Escape From Paris (OLD VERSION)

Chapter 5

Marinette was running in circles to get away from Adrien. To distract him she asked,

"How did you find me?"

Adrien's smile was so wide it could've rivaled the Joker's. Mari shuddered.

"Well Princess, I simply told your parents that I would bring you back to me-- I mean them. Tom and Sabine said you were applying to a school in America. So that's where I went. We are going to be a wonderful couple."

Marinette was shocked. Adrien really thought they were going to be together? No way in hell. Marinette started shouting loudly, hoping for some help. None came. Adrien was losing stamina. She guessed going unconscious in two minutes every akuma battle really hadn't increased his strength levels.

Really how big was this place? Marinette wondered, before spotting (haha get it? I should just take that out. What a horrible pun) a staircase leading up. It was a risky move, but she veered left and darted up the steps. The metal clanged loudly beneath her feet, echoing through the air. Adrien's footsteps were hot on her trail.

After what felt like three thousand stairs Marinette reached another door, and thankfully this one opened easily. She slammed the door shut and felt a body slam into the door. Mari felt the urge to giggle, although her situation wasn't very funny.

Still blocking the door she glanced around for anything to jam it with. The cool Gotham wind stung and made her eyes water. Sadly the rooftop was barren. The Ladybug part of her mind had long since taken over as she searched for possible escape routes. If she jumped across that roof then went down the fire escape or...

Marinette finally found the best way. Adrien had been shoving the door and was getting pushier. Quickly jumping out of the way so he would fall forward she didn't look back, running behind the stairwell box thing. Marinette shimmied down a convenient ladder then swung through an open window. She breathed a sigh of relief as the room she was hiding in was deserted.

Marinette heard Adrien's frustrated mutterings; they were carried by the breeze. The adrenaline was fading and Marinette had a side cramp just below her ribs. She crept through the apartment and made her way to the ground. The sky was brightening so Marinette decided to walk back to her room. Only she didn't know where to go.

Thank Kwamii her purse was still in good shape. Marinette dug out her phone and went on google maps. She noticed more hate messages were spamming her phone, and sighed angrily. Those had stopped hurting weeks ago, now they were just irritating.

Marinette jogged all the way back, grabbing coffee on the way. With such an exciting night she would need it. Dearly. Once she got there her disheveled garments were thrown in a pile. Give her a break, she didn't have a laundry basket at the moment. Tikki flew out and hugged Mari's cheek.

"Oooooooh. That boy is gonna get it." she fumed, then added gratefully , "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I was so scared, Tikki." Mari murmured.

"But you handled it well." she replied comfortingly, then grew angry again, "I can't believe he kissed you! That boy had the nerve to do that to you!"

Marinette's eyes blurred as tears formed. "Oh, I'm so sorry I brought it up." Tikki said.

"No, it's okay Tikki. You didn't mean too." The girl automatically locked up her emotions.

Tikki recognized what was happening and told her Chosen, "Mari, we're out of Hawkmoth's reach. It's not good to keep everything bottled up."

She resisted for a moment, then burst into tears, "I-I don't know how he got so bad." Marinette sobbed uncontrollably, "'He j-just..."

"I know," The kwamii soothed.

"Oh," Marinette said 20 minutes later, her crying done. "I have to go to work."

She cheered up a little at the thought, and wiped her tear stained face. Marinette's eyes were a little puffy, but that would go away soon. She stalled outside her door, revelling in the brisk morning air. Mari made her way to the nearest coffee shop for three more cups. The guy at the counter looked at her, concerned, but she just glared and he quickly went back to work.

With two cups of goodness in her hands (she'd already chugged the first one) she strolled to the craft shop. Happily greeting Devon, Marinette took her place at the register. Customers came and went. About halfway through the day the guy from her first day came in.

As he once again made his way to the paints, Marinette tried to inconspicuously look at him. She noticed she was designing an outfit that would look good in him.

Soon lost in sketching, she didn't notice him coming up to her. The man cleared his throat, jarring Marinette out of her concentration. Looking up she asked,

"Yes?"

"I would like to know if you had any Ultramarine blue left?"

"Oh um sure I'll go ask." Mari replied a little flustered. Attractive people always made her like this.

Making her way to the back Marinette repeated the question to Devon. He waved her away.

"I'm sure there's some in the back. You can take the customer over there to help you look. It's a mess."

Walking back out she nervously told the guy what her boss had said. Surprisingly he agreed, although his everlasting frown didn't lessen. Mari led him to the storage room and told him,

"I'll look in that area," she pointed, "And you can search over there..."

Marinette trailed off realizing that she did not know his name. She looked at him expectantly, but he just stared back blankly.

"Your name?"

"Damian." was the clipped response.

'Well okay.' Mari thought sarcastically, before looking for the paint. As she sifted through the mess, Damian snuck up behind an oblivious Marinette.

"I found it." He said right in her ear. She jumped, and thankfully didn't let out a screech. Embarrassed and red-faced Mari turned to leave but a hand shot out to grab her arm. Marinette was surprised and turned back around. Damian stared at her for a moment before asking,

"What is your name?"

Mari blinked owlishly at the question.

"Uh Marinette?" her voice went high pitched a little at the end which made it sound like a question. Damian's smile flashed for an instant, but it was gone so soon Mari thought she was just seeing things. Then he replied with his tone a smidge softer then before,

"It is a pretty name." 

Okay finally some actual daminette. Thank you to the people who suffered through my other chapters. Also I'm not good at writing Damian as a character.