mind over mask

eight

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Marinette's POV

"Marinette! Marinette!" Tikki yelled at me.

I woke up, and wiped the drool off of my face. I had fallen asleep at my desk, but luckily I hadn't ruined anything.

"Yeah Tikki! Is there an Akuma?" I jumped up, and got ready for a fight.

"No silly! You got a text," My kwami answers, stealing a cookie from the cookie jar.

"From who?" I question, rubbing the sleep from my face.

"I don't know. It's from an unknown number." She shrugged and flew onto the soft bed.

"I'm going to ignore it, it's probably Lila under a new number to threaten and bully me again." I sigh.

"I think you should check it who it is. Just in case."

"Fine," I gave up, I was in no mood to argue with a kwami who had been here long before me and who would live long after me.

Unknown Number
xxx-xxx-xxxx
Marinette, this is Damian. Thank you for the offer, it was very kind of you, but I am fine.

"Oh." I forgot that I gave Damian my number. I didn't even think he would text me. I reread his text. He talks formally in real life and over text, but maybe that's because French isn't his first language. I give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Oh what? That didn't sound like a bad 'oh,' Mari," Tikki flew over from jumping on the bed.

"It's from Damian."

"That new hot guy in your class?" Tikki giggled.

"You saw him! You can't sneak out of the bag Tikki!" I chastised her.

"I didn't sneak out. I saw him when you moved your bag off of the seat. And you didn't deny he wasn't hit!" She reminds me.

"Tikki! He is not hot! We don't even talk to each other," I argue.

"You're lying. Do you know how I know? I head your heartbeat speed up when you denied he was cute."

"Tikki! He is cute, but, there can never be something between us. He's from Gotham and I'm from Paris. We probably have nothing in common. Besides, whenever I like someone, it backfires. Adrien and Luka?" I say, grasping at straws.

"I think you should go for it. You're only a teenager once Marinette."

"With what time? I can't juggle school, working at the bakery, commissions, Ladybug, patrols, friends, and then add on dating!"

"Marinette's, give yourself a break. You deserve one. You should apply for Gotham University! Marinette, you can leave Paris."

"I totally forgot about college applications," I complained.

"You still need to respond to Damian," Tikki changes the subject.

Without second thought I sent:

Damian Grayson W.
np!! :)

"You like him," Tikki says in a singy songy voice.

"I like that he doesn't feed into Lila's ego."

"Maybe it is a good thing you're so cautious about Damian. I got weird vibes from him, something I haven't felt in a few thousand years."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"There's a sort of magic around him. I bet Plagg would know what it is."

"So, he may not be who he says he is?" I question Tikki.

"Possibly." She says, looking conflicted. "It's 9 o'clock!" She suddenly exclaims.

"I'm late for patrol! Tikki spots on!"

I hurry and transform, so I can meet Chat Noir and Princess Honey at the Eiffel Tower. It was going to be a long night.

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Instead of having a nice warm cup of tea in the morning, I grab an energy drink. I'm exhausted, and patrol ran late, later than usual last night because there was several muggings.

Even worse, I felt someone watching me last night. Someone was tailing me for about an hour, but when I went back to investigate, I was left with a ghost.

I made sure to take the long way home, so that nobody could connect Marinette and Ladybug.

Something was up in Paris, I could feel it in the busy thrum of the city that morning.

I woke up late, after snoozing my alarm clock multiple times and Tikki finally had to scream in my ear.

I got ready in two seconds flat, just brushing my hair and putting on an outfit I laid out the night before.

Suprisingly, I wasn't going to be late to school.

Adrien and Chloe were waiting at our usual spot on the front stairs of the high school. They waved, and I waved back.

I chugged the rest of my drink, and threw it in the trash can with perfect accuracy.

A limousine pulled up to the school, and I suspected that it was Damian. And I was right as usual. Looks like he skipped tea this morning too, as he had heavy bags under his eyes. Looks like we shared one thing in common.

I was debating whether to say hi or not when—

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

I looked up to the skyline of the city, and there was Gigantitan. Again. This was the third time this month, he was a regular offender just like Mr. Pigeon.

August was a cute little baby who had one too many tantrums, and Hawkmoth loved to prey on the little dude.

Now, Chat Noir, Princess Honey, and Ladybug had to go an save the city from yet another akuma.

Gigantitan stood several stories tall, his giant purple surrounded by green eyes look at the city as he decides what to play with. The giant baby tugs at his purple onesie, but his eyes brighten when he finds the perfect toy: a car.

Gigantitan begins to play with the car, but as he's easily bored, throws the car away.

But this is a life-sized car, and it's heading straight for Damian.

"Look out!" I yell, running towards him, and I push him out of the way. The car barely misses us both, and the giant baby villain giggles in delight. We both tumble to the concrete, rolling out of the way. I'm a little scrapped up, but Damian seems to be fine.

"Again! Again!" Gigantitan yells, clapping his hands. Then something else interests him as none of the superheroes have shown up to stop him.

"Are you alright?" I ask him, completely out of breath.

"Thank you," Damian says, but his face is still stone.

I smirk, "You're welcome. It looks like I'm the one always saving you."

"Angel," he splutters out.

I ask confused, "Excuse me?"

"Like an angel." He repeats.

OH MY GOODNESS.

I blush, and tell him, "Get to one of the safe houses, there's one near the river."

Tikki would never let me hear the end of it. Speaking of which, I had to get going. I couldn't let Damian distract me from saving the city.

"Where are you going?" He asks, like why wasn't I running with him to safety.

I quickly lie, "I have to find my parents!" I run off, leaving him behind to his own devices. I hope Damian doesn't realize I'm running in the opposite direction of the bakery.

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