Of Glitter and Gold

Chapter 15

Ladybird was knocked to the ground, hard.

"Again. Focus on your stance." Ladybird pushed herself off the ground, determined to do better. The heroine got into her stance and waited for her opponent to make the first move, Robin was an impatient fighter making decisive attacks- something Marinette needed to work on.

"You're too light on your feet, don't stay in one place but too much momentum can be hard to control. Work on control." Ladybird saw Robin approaching, she repositioned her feet, her knees softened and she lowered her stance, and just as the boy's fist neared its target, she caught it.

Ladybird didn't waste the advantage, pulling the boy down as she rotated him so he landed facing up.

"Better. Again." It was the new heroine's third week of non-stop evening training with Batman and his partners, they were always careful not to reveal personal details but she could see they were like their own family. These midnight meetings were difficult to adjust to, but Marinette managed. Her lack of a social life outside school was helpful.

Ladybird ducks under a swing, dropping down to swipe Robin's feet out from under him but he jumps. She sighs, getting back into position.

Marinette and Damian hadn't spoken since the day at the tree, Marinette had told someone she loathed, someone who loathed her, one of her biggest secrets. Her biggest weakness. Both were hesitant to make the first move. The rest of their peers waited, an impatient mass desperate for the silly drama they so desperately craved.

The bell marking the end of class went off, it was the last period of the day. Marinette decided to end the standstill between them.

Damian had left his homework sheet, it was like he was asking her to call him out on it. Marinette stood, and approached where he was only moments before. She picked the paper up and spoke.

"Oh, Demon Spawn~?" Damian stopped, turned to the girl, and glared. "You left something." Marinette was far too smug at knowing all of Damian's brother's nicknames for him.

"Thank you." Damian grit through clenched teeth, he wasn't going to push it. She knew too much.

"What's wrong, Baby Bird?" Damian looked beyond pissed, she was two for two and there was only one that could top that nickname.

"Nothing, goodbye." Damian looked like he wanted to strangle the girl, but even the idiots in the class could see she still had something on him, and whatever it was, it was going to be hilarious.

"Say thank you to Jason for me, Little D." Marinette broke out laughing as Damian walked out of the room with purpose, he was ready to draw blood. Of course, Damian's revenge was swift and precise.

"From Drake. As an apology for the coffee." Damian threw the box of fancy gold-wrapped chocolates onto Marinette's desk during homeroom. It seemed the promise of chocolate was too good for Marinette to wait until lunch. She unwrapped one of the chocolates and popped it into her mouth, chewing the treat until her eye blew wide, immediately finding Damian's smug ones.

The girl then finished chewing and unwrapped the next of the hot sauce-filled chocolates, Damian had meticulously unwrapped each chocolate and using a syringe added some of the most concentrated hot sauces he could get his hands on. She ate three more, straight-faced as she reviewed for a quiz. Damian was at a loss.

Deciding to up the ante, Marinette brought the pranks to the manor. She was able to stitch a small speaker into one of the ties Selina ordered for Damian so it made a noise every time she pressed a button. Over winter break it was implied that Damian was a very light sleeper, so sometimes after training with Batman she'd click the button for fun.