A Miraculous Cafe

Chapter Seven - Damien, Shock, and Laughter

Marinette's POV: 

*time skip to 4 o'clock later that day*

Marinette had just finished putting the finishing details on a cake she had been commissioned to make by a desperate mother who accidentally burned the cake she was baking when Tim came in. 'oh, that's right, I have to go to Tim's house to see whether I pass and will be allowed to babysit Damien,' "Good afternoon Tim, there's a cup of coffee for you on the counter, they're both the same so pick which one you want but leave the other one for me," I warn, knowing that he will understand my warning. To explain, a coffee addict, like myself and Tim, going without coffee for more than four hours is a very scary person, "Even if that person is Mari," as my Aunt Penny would say. 

"Sorry for the hold-up Tim, I'm just finishing off this cake for Madam Daniels, she burnt her daughter's birthday cake and the party is tomorrow," I explain, before smiling at my work. Stepping back to admire its full glory I just hear a gasp come from both Madam Daniels and Tim. "I said just a simple horse cake, I didn't mean this masterpiece!" exclaims Madam Daniels, snapping out of her shocked state faster than Tim. "Oh, it's just a quick one, see, there, there and there, those spots are done the wrong way and the cake's shape isn't completely correct, it was just a rushed horse cake, it's not much, I'll ring it up on the till for the price arranged, Madam Daniels," I point out the inconsistencies and how the shape of the cake is off and head over to the till I put in the right amount and wave her over, she stumbles a bit but safely makes her way over here. "That's not enough for that cake!" Madam Daniels exclaims when she sees the price at $40, "Yes it is, in fact, the proper price for making that cake without the hour or two that it took for me to make it, is $25, I'm just charging another $15 for my work," I reply, that shuts her up, she runs her card through the machine and takes her cake for daughter. smiling, I wave to her through the window before I grab my coffee that Tim left on the bench, add another couple of shots and just chug it. 

Only to find Tim staring at me like I'm crazy, "Don't give me that look, I'm not nearly as crazy as Uncle J and Aunty Harls," I say to his shocked face, "Are we going to go or what?" I ask, not wanting to be out too late because I've got to patrol tonight for the first time so that I can start helping this city more. 

After a bit of sputtering from Tim, we make out to his car and he drives us away from the city, towards the countryside. On the outskirts of Gotham, in a very prestigious-looking neighborhood, we come to a stop outside a huge manor, it was way bigger than the Agreste's. "You live here?" I ask not understanding who he is, "Oh, that's right, I didn't fully introduce myself, I'm Timothy Drake Wayne," he winces at the end as if he expects me to go full fangirl on him, "Oh, that makes sense then," I say and turn back to stare at the gorgeous house sitting at the top of the driveway. "Wait, you're not going to, say anything, about me being a Wayne?" he asks, sounding confused, "Do you want me to?" I ask right back, knowing the answer would be no, "Well, of course not, but you're not going to say anything at all?" "No, I won't, I learned a long time ago that famous people are just that, people, they make good choices and they can make bad ones, they're just seen by a wider range of people," he nods at my answer. 

"On that note though, I'm guessing you looked into me and talked to your family about having me as a babysitter last night?" I ask, hoping the answer is no, but knowing that they would have. You can't be too careful with your safety and your family's.  "Sorry Marinette, but we had to, it's part of protocol," at this I nod, but turn and look him in the eye, "If you believe Lila, say now and I can go home so I can finish my work," "Nooo, we don't believe Lila, she lied about us and lots of people we, as the Waynes know," at this I nod and smile a true smile, one that only uncle J, Aunty Harls, Uncle Jagged, and Aunty Penny have seen since Lila had taken away my friends, and get out of the car, walking around the to his side and opening his door because I know that he only would've looked into the past few years and wouldn't have seen me smile on the security cameras at my old school. 

When I open his door, he nods to himself and gets out, I shut the door behind him and we walk up the steps to the giant front doors, they open to admit us, and someone I haven't seen in a very long time stands there, "Alfie?" I ask, hoping I'm right, and that this is Alfie, the last peacock miraculous holder before it was broken, he's also the person who taught me how to play chess,  quite proficiently too, if I do say so myself. "Wait, how do you know Alfred?" a man wearing a suit asks, I quickly recognize him as Bruce Wayne himself. "Miss Marinette here knows me from my trips to Paris, I taught her how to play chess, Master Bruce, I told you about her when you asked about my trip,"  Alfred replies for me, giving me a knowing wink, 'We'll talk later' his eyes seemed to say. 

Just before anyone can ask any more questions, a baby's wail can be heard from through the door Mr. Wayne stepped out of, I rush towards the sound, flipping over people as they try to stop me. Once I finally get to the baby, I start cooing in french, and, little by little, he calms down. As I look up when he's finally asleep I see everyone staring at me. "Sorry," I say wincing, because how were they supposed to react to a girl getting past all of them, all because she heard a baby cry? "No, no, Miss Marinette, it is quite alright, thank you for getting him to sleep, he hasn't slept in about two to three days," says Alfred. "He hasn't had any sleep for two or three days?!?!" I whisper yell at them, I take a deep breath and state the obvious truths. 

"Look, you guys clearly can't take care of a baby, not even you Alfred. Although you are all amazing in your own ways, you can't take care of a baby, you obviously need someone to do it for you, I can do it, or I know some trustworthy people who have the right qualifications that could do it as well," I keep Damien in my arms and walk around a little to keep him asleep. 

"Well, pixie-pop, you would be right," says the guy I flipped over my shoulder, "Sorry, but what's your name?" I ask, not understanding why they look at me like I'm crazy, "No, I really do need to know what your name is if I am to be working here," I state while giving them a no-nonsense look. "Uhh, that's Jason, the one next to him is Dick, then there's Dad, Bruce, and Alfred, who you already know, and Damien who your holding," I nod and ignore the questions directed at Alfred and me on how we know each other until I hear a question in mandarin about me, "How was she able to get through us so easily?" Jason asks his Father, I reply in mandarin, "I took gymnastics when I was really little and I used to play a lot of sports," "Wait, you can understand mandarin?" they all chorus, I shush them as the noise stirs Damien and he is once again awake, "Yes I do, I learned it from a nice old man who ran a massage place to surprise my mother when I understood what she said about me to my father at the dinner table without my knowledge." And with that statement, I left the conversation, though they did try to drag me back into it, I was too busy playing with Damien, after a while he begins to laugh at the silly faces I make and all conversations stop as they hear it, looking up Marinette sees them looking at her in awe, "What?" I ask, "Well, Damien did earn the title 'Ice Prince of Gotham' for a reason, but also this is only the second time we've heard him laugh when it's not because someone else is in pain from when he pranks us," Dick, the eldest says. 

~Sorry, not sorry, I just felt like leaving this like that because I'm a bitch, not as much of one as Lila, Ayla, or Chloe. In this book I mean. Although Chole is kinda nonexistent, she's just in the background. 

The Author, Elle                                                                                                                                                                    ~