Chapter Text
The underling escorted the intruder in. They’d been awfully bold, knocking on the Dragon’s door like that.
When they collapsed into a kneel before Talia’s tea table, he understood why. Of course it was her.
He couldn’t stop his grin, glad it was hidden behind his helmet. He’d been trying out the new prototype over tea when the security alerted them to an intruder, and he stayed to help Talia with whomever was summarily dragged in.
Marinette looked calm, though. She’d knocked on their door for a reason, but why?
She’d seemed full of life at the club and in bed yesterday, but she was surely smart enough to know that a member of the Nieri Family literally knocking on a member of the Demon’s family’s door was a death wish; at best it would be a quick, painless bullet to the head.
“Then I ask you to help the Nieri Family as the price of owning their general, Lady Bug.”
Jason frowned. She was offering herself in exchange for their help?
Either the Nieri Family wasn’t being very family-like to their heiress, or she was that stupidly brave. He bet it was the latter and groaned inwardly, hoping Talia wouldn’t want her head or make him be the one to execute her orders. He shifted his weight nervously, then remained still, realizing what he was doing.
Talia signaled him to take Marinette to her quarters. He strode over, extending his hand.
She took it, looking confusedly at it for a second, then rose gracefully to her feet. Bowing at Talia, she let him escort her down the hallways to a spare room. It was right beside his, which was across from Talia’s, and had only two windows too small to squeeze through for possible escape routes. He slapped his hand over the lightswitch, turning the light on.
“Here you go, Little Bug. My room is to your left and the Dragon’s is across from me, so don’t go thinking anything funny, okay?”
He liked her, but if she tried to harm Talia or Damian, he wouldn’t hesitate to take her down or out, as the situation demanded.
She nodded and turned to face him.
“I’ll come check on you in a bit, Little Bug.”
He wanted to ask her why she was doing this, but she didn’t appear inclined to answer.
Figuring out you’d literally been in bed with the enemy was a shock, and he guessed she’d thrown those walls up as soon as she found out who he was. He didn’t blame her.
Returning to Talia, he reported on the room he’d given her.
Talia’s eyes flicked over him as she drained her teacup. “Sit, habibi .”
He sat on the chair opposite her, and she poured him another cup of tea.
“Why do I sense some familiarity between you two?”
Knowing that she didn’t mean just from him chasing her around the city before she lost him, he told her everything. “We met at a club last night and hooked up. She read your text over my shoulder this morning and immediately ran. I followed your directions to her safehouse and found her there. We had a moment before she ran again. There’s…something there, between us.”
“Your families being rivals?” Talia suggested dryly. “Being two continents and an ocean apart?”
He frowned at her jesting. “Something real , T. I don’t know how to describe it.”
Her expression softened, and she reached across the table to lay her hand over his.
“That’s what I was delaying my decision for, habibi . I considered a mutually beneficial deal between our families.”
Jason stared at her, his mouth slightly agape. “T, you’re a genius!”
She smiled slyly back at him.