the great guardian | daminette

Word Count: +2k

summary: the assassin bows his head. “yes. the great guardian of the miraculous is currently in new york city.”

ao3|wattpad | masterlist | prompts

part 2

Damian Al-Ghul eyes the assassin in front of him. “Are you sure?” he asks with no semblance of emotion.

The assassin bows his head. “Yes. The Great Guardian of the Miraculous is currently in New York City.”

“And what does the Guardian do?”

“The Guardian has a business she owns – designing for various…celebrities,” The assassin displays disgust at the word, but Damian ignores it.

“And her name?” he asks.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Pursing his lips, Damian motions for him to leave. “Leave. And permit no one to enter.”

Bowing once again, the assassin leaves the room and shuts it behind him.

Damian rubs his temple, wondering just howhe could kidnap the Great Guardian of the Miraculous. She had the most powerful miraculous in her hands, and if he was not stealthy enough, the Guardian would detect him.

Yes,him.

Damianwas going to go and kidnap her for the miraculous. But the plan would have to be flawless and well executed.

So far, no one knew of his idea and Damian planned to keep it that way.

Now, back to the plan…

◇─◇──◇─◇

A few weeks later…

Marinette smiles brightly (and fakely) feeling her cheeks hurt with how hardshe was smiling.

Once she walked into her office, she slams the door shut and slides against it.

Her shaking shoulders and telltale sting in her eyes tell her that she’s about to start crying again.

“Why?” Marinette whispers to the room. “Why did he have to do it now?”

‘He’ was Adrien Agreste, her ex-fiancé.

The previous night, he had broken off their engagement for reasons Marinette couldn’t fathom to understand.

**

Smiling stiffly, Marinette smiles for the cameras outside the restaurant.

“That’s right,” Adrien whispers into her ears, also waving for the paparazzi. “You’re doing great!”

Marinette says nothing, somewhat annoyed at him for ruining what was supposed to be a privatedinner.

After 10 minutes of constant smiling, she finally relaxes into the limo. “Done,” she groans.

Adrien looks at her with an odd look in his eye. Then, Marinette didn’t realize what it meant.

As the car glides to her apartment, Marinette discusses her latest designs for her business. “-And if I finish it, it would be a huge boost!” she finishes excitedly.

“A boost you wouldn’t needif you joined Gabriel.” Adrien points out – for the millionth time – and Marinette sighs.

“Adrien,” she says, “We’ve discussed this. I am notgoing to be joining Gabriel as one of the designers. I have my own dreams to fulfill.”

And later, as Marinette reflects, this is what made him snap.

He stiffens up and they sit in uncomfortable silence for the rest of the ride.

Once they reach her apartment, Adrien asks her, “Marinette, would you mind if I came to drop you off?”

“No, of course not,” she says, oblivious to what comes next.

Inside her apartment, Adrien looks at her. “Marinette,” he begins in the patronizing tone she hates. “I’m giving you a choice.”

She stares at him. “What choice?”

He breathes in. “Either, you join Gabriel and we can continue our relationship or…”

“Or what?” Marinette asks, still not completely sure what’s happening.

“Or it’s the end.” Adrien finishes, looking at her with those hopeful green eyes as he was expecting her to choose the first option.

As if he was thinking she would give up her dreams, something she spent yearsmaking true, just for him.

“What are you doing, kid?” Plagg flies out of Adrien’s pocket and glares at him.

Adrien looks at Plagg as is he’s the one being stupid. “I’m giving Marinette a choice.”

“A choice between youand her job?What’swrongwith you kid?” Plagg asks bluntly.

Apparently, his owner is unwilling to listen and snaps, “Shut up, Plagg.”

As Plagg opens his mouth to speak, Adrien says it again. “Plagg. I order you to shut up.”

The kwami’s mouth snaps shut.

Marinette’s jaw drops open and Tikki and the other kwami’s fly out in indignation.

“Adrien,” Marinette asks sternly, “Whatare you doing?”

“Marinette,” Adrien says as if that will excuse what he’s done, “I gave you a choice. You pick.”

Seething now, Marinette glares at him. “I pick-”

“Me right?” Adrien asks excitedly, as if she would actuallydo that after what he’s done in the last past 5 minutes.

“No,” Marinette hisses. “Ipick my business.”

Now it’s Adrien’s turn to be shocked. “What?” he gasps. “But what about us-”

Practically fuming now, Marinette advances on him. “I wasn’t the one who gave the ultimatum Adrien. You were. And you can take it back how much you want. But Iwon’t be coming back.”

She snatches the ring on her finger and slams it onto her table, feeling spiteful satisfaction when it shatters to pieces.

An analogy of their relationship really.

“Nowget out.” Marinette dares him to try and fight her.

Still shocked, Adrien walks backwards, towards the door. “Come on, Plagg.”

Plagg tries to say something, but all that comes out is a muffled noise.

Enraged, Marinette snaps her fingers and he can speak again.

“You wish, kid,” Plagg hisses flying to the rest of the kwamis.

Adrien glares at him – as if he ownsPlagg, “Plagg, I orderyou to come with me!”

But nothing happens because Marinette has snatched the ring from Adrien’s hand. “Out.”

“But my miracu-” he stutters, looking at her with betrayal.

Later on, she will laugh bitterly at the irony.

“OUT!” Marinette yells, but yetAdrien still tries.

“Marinette-”

And for the first time in Marinette’s entire time, she’s had the Ladybug Miraculous, Tikki yells.

Boy, does she yell.

“GET OUT OF HER HOUSE!” Tikki screeches. “GET OUT NOWADRIEN AGRESTE OR I SWEAR I WILL MURDERYOU,RIGHT NOW!”

Adrien hightails out.

And hours after he has left, Marinette is sobbing with the kwamis trying to comfort her.

**

Coming back to the present, Marinette wishes she hadn’t left Tikki behind today. For two reasons really, 1) she could reallyuse her support and 2) Marinette felt like she was being watched.

Instead, Marinette tries to think about what Tikki would have said. He isn’t worth your tears, Marinette, she would say fiercely, you deserve so much better than him.

Yes, Marinette thinks, standing up and smoothing her clothes out, Tikki would say that.

Walking to her desk, Marinette opens up her laptop and while waiting she organizes her desk.

She pauses when she sees a dark shape behind her.

What in the kwam-

Spinning around, Marinette gives her attacker a solid punch in the jaw, smirking triumphantly when she hears himcurse loudly.

But it was far too soon, because later, to the smell of chloroform, Marinette falls into the waiting arms of unconsciousness.

◇─◇──◇─◇

Damian rubs the ice pack over his jaw thoughtfully, while assessing the short woman tied to the chair.

She is stronger than she looks, he thinks thoughtfully.

He smiles wryly, remembering the solid, surprise punch to the jaw she gave him.

When she starts to stir, Damian immediately makes his face blank and sets the ice pack down.

“Where am I?” she mumbles and he is momentarily thrown off by the innocence in her voice. For some reason, it appealsto him.

Clearing his throat, Damian waits for her to open her eyes before addressing her. “You,” he says coldly, “Are in the lair of the League of the Assassins.”

She stiffens up immediately and her eyes (beautiful ones) become glaciers. “Why?” she hisses. “The Order has done nothing to you.”

“Exactly,” Damian says walking closer to her. “Nothing.Zero. Zip. Nada. I wish to know why.”

She glares at him, subtly (but not subtle enough) trying to loosen her bonds. “And so, you kidnappedme?”

“Yes,” Damian says casually. “And I also want the Miracle Box.”

Her back straightens defiantly. “What makes you think Ihave it?”

Laughing softly, Damian looks at her. “You don’t think I would have done my research, Marinette Duoain-Cheng, Ladybug, former superheroine of Paris?”

She doesn’t look to surprised at the use of her name and alias. “I was hoping,” she admitted, “Damian Al-Ghul.”

And Damian can safely say he is shockedshe managed to get his real name. He made sure to keep it a secret.

“Interesting,” he says, walking around her. “Bit you still didn’t answer my question. Whereis the Miracle Box?”

Marinette tips her head back and gives him a cocky smirk (and for some reason Damian wants to kiss it of her lips). “What makes you think Ihave it? After all, if you know I was Ladybug, then you mustknow I had a partner too?”

He doesn’t miss the emphasis on ‘had’. Damian wonders if it has something to do with the momentary weakness she displayed once she was in her office.

His expression shifts uncomfortably, feeling like he wanted to murder the one who made her so…weak.

It disappears in a flash.

Replying as cockily as her, Damian smirks. “Unlikely because Wang Fu trusted you much more than your partner and fiancé, Adrien Agreste also known as Chat Noir.”

“Ex-fiancé,” she says almost angrily and then Marinette snaps her mouth shut as if she hadn’t meant to say that.

Quirking an eyebrow at her, Damian says, “This must be recent development because otherwise it would be all over the news.”

She rolls her eyes at that. “Yeah, because Adrien just hadto make us look good for the press,” she mumbles, apparently unaware he can hear her.

Ignoring the ugly feeling in his stomach, Damian eyes her thoughtfully. Perhaps if he opened her up more, she would give him more information about the Box.

(Definitely not because he wanted to know more about her)

“Tell me more,” he orders her.

◇─◇──◇─◇

Marinette doesn’t understand why she’s doing this.

Thisbeing opening up to Damian Al-Ghul, her quite literally arch enemy.

But here she was, telling him all about her issues with Adrien and how they broke up.

“-And then, he gave mean ultimatum – either I join Gabrielor we break up! And then when P-”

Marinette pauses abruptly. Shit. How could she have fallen for this trick?

He must have noticed the tear tracks on her face, she thinks.

“And then?” Damian looks at her with interest – interest that is faked, she tells herself firmly.

Realizing she should probably continue so as to not arouse his suspicion, Marinette says, “He did something I couldn’t forgive. So, I broke off the engagement.”

“There’s more to the story,” Damian says, no demands.

Marinette shrugs – or as much as she could in her bonds. “That’s all I’m willing to tell you.”

Damian presses his lips together and it draws her attention to them.

They look soft, she thinks longingly and almost immediately snaps out of it.

“Fine,” Damian snaps. “I’ll let you go.”

Marinette gapes at him as he rummages around his desk for a knife.

Quickly, he pulls one out and she stiffens. What if he’s going to kill her?

But that would defeat his purpose, she reasons. But isn’t letting her go alsodefeating his purpose?

She waits, her heart thumping, and Marinette feels her muscles become slack with shock when he actuallycuts her loose.

Unsure, why he is doing this, warily Marinette gets up and promptly tumbles into his chest.

“Mmph,” she says and she feels her cheeks color in a way they haven’t since Adrien.

Damian’s arms are wrapped around her and she can smell the scent of the cologne he uses.

Backing off, Marinette winces as she rubs her wrists. “Why are you doing this?” she misses Damian’s eyes tracking her wrists and then him cringing at her wince.

“Because I want to,” he says brusquely.

Glaring at him defiantly, she replies, “That’s no answer.”

“No, it’s not,” Damian agrees. “But if you want to escape, now’s the time.” He gestures to the door.

Marinette wastes no time, launching herself out and then taking off into the streets of New York.

Thank Kwami Damian took her somewhere familiar, she thinks as Marinette runs through the streets zigzagging for the benefit of any followers.

Taking the longer route to her apartment, Marinette stares at the Kwamis wide-eyed. “You will neverbelieve what happened to me.”

**

That night, as Marinette lay in bed, she wonders why Damian Al-Ghul of all people let her go.

Little does she know, said man is wondering the same thing himself.

Why did he let her go?

Imagine: Bugpollo

Little phone doodle I did and forgot to post here on tumblr. I was inspired by @lunianand@leecheedoodles Christmas posts and I had a ton of fun drawing this ❤