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myazael · 3 days ago

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Chapter 25 of Introducing: Mousinette! A Serious Conversation

https://archiveofourown.org/works/58529116/chapters/149110846

The next few days were tense. Damian hovered over her, and Marinette was starting to chafe under his overbearing concern. She was glad that he cared so much about her but he was starting to snap at anyone who approached her. It was making her tired, trying to tell him to back off without being mean, because she knew it was coming from a place of love.

But Marinette was a social creature. She loved speaking to different people, meeting new friends and brightening their days where she could. So when Damian had growled at a young man that she vaguely recognised from one of her business classes, she decided it was enough. She apologised to the guy before hauling Damian off to a quiet, secluded area.

“Okay, this needs to stop,” she said firmly, glaring up at him with her hands propped on her hips. He looked away from her, muttering something unintelligible and her temper finally snapped. “No, you need to listen to me. I get it, you're worried about me, but if you don't back off from all of this- this macho bullshit, I'm going to need more space. As in, don't call me for a while more space.”

“If you do not wish to be with me-” he began stiffly, though Marinette saw the hurt and panic flash in his eyes. She sighed and fisted her hands in her hair, tugging sharply so that she didn't scream.

“That's not what I said, and you know that. Damian, I know that you mean well, but this isn't going to work if you keep smothering me. You alone in this city know just how much I don't need a protection detail, but you're letting your worry dictate how you treat me. Halloween was bad. It was freaking terrifying, I wish it hadn't happened but I'm fine.”

“Tt, people who are fine do not wake up several times a night from night terrors,” Damian argued hotly, his hands fisting at his side. It was approaching the end of lunchtime on a Monday, which meant that Marinette had a class to be at soon, but she was determined to sort this out.

“You're right, but that doesn't mean I need protection from everyone who wants to say hello to me!” An alarm buzzed on her phone, signaling the end of her lunch. She cursed as she turned it off, turning back to him and speaking in a rush. “Listen, this is not me breaking up with you. I have no interest in not being with you, because you are incredible and I love you, so I mean this as gently as I possibly can: sort your shit out. I have to go to class now, but if you still want to, you can come back to mine with me for dinner.”

Pausing to press a quick kiss to his cheek, she hurried to her next class, leaving a dumbstruck Damian in her wake. It took several long moments for him to unfreeze, his heart pounding and palms sweaty. She did not seem to realise what she had said, nor the effect it had produced in him.

The next few hours passed in somewhat of a daze for Damian, his mind trying to analyse her words even as he speculated whether she meant them. The ease with which she had said them made him think she was sincere, but they had been arguing just before it. His mind continued to spin in circles, all the way up to when he waited for Marinette in their usual meeting spot.

“Hey,” she said brightly, reaching over and entwining her hand in his. He felt the raging storm in his mind settle slightly from the simple contact, although his heartbeat increased. He was quiet as they walked, but Marinette more than made up for it with nervous chatter.

Once they were in her apartment, she quieted down, her movements slower. He could feel her tension but was not sure how to start the conversation they needed to have. All he could think about were those three words, the way she had said them and the offhanded nature of the comment.

“So…” Marinette said, letting the word trail away into silence. She had pushed herself onto the kitchen counter, feet swinging agitatedly with one hand twirling a lock of her hair. She glanced up into his eyes and away again just as quickly before trying again. “We should probably talk about…about earlier.”

“Yes, I suppose we should,” Damian agreed, stepping closer to her but not touching. His hands thrummed with anticipatory energy but he merely leaned against the counter next to her. “You said that you did not wish to end things - is that still true?”

“What? Of course I don't want to end things! Damian, I like spending time with you, you're a wonderful guy and you make me happy - normally,” she added, twisting her hands together. “The problem is you don't seem to think I can handle myself right now.”

“It is not that I think you are unable to take care of yourself,” Damian said slowly, reaching out and taking hold of her hand. “I admit, I have been overzealous in my attempts to keep you from harm. It was my fault that you encountered the Scarecrow, and I was not able to assist you immediately even once he was being dealt with.”

“Damian, I was going to run into a rogue at some point,” Marinette said, in a voice more gentle than he would have expected. She cupped his hand in both of hers, bringing it up to her face. He looked into her eyes and there was a warmth he somehow had not expected in them. “In an ideal world, nobody would ever have to deal with villains, but it's a risk we have to take. I won't spend my life hiding in my apartment, or in the manor.”

“I should have known that,” Damian admitted softly, stroking a thumb down her cheek. He stepped closer, leaning his head against her own. “I feel so much for you, Marinette, more than I have ever felt for anyone else. And the thought of you being harmed…it is the worst thing I can imagine. But I should not be allowing that fear to change how I behave with you, so I am sorry.”

“I understand,” she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper. Her eyes were shining with tears, but a smile played on her lips. His chest felt lighter, as though he had been wearing restraining bands that were suddenly loosened. “I'm glad we talked about this. And hey, we survived our first real fight.”

“Hmph, I think we should avoid any further fights,” he murmured, dropping his head into her shoulder. He brushed a kiss onto her neck, delighting in the shiver that produced. He went no further, nervous now to discuss what had been most on his mind that afternoon. “Starling, there is something else I wish to discuss.”

“Okay,” she said, sounding slightly breathless. Her hands were already starting to tangle in his hair and he gave a shudder of pleasure when her fingertips ghosted along his scalp. Their lips met without much conscious thought on his part, but he pressed into her greedily. One hand was braced on the counter but the other held her chin firmly.

“Did you mean it?” He asked when they finally broke apart, panting for breath. Her eyes were unfocused but she made a confused noise. He screwed up his courage, trying to ignore the swirling sensation in the pit of his stomach. “At lunch, when you said you loved me, were you sincere?”

“I- what?” The confusion in her face was quickly replaced with shock, her face paling considerably. “I didn't- I mean-”

“It is alright,” he said immediately, trying to reassure her even through the crushing disappointment that swept through him. “I only wanted to- it is unimportant. I should not have said anything.”

“No no no no no, Damian, wait,” Marinette said in a rush, taking hold of him in a surprisingly strong grip. He found that he was unable to look at her, choosing instead to study their joined hands. “Damian, I- of course I meant it. It's just- we've only been dating a couple of months, and no matter how much I feel for you, I didn't mean to pressure you at all.”

“You truly love me? Even knowing what you do about my past, and that I cannot protect you when it matters most?” He was so afraid that she would take it back, terrified that she did not feel even a fraction of what he did.

“Damian, I love you for who you are, not what you can or can't do for me,” Marinette said gently, releasing his arm to pull his chin around to look at her. He was sure she could see the desperation in his face but once their eyes met, he stood transfixed. “If you hadn't been through what you have, I'm not sure who you would be. All I know is that whatever’s turned you into the man you are today, whatever path you had to walk, I'm glad you're here.”

“I love you too,” he whispered, the pressure that had been building within him dissipating. Her eyes widened, but a sweet smile spread across her face. He wasted no more time, kissing her again without holding back.

_ _ _

The next few days were wonderful for Marinette. She was still ahead with her work, she and Damian were getting past the incident with the Scarecrow and she was going to see Kagami this week! The tournament was due to start on Friday and conclude on Saturday. And when Kagami inevitably won the tournament, they would be able to go and celebrate.

Damian managed to negotiate his and Marinette's day off on the Friday, especially as Marinette was ahead of all requests. So they decided she would stay at the manor for the night in between, but he would stay at her apartment the night before.

When Thursday dawned and Marinette struggled to wake, Damian brought her breakfast in bed as a surprise. She was touched, as he had obviously been practicing without her knowledge, because he served her a perfect omelette with a fresh cup of orange juice. He rejoined her in the bed with his own breakfast and they chatted about the upcoming matches.

When they arrived at the tournament hall, Marinette immediately dragged him over to the competitors stretching area. She smiled and said hello to the various coaches, having already met many of them previously. She didn't stop moving until she found the Tsurugis, bowing to Tomoe before moving over to Kagami.

“Hey Gami! Let me know when you're warmed up so I can give you a big squeeze,” Marinette said, grinning eagerly at her friend. Kagami gave her a small smile back, before looking at Damian. “Oh, right, yes, Kagami, this is Damian, who you met through video call in September. Damian, Kagami is one of my best friends, I honestly don't think I would have survived high school without her.”

“Forever selling yourself short, Mari-hime. You are the very definition of grace under fire, had we not been friends I am positive you would have been fine,” Kagami said, clearly amused. She was working through some lunges, back straight and fencing arm at the ready. “Damian Wayne, it is good to meet you face to face at last.”

“Likewise, Tsurugi. Were you not currently readying yourself for a competitive tournament, I would request a spar. I believe you requested to meet me in combat before allowing my relationship with Marinette, so I would like to get that out of the way at your earliest convenience.”

“Damian,” Marinette squeaked, mortified at the easy nod Kagami gave him in response. “Kagami isn't a- a guard or dragon or whatever, for you to battle to win my favour. And Kagami, you shouldn't just go along with this insanity, you don't need to pick a fight with every one of my partners.”

“Apologies, Starling, but if it eases your friends' minds to know that I am willing to go into combat for you, I am more than happy to spar with them. Regardless, I would enjoy sparring with a famous fencer, are you saying that you would deny me that pleasure?” Damian looked at her reproachfully, and Marinette groaned in defeat.

“As long as it doesn't end in Kagami either threatening you or blessing a union, I guess I can live with that,” she groused, throwing a warning look in Kagami's direction. “We just wanted to come and wish you luck, not that you need it. We'll find you after your matches, okay?”

As they walked away, they quickly lost themselves in the crowd. Damian held on tightly to her hand, and she enjoyed the pressure. When they had finally taken their seats, Damian carefully laid his arm across her shoulders before speaking.

“Where is your other friend, Bourgeois? I had assumed she would be here for her significant other's tournament,” he remarked, the hand nearest her hair fiddling with the ends. She giggled before tangling her fingers into his own.

“She couldn't get the time from her university. She was so annoyed, but her dad isn't mayor of Paris anymore so she can't threaten people until she gets her way. It's been good for her,” Marinette said wisely, still giggling a little.

When the tournament finally began, Marinette watched with the enthusiasm of someone who had no clue what was happening but loved the people participating. When Kagami won a point, she was one of the first on her feet cheering, and when she won a match, she was whooping and shrieking happily.

Once Kagami's place was secure as a finalist for the following day, Marinette dragged Damian back down to the competitors changing area. She released him when she headed inside to find Kagami, but came out to him a short time later. They stood together, waiting for Kagami to find them, although Marinette did greet quite a few people that she recognised from previous tournaments.

“Hey, aren't you the girl who used to come with Adrien Agreste?” One such person said, looking curiously at the pair. Marinette nodded in a much more subdued manner, her smile feeling more strained. “It's a shame he couldn't do this tournament, huh? It would be cool to see Kagami Tsurugi facing off against him, they always make for a tense match!”

“Oh, for sure,” she replied, relaxing again. At least, she did until they were all joined by yet another person, this one sneering openly at Marinette. She could feel Damian bristle on her behalf, the hand around her waist tightening. She decided to be polite and greet them.

“Does Adrien Agreste know that you're fooling around with a random guy, just because he didn't have time to do the tournament?” The girl demanded without returning the greeting. The person who had originally stopped winced, but didn't say anything.

“You mean, does my best friend know that my boyfriend goes places with me?” Marinette responded coolly, arching an eyebrow. “I don't care what you think you know about me, you're clearly mistaken. Adrien is a very close friend but that's it, and Damian has been my boyfriend since September.”

“That- you're a liar! A cheat, and a liar, and I'm going to make sure Adrien knows all about this,” the girl said angrily, jabbing a finger in Marinette's face. Her friend looked embarrassed, but didn't stop her, which made Marinette angrier.

“Go right ahead, Adrien knows I'm dating Damian,” she said, chin jutting out in defiance. “I'm waiting for one of the other contestants here, so if you're just here to shout about your ignorance, you can leave.”

“Oh my God, how many guys are you stringing along?” The girl screeched, stepping into Marinette's space. Marinette held her ground and glared at the other girl. The girl turned to Damian, glaring at him too. “You can do better than her, you know that? If she's cheating on someone to be with you, she'll do the same thing again.”

“Tt, you are horrifically misinformed. Adrien Agreste has not dated Marinette since they were in high school, and the breakup was mutual. If you dare to insult my girlfriend again, you will find yourself barred from future events of this nature, to ensure her safety and the safety of anyone else you delusionally confront.”

“How dare you!” The girl's friend now got involved, having decided that if Damian was allowed to butt in, they could too. “You can't just threaten us, we-”

“-were just approaching a couple to spew pointless hate, I know,” Marinette said, nodding as they bristled. “You've said your piece, I've listened to you as much as I'm going to, I think it's time for you to move on. Feel free to reach out to Adrien, my name is Marinette and my boyfriend here is Damian. If he wants to get back to you, he will tell you exactly what we have. So bye now.”

They looked like they might have argued for a while longer, but thankfully Kagami materialised and Marinette and Damian were able to leave. Marinette felt exhausted, her palms sweaty from the confrontation. Both Kagami and Damian stayed silent as they walked towards the exit, where Tomoe waited for them.

“Mother, thank you for waiting for us,” Kagami said as they approached the blind woman. “I was hoping to go with Marinette and Damian to do some light sparring this evening, and perhaps get dinner. Is that acceptable for you?”

“Yes, Kagami, that is acceptable. You performed adequately in your matches today, but additional practice would not go amiss. I shall expect you back at the hotel no later than 10pm,” Tomoe replied, before turning to the car that pulled up immediately after.

“Okay! So, we have two options, and they kind of depend on both of you. We could head on over to Wayne Enterprises, get Kagami a visitor's pass and use the gym there before going out to eat or, we could head on over to the manor for both,” Marinette explained, linking arms with Kagami.

“We may as well go to the manor, it is more comfortable and I have a wider array of blades,” Damian decided, leading the two women towards the car he had called for them. Surprisingly, Jason was in the front seat, not Alfred, but Marinette didn't miss a beat. “Thank you for picking us up, Todd.”

“No sweat, Demon Spawn,” Jason said easily. “So, what's the plan?”

“To Wayne Manor, please!” Marinette chirped from the back seat with Kagami. Jason rolled his eyes good-naturedly and pulled away from the curb. The women in the back chatted about their other friends, catching up on some of the latest goings on. When they pulled up to the manor, Damian opened the door for Marinette, offering her his hand to climb out.

They all made their way into the manor, stopping by the kitchen to let Alfred know that they would all be stopping for dinner. Marinette introduced Kagami before they finally went to the training room so that Kagami and Damian could spar.

It was a quick bout, neither wasting time testing the other. Damian had the benefit of watching Kagami earlier in the day, but Kagami wasn't a recurring champion for no reason. The spar was fast paced and Marinette couldn't keep up with them. When they eventually rested, Damian looked flushed but pleased. Kagami barely seemed exerted, although Marinette could see the satisfied gleam in her eye.

“Thank you for sparring with me,” she said, offering a handshake to him. He accepted, inclining his head as he did so. “After consideration, I can confirm you are a worthy suitor for Mari-hime. Do not disappoint me, I will turn my blade upon you if I discover any mistreatment has occurred.”

“If Demon Spawn causes Pixie any grief, you're gonna have to get in line,” Jason called out, making Marinette groan aloud. “Sorry Pix, I don't make the rules. You know Babs would agree with me.”

“Yeah, well, Babs is overprotective,” Marinette grumbled, helping pack up the equipment that had been used. Damian smiled at her, squeezing her hand gently when they passed each other. “Anyway, it doesn't matter, because Damian and I are good at communicating.”

“Sure you are Pix,” Jason chortled, rolling his eyes. “Anyway, dinner should be any minute, let's head on down, yeah?”.

_ _ _

Dinner was a quiet affair, nearly everyone else being busy elsewhere. And when 9 o'clock came around, Tsurugi said her farewells, promising to see Marinette the following day after the matches. Once she was gone, Damian turned to Marinette and gestured for her to follow him.

“So, what do you want to do with the rest of our evening?” She asked, allowing him to pull her into his bedroom and closing the door behind. “I should probably get some sleep soon if we're going to be up in time for tomorrow's matches.”

“Perhaps you would join me for a film?” Damian pulled out a laptop and settled himself onto his bed. He grinned when she immediately cuddled up to him, her head resting on his shoulder. “I was unsure which film you would enjoy most, so I have a selection downloaded.”

“Hmm, I'm probably going to fall asleep, so maybe we can watch something I've seen before…” she went quiet as she scrolled through them. “Ooh! Have you ever seen 27 dresses? It's one of my all time favourites!”

“Then that is what we shall watch. I have patrol tonight, but I will be here for you in the morning, and I shall endeavour not to wake you when I return,” he said, kissing her forehead before starting the film.

It did not take long for Marinette to fall asleep, her breathing becoming slow and even when James Marsden picked up the personal planner in the back of the taxi. He left the film running for a few more minutes, but turned it off as he lay her properly into the bed.

Slipping out of the room, he cast a last look back at her. His breath felt short when he watched her hair fanned out around her, chest rising and falling gently, and he looked forward to rejoining her. The door closed softly and he strode down the hall.

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