Being Bad For Good Sake

The Rumor...

Marinette tossed and turned in her bed, unable to shake off the mysteries surrounding Damien. Despite the rumors and his enigmatic demeanor, her own experiences with him painted a different picture. She couldn't ignore the moments of kindness she had witnessed—the genuine concern in his eyes when she was hurt, the respectful way he approached her, and the way he cared for his friends. The dissonance between the files she had read and the person she had come to know kept her mind racing. She decided that perhaps there was more to Damien than met the eye, a complexity that the world hadn't seen yet.

Marinette's POV:

As I entered the academy, the hushed whispers and stifled giggles reached my ears. Instinctively, I knew it was the work of Lila, but I decided to ignore the petty drama. Engaging with them would only waste my time, and I had more important things to focus on.

Walking calmly down the familiar hallways, I was suddenly jolted from my thoughts by the sound of furious shouting. Damien's voice, usually so composed, echoed through the corridor. A year ago, I might have passed it off as none of my business. But something inside me, a mix of curiosity and responsibility, urged me to follow the sound.

Turning the corner, I found Damien in the midst of a heated argument with a group of students. It was entirely uncharacteristic of him, his temper flaring in a way I had never witnessed before. My eyes widened in surprise; I hadn't expected him to react so strongly, especially in defense of... me?

"How dare you talk about her like that?" Damien's voice cut through the air, his anger palpable. "You're all good for nothing, believing the words of a stranger you met just yesterday. Did any of you bother to ask Marinette if the rumor was true? Your baseless accusations only show your ignorance."

It took me a moment to register that he was talking about me. I was both moved and perplexed. What could the rumor be? The intensity of his defense, though, left no room for doubt – he believed in my innocence, even if I wasn't entirely sure what I was being accused of.

My first instinct was to confront Lila, but before that, I needed to calm Damien down. Gripping his arm gently, I interjected, "Damien, let's step outside for a moment." His eyes, still ablaze with anger, met mine, and something flickered there – a mix of frustration and gratitude, perhaps.

Leading him away from the confrontation, I hoped to clear his mind. Whatever this rumor was, it had affected him deeply. As we walked, I pondered the situation, my mind racing with questions and a growing determination to get to the bottom of it. There was more to this story, and I was determined to uncover the truth.

Damien's POV:-

The rage was still simmering inside me as I walked alongside Marinette in the quiet corridor. Her hand was wrapped around mine, and although she seemed calm, her touch was strangely comforting amidst the chaos of my emotions. The rumor, the malicious words, they all echoed in my mind, refusing to fade away.

Marinette's voice, gentle and caring, cut through the turmoil in my head. "What is happening, Damien?" she asked, her words filled with warmth and empathy. Hearing her say my name in that soft tone sent a shiver down my spine. It was different from her usual assertiveness, and it touched a part of me I hadn't known existed.

I hesitated, still grappling with the anger that had consumed me just moments ago. My gaze remained locked on our intertwined hands, finding a strange sense of solace in that simple connection. "There's a rumor about you," I began, my voice barely above a whisper. "They're saying... they're saying you're a stripper, that you got into this prestigious academy because of some wealthy patron. They spoke about you in the most degrading manner, making jokes and even suggesting they'd pay for your... services."