Of Glitter and Gold

Chapter 37

Damian is frustrated, how could he not be? For the past two weeks he's been trying to get some- any kind of reaction from Marinette all while people stare at him because stupid Agreste threw a fit. Every time he pokes fun at her, tries to rile her up, Marinette ignores him or shrugs him off.

Damian corrects her about her answers to the point that she snaps a pencil, besides that he never gets anything more than a nasty glare.

Cutting her off mid sentence, in the hallway, in the lunch line, she just lets it happen. There was one time where she tried to trip him, and almost succeeded, but he wasn't going to let it happen, he wasn't that desperate for her attention. Not yet anyways.

It looks like her patience for him has run dry. Every time Damian plans to annoy her, he promises himself it's his last time. That after he'll leave her alone. His resolve never lasts longer than a day or so. A few of these last ditch attempts included insulting her. Damian was getting discouraged, what was he supposed to do now?

The only option that remains is to leave her alone. But Damian knows he's too selfish, and proud to let that happen. To admit that he couldn't even get a reaction from Marinette was a difficult pill to swallow.

The fourth Robin told himself a lot of stuff in the last few weeks, that one couldn't swing from hating to being attracted to someone as quickly as he did. That it was unreasonable, unreliable, and ill-founded to hold his rival to such high regard. As he thinks back to their first civil interactions, even the gala. They spent hours just in each other's company, and only now is Damian able to admit it wasn't awful.

Class just let out for lunch and Damian is following the usual noisy and boisterous crowd to the cafeteria when something catches his eye. Her signature dark locks, in their natural loose waves, bouncing in the light cut out of view behind a group of people before he catches another glimpse of her. Marinette slips into a lesser used hallway unnoticed. Damian slows, letting people pass as he feigns looking for something in his bag. Perhaps if he stalls enough, he can catch Marinette on her way to the lunch room.

It doesn't take long for Damian to be the only one left in the hallway, he takes a moment, leaning against a locker near where Marinette slipped away to reassess his approach to interacting with Marinette.

Perhaps aggravating her wasn't the proper way to approach the situation, perhaps relying on the reason they first hated each other was unwise. Flattery would be too strong, she'll assume it's fake. He needs to reestablish the lines of communication without relying on taunts or others, bringing someone else up won't be beneficial in the long run.

But what to talk to her about? School is a no-go, his family? No. That's when he hears it, Marinette is speaking. Perhaps to herself?

"I mean, he's not that bad anymore, you can kinda tell he doesn't mean what he says anymore. But still, talk about rude! And so petty. But I guess he's interesting when he isn't being a little shit- ughhh, I can't. Ti- Being honest, he's an ass but he doesn't seem like an awful friend? When we were in Paris, it was nice. What am I gonna do?" The girl's French rambling slows to one of defeat, "I can't do it, I told myself I wasn't going to let here be a repeat of Paris. Those who fail to learn from history are cursed to repeat it. Damian's not gonna miss it, he just wants to win, there's no way he's a potential friend. Everyone else here is nice but- eh. It doesn't matter, I don't need anyone." Her voice lifts in faux enthusiasm. "Just me, myself, and I is enough." She lets out a sigh, she doesn't have people outside of GA? Sure Gotham Academy was filled with spoiled brats and over confident heathens but she has to have someone.

Damian knows he shouldn't be one to talk, but at least he, reluctantly, became friends with Jon. His best friend. Damian walks away before Marinette catches him, vowing to get through to the stubborn girl.