note: I didn't feel like finishing this one properly, so the ending is really abrupt.
"Three hours." Marinette's tone is icy cold.
Jason flinches. "I'm sorry, I-"
"You what?" Marinette asks, raising an eyebrow. "Overslept again? Got caught in traffic? Forgot? Got held up at work, whatever it is that you do that you won't tell me? I've heard all these excuses more than enough times, Jason. Could you really not just text me to cancel or let me know you'll be late?"
"I-" I was on the other side of Gotham, helping my family put Joker back in Arkham. "I had a work-related emergency." Jason feels terrible about lying, but even if Bruce didn't have the rule in place, he wouldn't want to get her involved in the Red Hood's life. It's too dangerous.
Marinette's eyes soften. "Jason, mon chou, please. It's been two years of this. You miss dates and arrive late to others looking like a mess, you sneak out at night and sometimes during the day, and you're always evasive when questioned. I don't believe you could cheat, but I'm worried, Jason. I just want to know what is going on."
Jason bows his head. "I'm really sorry, Marinette, but it's not my secret to tell you. I can't."
"Fine." Marinette snaps. His heart races at her tone. "But I've had enough of the secrets. I- I can't take this anymore. I'm done. We're over." She snatches up her purse and keys and heads for the door.
No. He can't lose her. She's the best part of his life. "Marinette, please! W-we can work this out, I lo-" The apartment door shuts, leaving him alone.
Jason buries his face in his hands and cries.
In the street below, Marinette silently wipes at her own tears as she makes her way to her old apartment, the one she never sold.
She never makes it.
That night, on patrol, his family members understand his need for normalcy. Everything goes as usual until Red Robin comes onto the comm line.
"Hood?" His voice is shaky. "Y-you need to get here as fast as possible."
"On my way, Replacement." Red Hood says a little too casually. "What's up?"
"I- I can't. I'm sorry, Hood."
Red Hood's eyes narrow as he nears Red Robin's tracker. "Okay, now you're scaring me a little. What happened?"
He drops into the alleyway that Red Robin is in and-
"No." Red Hood breathes, because this could not be happening. "No. Nonono."
Marinette is crumpled against the alley wall, a full round of bullets buried in her chest, mouth open in a silent scream. Her body is already freezing. She's been dead for hours.