell of a lot less to get sick.

--

As for how much he needs to eat.

Not a whole lot. Partially because reptile, partially cause the stone itself provides quite a bit of energy to his body and can subsist off of that if things like food and water are unavailable / limited.

But it does put strain on it, wearing it down faster and also means a greater chance of injury or even possible illness since the stone wouldn't be working at it's best with its power basically having to work to feed his body.

Now in warmer climate and if he's been unusually active he'll obviously need to eat more but on Average One - Two sizable meals in a day can then hold him over for a decent amount of time. Maybe with a couple small snacks thrown in here and there if desired and obvs water.

When the weather turns cold his appetite also lowers quite a bit and you won't see him eating as much. Mostly just small snack every now and then

Water he doesn't need as much of in part due to the fact that he doesn't sweat nor create tears so there's less loss of fluid over all you know.

Of course that's only based on NEED. He's still more then happy to eat and drink just cause he wants to tho.

On the flip side because the stone essentially is always in a state of working / being active if anything happens to cause it to put out more energy needed then normal like say to quickly heal up an injury or put in a situation where he's only been surviving off of the active energy from the stone he will need to eat a lot to restore that used up energy

and as the stones power slowly weakens over time he will gradually begin to need to eat more and more- think of it like how Yukito needed / or at least felt like he needed to constantly eat when his (Yue's) magic was weakening for those familiar with cardcaptors.

[incorrect-quotes-batfam-edition]

Another Dumb Headcanons Thing

Tim is very good at dissociating. Like, alarmingly good. No I am not taking this from my church kid days why do you ask He started doing it when his parents would bring him to galas and now it’s just a habit of his to drift off when he’s bored.

Damian calls Cass ‘Cassandra’ instead of ’Cain’ because she told him that doesn’t like to be reminded of her father. (Dick is a teeny bit jealous because it took him AGES to get to first name basis)

Duke and Steph are banned from every haunted house in Gotham because of the ‘Chainsaw Incident’.

Jason went through a lot of different phases in his life, and his Spotify playlists will give you whiplash. It will go from Beethoven to Green Day to Nirvana to Olivia Rodrigo to AC/DC to Carrie Underwood because he never takes anything off his playlist.

Barbara, Roy, Wally, Kori, Artemis, Bart, and Colin all have matching t-shirts that say ‘Emotional Support Redhead’. Steph was absolutely the one that printed the shirts, but no one’s going to tell on her so it’s a mystery.

Dick and Cass are blanket hogs.

Damian will deny it long beyond his dying breath, but if Tim falls asleep at his desk he’ll put a blanket over him.

Tim hates coffee with a burning passion. He will drink it for the caffeine if he needs to, but he much prefers energy drinks.

The only literary classic that Jason has ever hated was the Odyssey, specifically the Robert Fagles translation.

Duke had a Percy Jackson phase when he was like 12. Yes he wrote fanfiction and he’s not ashamed of it.

Bruce considers Cass and Duke his ‘Good Children’, but in reality they’re just good at not getting caught.

Dick has the intelligence of Albert Einstein, the physical abilities of an gold medalist Olympic gymnast/martial artist/rock climber, and the self-preservation instincts of a wet paper bag. He lives for Truth or Dare.

Every single one of the batkids (Babs and Steph included) are blacklisted from all the DeBrands in Kansas. No one knows what happened. Most people are too scared to ask.

It cannot be proven Babs destroyed any and all evidence but to this day Steph swears on her life that she once stole the Declaration of Independence because ‘Duke dared me to and Damian said I couldn’t do it so I absolutely had to’.

Bernard believes with all his heart that Clark Kent is Batman. Tim finds this hilarious. Bruce wants to slam his head into a wall.

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

Into The Unknown, Part 8

First

Previous

Marinette had never thought that living in another world would be this hard.

Sure, she had known that she would have issues when it came to the whole ‘she wasn’t technically supposed to be here and therefore needed a new identity’ thing. That was kind of obvious. The story they’d come up with had been simple enough -- she had grown up in Gotham with her parents, was highschool sweethearts with Tim, they had gotten married, he’d moved in with her, and her parents had died so she’d gotten custody of Damian. She was pretty sure Tim had a tragic backstory, but she didn’t really have that memorized yet. She wasn’t all that worried about it, though, she spent quite a lot of time dodging answering questions about her private life as Ladybug. Marinette probably wouldn’t even need to memorize his backstory (she would, of course, because she was nothing if not an overachiever, but she was well aware of the fact that it wasn’t quite necessary).

But, no, it was the small things that made it difficult.

Like affection.

Marinette was Parisian, she was used to greeting people with kisses on both cheeks. Hugs were something reserved for people you were close to.

But, no, Americans just insisted on being backward in everything that they do. And, supposedly, Marinette was American. She could get away with her accent because Gotham had a bunch of different people and it was easy to claim she came from the French part of town, but when it came to customs? No, she had to at least try and act like someone who had lived in America for her entire life.

So, when she was greeted with a hug from the most affectionate of her fellow interns, Marinette suppressed a cringe and patted her on the back awkwardly.

“Hi, Paige,” she said.

Paige beamed. “Ready for work?”

Marinette squinted up at the building. The WE in this universe was even taller than in her usual one.

… or maybe it just looked like that because she dreaded going inside. Ugh. Being an intern was going to suck.

“No.”

“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.”

“Thanks…”

But, despite Paige’s assurances, it did not go fine.

And it wasn’t even the job thing that wasn’t going well. That, at least, she could handle. No, it was this world’s meme culture that sent her spiraling.

She’d been holding exactly nine cups of coffee, seven mugs of tea, and one energy drink can. Marinette didn’t know if it was her time working in a bakery or some sort of latent Ladybug skills or what but it wasn’t even all that difficult to hold them all.

Paige raised her eyebrows at her, looking vaguely concerned. “Do you need help?” She asked, hands already out as if expecting her to say yes.

Marinette cracked a grin. “No. I’m fine. It’s not even that hard. I could probably carry another two drinks, even.”

“Freaky flexing, but fine.”

“... the fuck did you just say to me?”

~

Tim hummed lightly as he bounced on the balls of his feet, baby sleeping soundly on his shoulder. Marinette fumbled the keys to their new apartment, mumbling curses.

She’d outright told him that she didn’t really care, that she’d lived above a bakery for most of her life so it wasn’t like she would mind as long as the place had counter space…

So why was he nervous?

He felt the tiny hand in his shirt grip him tighter and he looked down. Damian was still fast asleep, sucking on his pacifier peacefully. Tim wondered, idly, how that worked. Was it a reflex that humans lose as they age like the grasping reflex or was it a learned behavior that went away when it wasn’t reinforced anymore?

Marinette managed to open the door, her cheeks tinged red at how difficult it had been, and she swung it open.

He stopped bobbing up and down to watch her face.

But she just shrugged to herself and bent down to grab the box she’d brought up.

He tried not to look too relieved as he followed her inside and watched her set the box down on the kitchen island.

She glanced back at him. “I call cleaning and setting up the apartment!” She said brightly.

“Okay…?” He said, confused as to why she was so excited to clean up…

But then Damian started to stir.

Oh. If she had cleanup duty… then he had…

Baby duty.

Oh.

Oh no.

“Shit, Mari, wait --!”

“Too late! You already said okay!” She said, already heading to the door.

Damian spat out his pacifier and took that one long, deep breath he always took before he was about to scream.

“Mari!”

She stuck her tongue out at him and disappeared around the doorframe just as the baby started to cry.

Tim heaved a sigh and pressed a kiss to the top of the kid’s head. The wailing quieted a little, but didn’t stop. Tim would take it, he hadn’t even been expecting Damian to quiet himself. This was an absolute win in his book.

He glanced at the box that had been brought up but, unfortunately, they hadn’t had enough foresight to bring the baby supplies.

He poked his head out the door and yelled for Marinette to bring up the box with the baby stuff first. She yelled ‘fuck you’ in response but when she came back she handed him the box regardless.

He smiled -- or, at least, he smiled as much as it was possible to smile when a baby was screaming at you -- and went to work figuring out what was wrong.

~

There was good news and bad news.

Good news was that Damian was starting to learn that crying was okay.

Bad news was that Damian was starting to learn that crying was okay.

And, listen, Marinette obviously preferred that. She wanted to know when the kid was hurt or hungry or even just craving affection… but ugh.

She twisted around in the bed to squint at the clock.

Three o’clock. Great.

She groaned softly and buried her face in Damian’s hair again. “Dami, please, I have work tomorrow. Shhhhhhhhh,” she pleaded. As if she didn’t have to go to work every day.

Damian, of course, didn’t stop crying.

Marinette thought she was going to cry.

Tim pulled his arm from around them so he could cover his ears with his pillow.

She reluctantly sat up. Damian banged his little fists against her shoulder in an attempt to tell her… something. Probably that he wasn’t happy. As if the entire apartment complex couldn’t hear just how unhappy he was.

She changed his diaper and then got him Cow. Hopefully that would sate him for the rest of the night.

She clambered back into bed and sent Tim a weak smile when he wrapped an arm around them.

She scooted toward him, because Damian was reaching for him and his eyes were closed, and tucked her head under his chin. He tensed just slightly before relaxing and tangling his legs with hers.

Damian seemed to like being cocooned between them, because he made a vague happy sound and settled down to sleep without much (more) fussing.

Tim hummed lightly. His voice was terrible, but it seemed to calm Damian so Marinette wasn’t about to complain.

It took a while for Damian to go back to sleep but, eventually, he did. Unfortunately, he fell asleep while biting the crinkly ears of his plush and it was hard to sleep with the steady crkcrkcrkcrk sound right next to her.

From the way Tim’s breathing had yet to slow, he wasn’t asleep either.

Well, at least that was something to do.

“I’m beginning to think the reason babies are so cute is that otherwise we would kill them,” she joked, her voice soft so as not to wake the kid again.

Not that it would matter all that much. She could, unfortunately, not see herself going back to sleep before her alarm went off.

He chuckled and nodded as much as he could with her head beneath his. “Right? I just want one night of good sleep --.”

He stopped suddenly.

She drew back a little to check that he was fine, only to see him looking mildly horrified.

“We need to go back home soon. I’m going to get used to sleeping like a normal person. I can’t do that,” he said.

She grinned. “Oh no. The horror.”

“No, you don’t get it. If I do that then I’ll be giving into my family’s wishes. I can’t let them think they’re right about something!”

She giggled, shaking her head. “Here, I’ll make it easier for you: I don’t want you to sleep. As Dami and I are your only family -- legally -- for the next fifteen years, you must not do what we want. Therefore, you have to sleep.”

“Ah. Reverse psychology.”

“Well, I am a psych major.” Some of the amusement faded. “Was a psych major.”

“... really?”

“Yeah. I dunno. I’d figured it was the closest I could get to being Ladybug again.”

“You’re still Ladybug.”

She shrugged just slightly. “Yeah. I dunno,” she said again. She tried for a grin. “Doesn’t feel the same when there’s no emotional terrorism involved.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to do the same thing over and over again for a million years.”

“There’s some comfort in things staying the same.”

“Oh? Maybe we should trade.”

“That’s an amazing plan that I see no problems with. You get to go around beating up the Meta Of The Week and I’ll stay in Gotham dealing with all the idiots in spandex.”

“Are we switching outfits, too?”

“Oh yeah. Obviously. Gotta commit to the whole ‘switching’ thing. I bet I’ll look cuter in your outfit, too.”

“Ah, yes, because cuteness is the most important part of vigilante costumes.”

“We end up in papers all the time, being cute is totally important.”

He chuckled lightly and she felt the arm around her give her a tiny squeeze. She buried her face in his chest.

“You should try and sleep.”

“Hypocrite,” she teased, but she could already feel her eyelids drooping.

He hummed. She thought that, maybe, it didn’t sound so bad as to make him stop.

~

Tim had been in the middle of bathing Damian as he always did before bed when he’d accidentally splashed water on his face.

Perfectly fine and normal.

What wasn’t perfectly fine and normal was that the baby responded by saying: “Oh shit!”

Tim’s eyes narrowed.

“MARINETTE,” he yelled.

Marinette was there in seconds. There was some kind of green paste on her face. She’d been in the middle of her usual skincare routine. He thought it was kind of weird that near-immortals needed skincare routines but that wasn’t the point here.

She looked around frantically. “What?! What’s wrong?!”

“Damian just said sh --... he said the s-word.”

Marinette relaxed at that and sent Tim a glare. “Don’t blame this one on me. You’re the one that says that.”

Tim frowned. Because, now that he thought about it, he was pretty sure she was right.

“Now, if he’d said ‘fuck’, that would have been on me, but he didn’t, so --.”

“FUCK,” Damian said brightly.

Tim glared at Marinette again, this time rightfully so.

She looked a little sheepish. “... okay, yeah, that one’s on me.”

~~~~~

Next

@nathleigh @peachmuses @unoriginalmess @hammalammadamdam @astrynyx @laurcad123 @927roses-and-stuff

[fridayfirefly]

Lavender for Tranquillity, Pink Aster for Love

Read Lavender for Tranquillity, Pink Aster for Love on AO3

Masterlist

Written for Maribat March Day 16 - Magic

“Here's your drink."

"Thank you," Marinette said with a smile, setting the coffee mug down next to her textbooks. She was doing some last-minute studying for her upcoming Herbology final, and the coffeeshop sandwiched between the Business Department and the Herbology Department was her favorite spot to study.

Setting down her pen, Marinette picked up the coffee cup and took a long sip. Immediately she knew something was wrong. The entire taste of the drink was wrong, and not in a subtle way, as if the barista used an incorrect ingredient. Marinette had ordered a plain vanilla lavender latte, but this drink was something entirely.

The shock of adrenaline through her veins hit Marinette like a bus. Not only had she been given the wrong drink, but she had also been given a drink infused with an alertness charm that had her breath shortening and her hands vibrating from the extra energy.

On shaky legs, Marinette stood up and walked over to her waitress. "Excuse me," Marinette said apologetically. "But I think you gave me the wrong drink. I ordered a vanilla lavender latte."

The waitress's eyes widened as she saw Marinette's shaking hands. "Oh no! I gave you the chai latte infused with an extra-strength alertness charm."

Marinette couldn't identify the drink by taste, but given that her heart was racing as if she had just finished a marathon, the extra-strength alertness charm sounded about right. "Yep."

"I am so sorry about the mixup. Your drink will be free, of course, and you can have anything you want on the house. It's my first day, and I was supposed to take this to take four but I took it to table fourteen - that it, your table - by accident."

"It's alright. Everyone makes mistakes. I'll have my vanilla lavender latte, as well as two blueberry muffins - one for me and one for the person at table four, the one was also involved in the drink mixup.

The waitress nodded eagerly, obviously relieved that Marinette hadn't gotten angry at her. "Of course. I'll bring everything to your table momentarily.

Glad that the mixup was over, and still buzzing from the effects alertness charm, Marinette went back to her table to continue studying. Having grown up in a bakery all her life, Marinette knew the different herbs and flowers well. She grew up eating lavender cookies when she was anxious and passionflower icing right out of the mixing bowl when she needed comforting.

Marinette read the words out loud off the page, cementing them into memory. "Wormwood for divination, juniper for protection, passionflower for contentment, aster for patience, lavender for peace and tranquillity, roses for love and affection."

"Excuse me."

Marinette looked up from her textbook to see a young man standing beside her table. "Can I help you?"

He uncomfortably rubbed the back of his neck. "I wanted to apologize for the drink mixup. I'm sure that my extra-strength alertness charm wasn't what you were expecting."

Marinette realized that he must be the other participant in the drink mix-up, the one whose alertness charm she drank. "No worries. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was an accident."

The man nodded. "I also wanted to thank you for the blueberry muffin. It was a nice gesture."

"Oh, you're welcome..." Marinette trailed off, pausing the conversation for him to introduce himself.

"Timothy Drake, but you can call me Tim. And you are?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Are you a student at Gotham University?"

Tim nodded. "Yep. I'm in my junior year. I assume you go here as well, though I don't think I've ever seen you around before. What's your major?"

"I'm a sophomore fashion major, with a specialization in Thread Magic. Also, a Herbology minor, which I know is an odd choice. What about you?"

"I'm double majoring in Business and Charms, so I know all about odd choices."

"Take a seat," Marinette offered. "If you explain your odd choice in majors, I'll explain mine."

"Sure." Tim smiled at her. "A business major was the practical choice for me, as I always planned on taking over my family business. I guess I was getting a little sick of the practical choice, because I couldn't quite shake my interest in magical academia. That was what led me to the Charms Department. I never intended to major in Charms, until I found out that I had nearly all of the required credits to add a Charms major to my diploma."

"I understand all about mixing practical with completely impractical. I've known since I was young that I was gifted in Thread Magic. I used to embroider sigils into all of my clothes. It was a natural choice, choosing to become a Fashion major, because it allowed me to pursue thread magic as a career. Then, one day during freshman orientation when I was exploring campus I wandered into one of the greenhouses. I was instantly enthralled, as if it was fate for me to work there. I bribed my academic advisor with homemade cookies to let me drop my Potions elective to take Intro to Herbology, and ever since then I've been working in the Herbology department."

"That's not the oddest reason," said Tim. "Sometimes magic drives us to do things we don't quite understand. You just have to go with it."

"Hmm," Marinette hummed in agreement. She let her mind wander for a moment until she realized that she was staring at his lips. She tore her eyes away from them, instead, fixing her gaze on her latte. "So why did you need to extra-strength alertness charm anyway? Finals week all-nighter?"

Tim nodded. "I stayed up all night studying because I had two finals this morning, and in twenty minutes I'm getting a ride back home to my family's house for a big family dinner. Trust me, I would prefer a nap to an alertness charm, but desperate times call for desperate measures."

"You know what's better than an alertness charm?"

"What?"

"Some fresh air," Marinette smiled. "If you'd like, I could take you on a tour of the Herbology greenhouses."

Tim's face brightened up. "Sure, I would love that."

Marinette finished the rest of her latte and returned the mug to the front of the coffeeshop. She and Tim then left the coffeeshop in the direction of the Herbology greenhouse. The sun was shining brightly overhead, and Marinette could feel the call of the magical plants deep within her bones. That was Marinette's favorite part of being a Green Witch - the connection she felt to nature was indescribable, but when she did try and describe it to her friends and family, she emphasized that it felt incredibly right.

"Herbology was the subject you were studying for in the coffeeshop, right?" asked Tim.

Marinette nodded. "Yep. I was just reviewing some notes. I'm still a little nervous about it, but I don't think I can study any more than I already have."

"I hope you do well."

Marinette blushed. "I really hope so. If I get a good enough grade in the course, I might be able to get a position on the Herbology Department research team. It's very selective, though. They only take two students from each year."

Marinette and Tim walked up the stairs to the front doors of the greenhouse. Marinette opened up the doors and let the warm, humid air wash over her. "I could just live here forever, and never leave," she said with a smile.

Tim tugged at his shirt collar. "It's a little too humid for my taste."

Marinette shook her head. "That's what I thought at first too, but you get used to it. Eventually, the humidity stopped being annoying and started reminding me of all of the positive feelings that I associate with the greenhouse. Even if it does still make my hair frizzy."

Just as Marinette was about to start her tour of the greenhouse, a timer went off on her phone. "Oh!" She exclaimed, pulling it out of her back pocket. "My final starts in ten minutes. I guess I thought I would have more time to show you around."

Tim shook his head. "It's no problem. I have to leave soon anyway, to catch a ride back to my family's house. They drive me nuts, but they're family," Tim said with a shrug.

"Here, how about we reschedule for some other time." Marinette grabbed a scrap of paper out of her backpack and wrote her phone number down on it.

"Sure." Tim pocketed the paper. "Do you live in the area?"

Marinette shook her head. "I'm an international student, from Paris. I won't be back in Gotham until next semester."

"That's a shame. I suppose I'll see you next semester, then."

"Oh wait, one last thing." Marinette plucked a blossom from the flowerbed beside her. "Pink aster, for patience. To help you put up with your family."  Marinette smiled and tucked the flower behind Tim's ear.

"Thank you, Marinette."

"I'll see you soon, Tim." Marinette watched him leave the greenhouse and get into a car parked beside the coffeeshop. A question lingered in her mind. When she gave Tim the flower, was it to give him the patience to survive his family dinner or was it to give him the patience to wait for her to return to Gotham. Either way, what she had no excuse for was giving him, out of all the shades of aster growing in that flowerbed, the pink variety. Pink aster was, as Marinette knew well, the aster that symbolized love.

With a shake of her head, Marinette left the greenhouse. It was silly to think of love when she only just met him. Love at first sight never seemed to turn out well for Marinette. She would meet someone, fall head over heels in love with them, harbor an unrequited crush for months, and eventually admit her feelings, only to be shot down every single time. It was exhausting. Marinette's first rule when she came to Gotham was that she would never let someone crush her heart again.

Yet, Marinette couldn't shake the feeling that this time was different. There was a seed of hope buried deep inside of her that was telling her that something about Tim was different. Maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way about her.

As Marinette stepped into the Herbology lecture hall to take her final, her phone buzzed with a text alert. She turned her phone on and her face lit up with a smile when she saw who the text was from.

Unknown Number: Good luck on your final and good luck getting that research position! I can't wait to see you again next semester! (P.S. This is Tim)

Marinette had a good feeling about what was to come.

@maribatmarch-2k21

[liquid-luck-00]

When Two Coffee Adicts Unite 3

Part 3

@maribatmarch-2k21 Day 30: Goodbye

Ao3 *** First *** Previous

~~~~~~~~~~

Mari decided to skip on the Museum, seeing as Tim and Dick showed her around it already. So, she took the train to Metropolis, seeing as it wasn’t that long of a trip away.

She was walking down the shopping district a sketchbook in hand jotting down ideas and inspiration as she walked. She snapped quick photos on her phone while she walked. Overall, the energy in Metropolis was a stark contrast from the energy in Gotham. She had ended up in a park and sat on a bench while quietly sketching when a red and blue blur flew into the park.

“Stop right there.” Marinette shouted as she pulled out her phone.

“What?!” He froze as she started snapping shots of him hovering in the park.

“Sorry, it was a huge sudden burst of inspiration.” She apologized, as she ran back to her seat on the bench and pulled out her sketch book again.

“So, you scare me into freezing and then go back to your little book?”

“Not a little book, it’s a sketchbook.” She flipped to a clean page and started to settle her design on paper.

“So, what is that any better?” He was now flying over her shoulder watching as her pencil danced on the papers surface.

“Depends, if that is better for you?” she shrugged.

“That looks good.”

“you sound surprised.”

“Well I did just meet you after all.”

“True.” She didn’t look up from her sketch. “Marinette.”

“Superboy.”

“Uh huh.” She hummed, as she continued to work. The two of them stayed like that for a while and she only listened to his breathing and the sounds around her. The sounds around her lulling her into a sense of security, which she took advantage of and designed as if her life depended on it.

“Um so I should go...”

“Huh?” She looked up again. “Oh, you’re still here?”

“Umm… Yes, so umm goodbye.” He flew away and she continued to work.

- - -

Marinette didn’t leave Metropolis until well after sunset, meaning by that she didn’t get back to Gotham well after it got dark.

Since she wasn’t far from the ‘nice’ part of Gotham she decided to walk back. She did make sure to text her friends, Jagged, and Penny that she was fine and heading back when she left the station so they wouldn’t worry.

“I know your there and that you’ve been tailing me the last five minutes.” She spoke aloud but had her phone to her ear as if on a call.

There jumped down Red Robin followed by the youngest of the flock, Robin.

“Tt. And how would you know that we were tailing you specifically?” Robin clipped.

“To focus on one person for five minutes is a give away. That and there is no one else on the street of this particular area, now is there Petit Oiseau?”

“This is Gotham after all, why don’t you allow us to walk you home?”

“As you said this is Gotham, and even if you are vigilantes, it is not safe for you to accompany me the entire way.” She noted their slightly shocked looks at her refusal. “But why don’t you take me to a café near my home would that work with you both.”

“That seems to be the best course of action.” Robin answered for the both of them before starting to walk down the road.

“Um, Petit Oiseau it’s actually this way,” she pointed in the opposite direction.

“Oh,” he turned on his heel, as he passed, she noticed the light blush under his mask.

They walked maybe five minutes idly talking until they reached the little café. “Looks like this is where we leave you.” Red Robin announced.

“Not without a drink, my treat as a thank you for accompanying me.”

“We should be leaving,” Robin interjected before Red Robin could answer.

“I would be rude to decline a thank you gift, Robin.”

“Fine.” He conceded after Mari’s puppy eyes.

“Great!” She clapped. “Do you guys want to come in or want to wait out here’re and I’ll get the drinks?”

“We’ll wait out here, I’ll take a black coffee with fifteen espresso shots and a pump of mocha.”

“Got it. Petit Oiseau?”

“No coffee.”

“They have fresh fruit shakes and smoothies.”

“That sounds acceptable.”

“Okay, umm…” she thought. “What about a green smoothie. It has pineapple, orange, coconut water, banana, and spinach.”

“Alright.” With his approval she went in and ordered the three drinks, her two regulars and Robin’s smoothie. It’s funny with how much espresso were in these coffees you would expect the baristas to give her a look, but after two months of picking up coffee for both her and Tim they just seemed resigned at this point.

She transferred the two vigilantes’ drinks to two thermos she has on her; the baristas were kind enough to wash them for her. “Here we are.” She held out the two heavier cups.

“These don’t look like the normal to go cups?”

“Because they aren’t. You guys are going to be jumping and fighting, those flimsy cups wouldn’t hold plus, you two are gonna follow me anyways so drop them off when you can. Au revoir.” She left the two sneaking a picture as she walked away, and before the two left the street for the roofs.

- - -

The next day as she was at the café to pick up her and Tim’s morning drinks Damian called her.

“Hello Damian,” she started. “Did you need something?”

‘Good morning Dupain-Cheng. I was wondering if you have already arrived at the office?’

“Not yet what do you need.” He wouldn’t call unless he needed something right?

‘Have you already gotten your coffee?’

“Not yet, want me to bring you something, if you are at the office today that is?”

‘Yes… please.’

“No problem, anything in particular?”

‘A smoothie would be preferable.’

“I’ve got an idea of what you might like, so I’ll surprise you.” There was silence on the line, she knew he would be silently huffing. “A green smoothie is that okay.”

‘Yes, I will see you soon Dupain-Cheng.’

“See you soon Damian.”

She hung up and soon walked out of the café with three identical drinks as the night before a thought popped in her head. What if? No, it couldn’t. Could it?

She went up to her office like usual dropped off her things, but grabbed a marker and wrote on one drink leaving the other two with their normal nicknames, the baristas have taken to referring to her and Tim as ‘Coffee’Dee and ‘Coffee’Dum, to label their drinks. So, she took up the three drinks and would have went up to Tim’s office. She however met Tim before getting to the elevator and took the cup labeled Dum.

“Tim?”

“What’s on your mind your scrunched in thought?”

“Do you mind giving this to Petit Oiseau? He said he would be here and wanted a drink.”

“Sure….” Realization hit as he surveyed her. She never referred to anyone by that name before, except for yesterday with Robin, and only Red Robin was there. Oh no.

“Thanks!” She rushed off her cup in hand. Yup her life was anything but normal. One of her best friends’ moonlights as a vigilante in the most dangerous city in the world. And if Damian is Petit Oiseau then that means… Oh Crap. Well she is probably going to get a visit from the bat, SHIT. I just have to survive today. Okay freak out later. Yeah that sounds good.

~~~~~~~~~~

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[nettles-bo-bettles]

Two Plus Two Equals Five

Third Person POV: It had been three years since Marinette had moved to Gotham City to study design at Gotham Academy. As usual she went to one of her favorite coffee shops in Gotham so she could get some energy after pulling all nighters for the past month and just living off of coffee. After walking 6 blocks from her apartment she got to the coffee shop, Loca Mocha (Ty Sabs). She went inside and ordered her usual, a six shot latte with cream, whipped cream on top and salted caramel sauce drizzled across the top (idk if that would actually taste good but I don’t drink coffee so don’t mind me). She went to find a seat and was unsuccessful until she found a free table in the far back of the coffee shop, however, someone else was looking at the same table at the same time as her and they ended up bumping into each other while not paying attention and heading towards the same table.

“Sorry sorry, I’m insanely clumsy.”

“No it’s alright, I wasn’t looking where I was going.” “That makes two of us, I should’ve paid more attention. I’m Marinette by the way.”

“I should’ve paid more attention too. I’m Tim, it’s nice to meet you Marinette.”

“So I guess we both just had our eyes on the table huh?” “Yeah.”

“Should we just sit together then? There’s no other empty tables or seats.”

“That’d probably be easiest.”

“I have an order for a Marinette, six shot latte, with cream, whipped cream on top and salted caramel sauce drizzled on the top,” one of the baristas yelled. “I should go get that, I’ll be right back.”

‘She seems like an interesting person, I kind of want to get to know her’ Tim thought. Marinette came back to the table and sat down, Tim already had his coffee since he had ordered before Marinette came into the shop. Marinette was about to pull out her laptop to start working when Tim stopped her. She looked at him confused,

“I- I wanted to get to know you better before the both of us have to leave,” he said nervously.

“Oh, I supposed I understand that,” she said and put her laptop away.

“So, what are your hobbies?” Tim asked her.

“Well, I love designing. It's my passion and dream to be a designer and I’ve been doing it my whole life so I guess I could count that as a hobby. I also bake a lot, my parents are bakers so I’ve been taught by the pros,” she said, the last part with a joking tone.

“Those are a lot more interesting than my hobbies, all I do with my life is work and then work some more, get some coffee and sleep once a month,” Tim said jokingly.

“I’m sure you have more hobbies than that but okay.”

They continued to learn more about each other and got more and more interested in the other every second. Customers came and went and eventually it was 1pm. The tables were full again and another customer walked in, this time, however, Marinette and Tim watched them order. Marinette just happened to recognize the customer as Lê Chiến Kim. Kim ordered his drink and went to look for a table when someone caught his eye, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

“Long time no see Mari-bitch.” Kim said to her, clearly trying to offend her though it didn’t work.

“Nice to see you too, Kim.” Marinette replied calmly.

“Still sending death threats to Lila?” Kim asked snottily.

“Still a sheep following around a liar with no evidence?” Marinette said smoothly.

“You still don’t believe Lila huh? You know she’s friends with the Waynes right? Plus she’s dating the youngest Wayne son and she could get 15 lawsuits put on you with a few words. All she’d have to do is tell her boyfriend that you sent her death threats and bullied her in highschool.” Kim said stupidly in front of the second youngest Wayne son.

“Hi, Kim right?” Tim said stepping in.

“Yeah? And what’s it to ya?” Kim replied in a rude tone.

“I’m Tim Drake, and I sure as hell think I’d know if my younger brother was dating a lying bitch. Damian is smart enough to avoid people like that and this ‘Lila’ person seems like a golddigger, my brother also isn’t the type to cheat on his boyfriend.” Tim said, glaring at Kim.

“What do you mean? You just said your last name is Drake, that’s not Wayne you dumbass.” Kim said, thinking he knows everything.

“The thing is Bruce Wayne, my adoptive father, has adopted all of his kids except for Damian and we all kept our last names. Damian is the only biological child of Bruce that we know of and he most definitely is not dating anyone named Lila, he’s dating Jonathan Kent. I would, however, like to know the last name of this Lila.” Tim said.

“Oh Lila’s name is Lila Rossi, I’m sure you’d love to meet her, you see she knows tons of celebrities and she even taught MDC how to design, though, MDC did steal some of Lila’s designs.” Kim said, completely oblivious to the fact that he just landed Liar Grossi- oops, I meant Lila Rossi about seventeen lawsuits.

“Thank you for the name, now if you don’t mind I’d prefer if you just leave.” Tim said.

Kim left and forgot about the coffee he ordered.

“So...what was that about?” Tim asked.

“Well, it’s kind of a long story…” Marinette responded.

“I’m willing to listen to any story coming from you no matter how long it is,” Tim said without thinking. (The amount of cheesiness in that sentence is the reason why it pained my soul to write that)

Marinette laughed, “Whatever you say.”

And so we start from the beginning of Sophomore year at Francois Dupont Highschool. (Idgaf if it’s a middle school)

“Well when I was in my freshman year of high school I had a pretty good year, I was class president, I was friends with everyone, had a crush on a guy I thought was nice, and thought that nobody would ever believe someone they just met over myself. Then, Sophomore year came around and there was an exchange student, Lila Rossi. She claimed to be best friends with one of Paris’s heroes, Ladybug, and my best friend was obsessed with Ladybug so she automatically became friends with Lila. I, however, knew that Lila wasn’t friends with Ladybug because I myself was friends with her and knew that she would never become friends with someone that easily. I confronted Lila about her Lies about Ladybug and a few other famous people but she ended up threatening me. She told me that she would take all my friends and make everyone hate me, she almost succeeded completely but I still have my friends Chloe, Nino, Kagami and Luka. She told everyone that I had bullied her and that I had sent her death threats, though, she had no proof and everyone believed her because she said she knew celebrities which meant she would always tell the truth to them, they didn’t need proof. They ended up bullying me to teach me a lesson in their words, one time I almost died, they beat me up and stabbed me in the stomach multiple times resulting in me going into a coma for months. Lila also told my biological parents these lies and sadly they believed all of them, when I tried to explain it to them they just ignored me and became distant with me, they ended up disowning me and my honorary uncle adopted me with his wife, I applied for a few colleges after I graduated and even though I was accepted to harvard something just called me to go to gotham academy instead so I did, I don’t regret it to this day, I’ve learned a lot more about design and myself than I would have learned at harvard or any other school. Plus, I found Loca Mocha and like- this place has amazing coffee, I could never say no to it.”

“Wow, you weren’t lying, that is a really long story. But it was an interesting one and one that made me want to murder whoever this Lila person is.”

They talked for a while more just talking about ways to murder Lila for just being a bitch. The one they decided on was to torture her and make her wish she were dead and then give her a very slow and painful death and then chop up her limbs, throw them into a volcano, collect her ashes from said volcano and place them in a separate galaxy. Eventually it was 7pm and they didn’t even realize the amount of time that had passed until one of the baristas asked them to leave as the coffee shop was closing.

“Um Ma’am? Sir? We’re closing up soon, I hate that I have to interrupt but it would probably be easiest if you guys left before we start closing up.” The barista said.

“Oh, sorry I guess we didn’t realize what time it is, we’ll get going now.” Marinette and Tim said at the same time.

The two collected their belongings and walked out of the coffee shop hand-in-hand. Eventually they got to a crossing point between Wayne Manor and Marinette’s apartment so they had to part ways, not before exchanging phone numbers of course. Tim told her to text him immediately once she got home so he knew that she got home safe.

Marinette got home about five minutes later and texted Tim once she unlocked her apartment door. She made herself some ramen for dinner and binge-watched Haikyuu. She was in the middle of watching Tadashi yell at Tsukishima about being more excited about winning when Tim texted her saying that he was home and asking if she wanted to meet at Loca Mocha again the next day. She, of course, said yes and told him she’d see him the next day. A few hours later, while Marinette was working on one of her projects at two in the morning, Tim texted her asking if she was awake. She texted him back once she saw it and asked him why he was awake.

Coffee Addict: I could say the same to you -_-

Workaholic: Well I have a reason to be awake, I’m working on design projects. What’s your excuse?

Coffee Addict: Insomnia. Work. Patrol. Coffee.

Coffee Addict: Ignore the patrol part.

Workaholic: You’re a coffee addicted insomniac obsessed with getting their work done and you’re a hero?

Coffee Addict: ...you just met me yesterday you shouldn’t be able to know me that well.

Workaholic: I’m good at reading people.

Coffee Addict: Damn

Workaholic: You should be asleep, go to sleep

Coffee Addict: I have patrol tonight though. Workaholic: Ask someone to cover for you because someone you met at a coffee shop who also happens to be a sleep deprived insomniac is telling you to sleep.

Coffee Addict: Fine but only if you agree to go to sleep too.

Workaholic: Okay :)

Coffee Addict: I got my sister to cover for patrol for me.

Workaholic: Now sleep then

Coffee Addict: Fineeeeeeeee

After a few minutes of back and forth telling each other to sleep they both said goodnight and went to bed.

~Time skip brought to you by who gives a shit~

Marinette woke up at 8am as usual and got ready to meet Tim. She wore her hair down and wavy, put on some light makeup, some black doc marten combat boots, light wash ripped jean shorts and a black crop top. Once she was ready she left to go to Loca Mocha. Time woke up at 7:30 am, a little later than usual. He got up and styled his hair, put on some jeans, a plain t-shirt tucked into his jeans, and white converse hightops. He went downstairs to get some breakfast from Alfred when everyone looked at him weirdly.

“Are you guys okay... “ Tim asked.

“Tim- what are you wearing? Why are you dressed up casually instead of your usual work suit? WHAT IS GOING ON?!?! WHY DON’T YOU HAVE COFFEE? WHY DO YOU LOOK AWAKE AND SANE?!?!” Jason asked, starting to think that he was drugged.

“Oh well yesterday I met this girl at Loca Mocha and I spent the entire day getting to know her and last night at two in the morning I asked if she was awake and she made me go to sleep after I asked Cass to cover for me on patrol. I’m meeting with her again today.” Tim explained in a hurry to get to the coffee shop.

“You landed a girl who can get you to sleep- how the hell did that happen?” Jason asked.

“I’m still not completely sure myself. But I’m glad I met her.” Tim replied with a smile.

Everyone else in the room just stared at Tim expectantly.

“What?”

“When do we get to meet her???”

“UM- NEVER THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!”

“YOU CAN’T DO THAT!!”

“Oh yes I can and I will.” Tim said and walked out of the manor.

When Tim got to the coffee shop he waited for Marinette, at 8:15 she texted him and told him she was on her way, Tim realized he might have gotten there a little earlier than he had to. He waited for a while knowing she would probably get there around 8:30. By the time it was 8:40 he started to get worried but stayed put just in case, once it was 9:00 he couldn’t help it, he got up and started walking towards her apartment, once he got there he looked for her and asked people if they saw anyone who looked like her until he turned his head to an alleyway and was horrified at what he saw…

Hehehehehehe I’ve always wanted to do that. I swear I never knew how fun it could be. Anyways that’s it for the first chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.

Page count: I’m too lazy to check.

Day Posted: 04/23/21

Word Count: 2380