#for your At Home Cuticle Care you can pick up just about ANY cuticle dissolvant. I use the sally hansen one

[sergle]

Sergle I have cuticle questions!! I got my nails done last week and the technician trimmed them (after putting oil on them). But two of them tore back to the skin, and the skin on all of them has been peeling back more than usual since then. How do I tend to my cuticles without the peeling and splitting??

HM okay so I'm not a nail technician and I can't say For Sure why your cuticles are peeling and splitting. But not everyone's cuticles take well to being nipped, that's why ppl generally recommend pushing them back or using cuticle dissolvant on them before trying to cut them- I'd recommend trying that route! not every nail tech is going to be Gentle w your cuticles, but if you use cuticle oil / moisturizer at home and you gently push them back on a fairly regular basis, the shreddiness should heal and you can still keep them from growing down the nail plate.

[rhub4rb]

Home is Where the Heart is

AO3

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-_-_-_-

"Alfred, I really think we should talk about this somewhere else." There was a warning in Marinette's tone, but Alfred paid it no mind. They needed this conversation, and he knew Marinette would never say anything unless pressured. He would just have to make up for it later.

"I think it's best if we stay here, Marinette," Alfred said, leaving no room to argue with. "What do you plan to do with your future once you leave?"

Marinette looked warily at the Wayne family, trying to see if they had any idea what Alfred was talking about. When she realized that nothing would come of it, she looked back at Alfred.

"You already know what I'm going to do, Alfred."

"I think you should reconsider your decision, Marinette."

Alfred could tell that Marinette was getting frustrated with him, at least if her tightened fists were any indication.

Abruptly, she stood up, not looking at anyone in particular, her chair scraping the floor.

"I'm not doing this." Was all she said, but Alfred knew better than to just let her go like that.

"Sit down, or I won't help you with any legal documents."

Marinette's head snapped up at him, her eyes wide as she read what the real threat was if she didn't get back to her seat.

I won't accept the amulet.

Alfred was aware that what he was doing was cruel, but he would be damned if he let the young girl throw her life away like that. He had seen it happen too many times now.

With gritted teeth, the girl sat back down in her chair, refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

"Marinette," Alfred started. "You're young. The responsibility that has been given to you is far bigger than it should be for someone your age. All I want for you is to have a life that's worth living."

Marinette averted his gaze, picking nervously at her cuticles instead. Must have been some sort of bad habit, Alfred absently thought.

"You're still technically a minor," Alfred said. "Until you reach the age of 18, you will be placed under Master Bruce's custody," Marinette's head snapped up in his direction, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Wha- you can't just do that!" Marinette yelled, getting back on her feet.

"We can and we will," Alfred stated with an air of finality. Marinette opened and closed her mouth, trying to find words to say, to protest. "Bruce and I have already discussed this," Marinette turned her head to see Bruce nod at her.

"But why?" Marinette asked, her voice cracking.

"I have seen one too many children give their lives away Marinette. I want to protect you for as long as I can. You're in no state to do what you plan to do. If going is truly what you want, you can do that once you're 18, but for now, I want you to focus on yourself," Alfred explained.

Marinette didn't respond, not that Alfred expected her too. Instead, she quietly walked out of the dining room, everyone hearing the faint opening and closing of her door.

Tim was the one to break the tense silence.

"So... What just happened?"

-

"He's told them, Tikki!" Marinette cried out, throwing her hands in the air. "I told you something like this was going to happen, I told you!"

All of the kwamis looked at their Guardian with worry. She had been pacing the floor for the last fifteen minutes, and it didn't seem like she was stopping any time soon.

"Oh, what am I going to do? I'll have to wipe their memories, but I don't think I'd have any success with Alfred," Marinette worried.

Tikki could understand her chosen's worry. Even if Alfred hadn't revealed what the order was, or what was really his relation with Marinette, the stunt he had pulled in front of the Wayne family would have consequences for Marinette, no doubt about it.

"I can't just tell them about the order or the miraculous, that would be too risky! Tikki, did I make a mistake in coming here?"

Tikki could tell Marinette was spiraling, and she didn't know what to do to stop it, but she did know what to say.

"You didn't make a mistake Marinette, you followed Master Fu's instructions and you didn't know something like this would happen."

Marinette seemed to think over Tikki's words, her face screwing up in thought, until she finally sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"I guess but... I'm still the Guardian, and it's my responsibility to keep all of you safe," Marinette said, looking at the small gods occupying her room. "But what if I can't do that?"

The kwamis all shared a concerned look, Plagg, Tikki, and Wayzz all flying over to comfort the girl.

"You're a smart girl Marinette, you'll figure something out. We believe in you."

Marinette bit her lip, clearly not believing the words coming from the god of creation.

"Why does it feel like I've failed already then?" Marinette asked, going to sit on her bed, rubbing the silky covers between her fingers. "I'm not giving up!" She quickly added when she saw their worried looks. "I just... I have no one to count on for this, you know?"

Marinette was supposed to be able to trust Alfred, but Tikki knew that after what happened tonight, Marinette would be careful with the information that she relayed to the butler and former holder.

Tikki had hoped that Marinette would open up to Alfred about what really happened in Paris after some time, but with the way things were going, Tikki highly doubted Marinette would ever open up to anyone.

"Even if Alfred won't be someone you can trust completely, you will never be alone," Marinette nodded, but Tikki didn't feel convinced. "...Do you want to talk to anyone? Joan maybe?"

At this, Marinette perked up, before she looked around hesitantly, as if the Wayne family would jump out at any moment.

"Don't worry Marinette, we'll just keep the door locked. If you don't think that's enough, we can go into the bathroom if you want."

Marinette paused, quietly considering her options, before nodding and getting up, locking her bedroom door. The kwamis could warn her if anyone came.

-

No one answered Tim's question, which he considered was fair. He didn't exactly have the answer, and he was the smart one in the family.

"Alfred?" Bruce prodded.

This was ridiculous. When Tim had looked for information on Marinette, he had found nothing. Silch! Nada. She was a complete mystery. There were no pictures, no social media, no files. Nothing. She wasn't on any CCTV, not even at the most popular spots in Paris. She just... didn't exist.

Alfred's line of questioning was peculiar too. Why did he care so much about this one girl? What was really going on between those two?

"I cannot tell you," Alfred replied, his face unreadable.

"Alfred."

Alfred didn't respond, just turned his unreadable expression to Bruce, a silent conversation taking place, ending with Bruce sighing and slumping in his seat.

"Can you please just... explain?" Dick asked, already sounding tired and done.

"I'm just afraid that Marinette would be throwing away the best years of her life, dedicated to a cause she is too young to be a part of."

The silence that came attested to the thoughts of the family on the matter.

"I have a feeling she has made choices in her life that she will be forced to live with forever. I simply want to give her a life that is worth living."

"Why can't you just tell us what's really going on?" Dick asked.

"It's not as simple as you may think, Master Dick. If anyone is going to tell you what is truly happening, it will have to be Marinette herself."

The dining room fell silent again as they processed the little information given to them. At least her relation to the butler was a little more cleared, right? At least, that's what Tim thought, even if he didn't actually gain a proper answer to his questions, which he now had a lot more of.

The way Alfred questioned her though... it felt like he was cornering her, forcing her to say things she didn't want to say. It felt like...

"You went out of line," Tim said, and for a moment, he couldn't believe himself. "She clearly wasn't comfortable with what you did. You were the one to tell us to not scare her away, yet that's exactly what you're doing."

At this, Alfred almost seemed to look ashamed. Did he not even realize that what he was doing was wrong?

"Hold on, hold on, hold on. Are we just going to forget that the girl is here illegally for all we know?" Damian asked.

"As if you care about her being here legally, you just want her gone," Jason accused.

Quickly, the family dissolved into fighting, no one sure what to think anymore.

-

Marinette sat herself down on the floor, crossing her legs and putting her hands together, thumbs connecting, fingers locking, her palms not touching. She started with deep breaths, seven seconds in, eleven seconds out, feeling her heart calm its erratic beating in her chest.

By now, she had done this several times, she had trained with the former Ladybug chosens, so calling for one was not exactly difficult. However, it required a certain amount of peace of mind, something she didn't exactly have at the moment.

With a final exhale, her earrings lit up, and a spirit pushed itself out of her.

"How are you doing, Marinette?" Joan's voice rang clear in the room.

Most of the kwamis had gone back to the box, understanding Marinette needed privacy more than anything, with only Plagg, Tikki, and Wayzz staying, Plagg listening at the door to make sure no one tried to get in.

"I... I don't really know, if I'm honest," Marinette admitted, biting her lip. "I found the person I was searching for, Alfred Pennyworth. He's butler to an influential family here in Gotham."

Joan nodded, though she could see that there was more the young chosen wished to say.

"Is he trustworthy?" Joan asked.

Marinette let out a sigh, slumping slightly. "I don't know," she whispered. "He almost told about the order to his family," Marinette elaborated, seeing the question in the warrior's eyes. "He says I need to focus on myself first, to let myself live without worry before starting to rebuild the order."

Joan looked contemplative for a moment, looking at Marinette with searching eyes.

"And you?" Joan asks.

"Huh?"

"What do you want to do? What do you feel is best for yourself?"

"I... I don't know! Does it even matter at this point?" Marinette asked, her voice cracking at the end.

Joan and Tikki shared a concerned glance as Marinette shrunk in on herself. It wasn't that Marinette didn't want to take care of herself or anything like that, but it just felt selfish now.

"Of course it matters!" Joan cried, looking at Marinette with wide eyes. "You are just as important as the people you wish to protect." Joan sighed, looking deep in thought for a moment before speaking again. "I know what you think, Marinette. I know you are prepared to lay your life down for this. But you deserve more than that. You deserve happiness as much as the people out there do. You're not letting anyone down. You're simply putting yourself first, something you haven't done in a long time."

A second passed, two, before the dam broke and tears rolled down Marinette's cheeks.

She was just so tired.

"I know, Netta, I know," Joan said, pulling the young chosen into her arms, soothingly rubbing her hands up and down Marinette's back. "I know."

-

Marinette didn't talk to Alfred for a while, or the rest of the Wayne family for that matter. She avoided going to the kitchen after dark, knowing that Tim would most likely be there, she ate in silence, her response to any questions usually only going so far as one word.

She knew she couldn't avoid Alfred forever. They would have to talk at some point, but if there was a possibility that Marinette had lost everything again, she wanted to sleep in a comfortable bed for just a little more.

Still, Marinette knew that she would probably have to be the one to break the silence.

Grabbing the peacock miraculous, she let out a sigh, steeling her mind. It didn't take her long to find Alfred, going into the kitchen and seeing him prepare tea, as if he knew she was coming. Maybe he did.

"Hey, Alfred..."

"Hello Marinette," Alfred smiled at her gently, placing a cup of herbal tea beside her on the table. "It's probably about time we speak again, hm?"

Marinette flinched, aware that he must have been waiting for her to approach him first, and that she had left him in the dark for a week. Alfred picked up on the flinch and frowned.

"I don't blame you for that," he said. "I was out of line for speaking to you the way that I did. I know that the order is only to be revealed by those trusted by the ones trusted by the guardian."

Marinette felt her heart warm, for once being on the receiving end of an apology. Still...

"I should apologize too," Marinette said, her eyes shifting awkwardly. "You're trying to look out for me. I'm just- I've not-" she continued to cut herself off, before groaning in frustration. "For the longest time now, I haven't been a priority to myself. Honestly, I don't even think I'm in the top twenty! I guess I just... get defensive when it comes to stuff like taking care of myself."

Which in hindsight was hypocritical of her. Wasn't she the one who told Tim that he couldn't take care of anyone if he didn't take care of himself.

"That doesn't mean what you did was okay though. I know you haven't told them anything about the order, otherwise they probably would have been more assertive in finding information on me, but that doesn't mean it wasn't risky."

Alfred nodded, expression serious and understanding.

"It won't happen again," he promised.

Satisfied with his answer, Marinette pulled out the peacock miraculous from her pocket, placing it on the table near Alfred.

"She was broken when we found her," Marinette admitted. "It took the last of Master Fu's energy to fix her."

Alfred looked at Marinette, eyes wide and brimming with tears as he carefully took the brooch, it lighting up at his touch, a small peacock appearing, Tikki sitting on her shoulder and smiling encouragingly at him.

"I'll leave you two alone now," Marinette said, getting up from her seat. "You have a lot to catch up on. We can talk to Bruce about the adoption stuff later."

-_-_-_-

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