Maribat March 2021

Protect

For Maribat March: Day 18 Theme: Protect

Cont. of day 17

We aren't following Marinette, this is different.

Marinette and her class arrived three days ago. Today was when they'd officially meet. Sure, he'd already met her on the first day. But on that day there was an attempted kidnapping and assault. So it shouldn't really count as a first meeting. Tim also took up a lot of her time that day. However, today Tim couldn't do that, because Tim had a job. Damian had school. And today school was with Marinette. Plus the rest of her class, but he could ignore them in favor of his Angel.

The rest of Damian's class was less enthusiastic. The penpals program started over a year ago. Back then everyone other than Damian was excited. Oh how the tables have turned. It did not take long for the Gothamnites to figure out the Parisians were naive morons. Damian ended up getting the best pen pal and it was extremely clear while they waited for the Parisian class to arrive. Damian was practically bouncing in anticipation.

Marinette's class arrived twenty minutes late. As soon as they walked through the door Damian got up and rushed to hug Marinette. His class gave him a strange look while he had a quiet conversation with Marinette. It was overshadowed by Ms. Bustier and his teacher arguing loudly.

Eventually, everything settled down and the classes were told to pair off with their pen pals. Many of the other pairs were extremely quiet. Most hadn't been in contact for almost a year. Damian and Marinette were the only ones who were constantly in contact. And it showed. Not only were they talking, but Damian Wayne was smiling with a slight blush that he would deny if you ever questioned him about it.

Then attendance happened.

"Damian Wayne."

It was the last name called out and made the Parisian students turn around to look at who the name belonged to. Damian, sitting next to Marinette, slowly raised his hand, aware of all the eyes on him. When his hand dropped he smiled at Marinette and the whole room watched them banter. The rest of the class carried on smoothly. Until lunch.

"Hello Damian," Lila said, in a voice, Damian recognized, it was the same voice women used to 'flirt' with his father. Damian ignored her prompting her to speak again, "I'm so sorry you got stuck with Marinette as your partner. She's always flirting with guys and honestly, she acts a bit slutty at times."

"Miss Rossi, it is 2021, we do not slut-shame. If Marinette wants to be confident in the way she carries herself she can. If she wants to be sexually empowered she can. If she wants to flirt with a participant that is okay with her flirting she can. On the other hand Miss Rossi, your flirtation is not welcomed with me."

Lila's jaw dropped. The whole room's jaw dropped. Marinette just beamed and Damian wondered why anyone was surprised by the vegan being progressive and protecting his Angel.

"Thank you, Damian. Also, I don't flirt with other guys or anything," Marinette said in a whisper.

"I know, but you're allowed to, to my knowledge you aren't seeing anyone."

Marinette's face faltered and stiffened. Damian had said something wrong.

"Angel, what's wrong?"

Marinette, she's just a friend. Hell no, Marinette wasn't going to get stuck in that cycle again. She was going to make her feelings clear. Crystal freakin clear.

"Ilikeyouasmorethanafriend," she spit out.

Damian had a pretty clear idea of what she said, but he needed to double-check to see if this was really happening, "Can you repeat that, please? I didn't quite understand."

Marinette slowed her breathing and said, "Damian Wayne, I like you as more than a friend." It came out louder than she expected and once again all eyes were on the two of them.

Anyone with eyes and ears could tell Damian was into Marinette by the way he talked about her to the way he looked at her. His face melted into a soft smile. While his brain rebooted itself.

"May I kiss you?" Damian asked.

She nodded and was met with incredibly soft lips.

To be continued...

Words: 671

Note: Fluff, not my specialty. Not quite sure what my specialty is. Maybe dry humor? But that's beside the point. I'm back. Getting things together. There will be other parts of this. I'm also about to go on break, so I will have more time to write and finish up all the prompts. I think I am going to do a few updates that aren't necessarily one-shots or fics, but instead headcanons. It'll allow me to get work out faster and give me a space for random thoughts.