Fate or Chance

Coffee and conversations

Damian was having a good day, so he was almost expecting that the Joker would appear out of nowhere.

No, he wasn't being dramatic, he was being realistic.

He had managed to find Marinette in the first place he looked for her, that was quite lucky.

It took him less than 15 minutes of conversation as they helped out at the shelter, to realize that the girl he had met the night before as Robin was not a facade, the girl was genuinely intelligent and caring.

Seeing her get along with Felix, a generally grumpy dog, had shown him that she was indeed a trustworthy person.  After all, animals usually are excellent judges of character.

Besides, the way she had handled Helena had seemed smart to him.

Helena was a little naive and fanciful girl, but she was not stupid.  The last time someone had tried to be condescending with her, hoping to get closer to the family, she had demanded proof, not receiving it she had just given her a serious look and crossed her arms while shaking her head saying "I don't  like liars, neither do my daddy and my brothers. "  Then she had left, leaving the woman who had tried to approach Todd using the girl's sympathy speechless.

Damian had been thinking about how to get a conversation with the girl without Maxwell's suggestive looks and Gibson's criticism.

'Uff, these things don't aren't to jeavy, but how tiring!" Maxwell complained.

"You should probably have stayed at the reception, you're not in shape Joe," Gibson pointed out.

"Rude!"

"Honest" Gibson replied "look at Marinette and the Wayne boy, they are not even sweating."

Damian then noticed that, indeed, Marinette did not look particularly tired.

"True!  How come you're not tired Marinette?" Maxwell asked confused "we're done and you're fresh as lettuce."

"Hey!  Not because I'm small means that I can't do hard work" she answered with a smile "besides, my family owns a bakery, I have been helping them for years."

"Makes sense" said Gibson in a dry tone "Honestly, I thought it had to do with your work in Paris, Marla says that you are in the rescue group of the foundation, how is it?"

Marinette thought for a few seconds before smiling and answering.

"Satisfactory" she said while her gaze seemed thoughtful "I like to know that we are giving a chance to some abandoned animal to get a family"

And Damian could hear the honesty and pride in Marinette's voice.  He respected that.

Some people mistake pride for arrogance, but they are not the same.  You can be proud of your work and not be a complete jerk about it.  Damian admitted that he was not the best example in this regard, but the point stood.

After a few minutes, and with the new cargo already arranged, Damien was also in a bind.  He was still curious about Marinette, he wanted to know if she was really the civilian contact for the so-called "Miraculous Team", or if there was something else.

The way Marinette and her friends had fought was too natural to be something they didn't use often.

"Well, we're done here," said Gibson. "How many shipments are left?"

"According to Chloe, there are only 3 more shipments left and we are done" Marinette answered, checking her phone.

After finishing, Marinette and Damian went to the patio to look for Helena, who was petting the cat that the Parisian girl had rescued the night before.