Chapter Text
She’s dreaming that she’s sitting still through her parent’s intervention. The Bakery has been closed early for the afternoon, and Alya has goaded her inside with the promise that it’ll be quick. Marinette feels dread seeping deeply into her bones, as her friends plead with her to please come in and hear them all out.
Even Max from High School is there. At this point, she’s surprised that Jagged Stone isn’t hopping off of his tour plane to be there.
She’s sitting in one of the cafe chairs, her ankles touching and her hands resting in her lap. Marinette knows that looking stiff as a board isn’t going to help her case, but she feels like a child being scolded. Even when she was younger and dealing with bullies, she never felt this small.
Robin is sitting next to her.
That’s mostly how she knows it's a dream and not just another part of her adult life. He’s sitting just out of her sight on her right side, just like he had been through the conference room briefing earlier.
Her friends are taking turns to say their piece and plead with her to be honest with them, and Robin scoffs at each one.
“That’s who you’re afraid of?” The dream Robin says, his tone judgemental and at least a little bored. She feels more like fighting with him than replying to her friend, but every time she tries to talk to the Hero, another person is talking to her.
Next up is her mom, and watching the pride slip away from her eyes hurts just as much as it did the first time. Her mom used to have unwavering faith in her.
“You’re really going to live your life this way? If this is the cost, what could possibly be the reward?” Robin’s logic cuts through her mom’s tears, and it kind of burns Marinette in a new way.
Eventually the dream shifts and she’s under water. People are trying to grab her hand, but the current of the stream keeps flowing faster and faster. The river she’s in is unrelenting but her friends and family keep trying to grab people out of the river.
Her mom sees her.
“I’m sorry Ladybug, but I have to save Marinette. I can’t grab you until I save her.” Her mom weeps, and Marinette is pulled under the current and fights hard to get back up to air.
She can’t breathe.
She just can’t get a breath.
Her body is tumbling through the flood, and she hits a rock that brings a sharp pain to her side. It's a blinding pain that makes her lose the last bit of air in her lungs as she cries out-
A pair of gloved hands pull her out but she doesn’t see who.
“Ladybug!” A voice cuts through loudly enough to actually wake her up, and she’s practically flying out of her small bunk bed.
Her heart racing, Marinette takes stock of the room and remembers where she is. She’s heaving air, her hands are poised in fists ready to fight and her stance is wide but balanced.
Robin is out of his suit from earlier, dressed clearly in pajamas, but unmistakably looking concerned at her.
“Ladybug, you were screaming.” He calmly announces, and his stance tells her that she must look like a wild dog. That he wants to help but is scared to approach. Maybe she’s reading too much into him.
The dream version of him was an asshole, so she kind of wants to latch onto that.
“It was a long day.” She huffs, and slowly tries to get her breath back to normal. Her heart rate is still soaring.
“We have a psychologist on board if you-”
“Robin,” She cuts him off, he stops talking immediately and it feels strange to have his full attention turned on her, “does your family know who you are?”
There’s an interesting pause as her question hangs in the air. He doesn’t look judgemental, like he had been in her dream, but instead looks like he pities her.
She supposes that it’s even more annoying but then he answers her.
“They do.” His words are calm but hold in the air with their truth. It makes her feel smaller somehow.
Marinette shifts awkwardly on the edge of the bed, and sits on her hands.
“How did you tell them?” She asks as follow up.
“It wasn’t something to be revealed, they were with me every moment of becoming Robin.” he replies, more nonchalant than ever.
She doesn't know what to say to that. His relationship to heroism is too different from her own based on the little he’d admitted. There isn’t any path forward that she can see, to try to get any semblance of advice on what to do.
“...Your family and friends don’t know.” He says calmly, and walks further into the room towards a chair she hadn’t even noticed. Maybe she had earlier, but him sitting down pulls her attention back to the present.
She curls into a ball on the edge of the mattress, her knees nearly fused to her chest and her arms tightly wound around her shins.
“No.” Marinette wearily voices. “A friend of mine did know, for a little while. Then she got hurt and…her memories weren’t preserved.”
“That must have hurt.” Robin replies simply, and it feels good. It feels strange, but validating.
“She recovered okay-” Marinette tries to clarify, in case he didn’t mean it.
“I mean it must have hurt you. To be alone again.” Robin clarifies, and Marinette feels embarrassed for some reason.
“...I was fine.” She replies quickly.
“But you’re not fine now.” He astutely picks at her language choice, and her eyes snap up to look at his masked face.
It's like everything inside of her is coiled. A bot boiling over. A glass heated to explode.
“Robin, I almost messed up today and got half of the world killed. Instead, I messed up and got the whole world maimed.” She snaps, and though her voice wasn’t raised, it was punctuated with emotion.
Robin leans back in his chair, his neutral face giving her nothing.
“I believe others have said it best, which is that you did nothing but save lives.” He says it deeply, seriously, “The other witch is at fault for this. Neither you nor Red Robin share blame in anything other than being too eager to help.”
“I owe him an apology.” She groans as she remembers how she treated him earlier. Red hadn’t forced her to rush in, she did that. He didn’t deserve her ire.
“You really don’t.” Robin denies.
“Don’t you think that I-” She starts to defend but his sigh cuts her off.
“Ladybug, try to see my perspective here. You arrived after saving half of the entire global population, checked Red Robin’s ego, and then turned out to be some how magically connected to me by fate.”
“...Okay?”
“I see you as nothing short of miraculous. None of those labors are easily bared.” Robin sounds hopeful, his voice more tender than she could have ever anticipated. He keeps looking at her, and maybe it's the lack of magical mask, but she feels seen.
“I snapped at you and you admitted to thinking that your feelings didn’t matter to me.” She retorts, mostly astonished that he could be anything other than annoyed or disappointed in her.
“You said it earlier, It was a long day.” He replies, his tone once again sounding bored.
“You really forgive and forget that easily?”
“Had there been a discretion to forgive, then it would have taken years. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve done nothing wrong.”
She lets his words hang in the air. Marinette isn’t sure of anything right now.
Not what time it is, not why he’s there talking to her, not what she should say.
“You should try to get more sleep.” He says it, but doesn’t make a motion to move.
“How much longer do I have before we reconvene with the group?”
“Three hours.” He replies matter of factly. “When my younger siblings have nightmares, I tend to stay until they fall back asleep. Would you like for me to do the same?”
“You have siblings?”
“Many.” he almost laughs after saying it.
“...Are you going to be able to get back to sleep in that chair?”
“I will rest just fine.”
“You can come lay down, I’ll move over.” Ladybug sighs, and then shifts until her face is only inches from the wall on the left most side of the bed.
To her surprise, he doesn’t fight her or choose to stay in the chair. She feels the mattress dip with his weight being added to it. She expected to feel anxious about it, but instead she just falls wearily back to sleep.
She wakes up to the sound of an alarm going off, and he’s no longer on the opposite side of the bed. Marinette doesn’t feel well rested per say, but she doesn’t feel as weary as she did when she went to bed in the first place.
She’s not sure how to feel about Robin being there for her in the middle of the night. Marinette takes a quick shower and reflects that part of her was so grateful he was there. Another part of her desperately wanted to get away from him before she revealed anything more.
A very small, very wistful part of her, said that she needed to confess her identity to him and keep in her life until the end of days. She scoffs, knowing that reality was less likely than the one they were currently living in.
Of all things, soulmate marks? Really?
Marinette calls upon Tikki and dons her spots, feeling stronger somehow. More balanced.
There’s a knock at the door, and Marinette feels herself rushing towards it “Robin, you-”
“Red Robin. Sorry to disappoint.” The older man gives her a small weary grin as he introduces himself.
“Right, of course. Good morning Red Robin.”
“Good morning. I figured I would walk you over to the cafeteria before we get started for the day.” He explains and she nods her head, he marches away from the door and she follows him down the hallway.
Marinette can’t help but notice that he takes really sharp measured steps.
“I’m sorry for yesterday.” She decides to crack the ice.
“You did nothing wrong, they just got lucky.” He doesn’t look at her as he says it, “But neither of us are at fault for the scars. You realize that, right?”
“...Sure. I do.” She hesitates before giving him the answer he’s looking for. Robin had done his best to convince her, but she wasn’t entirely sure of it yet.
“It’s unlikely that you have a therapist for your alter ego-”
“I don’t need to talk about it.”
“All of us do.” He denies her any ground. The guilt eats at her even deeper. “Ladybug, you saved half of the world from dying yesterday. Anything you accomplish today is a cherry on top. You could walk away from being a hero and still be considered one of the greatest to ever do it.”
She could have sworn that he’d been in the same place as her mentally yesterday and yet here he was praising her? Didn’t he feel like a failure? She certainly had but… was this the difference in having a support system and someone to talk to?
She doesn’t say a word to Red Robin and he takes that in stride (literally) as they walk onwards. Eventually a tray is handed to her and she picks out a few items to eat for fuel. Marinette doesn’t feel hunger when transformed as Ladybug, not unless tikki becomes unbalanced, but she knows that once this is all over she’s going to need every ounce of energy it can afford her.
He starts talking strategy and that helps her tremendously. Marinette might be unsure of a lot of things right now, but she knows she’s a good Ladybug. Yesterday they got lucky, but that wouldn’t be happening again.
A few other heroes appeared at their table to say hello or to wish them well. Everyone seemed apprehensive about having her there.
“They’re a bit star struck today.” Red Robin laughs, his tired exhaustion coloring his tone.
“Star struck?”
“You have a bit of a reputation up here.”
“...Is that good or bad?”
“Well, considering we’ve tried to recruit you five separate times-”
“No one’s tried to recruit me?”
“Ladybug.” Red Robin becomes a bit wide eyed, “We’ve sent dozens of letters and several heroes to knock on your metaphorical door.”
“I mean, I've met other members of the Justice league before?”
“...Do you want to join?”
“Lets maybe see what happens today before you offer that.”
“Regardless of what happens today, I’m offering it.” Red Robin deadpans, “You need support, just like we all do. It’s a hard job.”
She takes another bite of her food to avoid answering him. He seems to read the room, and turns his tablet screen back on, talking once more on the plan. It was a little underhanded, and required a performance, but she had no doubt that Raven and the Laughing Magician would be able to pull it off.
WIth her supervision of course.
Red and her walk back to the main conference room from yesterday, and the rest of the ensemble have assembled around the table. At some point during their walk Red must have printed out the rough drafts of his notes… everyone seemed up to speed.
A few more clarifying points are made, and at some point Robin had slipped into the room. He wasn’t really part of the mission, not as she’d laid it out, but apparently wasn’t leaving.
Some part of her wanted to tell him… just anything. That her parents own a bakery. Or some other innocuous detail that would normally mean nothing, but to a trained detective could start him on the path to finding her.
She shakes her head of that, refocusing on Raven’s dry wit as she points out that she’s ready to go.
The room comes to a consensus. Better now than never.
Marinette takes a look at the image Red Robin had presented her one more time, commits it to memory and steadies her breath.
Raven transports them.
Damian hadn’t been to Azeroth before, but had heard Dick’s short descriptions over the years. Still, it appears mostly as he’d imagined the alternate reality to be, perhaps a smidge less hellfire.
Raven is holding them in a protective circle, clear by the line providing a parameter around them. Nothing should mess with them she’d said, as the spot she’d chosen was on holy ground.
Ladybug wasted no time in transforming, a fox style of outfit now adorning her spotted suit. Raven hands Constantine the Witch’s mirror, and suddenly they’re in the middle of Kansas.
Robin could see the rows of corn through himself, as he, Robin and Ladybug all disappeared into the vast landscape. A camouflage that appeared perfect in every way. Tim had designed the plan in a way to disorient the Witch, make her understand her isolation without knowing exactly how remote she actually was.
The ambient noise even fits, with the strong breeze and the smell of farmland oddly accurate.
John Constantine breaks the Mirror, and the Witch is in front of them in an instant.
Her silence is almost admirable, but its clear she’s twitching at the sight of endless farmland.
“Where are we?” She snaps.
“Inna Cornfield love.” John’s accent is acceptably demeaning, at least by Damian’s standards.
“Not planning on me flying away then?” The witch has a frustrated smirk. But Ladybug and Raven both confirmed she wouldn’t be able to fly far.
“Gotta better deal for ya than that.” John smarms, “Howd’a think of an apprenticeship?”
“I know who you are.” The witch glares.
“Then you know that I only make deals that win.”
“You’ve cheated death a few times I’ve heard, just on soul contracts alone.” She seems interested.
“Nothing that the Justice League likes to hear, but that’s why I’ve stolen you.” John lies easily, selling the image that he’s her hero in this scenario.
“Justice League?” She reels back.
“Ladybug handed you over. Phantom zones were mentioned, and well, i’ve been blessed with sticky fingers.”
“...What do you want.” the witch deadpans.
“I want what you want- you’re trying to combine souls yeah?”
“It’s not as simple as combining-”
“I could use another ‘get out of jail free card’.” John grins, and if Damian didn’t know better, he might’ve considered him a turn coat in that moment. He wonders if Ladybug is getting restless.
“You want me to finish the spell so you can escape hell again… Okay.”
“Not so simple love. I want the promise that I won’t die when you do it.”
“I can’t promise that.” The Witch doesn’t hold herself back from cackling this time.
“Hows about a wager then?” John has that gleam in his eyes, “Im a gamblin man myself.”
“What do you want in exchange if you die?” She hisses.
“I want your soul bound to mine.”
“No.”
“Fine. Then, here, a rock.” John pulls it out of his coat pocket and tosses it her way. She’s inspecting it and looking him over.
“I want to bind your soul to it. Then, If I die, you don’t get your true wish and I don’t get to live. If I live, I unbind you and we walk our separate ways.”
“...Why a rock?”
“That one’s mostly salt, it’ll be easy to smash once I live.” John grins.
“Why… Not.” The Witch contemplates before throwing caution to the wind. “You’ve got a terrible reputation Hell Blazer, but I confess i’m kind of into it.”
“Sure you don’t want to bind your soul to mine?”
“You’re such a flirt.” The Witch giggles back.
Still, she holds out her hand gingerly, and John takes it. The rock in his other hand, and with her verbal consent “ I do.” He binds her soul to the rock.
He then also promptly throws it as far as he possibly can and Raven raises their shield- cutting out Ladybug’s illusion.
“What-” But John goes for a sucker punch to distract her long enough, and Raven’s shield lower once more to reveal cornfields. Only this time Robin knows that they’re in Kansas. Its eerie how Ladybug had perfectly emulated it previously, now that they’re standing amongst the real deal.
It’s also very apparent that the Witch is trying to call upon a spell, and that nothing is happening.
“You’re not really able to do magic without a soul, you know.” Raven dryly declares the witch’s fate, earning her a growl.
“Not to mention you’ve been disavowed from your coven for working with the Justice League.” John smugly adds, his arms held outwardly in self praise.
“You have two options.” Ladybug’s voice cuts through any of John’s humor, as serious as a knife.
“You get to tell us how to reverse it or you get to spend the rest of your days rotting in prison.” Ladybug continues to command the space.
“There is no reverse.”
“Option two then.” She says without hesitation. The Witch tries to scuffle away but Raven grabs her quickly enough within her tendrils.
This time the Witch has no tricks with which to fight back. She claws and scratches and yells profanities.
Robin is focused on Ladybug who seems to be glaring into the fields.
He considers that it might be wise to approach her later, that it might be a bad time to try to ask more questions. Those are all Bat training protocols that he decides to forgo.
Damian walks to stand beside her, his arms crossed over his chest mirroring her stance.
“I don’t get how I’m supposed to break the spell.” Ladybug glares at the skyline of endless corn.
“She said there wouldn’t be a way.” Robin repeats it, as though it is true, merely to see her response.
“That means there is a way.”
“The Witch cant finish her spell without a soul. We can at least rest easy at that.” He attempts to offer some comfort but she shrugs her shoulders.
“Let’s walk.” Robin decides, and without knowing if she’s following, he starts off into the field. He’s hunted down jon enough times in the fields to know how to comfortably move between the rows.
Eventually he starts to hear the shuffling of stocks behind him, and he can safely assume that she’s on his heel.
“It’s just… I should be able to solve this.” She says from behind him.
“What’s halted your spells in the past?” He inquires.
“Nothing really… Exhaustion, time, but all of those things can be fixed. Should be fixed by now.”
“So it has nothing to do with your other trauma?”
“My other trauma?” She challenges, and he turns to see her just a foot away.
“Your stress response to this happening while alone.”
“My stress is just fine.”
“What else could it be then?”
“I’m telling you that I don’t know.” She groans. Damian knows it’s cruel, but anger bubbles up in his stomach. This is who he wants to spend his life with? This is supposed to be his partner?
“I would have thought my other half would be-” He decides to fight but she clasps a hand over his mouth. Her eyes wide at the mention.
“You!” She yelps.
Her hand remains over his mouth, and he doesnt fight her, her eyes are scanning over his face.
“I think - It’s you!” She shuffles out another few words, clearly trying to make different statements while “You” and “Magic” and “think” spill out in endless combination with other filler words.
He gingerly takes hold of her wrist to pull her hand from his mouth, but in doing so, she ends up grabbing his hand.
“One sentence.” He demands.
She opens and closes her mouth, clearly choosing her words more carefully.
“My soul is bound to yours, we have the same mark.”
“So?”
“So, I can’t call upon the full power of my spell without my soul.”
“So…” He presses her to answer further, closer to her now than he had been. He knows enough about soul magic to know that a kiss might be required.
“So…” She tries, but then pushes away from him, “Nevermind.”
“We need to find a way to get your full power, but obviously you aren’t allowed to kill me for your soul back.” He scoffs, following after her as she walks back through their path.
“I know that.”
“So what are your next steps?”
She turns around suddenly and Robin wonders if she knows exactly what she needs to do and is simply avoiding telling him. Ladybug is staring up at him with a captains determination.
“I… I can’t get your hopes up that we’re going to be anything.”
“My hopes are irrelevant to saving this global crisis, don’t you think?”
“Well, I get that but… I just cant share anything more. This part of my life is completely separate. I can’t-”
“Ladybug, I will do what you need. You can trust me that much, even if you don’t trust me for the rest.” He professes.
She seems to embody sadness, and he hates that this is how it all has to be.
“Right.” Ladybug sighs.
He should give her more time to decide. He should give her the space to say something more. He should really walk away before his curiosity turns into affection.
Damian places a small press of his lips upon her own, and she matches his pressure with her own.
He pulls away and she blinks.
“I… Didn’t get to cast my spell first.” She admits, her red flush extending beyond the lines of her mask.
“Cast your spell then.” Damian replies, and as soon as she’s raised her yo-yo into the sky he’s kissing her once more. This time the kiss feels hungrier, but his body has begun to feel lighter, as if he were standing on air.
When he pulls away from her, they lock eyes.
Both have a desire to apologize, but neither do.
When he returns to the Watchtower with John and Raven, they are greeted with congratulations. Ladybug’s spell had been a success.
She hadn’t joined them, and left the group with no last words about what had been done.
The last thing she said to Damian was that her family owns a bakery.