Chapter Text
Soulmate words were a pain and a half. For every unique word set there's a basic one. You would not believe the number of times you hear "Hello" in one day until you're looking for one specific person to say it to you. Marinette's words were only slightly better. Boldly displayed along her collarbone in light gray was "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
She had always been proud of those words and displayed them as often as she could. Entire designs had been created to showcase her words. And then she became Ladybug. Suddenly those words, her words were everywhere. It was one of the most common things she heard.
Jason's words were the easiest to read. Technically, he didn't have words he had a noise. Across his collarbone read "AAAAAHHHHHH!" And wasn't that a great comfort. The first thing his soulmate was going to do when they met him was scream.
After Hawkmoth was defeated, Marinette just wanted to escape Paris. It was stifling. She couldn't go out as Ladybug without everyone trying to gain her attention and going out as Marintte meant hearing all the latest about Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie's trials. Not to mention the speculation that Adrien was secretly helping his father all along. "After all, how could he have possibly not noticed his father was a terrorist," the gossips whispered furtively all over Paris. She didn't even have her partner anymore. Chat had returned Plagg to Master Fu shortly after the final battle and had asked that Ladybug not find out who he was. So Marinette was left as the sole protector of a city who didn't need her anymore.
Not long after the battle Master Fu declared her training complete and renounced the title of Guardian of the Miracle Box. There was nothing permanently tying her to Paris anymore. And so, after talking to Wayzz, she packed everything up and flew to Gotham.
After his run-in with the Joker, Jason's "word" made a lot more sense. Sure it was rude but with his scars who wouldn't scream? Especially if they weren't from Gotham. There was a reason he had the helmet made after the attack and it was only partially for the protection. And so his life continued with minimal interruptions until a new boutique opened in the fashion district.
Upon landing in Gotham, Marinette immediately opened up The Lucky Bug Boutique filled with her own designs, the store came with an apartment above it. She learned all about the city's vigilantes from her fellow shop owners. By pure luck, she glared at Tikki, the balcony of her apartment was a frequent stopping point for the Red Hood during his patrols. Over the years in Paris, it had become a tradition for Marinette to leave some baked goods out for Chat Noir to pick up on his patrols. Almost without thinking she started to leave food out for Red Hood.
Jason was confused as he swung around the fashion district. He was fully prepared to pass by the balcony he usually stopped on to check in with the rest of the team, but as he looked over he saw a plate covered in plastic wrap. As he swung over, Marinette was stealthily peering through the sliding glass door waiting to see if he would stop by.
He landed on the balcony with his back to the door, before him, on a tiny table was a plate of cookies and a note. Opening the note he read:
Monsieur Hood,
Please accept these cookies as thanks for
the protection you provide to this city.
Thank you,
MDC
"Hood, status update," crackled over the earpiece built into his helmet.
"All quiet here Bats," he replied. "But I got some cookies from a civilian. Meet you at the cave."
A few nights later, Jason ran into MDC herself. He was on his usual patrol, route 3 variant 4. "Bats, I got a mugger, interrupting now."
Marinette had been walking home from dinner, when she was abruptly pushed into one of the numerous dark alleyways that littered Gotham. She was just finding her bearings when a voice announced from behind her, "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Before the large mass that she recognized as Red Hood crashed into the would-be mugger. The fight honestly never started. As soon as her attacker saw which Bat he was dealing with he allowed himself to be ziptied and sat patiently waiting for the police.
Red Hood turned back to the young designer and Marinette couldn't help it. She screamed, which unfortunately was picked up by Hood's mic. Within minutes the entire group of vigilantes surrounded the alley. Jason's heart dropped as he realized that this was his soulmate meeting. He tried to sneak away, but smacked straight into Batman.
"Robin, escort this man to police custody."
"Father,"
"Now."
While that exchange was happening Nightwing slowly approached Marinette. "Miss, is everything alright. Would you like someone to call your soulmate?" He asked gesturing towards her now stark black words.
"I'm fine, it's just that mask." She said with a shudder. "Wait, did l you say soul mate? Where is…" she looked around frantically. When she spotted Red Hood she pushed Nightwing out of her way to get over to him. "Monsieur Hood?" She reaches out to tap his shoulder. She frowned as he moved away from her. "Monsieur Hood," she darted in-between him and Batman so she could look him in the eye. "I did not mean to scream, it is just that your mask, it is terrible, the design is hideous."