#lostinparis

He was playing with his phone, looking at the three contacts he had gained in his time. Two were perfunctory, the gym manager and the landlord, but the third was the woman who had helped apprehend the purse snatcher he had taken down a month ago.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a woman who could take down a grown man without breaking a sweat and had shown she was fit and able. He had only contacted her once or twice, asking for recommendations for things like the gym he now used, or places that sold decent wares at a reasonable price, but now he wondered if she would be open to training with him.

He thought about the man who had welcomed Marinette home on the evening that he had met her, and paused. Would he be overstepping? He had never seen the need to follow societal norms when interacting with women before, but that had mostly been in the realm of vigilantism. 

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, he sent a message asking if she would like to go to the gym with him. He was relieved when he received an enthusiastic confirmation in return and was quickly able to agree a time to meet.

He was almost excited as he waited on the sparring mats in the gym. When she entered and shot him a smile, he experienced a strange heart palpitation. He forced his mind away from that and greeted her politely.

Their fast spar was short and brutal. He had not expected her to go as hard and lethally as she did and so he ended up flat on his back, staring at the lights of the gym.

“You know, you don't have to take it easy on me,” Marinette said, grinning down at him. She held out her hand and he accepted it to pull himself to standing. 

“You are a very capable sparring partner,” he admitted with a begrudging smile. They started again, Damian trying not to telegraph his moves and Marinette smirking mischievously. It ended the same way as before, again and again until they were both sweating and tired. 

“We should definitely do this again,” she said as they exited the gym. They had changed and walked at a leisurely pace along the streets.

“I thought you normally trained with Adrien? He is your boyfriend, isn't he?” Damian asked, though he wasn't sure why he was asking it. 

“Ex-boyfriend,” Marinette corrected, a slightly sad smile on her lips. Damian shoved away the thought that he hated it and focused on what she had said.

“If it upsets you that it is over, why did you end things?” He asked, satisfied when her eyes brightened instantly in challenge. And then he was annoyed that it had evoked such a reaction from him.

“How do you know I ended it? Maybe you're just rubbing salt in an open wound.”

“Forgive my bluntness, but he would have to have been an idiot to end things with you.” Damian’s mouth felt dry and his palms slightly sweaty, and it confused him. He wasn't saying anything untrue, Marinette was objectively a beautiful, kind, loving woman, and if Adrien had ended things he should be checked into Arkham.

“Nice that someone sees it that way,” she muttered, though a genuine smile was starting to perk up the corners of her lips. “For the record, he started the talk but I'm the one that decided breaking it off would be the healthiest thing for both of us.”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng: heartbreaker,” he deadpanned, stomach flipping when she outright laughed. She nudged him as they walked and he pretended to be wounded.

“Marinette Mercy Killer, maybe. Our relationship was limping along by the end, someone had to take it out back and put it out of its misery. Now maybe we can find people who make us thrive and grow, rather than just comfortable.”

“Were you together long?” He was not asking because he was curious, he was asking because it was an expected question in these situations. 

“Since we were fifteen,” she said, shivering lightly in the crisp autumn air. Almost without thinking, he shrugged out of his jacket and slung it over her shoulders. She seemed startled by the gesture, but smiled softly as she huddled into its warmth. He tried not to feel too smug when she took a deep breath of his scent. 

“That is an impressive length for children,” he agreed. He was confused when she stopped until he realised that they had reached her apartment. “It must be difficult for you now that it is over.”

“It was harder at the beginning,” she said, hands twiddling her keys deftly. Anticipation curled in Damian's gut, even as he tried to curb the thoughts racing through him. She's single, a voice that sounded disturbingly like Dick's said. “But it's been a couple of months, and he's been dating again so maybe it's time for me to try too.”

She means you! That voice sounded like Jason and Damian shoved it aside with the same vigor that he would have done his actual brother. He swallowed as she darted a look up at him, her bottom lip between her teeth. They could be between yours- 

“Only you will know when you are ready to try dating again.”

It was such a non-answer that he could see Marinette freezing up before slumping slightly. She gave a light laugh that made his stomach hurt but then she was smiling even more brightly - so brightly he wondered if it hurt her cheeks.

“You're right, of course. Well, thank you for seeing me home, Damian. Here, your jacket,” she said, stripping it off so quickly he could only stand there and blink. “Have a good night, I'll see you around.”

She was past her door before he could find his voice, only shaking out of his internal world when the door clicked softly closed. But he stood there for a lot longer, frowning with his hands clenched around his jacket.

_ _ _

“He gave me a brush off, Chlo,” Marinette said heavily when she had poured herself a large glass of wine and settled down for her regular video call. “I'm getting mixed signals from him, one second he's saying Adrien would be an idiot for breaking up with me, and giving me his jacket and asking how long we were together…and then he's saying I'm the only one who can determine when I should date again! Was I too subtle?”

“Dupain-Cheng, you are a wonderful person but subtlety is not exactly your strength. If he brushed you off then he's not interested. Which works for me because he seems like a class A jerk - which I know a little something about, having been a raging bitch for my formative years.”

“You just don't know him very well,” Marinette sighed, taking a long drink from her glass. “Besides, you turned out okay after spending time with me.”

“Marinette, you are worth more than a bum with no job, no friends and a bad attitude,” Chloé said flatly.

“He's not a bum, he has a home and everything. He even pays to get into the gym! I don't know, maybe I just can't read him as well as I thought I could. It wouldn't be the first time.”

They chatted for a little longer, talking about Chloé's upcoming internship and her course at Metropolis University. She also asked how Marinette's parents were doing and when she was planning to come back for Christmas.

“Okay, it's got to be getting late over there DC. Behave yourself, and try not to give your heart to people who don't deserve it.”

“I never give it, people just steal it,” she whined, her voice slightly slurred from the drink, but only just. “What am I s’posed to do, say ‘hey, no robbin’ my heart’?”

“God you are such a lightweight. Goddammit Marinette, you are French, learn to hold your drink. Talk to you next time, get some sleep you crazy woman.”

“Barely French,” she muttered at the dark screen, sighing and flopping back in her bed. Exhaustion crept over her and she passed out, until Tikki woke her up. The Kwami seemed urgent, but Marinette felt groggy until the League of Shadows was mentioned.

Electrified, Marinette shot out of the bed and almost forgot to call for her transformation before she leapt out of her window. She scanned the shadowy alleys until she spotted a silent scuffle happening. 

Releasing the hold her yo-yo had to keep it anchored she plummeted into the fight. She moved swiftly, knocking back the assassins until they arrived at a stalemate. They hissed something at the man they had been attempting to end and vanished into the shadows. She turned to the man only to freeze when she saw who it was

“Thank you, I am out of practice,” Damian gasped, his hand clenched to his side. Marinette started as she saw the blood leaking between his fingers. He saw where her gaze was directed and grimaced. “This is nothing, a light stab wound. My mother just likes to remind me that I am not invulnerable from time to time.”

“...your mother is part of the League of Shadows?” Marinette said, worry and dread making her voice break slightly. 

“More like she leads it,” he said grimly, though a wry smirk made her think he was trying to use humour to alleviate the tension. 

“I don't know how to process this, so I'm going to put a pin in that so we can get you some medical help,” she said at last, moving towards him.

“I will be fine, I just need to get home,” he gasped. She hesitated for a moment before nodding sharply and leaping to action. 

Before she knew it, they were slipping in an open window of his apartment and she was rushing to the bathroom that he indicated a medical kit would be in. She worked fastidiously, stitching the wound and infusing it with some of the Ladybug's miraculous cure to speed along healing. Once finished, she leaned back and looked at him.

“I think now would be a good time for you to explain what's going on, and why you're bringing assassins into my city,” she said when she was sure he wasn't going to die on her.

“I suppose that would be fair,” he conceded, pulling a shirt over his head with barely a wince. “Though I would like to ask my own questions once we are done.”

“You can ask them,” she said, not bothering to say that she might not answer. He nodded before launching into the story of Damian Al Ghul, heir of the demon, son of the bat, who was cast aside by his mother and sent to live with a father who did not choose to have him.

Marinette listened with intense concentration and grew more and more indignant on his behalf. When he explained that he had left home because his father did not trust him she stood up and swore as she started pacing. When he stopped, she looked at him impatiently and gestured for him to continue.

“There is little more to tell you. My mother likes to test her luck occasionally and sends her minions to incapacitate me. Tonight was one such attempt, which I am grateful that you thwarted. May I ask a question now?”

“Sure, I guess that's fair,” she said, hands in her hair as she tried to absorb the information he had thrown at her. “One more from me though - why are you telling me this? I thought you bats were all about secret identities and you kind of just told me who everyone is.”

“You hardly seem the type to use the information for ill gain,” he said, humour sparkling in his eyes. Marinette refused to turn into a puddle at the smirk he was giving her, but it was close. 

“But you don't know me! I thought all of you bats were paranoid, antisocial creatures, definitely not the types to trust in someone's good intentions, even if they are fellow heroes.”

“Well that cannot be entirely true,” he said, raising an eyebrow at her. She groaned in frustration but waited. “We must know each other, given I did not direct you to my home and yet here we are.”

“Oh, uh, are you sure you didn't say something?” She said weakly, annoyed with herself for the slip. “You could have been delirious from blood loss and just don't remember.”

“Is that what happened?” He asked archly and she cursed her inability to lie. He smirked again after she was silent for a moment. “I thought so. Regardless, I saw fit to tell you and trust that you will not betray that trust.”

“Of course I won't,” she said immediately, slumping onto his sofa. She muttered, “Spots off,” and felt the magic wash over and out of her. She couldn't look him in the eye but felt him stiffen beside her. “Surprise?”

“I will need a moment,” he said, staring at her. She laughed nervously and fiddled with her hair. “I had not anticipated you being a heroine.”

“I don't suppose that changes your mind about going on a date with me?” She asked without thinking. Blushing to the roots of her hair she decided to play her cards as she'd already tipped her hand. “I mean, we have a lot in common.”

“Ah, yes, so much in common: Ladybug, the heroine of Paris, leader of the Miraculous team and secretly the kindest person in the room at any given time versus the failed Robin who cannot get a job and once held the moniker ‘Ice Prince'. It's a wonder people don't confuse the pair of us.”

“Is that why you won't date me? You think I would hold your past against you? Because the Damian I know is kind, willing to help strangers and walks me home at night to make sure I'm safe. And I'm not sure you can say you're a failure given you weren't kicked out.”

“But they did not come looking for me, did they? It is obvious they felt I made the right choice in leaving it behind.”

“Then they're stupid,” she said bluntly. Exhaustion was making her reckless and she turned to face him, being careful not to jostle his wound. “Damian, I like you. I would like to go on a date with you, and see if there's something more to this. I was a coward and implied that I wanted to date you before, but I'm asking you now, yes or no, do you want to go on a date with me.”

“Only an idiot would say no, but Marinette-”

“And you're not an idiot,” Marinette said sharply, tracing the outline of his face with a finger. “Give me a chance to prove this could work.”

“One date?” He asked cautiously and she beamed at him. He smiled back at her, though much more subdued. “And if it does not work out, we can continue as friends?”

“Hell, Paris apparently has its own heroes, I'd hate to tread on their toes, ya know?” Jason said, apparently in good humour as they waited for their car to be available. Ever since the…disagreement, Dick and Jason had avoided using any of Bruce's resources. “Besides, it's all magical bullshit around here. Way above my pay grade.”

“You really did your research before we came, huh,” Dick marveled, sliding into the passenger seat as Jason took charge. He had apparently made an itinerary, starting with a trip to a famous pastry shop. “Are you sure I can't just look at what you have planned?”

“Nope,” Jason grinned, the car smoothly moving away from the lot. “I hope you've been brushing up on your French, Dickie. You're gonna need it.”

As they approached the corner that housed that patisserie, Dick saw a bustle of activity. Checking the time, he saw that it was just before 8:30, meaning that the school across the street was a hive of activity. There was less of a queue in the bakery thanks to the time and they waited patiently, eyeing up the various goods.

“Bonjour, ” came the jaunty welcome from the petite Asian woman. She was older and had a motherly look, smiling pleasantly as she waited for their order. Dick smiled back at her before ordering.

“Bonjour, madame, nous voudrions deux croissants chocolats et douze macarons, s'il vous plaît.” The woman smiled and rang them up before moving around to collect their order. As she did, Jason stepped forward as well.

“Pardonnez-moi, vous êtes Sabine?” Dick looked at Jason, bewildered, even as the woman - Sabine, apparently - responded cautiously yes. “Awesome, uh, nous sommes ici pour visiter Marinette, ou est elle?” Sabine nodded in understanding, brightening as she handed over their goods. She let them know that Marinette was over at the park nearby. Thanking her for the baked goods and her time, the pair made their way out of the bakery.

“Jason, what on earth was that about?” Dick demanded, as soon as they were out of earshot of the woman. He let out a noise of frustration at Jason's shrug and secretive smile. “Seriously, is Marinette a new girlfriend or something? Is that why you insisted on coming and dragging me all the way to Paris?”

“Listen, all good things come to those who wait, Dickie-bird. Look, there she is now. Marinette!” He hollered the last part, waving and grinning broadly at a small woman, similar but younger to the woman at the bakery. Dick saw her look up and smile, balancing something on her lap. Something that looked suspiciously like a small child, with dark hair

“Jason, why do you know a French woman with a baby ?” Dick was panicking, he could feel it. Had Jason somehow fathered a child in France? Was this a trip so that Dick could meet his new niece or nephew? “Jason, I swear to God, if you had a kid and didn't tell any of us, I will disown you .”

“Bonjour, vous êtes Monsieur Grayson, non?” Dick's eyes were huge as the woman approached, and they were glued to the bundle in her arms. When he didn't say anything, she cleared her throat and tried again. “ Pardon, I am Marinette, and this is Penélope. It is a pleasure, Monsieur Grayson. ”

“I- I think I'm going to pass out,” he whispered, feeling overwhelmed. “Jay, seriously, how could you not tell us? I'm not sure I can actually disown you, but this is big.”

“Penny's not my kid, Dick,” he said, but he did reach out for the wriggly bundle when Marinette held her out. “Marinette is more like…a little sister. Don't worry, little one,” he cooed down at the baby girl, eyes full of wonder. “Uncle Jason is here now.”

“ Oui, par mariage, ” Marinette snorted, rolling her eyes at the man. “Sorry, Monsieur Grayson, I'm sure you are very confused but I had to meet you before we could discuss anything in more detail. Mon mari , he is just being cautious.”

“Someone is being cautious…by sending you to meet me with your kid?”

“Because, I am not the one in danger of being hurt, oiseau, ” she said firmly. At his look of further confusion, she sighed and stepped towards him. “My husband, he has come very far in the years I have known him but he is worried that you will be angry with him. Il est fragile, and I will not allow you to hurt him if it can be avoided.”

“Pfft, fragile, sure,” Jason snorted, although he looked apologetic when Marinette glared at him. “Sorry Mari, but he hasn't changed enough for me to say he's fragile . Look, Dick's getting riled up and he is supposed to be here on holiday, I promise that he's not going to hurt him. He is the very last person in the world that Dick would hurt.”

Dick's eyes snapped up at that, widening as he gazed at Penélope, noting her slightly darker skin and just how dark her hair was. “No,” he whispered, looking up hopefully at Jason. “You found him?”

“Yes, Grayson, he did,” came a deep voice from behind him and Dick span so fast he almost pirouetted. He drank in the sight of his brother, tears springing to his eyes before he stepped forward and grabbed him into a hug. Damian sighed and patted his back, eyes suspiciously bright. 

“ Mon dieu, you brothers are so emotional,” Marinette said cheekily, taking Penélope back from Jason. Damian gave her a mock glare before pulling back from Dick and giving him a smile. “ Parfait, maintenant, can we go back to our home? I am sure Penny would like to have her breakfast and a nap.” 

Damian relieved Marinette of the job of carrying Penélope and she fell into step beside Jason, chattering about their Christmases. Dick felt his nerves come back with a vengeance. Damian seemed at ease, bouncing his daughter as he stepped.

“I am sorry for the cloak and dagger, Grayson. Marinette is, understandably, wary of our family. She only knows what I have told her, and what she has gathered during our time together. She also knows that nobody has come to see us in that time, and it makes her nervous that you have now come.”

“We didn't know where you were, lil D,” Dick said softly. He had always been gentle with Damian and it stayed true, even now. “I swear to you, we looked. We spent a solid month trying to find you, and even after that we kept trying. You didn't take the…usual transport for going abroad, none of your aliases were in use, and Jon said he didn't know where you had gone, only that you had told him you needed to go. I didn't even know you were gone until I returned from my case, and I'd lost 3 weeks alone to that.”

“Tt, Jason told us. He has assured us that it was a random piece of luck that led to him finding us, and has promised that we may reconnect with whom we choose at our own pace. But he did ask that he be able to tell you first. Now, let us go inside and we can settle Penny. Marinette, mon amour, will you start the coffee?”

“Bien sûr, tu veux un thé, mon chéri? ” She replied, setting up a highchair at a dining table towards the back of the room. He confirmed and she twisted her way into the kitchen, humming softly. They could hear her clattering in the kitchen, making Penélope gurgle and clap. Damian smiled at the child indulgently and placed her in the chair. “ Son petit déjeuner, Damian, elle a très faim. Tu en veux?"

Dick was in awe. The little family was clearly practiced in their morning routine, Damian taking charge of feeding his daughter - his daughter, Dick's baby brother had a kid - whilst Marinette made coffee and tea. When had his brother become so domestic? Just how much had changed when he had left home? He wanted to know everything.

“Dames, I'm so happy for you,” Dick burst out, brimming with pride, tempered by his sadness at having missed it. “You have a beautiful family but how…when did you meet? Where did you go after everything with…I just wish I had been there for you.”

Damian shrugged, although his shoulders tightened slightly. “I cannot say what would have been better, but I am happy with my life here, Grayson. Marinette has been a blessing, in many ways. She has helped me heal from things I did not know were hurting me, and she has blessed me with my own family. I would not change where I have come to.”

“Such a serious talk,” Marinette said, bustling into the room with a tea tray, weighed down with coffee, tea, milk sugar and some baked confectionaries. Jason whooped and took a seat at the table, leaving both the seat next to Damian, and the one next to Penny, free. “ Monsieur Grayson, you cannot change what Damian has been through and I would not want you to have stopped him coming to me. It is natural to want him to have never been hurt, mais if he had never left, I would never have found l’amour de ma vie. ”

“ Un conversation serieux, elle a dit, ” Damian said mockingly, making Marinette flush prettily. “Marinette, my love, you cannot say that and then follow up with an even more serious conversation.”

“ Silence, mon coeur,” she said severely. “Anyway, you wanted to know how we met, non ? Would you like to tell the story, or shall I?” Damian snorted and waved a hand to indicate that she should continue. “ D’accord , so I met Damian perhaps a month after he arrived in Paris…”

* Flashback 

It was getting dark, the summer day bleeding into a warm summer night. Marinette had been walking down a side street after meeting with Adrien. She had been prepared for the day to run longer than he had promised but it was still later than she had hoped to be walking home. She kept her head down and scurried across the next alley.

She heard a sound, a fleshy thud and a grunt, and she automatically turned towards it, hand coming up to touch her earrings. She saw the shapes of 2 men grappling and sprinted towards them, calling out as she did. As she reached them, she forced her way between them, shoving back the larger of the two as she stood over the prone form of the second.

“ Arrêtez, quoi tu fais? ” She demanded, meeting the man's eye. He let out an impatient noise before gesturing to a woman who was cowering behind a large bin. Her eyes widened and she looked back at the man on the floor, who was groaning and trying to get up. “ Merde, un voleur? Désolée, je ne savais pas. Ca va? ”

“Tt, je suis bien ,” the man said, his voice deep and annoyed. “ Il ne m’a pas vu avant je lui ai frappé. Il n’a pas utilisé son couteau .”

Marinette gave the man a long look, wondering whether she could turn her back on him long enough to use the restraints she carried with her. She decided that he had already helped one woman, she might as well put a little trust his way. She pulled out her phone and called the police, securing the other man's hands as she did so, speaking in rapid fire French. 

And then she went to the woman and spoke softly, reassuring her that all was well and that she could relax. The man continued to watch her, eyes sharp.

*End flashback

“...and after that, we exchanged numbers. He clearly knew what he was doing, the man had hardly a scratch other than being passed out. He seemed surprised by how I handled the problem, but not unhappy. Running into that alley was the best choice I have made, pour ma vie entier ” she beamed, turning her bright eyes back towards her husband.

“Tt, I think you could have done slightly better than a man who had scarcely a penny to his name and none to call a friend. And I know many of your friends agree,” Damian added grumpily, beginning to clean Penélope as she had finished her meal. 

“Well, I cannot help you, and other people, being wrong, Damian,” Marinette shrugged, standing and taking hold of Penélope. “ Maintenant, please excuse me, I must try to get her to sleep. She is unbearable sans her nap.”

“She will be several minutes, Penny struggles to sleep when we have guests,” Damian mused, the corners of his lips turning up slightly as he watched her go. His finger began turning one of his rings before he stilled and turned back to Jason and Dick.

“She's wonderful, baby bird,” Dick said softly, seeing the love she had for his brother. He ached to have missed so much - his first real relationship, how he had grown, his wedding - but he was relieved that Damian had had the chance to experience it all. He was grateful that someone as loving as Marinette had seen something in Damian and then stayed with him. “I can tell you love her very much, and she loves you too.”

“Oh, yeah, these two are disgustingly sappy. Even just through video chat they could rot teeth,” Jason joked, looking around instead of at either of his brothers. They passed more of the time, catching up on the changes in Dick and Damian's lives. They talked about Mar’i and Kor’i, Damian's job, their weddings…Dick had squealed when Damian pulled out his wedding album to show them.

“Holy shit, is that Jagged Stone?” Jason's voice was hushed but undeniably excited. “No way no way no way , you did not have Jagged Stone at your wedding .”

“He was not my guest, Todd. My wife has many connections, and Jagged insisted on providing the entertainment for the evening portion of the celebration.” At Dick and Jason's slack jaws, he snorted. “Marinette is a world acclaimed fashion designer, she is notable for making pieces for the eccentric musician, and when he heard that his ‘niece’ would be married, he insisted.”

“Hold up, Jagged Stone’s niece…famous designer…are you saying that you married MDC?! But…but Timmy has a contract with you! He is forever rubbing it in our faces that he gets to commission MDC originals, I'm pretty sure it's his only joy at this point, and you're telling me that your wife is the reason he gets to do that? That's so unfair! We've been in touch for nearly 2 months and you didn't think to tell me?”

“This is why he couldn't get you to relocate, isn't it?” Dick said to Marinette as she stepped lightly back into the room. “He's been so upset that he couldn't get you to move to Gotham but you wouldn't, because Damian would never.”

“Non , it was not Damian's decision. I think that he would go anywhere with me if I thought it would be good for us, but I would never wish to hurt him like that. Besides,” she added, in an attempt to lighten the mood, “I have the feeling that Monsieur Drake would monopolise my time if I was that close, and oncle Jagged would never forgive me.”

It was many hours later, and several giant yawns from Dick, that they admitted they needed to get to their hotel. Marinette said goodbye warmly, promising that Damian and Penélope would be available for the rest of their trip, even though she had work to do.

“There will be other visits where I can spend time with you all, but I think it best that Damian be allowed time with ses frères without me worrying over you all. I only ask, Dick, that you respect our decision not to involve Monsieur Wayne . I would never ask you to lie to him, but I must insist that you only give him information that he specifically asks for.”

Dick swore that he would keep the information to himself, although he begged to be able to tell Kor’i, which Marinette readily agreed to. 

“Thank you, Jay,” Dick said, on the drive to their hotel. “No, seriously, this is the best Christmas present I have ever received.”

“So you're not mad that I didn't tell you sooner? Good,” he sighed when Dick shook his head, “because Mari straight up terrifies me.”

Most missions she had handled with a calm demeanor and efficiency that had other heroes applauding her capabilities. The occasional one called for an overnight stay, during which Marinette made sure she had privacy at the time of the call, as well as overnight to sleep comfortably. But this time, she had been gone for 3 days already, and now that she had missed her check-in…

He awoke with a start to Penélope crying out in her sleep. He groaned before stumbling to her room and comforting her. He fell asleep there, curled up with his daughter and the smell of his wife. 

The next morning he awoke to Penélope patting his face, saying “Maman?” repeatedly. Once he was focused, she seemed to understand that he didn't have any news and she pouted. The day continued in the same manner, bad behaviour masking her anxiety.

After a particularly horrendous lunch time, Damian made a decision. He packed 2 overnight bags, checked to make sure Plagg’s ring was secure on his finger - not that he ever removed it - and made his way to Tom and Sabine's bakery. They smiled as he entered, cooing at Penélope and offering her some fresh baked cookies.

“Salut, Damian, Penélope, ça va? ” {Hi Damian, Penélope, how are you?} Damian launched into a brief explanation that he and Marinette had been called away on business for a day or so, but Penélope couldn't come with them. Sabine was quick to reassure him that they were more than happy to look after their only granddaughter, and to message when they were on their way back to collect her.

Damian hurried away, ducking into a quiet area to change into a new Robin suit. Marinette had made it for him, in case he was ever ready to return to the vigilante life, though he had never had need for it before. It fit well, the darkened yellow, green and red making a more subtle suit than the original, garish look. He placed the mask to his face, feeling an odd mix of reluctance and nostalgia.

Once he was sure he was covered, he called on Plagg's transformation. The Robin suit was a precaution, in case he had to detransform for any reason. He felt the magic wash over him and checked over his suit.

Unlike the previous black cat holder, Damian didn't have a baton. His weapon of choice apparently had not changed, a katana secured to his belt. He also had a hooded jacket, with the obligatory cat ears. He didn't get a tail, or a bell, but that was more a relief than anything else.

He hurried towards the Paris Zeta tube, anxiety making him twitchy. He was apprehensive to try using the tube, his previous identity may have remained but the magic of the Miraculous would likely obscure his identity enough that he could not access the Watchtower. He cursed when he found that he was correct, detransforming to try calling someone again. 

He almost dropped the phone when an incoming call lit it up with a video call request. He answered it hastily, not taking the time to check who it was.

“Bonjour?” He said, hopefully. If it was Marinette, he would be safe to return home and collect Penélope. He was disappointed but also energised when he realised it was Kor'i, returning his previous call.

“Damian?” He answered the affirmative, removing the mask from his eyes so she could see him fully. “What is the matter? I am sorry for missing your call, I was at work.”

“Marinette has not checked in,” he said, wasting no time with niceties. “I need to get into the Watchtower so I can find out where she went, but I do not want to try with my current identity. Do you know if there is anyone available to come to Paris and accompany me?”

“I will call ahead and request access for you,” Kor'i responded decisively, making Damian wilt with relief. “How do you plan on obscuring your identity? It looks as though you have a new Robin suit, in spite of no longer wishing to bear the mantle.”

“Tt, I will be using the black cat miraculous. Please make sure whoever comes to escort me knows that it is the holder of the black cat who will be getting access to the Watchtower, and not Damian.”

Kor'i agreed and hung up. Damian called upon his transformation again, not wanting to be surprised by whoever came to get him. It was only a few minutes later when Beast Boy appeared and approached him with evident curiosity. 

After brief hellos, they entered the Zeta tube, confirming Damian’s suspicions that it would not recognise him whilst wearing the miraculous. He managed to curb his impatience, walking beside Beast Boy but did not answer any questions. Upon entering the main meeting room, Wonder Woman stood in greeting, bowing slightly.

“It is a great honour to meet the holder of the Miraculous of the Black Cat,” she said, coming around the table to speak with him. “I did not realise that it was now in use, Ladybug said-”

“I do not have time for pleasantries, I have only come because Ladybug missed a check-in.” Wonder Woman’s eyebrows raised, and she glanced at her companion - a very curious Superman. “She has never failed to contact me at the agreed time before, I demand to know where she has been sent.”

“Ladybug and her team are on a mission at the moment,” Superman said slowly, eyeing Damian apprehensively. On another occasion, Damian would have found it amusing that the hero was nervous of him, but today the concern for Marinette trumped everything else. “We are not anticipating her to contact us unless she requires backup.”

“Tt, I am telling you that she is in trouble now. Even if she had missed the check-in by accident, she would have rectified the error and contacted me before 12 hours had elapsed. She has now been missing for at least 16 hours, so I will ask again, where is Ladybug?”

Wonder Woman looked concerned but didn't have time to respond before Batman swept into the room. Damian tensed and his hand came to rest on his sword hilt. Marinette had complained about his father often, and he knew that the man was angry that he had been unable to coerce her identity from her. Their eyes met and Batman's scowl deepened.

“Why is there an unknown on the Watchtower?” He growled, stepping into Damian's space. “Who are you? Who let you in? What business do you have here?”

“Did nobody teach you how to ask someone a question? You interrupt a meeting you were not invited to and insert yourself where you were not wanted. My business is to do with the Miraculous Team, and I am swiftly losing my patience. Someone will tell me where Ladybug is, or I will force someone to tell me.”

“Let us calm down, Batman, this is the holder of the black cat miraculous- I'm sorry, I do not know your name,” Wonder Woman said apologetically. When Damian made no move to give one, she continued, “and Batman is the one who coordinated the Miraculous Team’s latest mission. He is best placed to inform you of their progress. Batman, he says that Ladybug missed a check-in.”

“Ladybug is not expected to check-in until tomorrow,” Batman said dismissively. “That does not explain how an unknown magic wielder came onto the base.”

“Enough, you will tell me where you sent Ladybug now.” Damian's tone invited no argument, his unoccupied hand clenched into a fist. As Batman tensed, he cut him off before he could begin. “I do not care that she has not missed a call to you. She has never missed a check-in with me before, so something is wrong. Tell me where you sent her.”

“You are not a member of the Justice League, I don't have to tell you anything,” Batman said, his eyes hard. The room flinched as Damian’s sword flickered up to Batman's throat. It was sudden enough, and with no warning, that neither Wonder Woman, nor Superman made a move until it was too late.

“Where. Is. Ladybug.” The violence rippling from him would have made him feel guilty under normal circumstances. But under normal circumstances, his wife would not have been absent for 4 days. His voice was deadly soft. “I know you dislike her, and that you do not care for her safety, but I trust you care for your own. And I would not approach me, Superman, I wield the power of destruction and you are weak to magic. I doubt your invulnerability would protect you and I am in no mood to restrain myself.”

“Ladybug is a very capable-”

“This is not about how capable she is,” Damian hissed, pressing forward with the blade, feeling the reinforced cowl his father wore fraying under its tip. “Capable is a wholly inadequate word for her, but if she missed a check-in she is in danger.”

There was a sound behind him and Damian almost turned to see what was happening. But he kept his gaze trained on the man in front of him, the man who was keeping him from finding the mother of his child. A hand settled on his arm and he tensed again.

“Cat, what is going on?” Starfire's voice made Damian relax minutely. “I thought you were looking for Ladybug, how did we come to threats?"

“He refuses to tell me where she is,” Damian growled, pressing forward again, making Batman take a step back. “I have explained the urgency multiple times but nobody is helping.”

“Batman, I must also insist that you share the Ladybug’s whereabouts,” Starfire said, her eyes beginning to glow as her emotions heightened. “She would not have missed a check-in with him unless the situation was dire.”

“I am not telling an unknown magic wielder the details of an ongoing mission,” Batman sneered, glaring at Damian. Damian felt the fury build up in him, with an edge of desperation. The miraculous added to his, admittedly already aggressive, need to protect Marinette. When he was transformed, Plagg’s worry for Tikki made him almost irrational and he had to take a deliberate breath to calm himself. 

“Fine,” he clipped out, snapping his blade back into its sheath. He took immense satisfaction in seeing the minute flinch as Batman was freed. He turned towards Wonder Woman and tried again. “Ladybug told you that someone close to her kept the Black Cat Miraculous to keep the balance. I only ever use it in extreme circumstances and I am telling you that this is one. I am not a hero, I have no desire to be one but I will not allow her to come to harm.”

“Follow me, we can look up the mission details so that you may go and assist her. No, he is right, Batman,” she said with a glare, refusing to back down. “I understand that you dislike magic wielders, but if the holder of the Black Cat Miraculous says that Ladybug needs help, we will do everything in our power to assist them. Ladybug has more than earned our trust and respect, and I will not dishonour her by turning him away.”

There was no chatter as they strode to the computer banks, for which Damian was grateful. Starfire and Beast Boy were speaking in low tones but he tuned them out. As Wonder Woman called up the file, he packed back and forth like a caged tiger. He was focused only on getting the location of his wife so that he could go and assist her, so he didn't notice when he was joined by his brothers.

“Hey, Starfire filled us in,” came Red Hood's artificially gravelly voice. Damian turned to him and nodded sharply. “What do you need us to do?”

“I do not know yet,” he admitted, his heart clenching at the thought of not having a plan. “I have not been in action for a long time and, whilst I spar with Ladybug regularly, I do not know what she is currently facing.”

“It appears as though she has been sent to vanquish a magically summoned beast,” Wonder Woman said, at last. “I am printing her last known location so that you may go directly there. I ask that you take a League member with you, so that you may call for assistance if required.”

There was a brief squabble amongst the bat boys about who would accompany him before Starfire interrupted. “Clearly someone with powers should be present, no? Flight may come in handy for an extraction.” Which ended the argument pretty abruptly, although Nightwing seemed to be pouting.

It was a short trip by Zeta tube to the general vicinity of space where Ladybug was last known. Damian consented to Starfire carrying him to the planet in question before he checked his location tracker. Whilst Chat Noir’s baton had served as a 2-in-1 weapon and communicator, Damian's was 2 separate items. A sleek screen was attached to the inside of his jacket and he zoomed in on Marinette's location.

He felt a brief rush of relief, followed by his apprehension ramping up - if she was still transformed she was alive, but if she was alive and hadn't checked in…he put on an extra burst of speed, forcing Starfire to speed up to join him. As they came upon a civilisation, Damian slowed and came to rest on top of a building. 

The village was large, but all of the buildings were made of some crude material. He could see the marks of recent battle on several of them, but no sign of the beast she had been sent to slay. He tried to calm his heart, outlining a plan with Starfire. He was to investigate first, and she would follow him after 10 minutes should he not return.

“Do not come in aggressively, just in case I have located her with friendlies,” he instructed. She nodded, gesturing for him to take the lead. He launched himself forward, scarcely able to control his speed as he approached the building she appeared to be in. He took it as a good sign that there were no guards on the door and slunk in.

“...s’il vous plaît, je dois retourner à ma famille!” {Please, I have to get back to my family!} Damian let loose a breath at the familiar voice. He stood up from his crouch, making sure to allow his foot to scrape the floor as he entered the room. The figures around her spun around, babbling in an alien language and he held his hands up in surrender. “Mon coeur, tu es vraiment ici? Ou est Penélope? Tu es bien?” {My love, are you really here? Where's Penélope? Are you okay?}

“Penélope est avec tes parents,” Damian answered, knowing that she would want to know that first. {Penélope is with your parents.} “Je suis vraiment ici, je suis venu pour toi. C'est bon, nous pouvons revenir immédiatement.” {I'm really here, I came for you. It's okay, we can go home immediately.}

He was acutely aware that the other beings in the room were eyeing him suspiciously, but he stayed where he was. This was why he had brought Starfire and told her to follow him after 10 minutes regardless. Starfire was capable of learning languages immediately and would be able to translate so that they could leave. He moved slowly towards Marinette, stepping towards her until he could take hold of her, and reassure himself that she was okay. She murmured to him, thanking him for coming and apologising for worrying him.

When Starfire did show up, she took charge of the situation. She, ahem, acquired the language and immediately began explaining that they were Ladybug's teammates, who had not been able to contact her. From what Damian could see, there was a lot of gesturing from the aliens, pointing towards Marinette and demanding something. Starfire's eyebrows rose and she glanced at Marinette before turning to Damian.

“Ah, they said that they were very grateful to the spotted one for saving them from the wrath of the demon,” she said in English. “But they were concerned when she passed out, so they ran what tests they could. They did not want to let her leave, given her…condition.” She eyed Marinette pointedly, who turned bright red and swore.

“What condition? Are you hurt? Is it serious?” Damian demanded, turning fully to Marinette and running his hands down her in assessment. She squeaked something but he was busy trying to check her eyes for signs of a head injury. He stopped when she gripped his face between her hands, eyes locking onto his.

“Mon chéri, they mean that they were worried about our baby,” she said bluntly. She slid his hands to her stomach and his eyes widened. “Merde, I planned to tell you when I had returned. Surprise?”

“I- you- truly? You are pregnant?” His voice was hushed and his heart thudded painfully in his chest. A grin spread across his face when she nodded and he swept her into his arms, kissing her. She giggled against his mouth and he forgot momentarily that they were not alone, forgot that they still had to journey home. 

“Apologies for interrupting your happy reunion,” Starfire said drily. “But I think we should be getting back before the Justice League sends a search party after us.”

Marinette blushed and stammered a yes as Damian let her down. He could feel a flush across his neck and ears but only gave a curt nod. They allowed Starfire to thank the aliens for their hospitality before the trio made their way out of the village. She gave the pair as much privacy as she could while she checked in with the Watchtower, giving a brief explanation for Ladybug's predicament. 

“Mon amour, thank you,” Marinette murmured, gripping his hand lightly. Her gloves hand on his was a new sensation for him but it didn't feel any less warm. “And I like the Black Cat on you.”

“Tt, you like everything on me,” he muttered back to her, smirking. Once they were past the edge of the town, they stopped to use their power-ups, Damian fretting slightly about Marinette eating the supercharged macaron. “Doesn't Tikki usually eat those? Are they safe?”

“Mon coeur, please, it will be fine,” Marinette said, trying to soothe him whilst rolling her eyes. “This is why I didn't tell you yet, I knew you would be unreasonably concerned again. Moreso, now that I am active in the Justice League, if that is possible.”

“I think my concerns are justified,” Damian said, feeling affronted. They flew next to each other in their space power ups, laughing and reveling in each other’s company. Damian was so relieved to see her, safe and whole, that he completely forgot about the mess he had left on the Watchtower.

As they arrived back through the Zeta tube, Batman was waiting, glaring down at them. Immediately, Damian was on the defensive, still feeling some of the effects of the Miraculous - his pregnant mate was in danger, he would eliminate any threat. He growled low, eyes narrowed, until he felt Marinette place a hand on his arm.

“The mission objective was reached, it has been a trying few days. Can we leave your interrogation for another time, Batman?” She sounded calm but Damian could see the weary rage in her eyes. When Batman merely motioned for them to follow him, before turning his back on them, Damian nearly lunged for him. “Non, mon coeur, arrête.”

They approached the meeting hall where Damian had met with Wonder Woman earlier that day. She was in there already, watching the pair closely, though she smiled at Ladybug. They exchanged pleasantries but Batman cleared his throat aggressively - it was incredible how he could make everything aggressive - and everyone fell silent.

“Now that everyone has returned from their missions, we need to talk about what happened earlier. Ladybug has made it clear she does not intend to work with us earnestly, and then it turns out she had a secret partner who came and threatened us when things didn't go their way. I have made my position clear in this matter but I feel it more important than ever that we get on the same page about this. Ladybug is a threat and needs to be held accountable, which can only be done when we know her identity.”

“Or what?” Ladybug said, exasperated. “If you do not want me on your missions anymore, then fine. Remove my access and send me home. I have accomplished what I set out to do by coming here and I do not appreciate the distrust I have been given. In opposite to what you think, I do not need to be here.”

“You would be an enemy to the Justice League? All because you refuse to share your identity with us?”

“Mon dieu, your enemy? Non, I would return to France and work there to keep my city safe, just as I did before I came here. You may not believe this, but my life does not revolve around you. I am happy with my civilian life, I am happy only to work in France. It would be less likely to take me away from my family for days on end, making my partner come and fetch me when something goes wrong.”

“Batman, I am struggling to understand why you are so intent upon learning Ladybug's identity. She has proven time and again that she is to be trusted, and the Miraculous are dangerous tools. Her identity being kept secret is necessary to keep them safe.” Wonder Woman sounded tired, doubtless rehashing an argument they had had before.

“Because he is the same control obsessed man he has always been,” Damian snarled, growing angry again. How dare he? Marinette had worked tirelessly, ever since she was 14, to ensure safety and peace for her city. She had defeated her nemesis, removed his capacity to cause harm and kept her identity secret to do so. “Just because you are unable to keep your identity secret does not mean she must share hers.”

“You have already made my point for me,” Batman sneered, his hand indicating his neck. “You forced your way into our base, threatened a superior, and now here you are, pretending to know more than you do.”

“Pretend?” Damian was well past losing his temper. He had been stressed out since yesterday, he had gone to rescue his wife only to find out she was with child and had had to confront his father to do it. He placed a possessive hand on Marinette's waist and pulled her behind him. She leaned her head against his back to try and comfort him. “Do not presume to know what I know. You are not all-knowing, much as you wish you were.”

“And what's to stop you from just coming in here, making threats, next time you don't have something you want?” Their argument was drawing a larger crowd. Damian saw his brothers, standing next to Kor'i who appeared to be giving them a short version of what had happened. “Like it or not, you have proven that Ladybug cannot be trusted with the Miraculous. If she saw fit to give one to you, she clearly either does not know what she is doing, or she willingly gave the power of destruction to a loose cannon.”

Damian saw Dick’s face whiten, and Red Hood grip his guns. He growled but was prevented from stepping forward by Marinette. Her hands gripped his jacket, keeping him close to her. She stepped around him, angry tears in her eyes. She took a steadying breath before talking again, her voice steady and clear.

“You have no say in whether I control the Miraculous, monsieur. I am sorry, I did not come here to cause you problems. I will be taking my leave, along with my partner and you shall revoke my access to your systems. I have no interest in fighting with you, I have no further quarrel with you as Ladybug. I say this with all the respect due to you: lose my number.”

And with that, she grabbed Damian's hand and stalked from the room. He felt a wave of admiration burn through him, and he followed her all the way to the Zeta tube, and then on to Paris. It was now the middle of the night, so they decided to collect Penélope the next day and made their way back to the apartment.

“Have I mentioned how much I hate your father? Because I really, really hate your father,” Marinette grumbled, detransforming. She immediately began stripping off her outer clothes, leaving them haphazardly across the floor. Damian smiled, too relieved to have her home to get cross with her. “I am glad I will not be speaking with him again. Would you message your brothers and sisters to let them know we are home safe?”

“Bien sûr,” he agreed, already tapping the message out. “Are you hungry, love? Or do you just need to sleep?”

“Sleep,” she groaned, collapsing onto their bed. “I forget that I am not 16 anymore. My body is not made for extended fights on alien planets.”

“I feel like there is a larger reason that you struggled this time,” Damian said, leaning over to kiss her shoulder, before kneading them lightly. Both Tikki and Plagg had vanished to give them privacy and Damian was more than ready to fall asleep holding his wife. She groaned again, melting under his firm but gentle ministrations. “Come, we will get ready for bed and then you can sleep.”

Marinette stumbled around to brush her teeth and then collapsed back into the bed, curling up in one of his t-shirts. He finished his own bedtime routine and stood in the doorway watching her breathing even out in sleep. Now that he was no longer transformed and she was home safe, he was free to feel slightly guilty at his actions on the Watchtower. 

When they awoke the next morning, they had numerous messages from Damian's family, most of them stating that they were glad they were okay but a few giving a run down of just how angry Wonder Woman had been with Batman's behaviour. He snorted at the messages before letting Marinette read them herself.

After collecting Penélope, they decided to make it a family day and took her to the local zoo. Damian's extensive knowledge about animals made Marinette laugh, and Penélope gurgled up at them. But Damian noticed that she never strayed far from Marinette's arms, often resting her head upon her mother's shoulder.

Whilst he knew there would be more to discuss, and more to resolve with both his family and Marinette's team, he allowed himself to enjoy the day with his family. It was difficult to hold onto his anger when Marinette smiled at him, holding their sleeping daughter in her arms, and carrying their unborn child. So he shelved the angrier thoughts for later and told her another random fact so that he could hear her laugh once more.

Fin

“Hey Superboy,” Nightwing greeted, bouncing up. Superboy did a double take because Nightwing had become famous for being almost as brooding as the big B ever since- he cut off the thought before it fully formed. “Isn't it great? I've hardly heard anything about the French super team, I can't wait to meet them. Do you think they're huggers?”

“God I hope not,” came Red Hood’s voice. “I told you we should've asked for more information, I hate going into these things blind. They'd better speak English or I swear, I'm gonna walk out.”

“Oh please, your French is way better than it used to be,” Dick snorted. “I mean, you get enough practice with-”

“Zip it ’Wing,” Hood growled, making Nightwing look down, abashed. Well that was interesting - did Red Hood get a girlfriend or something? Superboy tried to shut down the bubbling curiosity, as Hood would absolutely eviscerate anyone who tried to pry into his private life. “And just cos I can speak it doesn't mean I wanna practice in the suit, got it?”

“And these are some of our Gotham vigilantes and Metropolis heroes. They don't often interact outside of their bubble, but Nightwing and Superboy are the friendliest if you need to speak with them.” Wonder Woman had made her way over to their room, clearly hoping to impress the younger heroes. “Hello boys, this is Ladybug and her Miraculous Team.”

“Bonjour, messieurs, I am sure we will get along fine. It is a pleasure to meet you, I have heard much about les garçons from Gotham and Metropolis. These are some of my team, Rena Rouge, Carapace, Viperion and Honey Bee. Malheureusement, not everyone could, or wanted to, attend this meeting. I am sure you understand, we have been a team by ourselves for a long time, and not all of them wished to involve themselves internationally.”

“Of course, Madame Ladybug, I'm sure nobody is offended,” Wonder Woman interjected. “But this does conclude the tour of the Watchtower, is there anything else you wished to discuss before we have the meeting later this afternoon?”

“Non, merci. I would request that you take my team back to the lunch hall, I am sure they are hungry. I would like to speak with Superboy before I join them. It is a personal matter,” she said firmly, when it looked as though she would be interrupted. Reluctantly, her team and Wonder Woman left, glancing curiously at her as they did so. “Mon dieu, I knew it would be tiring when I agreed to adjoin myself to the Justice League but I did not expect everyone to be so…”

“Hah, yeah, sorry buggie, everyone's been curious about your team so there was no chance of you getting out of anything.” Red Hood shrugged but leaned forward to engage in the conversation. “I have to ask though, didn't you have a different teammate? A partner? What was his name, cat black?”

“Ah, you mean Chat Noir,” Ladybug said, nodding. “Oui, Chat was my partner when I was younger, a best friend mais…we grew apart. I no longer have a superhero partner, as such. Someone close to me wears the Black Cat Miraculous so that balance remains, but he only transforms in extreme circumstances. Now, s’il vous plaît, I really must speak with Superboy, preferably alone.”

“Oui , that would be appreciated, thank you.” He could hear the others grumbling but ignored them. He was definitely curious and didn't want the others to know what they talked about in real time. “Thank you, Superboy, for meeting with me. I must say, I have heard a lot about you.”

“Uh, sure thing.” There were several raised eyebrows but Ladybug ignored them as she let Superboy lead them away. “Uh, did you want a soundproof room or something? Just because the other Superboy would be able to hear everything, otherwise.”

“Oh, really?” Superboy was surprised - he was much more accustomed to people having heard about his Dad than himself. Why would a French superheroine have heard about him more so than others? “So, is this like, a fan thing?”

“Oh, non, desolée, I have heard about you from a…mutual source. Un petit oiseau, as it were. I do not wish to use a name, whilst I am unsure whether we are being observed, but this little bird would very much like to see you if you are willing.”

“Uh, sure, the thing is, this seems kind of very sketchy, I'm sure you understand,” Superboy answered, feeling like he was missing a joke. She seemed unsurprised and nodded amiably smiling a little. “Right, so I don't really know how you expect me to meet with this ‘mutual source', I'm sorry.”

“D’accord, you are correct to be suspicious, but I will give you the coordinates as I promised him I would. We shall be at them every Saturday at 16 heures for the foreseeable future, starting tomorrow. One thing I can say is, if you are on the fence about meeting with us, Nightwing and Red Hood can vouch for us. They will likely be surprised but if you tell them that Penny has asked to meet you, they will understand. And now that I have shared this information with you, I must go and meet with my team.”

Superboy was even more confused as she walked away, wondering how on earth he was supposed to explain any of this to the others. He walked slowly back to the room, immediately bombarded with questions from Kon and Nightwing. He held his hands up to stop them and they quieted down immediately.

“I honestly have no idea what just happened. She said we had a mutual friend who wanted to see me? Something about a little birdie, honestly I am beyond confused. And it looks like you have no idea what she's talking about Nightwing, even though she said you would vouch for her,” he added, causing Nightwing to frown. “I didn't think you knew her but she said to say ‘Penny asked to see me’, and-”

“What?!” The shout came from both Nightwing and Red Hood, the latter shooting up from his seat and the former grabbing Superboy's wrist. “No seriously, she said…but that would mean…Jesus, how did we not see it?”

“No, no way, that's what she meant, freaking ‘birds of a feather’,” Red Hood ranted, ripping his helmet off to run his hand through his hair. “Are you shitting me, she's a superhero?!”

“Okay, I'm officially lost,” Red Robin said, looking back and forth between his two brothers. “Who's this Penny, and why would that make you two freak out like this?”

“She's -”

“It's complicated, Red,” Nightwing cut in, looking exhausted. “And it's not our secret to share, but if she approached you, Superboy, and told you to say that, it means she doesn't mind us knowing who she is. And I guarantee you, choosing not to meet with her would be a huge mistake.”

After that, Red Hood and Nightwing refused to answer any more questions, which only made the others more curious. They approached the meeting that afternoon in varying states of anticipation. Kon seemed to be bored of it, Red Robin was annoyed with his brothers for not sharing what they knew, and Nightwing and Red Hood practically bounced into the room. They made their way over to the French group and practically smothered Ladybug.

She seemed to take it well enough, smirking mischievously up at them as they complained about how she should have told them sooner, especially as they were ambushed with the information. The rest of her team looked nervous until Ladybug introduced the pair and said that they were ‘practically family', after which they nodded and made polite conversation. 

Superboy remained tense for the whole meeting, taking note of everything Ladybug did. He noticed that she was polite with almost everyone, she got along with them too. The only person she seemed not to tolerate was Batman. Which baffled Superboy, how could she not get on with Batman, but apparently knew Nightwing and Red Hood? But it was clear that she did not like the man, only giving him one-word answers and elaborating only when someone else followed up.

By the end of the meeting Batman was broodier than usual, which only seemed to make Ladybug smug. Nightwing and Red Hood seemed to find it hilarious and Red Robin took some pleasure in it too. When she bid them all farewell, promising to be reachable if and when they needed the team, she gave Superboy another unreadable look before vanishing into the Zeta tube to head back to Paris.

The following day, Superboy decided that his curiosity was too strong, and that he had to meet with the mysterious Ladybug and their ‘mutual friend', if only to put an end to his constant musing. He flew up to the top of the building matching the coordinates he had been given. He had arrived early, so as not to be taken by surprise, only to realise that Ladybug had arrived before him. She smiled and waved up at him before turning towards the roof access door.

“Uh, hey, sorry for getting here so early, time zones and all,” he said, wishing he could hear her heartbeat. It was very disconcerting as he could hear everyone else's heartbeats, just not Team Miraculous. For example, there were two other heartbeats very nearby, a young one and- the other was familiar, very familiar, though he couldn't quite place it. 

“Please, Monsieur Kent, you absolutely meant to be here early,” she said, smiling as he froze at the use of his alter ego’s name. “Désolée, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable, but it feels dishonest not to tell you that I know your name. Mon amour was very clear that honesty is important to you.”

“Which is why I said that I should be the one to greet him, ma cherie,” came an amused voice. Jon whirled towards it and saw a tall, broad shouldered man walking towards him. He was wearing a red shirt, a black hoodie and dark jeans. The lining of his jacket was yellow and the man was carrying a small child. The silence stretched as Jon stared at him and the man chuckled awkwardly. “Tt, Kent, you act as though nobody has ever discerned your identity before.”

“Damian?” He whispered, dropping to the roof. “Is it really you?"

“It is me,” Damian rumbled, watching as his wife dropped her transformation and took the child from him. He stood awkwardly, not sure how to proceed. “You know, this is the least I have been hugged by people from my previous life, which is saying something given that Todd was the first.”

In the blink of an eye, Jon had launched himself at Damian, squeezing him until he let out a choked breath. “Sorry, I'm sorry, I just can't believe it's you. I haven't heard from you since you said you were leaving! I knew if I gave you space you'd come back but it's been 5 years and then Dick and Jason and Tim hadn't heard about you, they couldn't find you anywhere and I-”

“Breathe, Kent,” Damian said, glancing towards Ladybug- or, well, the woman who was Ladybug a few moments ago. Now there was just a petite woman with dark hair and blue eyes, wearing a cheerful sun dress and holding a babbling baby who was reaching back for Damian. “Perhaps we should take this party inside, I would not like to have to explain to our neighbours that Superboy has taken an interest in us.”

Once they were settled in the apartment, Ladybug introduced her civilian identity and then excused herself to finish cooking dinner. Damian then introduced Penélope, AKA Penny, and they chatted about how the previous visits had gone. It helped that Damian had said goodbye before vanishing into thin air, there was no real bad blood between them.

“I still can't believe you have a kid. And Marinette? She's great! I mean, she freaked me out yesterday when she pulled up to the Watchtower and basically frosted your dad out at the meeting. But given how much we all hate your old man, it made her friends in the batfam. I'm pretty sure Tim is confused as hell though, when are you gonna tell him what's going on?”

“We are unsure when we will be able to reach out to Drake. But as you now know, it would be unreasonable to ask you to keep this from everyone."

“Hey, I can keep a secret! You trusted Dick and Jason to keep it secret,” he pouted, crossing his arms. “You know I wouldn't tell anyone else if you didn't want me to. I didn't tell them I dropped you off in Germany when you wanted to leave, did I?”

“It is not because we do not trust you, Kent. It is about not making you keep a secret from your family. I have a…different perspective than I did when I left the manor. If someone, even you, asked me to keep something from Marinette, I would be uncomfortable. I would do it, because you are my best friend, but I would be unhappy. I cannot imagine that you would be happy to keep a secret from your family.”

“Huh, that's a surprising amount of insight from you,” Jon said, blinking. “Tell you what, if they ask me, I'll tell them, otherwise my lips are sealed. Except for Bruce, he can jump off a cliff as far as I'm concerned. But I'm glad you're happy Dames, it's nice to see.”

“Thank you, Kent. I have missed speaking with you, even if you were always...exuberant.” Jon laughed, beaming at his friend. They both turned as Marinette carried food through to the dining table. “Perhaps you should change, whilst you may be comfortable in your suit, I would like to have a family meal. Don't worry, Marinette has some extra clothes for you in the other room.”

Jon nodded before heading to the room Damian had indicated. Hanging on the wardrobe was a soft blue sweater, grey jeans and a bag to put them in. He changed at superspeed and was surprised by how comfortable they were. Stepping back out, he was confronted by Marinette who circled him, shifting his arms up and down.

“Um, is everything okay?” He asked nervously, glancing at Damian who only chuckled. “Did I wear them wrong or something?”

“Non, I am just checking to see what adjustments I must make. I could only guess at your size when I met you yesterday. Damian is a good model but you are not quite the same size which means I could not perfect it.” She sighed before taking a seat and motioning for Jon to do the same. “Which reminds me, I have emailed Monsieur Drake about doing an in-person consultation. If he is available, I plan on setting it for Juin, just before mon anniversaire. Perhaps we could make a holiday of it?”

“Whatever you wish, mon coeur,” Damian agreed. “Would you like to see if Jagged is free? Or perhaps Alya and Nino?”

“I might see if Adrien and Felix are available and wish to join us,” Marinette mused. “We could make it a longer, more adventurous trip. Would you be available to see us, Jon?”

“Uh, you’re gonna have a hard time keeping me away! I've missed too much of D’s life as it is, you'll be lucky to get a Saturday night without me.” Damian chuckled and Marinette beamed back at him. “But I don't know if Tim's going to be able to get away from work to get that in-person consult. He's been pretty swamped since Bruce started over doing it with his night job.”

“Tt, I am glad I never showed an inclination for the family business. Drake was always better suited for it and it would only have served to lock me into Gotham. But I think what Marinette is saying is that we shall be making a house call on Drake to have the consultation.”

“You would come back to Gotham?” Jon asked, wide-eyed. “But…I thought you didn't want everyone to know where you were.”

Damian sighed and ruffled his hair with one hand. Penélope burbled and smacked her spoon to the table, easing a smile onto his face. “When I was freshly 18 and did not know how to live away from my family, I wanted them to stay away so I could make my own life. But I am settled now, I know what and who I am. No matter who I come across, I will be able to return to my home.”

The conversation became easier, happy to relax and catch up. As it got later, Marinette excused herself to put Penélope to bed, leaving the two men to chat more. It got later and Jon started to yawn, which somehow made Marinette reappear, brandishing a pair of pyjamas and insisting he stay the night.

“Are you sure? I can just head on over to the Zeta tube and crash on the Watchtower, it won't be a problem.”

“Do not argue with me, Jon. I have already set up the spare bed and you did not get a chance to say au revoir to Penélope properly. I must insist, stay for tonight and then you can go after breakfast tomorrow.”

Jon settled into their spare bed, glancing around the room. There was a creative desk in the corner, completely overrun with fabrics, notebooks and various sewing equipment. In another there was a bookshelf full of old notebooks, photo albums, picture frames and knick-knacks. The apartment was clearly full of memories and love, it gave him a sense of peace to see so much. 

The next morning, Jon awoke to the sounds of someone cooking and singing along to a pop song. He aimed his head in the direction of the noise and squinted so that he could see the shapes of 2 people dancing around each other as they worked together. He grinned, turned around and stretched, before clambering out of the bed. 

When he joined them in the kitchen, Marinette was plating some fresh croissants and pouring coffee from a carafe into three mugs. She flashed him another blinding smile before inviting him to join them at the kitchen island. He slid onto a bar stool and accepted a plate and a mug of coffee.

“Wow, these look incredible! Thanks Marinette. I'm sorry I can't stay too much longer, but my family will be wondering where I went and I don't really want to let my dad know - he's good friends with Bruce and might feel the need, you know?”

“We know, but don't worry, I'm sure it will not be long before he knows anyway. It is très difficile to keep it secret when so many people need to know. It is a risk we are willing to take now."

“Regardless, we do not want you to lie to your family, Kent. Marinette has already received an email back from Drake so we shall be making the trip to Gotham in 2 months, after which it will be nigh impossible to keep the information from him.”

Jon looked unsure but they seemed calm and their heartbeats had not changed so he would have to take their word. It was with teary eyes that Jon said goodbye but Damian invited him to join the weekly video call that he did with Dick and Jason, which cheered him up considerably.

He flew back to Metropolis, clutching the bag Marinette had insisted he take, and marveling at how much Damian had grown. He was determined not to be the one to ruin that by telling anyone who didn't need to know where he was.