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Love is Blind (I'm sorry I took you for granted)

... guess you got to finishing the other prompt @the-coffee-fandom from last year's hanahaki week? This girl :D

Prompt - May 9th: "Don't you think it's time to stop?"

Tags: @toodaloo-kangaroo @vixen-uchiha

AO3

Tim glanced at his watch once again, fighting a huff as he finally decided to look at it for the thirtieth time in that hour.

14:00.

“She’s late.” Tim mumbled, feeling like a complete idiot as he could feel various eyes watching him, eyeing him as he sat by himself at the waiting area right outside the cinema they had agreed to meet at.

It wouldn't have bothered him, but considering that he had been sitting there for the past four hours…it was starting to get to him. He fumbled with the handles of the gift bag that rested between his fingers.

He decided to take out his phone, the phone buzzing as he did so, his frustration growing when he saw it was just a text from Steph who had asked how the date was going so far.

He switched back to his previous chat, noticing that Marinette hadn’t texted him back anything in the past two hours. No update, no reply…no apology…nothing.

And yes, it would’ve been one thing if she had been caught in an akuma attack…but she wasn’t and he knew she wasn’t.

After all, the akuma app he had created to notify him of any akuma appearance in Paris hadn’t gone off in two days.

And if it was just her being late due to traffic…well, she usually would tell him when she was five minutes away…

But he knew where she was. She had mentioned it several times before when they had called each other throughout the month and he had hoped she wouldn’t go to it. Or if she did, to at least let him know even though he would be bothered by her decision.

But it’s been hours and nothing. Not a single thing from-

“Tim!” A voice called out to him, Tim having to mentally calm himself down before he dared to look up, not even bothering to fix the disappointment on his face. “There you are!” She managed to say in one breath, plopping herself right next to him.

Tim watched as she took a while to semi-catch her breath. Beads of sweat dripped down her face, only then Tim realizing the sloppy outfit she had put on for today. Sure, it wasn’t her usual white top and pink pants but he knew Mari.

And Mari would’ve never let herself walk out the way she did for a date.

She would’ve never let herself walk out her house with a messy low bun, an unironed and untucked collared shirt and wrinkled skirt. She wouldn’t have allowed herself to wear mismatching earrings nor take a clutch purse with her.

A clutch purse was her worst nightmare as she always forgot where she would place it down, even when it came to her own room.

And to top everything off, Marinette knew better than to let herself walk around with smudged lip gloss.“I’m so sorry! I didn’t think Adrien’s competition would take so long! Nor did I think I would have to remake his banner for the competition this morning!

I should’ve let you know I was going to be late this morning or during half-time.

But oh how I wished you were there! You should’ve seen the way Adrien-”

“Do you hear yourself?” Tim cut her off, prompting Marinette to shut up.

She never heard him speak to her that way. He never spoke to her so coldly before. So…annoyed…

She turned to look at Tim, wondering why he was looking at her so angrily.

She fought herself from frowning.

“I- what did you say?”

“Just, stop.” Tim got up, hating the churning of his stomach, hating the scream that lodged his throat. A scream he wanted to let out so badly at that very moment. “You really aren’t hearing yourself, are you?”

“I-I don’t understand what you-”

“Marinette. You’re late.”

“And I’m trying to explain why-”

“By three whole hours Marinette. Three. And you didn’t at least try to let me know-”

“Tim, I didn’t expect for it to last two whole extra hours. And like I said, I even had to help them make a new banner for the competition this morning. And it’s not like this is the first time I mentioned this.” Marinette defended herself. “I talked to you about this before, remember? I mentioned I was going to support Adrien with the rest of the class at his-”

“We agreed to see each other today Marinette!” Tim finally screamed out, not noticing that this caused heads to turn towards the two. “We had a date that we agreed on a month prior because you badly wanted us to come here together.” Tim reminded her. “You told me you’ve always wanted to go to Claude Monet’s garden and I thought that was a wonderful idea since I’ve never been there either.

We agreed to clear our schedules- hell, you even promised me you weren’t going to make any other plans for today to make sure-”

“But I had to go and support him! The rest of the class-”

“Who cares about the class? Who cares if you didn’t go?

You could’ve gone to see him once you got home. You could’ve seen him when you got back to school on Monday after break.” Tim took a breath to calm himself down. He was sounding like a broken record and he hated it. “You could’ve called him…explain that you already had plans with someone…

With me.” Tim continued when Mari didn’t speak. “I cleared up my entire week to come and see you and spend time with you. I flew here to see you Mari. Just you.” He looked at the gift in his hand, the handle unraveling with the amount of twisting he had done to it while he waited. “I thought you would be just as excited as I was since we haven’t seen each other in some time…

But…

Was I expecting too much of you?” Tim tried his best to stop his voice from cracking, but decided to just let it go.

He was tired of all of this. ”Maybe I am, I don’t know.” He stopped himself from draggin a hand down his face or running it through his hair. “Am I asking for too mu-”

“Tim, are you okay?” Marinette dared to ask, causing something in Tim to boil.

“I-” Tim sighed, “I know I live far- I mean.” He let out another long sigh. “I live across an entire ocean and I get it, okay?

Long distance relationships are hard and it’s my first serious relationship in years. Like, literal years…

I’m trying my best to be a good boyfriend to you.” Tim admitted, finally giving in to running his hand through his hair, attempting to calm himself down before he did anything he would later regret.

“And you are! You-” Marinette tried to calm him down but found herself at a loss of thoughts.

She couldn’t think of a single thing, memories and daydreams of Adrien flooding her head as she tried to think of any memory of Tim by her side.

“I text you everyday-” Tim cut her off. “I do video calls, set up future dates whenever you want to do something together, send you things I bought while I thought of you and yet- am I doing something wrong? If I am, just tell-”

“Tim, you’re not doing anything wrong!” Marinette shouted. “You’ve been- it’s just- I need to be there for my friends too.” She ended up saying, biting her tongue when she realized what she had just finished saying. “They need my help and I just can’t say no. I have to-” She stopped when she saw Tim stand up and stand in front of her.

“Marinette, just…just stop.”

“What?”

“Stop making excuses Marinette and just tell it to me straight. Because I’m done hearing all of this.” Tim sternly said, hating the twisting in his chest, hating that he was doing this to her. He hated that he was going to be the reason behind Mari’s soon-to-be heartbreak. “Don’t you think it’s time to stop? To stop all these excuses?”

“You think I’m doing this because I want to?” Marinette couldn’t believe this.

Did he really think she’s doing this on purpose? Did he really think she wasn’t being serious when it came to keeping a promise to her friends? In being there for them whenever they needed her?

Did he want her to look like a bad friend? “They needed my help, they needed my support and I gave it to them. More so, I had promised Adrien I would-”

“Marinette. We can’t keep doing this.” Tim pointed out, hoping he was doing the right thing. “We can’t keep going if all you’re thinking is about pleasing your friends and wooing Adrien-”

“I’m not wooing him!” Marinette screeched, getting up. “I’m with you, Tim! You’re the one I li-”

“Do you?” Tim questioned her. “Do you actually like me? Or were you just lying to yourself until it became true? Because let me tell you one thing Marinette, I like you. And I always have since the day I first met you at the gala your parents catered for.” He could feel his heart shatter when he saw her surprised at his words.

Was I nothing to you?

“Tim, I-”

““I like you.” Tim said again, hearing the doubt this time. “Even when you had told me of all your plans you had to try and get Adrien’s attention.

Even when you started to doubt your feelings towards him.

Even when you kept going to his competitions like today’s.

When you decided to move on from him.

When you developed a crush on Luka.

When you dated Luka.” Tim could feel his chest ache with each sentence he finished. “You were in love with someone else and I still loved you and now that I have the chance to be with you…I wonder if waiting all this time was worth it.”

“Tim.” Marinette softly said, feeling tears prick the corners of her eyes.

No. I didn’t mean for things to go this way. I didn’t mean to hurt him!

Marinette pushed down the lump growing in her throat. “Don’t say things you don’t-”

“Our schedules barely line up and then when it does, there’s always something else preventing us from getting together.” He cut her off. “An akuma, a family matter, a friend matter…something always comes up and usually…it’s you apologizing to me for not making it or being late…

And that… that makes me feel that loving you was a waste of my time.” Tim confessed, watching Marinette grow silent, tears sliding down her face.

Tim hated that she wasn’t saying anything. He hated that she just stood there.

Why was she crying when he was the one who was hurting? “Or was I wrong?

If I was wrong, then tell me.” He begged her. “Tell me I was wrong Mari.”

“I’m sorry.” Was all Marinette mustered to say, wiping away her tears. “I didn’t know you felt-“

“That’s not answering my question, Marinette.” Tim quietly said, looking down at the bag in his hand. “But I’ll take that as an answer to my question.” He placed it next to her. “I guess this will be my final gift to you.” Tim softly spoke, feeling an old pain grow in his lungs.

Of course it had to come back like this. “I’ll be heading back to Gotham tonight.”

“Tim. Tim, wait!” Marinette called out, getting up and grabbing hold of his wrist only to be flung back, Marinette finding herself sitting back down. “Tim, I-“

“Don’t.” Tim told her, feeling pressure starting to form in his chest. “Don’t say anything…because we both know they’ll just be empty statements…

And I suggest you drop it here.” Tim glanced at the circle that had formed around them, noticing a few having their phones out and recording them.

How did he not notice them earlier?

Then again, they had raised their voices at each other at some point. “We’ve already made a scene, let’s not continue to make it any bigger than what it should be, okay?”

Marinette watched as he walked away, the crowd parting for him, his back disappearing from her line of sight.

When the crowd realized that this was the end of the feud, they started to disperse, a few lingering to see what Marinette would do next.

Hating the staring and gazes directed her way, she picked up the gift bag he left behind and ran.

She held in her second round of tears as she ran all the way back home, ready to burst when her father asked her how her date went the moment she stepped into the bakery.

She somehow managed to avoid the conversation when a customer asked her father a question, using the distraction to get away.

She scurried to her room, shutting and locking her bedroom hatch. She slumped on top of it, taking in the silence of the room as she sat there.

Taking in the silence and the stillness around her, feeling the tears run down her face.

Why didn’t she stop him from leaving?

Why did she hesitate?

What was wrong with her?

Why couldn’t she say that she liked him?

Because you don’t…you never did…

After what seemed like an hour of questioning herself and getting no answers, Marinette finally acknowledged the crinkled pink bag beside her.

What did he bring her for today’s date?

A new sketchbook? Some rare fabric? A new hair accessory? Jewelry?

She opened the gift up, tearing up at the sight of the small bouquet in the dome glass. A small bouquet of forget-me-nots stood in the middle, the tiny flowers starting to wither as she stared at them.

She had only told him once that they were her favorite flowers and that was when they had first met.

He still remembered…he remembered everything about her…

And yet I casted him aside…like the idiot I am…

She had to apologize. She had to tell him!

She reached for her phone and tried to call, but was sent quickly to voicemail.

She tried again but kept getting sent to voicemail.

She tried once again when she noticed that the flowers had gotten worse, the tips of the petals slowly rotting away, one of them having already fallen to the base.

Suddenly, the petals started to fall one by one until one last one remained. A sole white petal stayed on the lone wilted stem of the bouquet.

The rest were now at the base of the dome, curled up into themselves and dried up.

She tried calling him again for the entire week, only to be told the number was no longer in service. She tried emailing him but never got a response back.

She kept trying, even if she knew he was never going to answer.

It wasn’t until a month later that Marinette found out why he wasn’t answering her back.

“Marinette. Isn’t that…isn’t that Tim?” Sabine asked her one morning as they ate breakfast, Marinette tuning around to look at the television. The spoon in her hand dropped onto the counter.

“-announced his ward, Timothy Drake, making a full recovery from his unexpected emergency surgery he had just a week and a half ago.”

A short video of Tim waving to the press while sitting on a wheel was shown on the screen. He waved to the press as he was taken from the hospital entrance to his car.

His skin was as pale as a sheet and his eyes were deathly sunken in.

What happened to him?

“The young CEO was rumored to have been on the brink of death after he collapsed in the middle of his speech during last month’s charity gala.”

A video of Tim suddenly collapsing to the floor and coughing something up was displayed followed by other Wayne members rushing to his side and taking him away.

Why? How? Why didn’t he tell her that he was sick? Yes, he didn’t always tell her everything about his life, but this! How did he hide something serious like this from her?

“Mr.Wayne announced that while the teen hadn’t always been in the best of health, his health did turn for the worst a month ago, stating the symptoms came out of nowhere.

According to Mr.Wayne, not much was known about the illness, Mr.Drake’s case was the second case to ever be recorded and hence the long recovery period of the young CEO.

The very first case was recorded a few years back, where a man by the name of Artym Sidorkin was the very first person to be affected by said illness.

Due to new surfacing of the illness, there was a lot of testing and clinical trials involved -the surgery the young teen underwent- being one of them. Luckily, the surgery saved the teen’s life, letting-”

Marinette drowned out the rest of the news anchor’s story, quickly getting up to retrieve her phone from her room to see if she could reach Tim when a knock was heard at the door.

“Now I wonder who that might be.” Sabine asked, going to open only to be met with Bruce himself standing at the door. “Oh my! You must be-”

“Hello, Mlle Cheng.” Bruce greeted, Marinette noticing him putting on a strained smile.

She couldn’t help but notice the dark circles under his eyes and the poorly applied makeup attempting to hide his eye bags. “My name is Bruce Wayne, and I apologize for taking so long to meet you and for meeting this way. I wish we had met early when our children were still dating.” Bruce missed the way Marinette flinched at those last words.

“When they were still dating? Are you- Marinette…why didn’t you tell me you weren’t with-”

“M.Wayne!” She diverted. “How is Tim? I haven’t been-”

“About Tim.” Bruce started, closing the door behind him. He looked at Sabine and then at Marinette. “How should I say this?” He sighed. “It would be best if you stopped trying to contact him.”

“M.Wayne.” Sabine spoke up. “While I understand that the kids might not be together anymore, that does not you should stop my daughter from-”

“A side effect from the surgery he went under caused him to have amnesia.” Bruce interjected, not failing to notice Sabine’s gasp and marinette’s pale face. “At the moment, he does not recall what happened these past three years, maybe five.”

“Are you sure?” Marinette asked, flinching when Bruce frowned. “I-I’m- I didn’t mean- how do you know he does not recall the past two years? What-”

“After waking up from his surgery, he asked for his girlfriend.”

“He asked for Mari-”

“He asked for Steph.” Marinette froze.

Steph? As in, Stephanie? “That’s correct.” Oh, she said that out loud. “He dated Steph on and off roughly three years ago and if that’s the last person he remembers dating, then-”

“He doesn’t remember me whatsoever.” Marinette concluded, feeling herself go numb.

I didn’t get to apologize…I didn’t get to say thank-

“But that’s not the reason why I don’t want you to contact him, Marinette.” Bruce placed a hand over her shoulder. “Marinette, I have no doubt in my mind that Tim enjoyed the time he spent with you while the two of you dated.” Bruce started, but Marinette knew that look in his eyes.

A look filled with wistfulness, of nostalgia…tinted with apologies…

An apology for what he was about to say that may hurt her…

So, Marinette braced herself. But she knew better than to think she would be able to handle it. “But seeing him ask for Steph, seeing him talk to her like that on the phone for hours…

I haven’t seen him smile like that in years.

Laughter that felt like it came from the bottom of his stomach…

Marinette…” Bruce felt the girl shake under his hand. “He looked happier than he ever did compared to the past year he spent his time with you.”

Marinette let out a sob when she finally understood what Bruce wanted from her. Was this really how it was going to end?

Was this her fate for trampling over Tim’s feelings?

But I didn’t mean it! I didn’t mean to!

But she knew what was done was done and there was no turning back.

She let out another sob followed by a wail and then tears.

She didn’t know when Bruce left, nor when her mother held her tightly in her arms but she did know one thing.

She was never going to find a love like that again…ever…

And it was her own fault for not cherishing it in the first place…

#I knew you loved me #but clearly you also hate me #thank you either way #I am blessed #maribat #timari #timari with no happy ending #hanahaki hours 2024 #the coffee fandoms hanahaki hours #hanahaki hours #hanahaki disease #hh2024 #Timari fic recs

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