Of Glitter and Gold

Chapter 31

The air in the car was- tense to say the least. The driver quietly played some music to try and ease the tension but it was no use. Marinette still hadn't forgotten about Damian's prying into her life and Damian was already on a short fuse because his brother harassed him about some acquisition he recommended. They glared at each other, a contest between them that neither seemed willing to lose.

The question of who would look away first was not something that would be solved as easily as having to get out of the car. Their intense glares continued the moment they were both out of the car. The tour began but neither even glanced at the guide.

Marinette was not going to back down to the idiotic, pushy bully that took advantage of her exhausted state to get her to tell him something she never would have told him. The person that did his best to deny her privacy, constantly meddling into her life. Though, she had to admit it was funny, a five foot nothing Parisian glaring down at him- a six foot wall of muscle. There was the slightest hint of amusement in his eyes, she could see it.

Damian was not going to let the annoying, pushy little girl that chose to pester him even after he had to deal with his train wreck of a brother bothered him. He thought it funny, she seemed to think that she was winning- it was cute to think that someone so harmless could consider themself a threat to him.

Neither knew what room they were in or if they were even in the building yet. It didn't matter. All that mattered was defeating the opponent in front of them.

"Sorry to break... this up. But you two should get going if you want to finish in time." Marinette and Damian made an unspoken truce as they immediately turned to their teachers. The class was practically gone with the exception of some pair a distance away.

"You two need to work on this worksheet together. Pick an exhibit and write about it, don't complain about partners- you two were too busy glaring to get to pick. Everyone else is taken." Damian scowled as he took the paper and pen offered as Marinette blushed at being called out. They walked away in silence before he broke the silence.

"Stop antagonizing me."

"You glared at me first!"

"I think I have reason to be in a bad mood. You, however, do not."

"I reserve the right to be upset at you."

"It was never my intention-"

"Yes it was. You had every intention of getting to the bottom of whatever I knew with no care as to how it affected me! You think I like you prying into every nook and cranny of my life? No! But I tried to help so Tim would stop bothering you. You took advantage of that and the moment I was reluctant to tell you something, with good reason, you practically forced me to tell you! And yesterday? Getting me to tell you those things- you need to respect that some things are private and should stay that way."

"It was your idea to talk that night, blame yourself for your own state of mind." Marinette huffed, "Besides, I never thought you were that... involved in the situation." Damian stopped in a small, clearly lesser known exhibit and started writing on their assignment, using the wall to write against. "As for yesterday, I merely did what I thought was best."

"You could at least apologize." The questions were child's play.

"Fine. I apologize. Drake still has more questions, and I have some of my own."

"You wish, brat, I'm not answering-" Damian internally rolled his eyes at all the grovelling he was going to have to do, turning back to Marinette, the worksheet completed.

"Please."

"- anoth- what?" She'd never heard him say that before, and on top of an apology.

"Please, I'm curious. Besides, what could I possibly use the information for?"