Chapter Text
song rec: Holding Out For A Hero (Bonnie Tyler)
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear there is someone, somewhere watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood
(Like a fire in my blood, like a fire in my blood
Like a fire in my blood, like a fire in my blood, blood)
I need a hero
~27~
Alfred pops into the doorway. “If you are all ready, dinner is prepared and in the dining room. Please choose your seats without fighting when we have company, if that isn’t too much to ask.”
General murmurs of agreement and joy at the concept of food follow as everybody gets up to head to the dining room, thankful for Alfred’s interruption to break the tension.
~28~
Getting settled to eat is chaotic enough that there’s no room for awkwardness to squirm in during the transition between family room and dining room.
People bicker over seating, but keep it down— for Alfred’s sake, of course. Eventually, they compromise enough to put something decent together. Bruce at the head of the table, then to his right, Damian. To Bruce’s left, Dick, so he can be across from Damian. Marinette is, of course, next to her boyfriend. Continuing down the right side is then Cass, then Duke. Down the left side, after Dick, is Tim, then Steph, then Jason. Jason and Steph start pestering Alfred to sit down with them as he’s bringing food in— the old gentleman huffs, fondly rolling his eyes and declaring that, “Well, I suppose once won’t hurt, especially when it’s such a special occasion,” and eventually taking a seat on their side.
After the rush and bumble of loading their plates with food, things finally settle down enough to sift back into structured conversation.
Dick looks eager to make the first lunge, but Bruce beats him to it, having regained his functioning thoughts. He has settled into a more genuine persona as opposed to the beginning of the night. Like hint-of-Brucie mixed with Bruce-the-dad. Dick pouts as Bruce speaks right before he gets to.
”So, Marinette, tell us about yourself,” he requests, looking open and friendly.
Damian knows it is a ploy.
Okay— maybe it’s somewhat genuine. But he’s also not a fool. He’s aware his entire family craves information as of current. Damian knows they will be analyzing his girlfriend thoroughly to make sure she isn’t a threat and is worthy. Too bad for them, she is statistically perfect, by Damian’s calculations. And he does not (often) make errors in his calculations.
Marinette flusters at having all the attention suddenly turned on her again, fumbling with her fork. “O-oh! Yes, uhm— what about me do you want to know?” She asks, unsure.
Bruce grins like a ditz, “Whatever you think is important to know about you!” He offers up, beautifully unspecific.
”Uhm, I am from France? That is— Paris. Oh, but you could probably tell because I sound— tell about France in general, maybe not Paris specifically,” she babbles. Damian can see Marinette visibly panicking, trying to come up with something on the spot.
Damian, attempting to ease his girlfriend's panic, offers an idea. “Perhaps talk about your family?” He asks quietly. He can see the immediate relief in the way her shoulders relax and her hands slow their fiddling and twitching.
Marinette nods, “Thank you, Damian,” she smiles at him. “My— my Maman and Papa still live back in Paris, I’m here for school with a host family. My parents own a bakery— we get lots of tourists from America! I used to help my parents with it all the time,” she offers, voice fond with the discussion of family.
Jason actually seems rather intrigued by the notion. “That must be nice— your family owning a bakery. Constant access to sweets,” he smirks, eyeing Dick, who tends to have a bit of a sweet tooth. Jason enjoys baking and cooking, but Dick enjoys eating it all. Jason has come back to his safe house various times to missing food and a blue dickface on his couch.
Marinette nods excitably. “Our house is actually above the bakery, so that’s pretty nice— it always smells like whatever is being made that day. However, I definitely ate myself sick when I was little; I’ve found myself to like sugary things less and less with time,” she laughs, recalling how miserable she’d been. “I would pester my parents for cookies and stuff, and then one day, they just said sure, go ahead! And let me eat as much as I wanted. I got such an awful stomach ache, I never asked again.”
Alfred chuckles from his own seat, looking incredibly fond. “Ah, one of the most effective ways to teach consequences. Let them happen.”
That conversation starter seems to smooth the way, everything flowing quite naturally from there.
Marinette tells them about always wanting pets, but not being able to have them above the bakery. How fun it is that her host family has pets. Which leads to her talking about her educational aspirations at Gotham Academy, a reserved bit of information about her old school, what kind of stuff she prefers to sew— Tim was quite interested after Marinette told him she made her purse, and they exchanged some of their favorite designers, excitedly talking about the upcoming New York fashion week. Eventually, they turn back to other topics. Damian actually chimes in fairly regularly, when he’s normally quite quiet at dinner. He can spot many of the family exchange knowing glances of amusement and happiness at his involvement. It’s partially irritating him, but also, was his original plan. Look how social he is. How much he’s improved. How he’s being like a normal teenager. It makes him feel both pleased, and… weird.
Dick has been dying to ask the entire time, and he finally manages to do so. “Okay, I have to know, it is killing me. How did you two meet?! Tell us about how you got together! It’s like, classic meeting-the-family stuff!” He chirps excitably, eager to finally know.
Marinette goes to answer, then blushes, and closes her mouth. Damian does not understand what the issue is, so he just answers, “She was sitting at my lunch table one day—“
”And you two just started chatting and hit it off right away?!” Dick asks with cheer, clearly having watched too many rom coms and forgotten who he was talking to.
Damian deadpans. He shatters that fantasy immediately, without remorse. “No. I told her to leave, did she have any clue who she was looking at? And she asked if she was supposed to care, and told me I can either shut up and sit or find somewhere else.”
Jason chokes on his water, and Timothy clamps a hand over his mouth, face red with restrained laughter. Stephanie has no such restraint, openly cackling at him. Duke grins widely, and Cass, with a matching grin, nudges Marinette teasingly. Dick has an expression on his face that just screams, ‘I don’t know what I expected, but not that.’
Bruce and Alfred exchange fond glances.
Marinette has her hands on her red-hot cheeks, looking mortified. “I was tired!” She protests. “It was a long day, I just wanted to eat, and some guy was telling me to get up and move, I promise I’m not normally so rude!” She pleads with embarrassment.
Jason laughs shamelessly at them, “No, no, that's priceless! That’s fuckin’ fantastic. God, I wish I could have seen that…”
Dick still seems to have some romanticism in mind, asking, “So you guys had a sort of rivals-to-dating thing? Enemies turned friends turned more?” Damian can practically sense his older brother kicking his feet.
Marinette glares at him, although he can tell it isn’t true violence, and Damian feels his own mortification swell in anticipation of what she‘s going to say next. Because he knows exactly what it’s going to be.
She gives him the most supremely unimpressed look. “Nope. The second time Damian ever spoke to me, ever— was a few weeks later, when he walked up to me and asked me to date him. And all I said was ‘Sure.’”
Jason has his head in his hands, in utter hysterics. Tim is face down on the table, wheezing and hitting his hand against it. Dick seems to be trying to slip out of his chair and onto the floor. Even Bruce seems to be containing some sort of reaction.
Jason takes a deep wheeze, attempting to speak through his laugh, “Oh fuck— I didn’t know—“ a string of cackles break through him again, “I didn’t know— didn’t expect you were so into— into—“ he wheezes, “into authoritative women!” He trails off into laughter again, seeing Damian’s face go bright red.
Steph is grinning so wide her face might split open Joker-style. “Who could have guessed. Damian gets told to shut up and sit down once and he decides he’s found the one!” Tim literally can’t even speak. He’s just a weak mess.
Dick looks concerned, but also amused, “Okay, I think it’s at least a little sweet,” he chimes in, looking touched. But also disappointed in Damian’s level of subtlety and romance. “Could have been a bit more romantic?” He suggests.
”I’d say so,” Alfred chuckles, although still looking delighted.
Marinette grins maniacally, all bashfulness leaving her in the thrill of the kill, and Damian is just. He's just going to die now. He’s going to go throw himself off into an abyss in the cave. “Oh, Damian was plenty romantic. In fact, he was Mr.Romantic.”
Damian knew he'd have to embarrass himself to a degree for this. He made his peace with it. He’s even… fine with it, he thinks. It’s a brand new emotion he thinks, seeing them all so excited about him, about his behavior and activities. Usually they are concerned about him and what he does. Now, they seem— overjoyed. It’s relieving. But he could not have possibly prepared for the embarrassment of telling his family his romantic fumbling…
Duke leans into the table some so he can turn his upper body and better face her. “Oh my god, please, what does that mean?” Cass is giggling next to her, face cheerfully pinky from laughter.
“Well, I don’t know if I should say…”
“Tell!” Cass chirps eagerly. Tim lifts his head, eyes red, with an expression full of more desperate need than he’s ever felt before in his life. What the actual fuck does Damian was Mr.Romantic mean? What can that mean? Who is this? Who took his little brother and replaced him?
Damian is actually to the point where he has a hand covering the lower half of his face, glaring at all of them. “I don’t think this is necessary,” he murmurs from behind it.
”I contest thee, it abso-fuckin’-lutely is,” Jason protests. Alfred raises an eyebrow at him, clearing his throat, and Jason mutters a quick apology for his language.
Dick is glowing like the sun. “Tell, tell, tell,” he starts chanting.
Marinette leans against Damian’s shoulder, partially teasing and part comforting, listening to him groan in dread and bashfulness. “I can tell them, or you can,” she offers.
Damian glares at her, still hiding his face. “I’d rather die.” But he nods at her, very subtly.
Marinette takes that as ‘you can do it,’ and does so indeed. “I was actually freaking out, wondering if it was all just gonna be some kind of prank—“
”You what?!” Damian asks, aghast.
“—But first day of us dating, he surprised me in the morning with flowers.”
The Waynes stare at her.
“You have to be lying,” Tim blurts out, and his eyes might be watering.
She grins shark-like. “With their meanings in mind.”
They continue to stare at her. “No, that did not happen. Damian didn’t do that. That wasn’t him,” Jason asks in disbelief. But he is so damn hopeful that it is true because holy fuck.
What happened to Damian in the time they weren’t looking for a little too long?
Damian grits his teeth, eyes closed as he pretends this isn’t happening. But he doesn’t feel… upset at all. He isn’t angry. He doesn’t feel bad in any way. Just… so strange. Almost unpleasant, but he doesn't mind? Or he does mind, but not really? Emotions are confusing. He can’t describe them. It’s too hard. “Marinette is not a liar,” he grinds out, reluctantly. He will not let such slander stand that his girlfriend is a teller of falsehoods.
He can feel the gaping mouths and delighted eyes directed at him. He peaks an eye out of his hand-shield, and spots his father staring at him quizzically and with a weird fond sort of emotion, something reminiscing. Damian huffs. “Tt. I strive to excel in all areas.”
”Oh my god, he actually did,” Dick breathes out, and then his eyes go all glossy and oh kwami, no. He takes a deep breath in, “Damiaaaaannn—“ His voice trails off in a high-pitched whine, “I’m so proud of you, oh my god, you were paying attention to my shows, that’s so sweet—“ Dick stands up from his seat, arms open, and Damian can already see it coming.
”No!” He shouts, standing up from his own seat. “No, Richard! Stay back! Do not approach me!” Damian bends his knees, ready to bolt.
Bruce sighs. “Damian, hug your brother.”
”No, he can wait until a later instance!”
Marinette laughs at them as Dick rounds the table, and Damian pulls his chair in front of him. This is probably the most chaotic family dinner she’s ever been to, and she recently had her crazy friends meet her crazy host family.
Seeing the foreboding in her boyfriend's eyes as his brother approaches with emotional intent, she decides to take one for the team. “I‘ll take a hug, if you just need to get it out of your system,” she offers casually. Dick does not hesitate.
Marinette is nearly swept out of her seat, squeaking in surprise as she suddenly has one tall, emotional man trying his best not to squeeze the life out of her. Oh god, this is just like her Papa. It’s fucking uncanny. She knows how to deal with this. She pats him on the back. “There you go, get it all out,” she wheezes, compressed.
”I’m just so glad we’re all here tonight!” He sighs. “You’re so nice, and Damian is being so sweet! I’m just so happy my little brother seems so happy,” he blabbers, slowly letting go. “You didn’t even tase me for hugging you. This is great.”
Marinette eyes Damian. “…Does Damian happen to do that often?”
Jason grunts, having calmed himself from earlier. “Often enough. Honestly, I’ve contemplated doing the same to that one. You will regret offering him a hug. He will now take this as a sign to initiate them in the future.”
Mariette laughs, checking over her shoulder to see Damian, sitting once more with lots of relief. Having escaped her own fate. “I don’t mind so much— my Papa is 6’5 and his arms are like, the width of my torso, and he gets super emotional all the time and is 100% a hugger. I have practice.” She pauses. “Oh! There’s more story!”
”There is?” Cass asks eagerly, almost startling Marinette.
Marinette fully extricates herself from Dick, who damn near floats back to his seat— albeit with some reluctance at not getting to hug his little brother. But he seems to sense that Damian really isn’t up for it at the moment, and backs down. It gives Marinette a sense of relief— reassures her that they do care about how he feels. She takes her own chair again, surprised at how comfortable she’s become here in such a short time. “Yeah, after the flowers, when we made to leave, Prince Charming over here—“ A hand slaps over her mouth.
Damian sits up straight like he’s been struck by lightning. “Nope.”
Oh my kwami, she doesn’t think she’s ever heard Damian use the word ‘nope’ before. He’s a solid ‘no’ kind of guy. She grins behind his hand. “Nur?” she asks, muffled.
He shakes his head. “Absolutely not.”
”What could possibly be worse than flowers?” Tim asks, delighted. She can see the word tease material flashing in his eyes like icons lining up in a slot machine. Steph has the exact same look.
Jason is grinning like a loon. “I still can’t imagine Damian bringing someone flowers,” he says.
Alfred just looks approving. “Very well done, master Damian. At least somebody in this household has a semblance of propriety,” he remarks, earning several ‘hey!’s and hurt looks, but a general air of ‘okay, true.’
Marinette has pity on her boyfriend and pivots to something other than the hand kiss, using this as the natural slide. She grabs his hand from her mouth, giving a brief head tilt his way, like a nod to signal him not to worry so much. “Get used to it, because he got more.” She sees Damian relax at the change of event, glad she isn’t making him too uncomfortable.
Damian huffs. “I was unaware of proper quantities, but we’re past that now,” he grumbles.
Marinette feels her cheeks pink, affection like butterflies in her stomach all over again as she remembers— the first time she realized how sweet he really was, how funny it was when it happened. “He—“ she giggles. “He didn’t know if he got enough, so he got more. The same day. And gave them to me during lunch.”
Cass starts to giggle uncontrollably, and Dick is beaming. Duke shakes his head fondly, a murmured, ‘of course…’
Jason gasps. “He double flowered.” He squints at Damian. “Who are you?!”
Tim just seems to be in shock. “We’re distracted for one week, and you transform into… this…!”
“A watched pot never boils,” Alfred remarks wisely.
Bruce, finally speaking his piece, claps a gentle hand on Damian’s shoulder. “Guess you got ‘going overboard’ from your old man, huh?” He chuckles.
Damian tilts his head. “Actually, I had Mother in mind. She insists there is no such thing as overkill, and I figured I’d rather get too many than too little.”
Bruce subtly clutches his chest, as if wounded.
Marinette giggles. “Yeah, I know we didn’t speak a lot, but from what I saw, she seemed kind of intense. I can see her being the overkill type.”
The whole table goes quiet.
“Oh—“ Dick’s voice cracks. “You’ve, uh— met Talia?”
Marinette nods. “Briefly,” she winces, “Under less than desirable circumstances, but Damian assures me it turned out okay.”
Multiple people at the table make silent eye contact, a few shifting nervously. All of them, a degree of shock.
“…really?” Tim ventured to ask. At Marinette’s concerned look, he rushes to reassure, “It’s nothing about you! Talia is just— notoriously difficult to…” he clears his throat, “impress.”
Damian nods. “Mother told me during our, ‘mother son day,’ that she rather likes Marinette. She approves.”
You could hear a pin drop.
”Yeah, I’m asleep,” Steph declares. “I’m gonna be so disappointed none of this was real when I wake up.”
”Talia?! Approves?!!”
”Dark magic happened here.”
”Oh my, that’s rather unexpected.”
”I’m hearing things, because there’s no way you said—“
”What even are you? What planet did you come from?”
Damian and Marinette feel that this night is only going to get longer.