Forced To Love

Chapter 9

Rachel slammed the door shut and left while Marinette fell to the ground caressing her bruised cheek. There was a huge hand print on her, turning a very dark purple.

Damian quickly crouched down to reach her level and gently grabbed the hand that was touching her cheek.

"Let me see it".

" NO"!

Marinette felt both hurt and embarrased right now and didn't want anyone to bother her. She just wanted to be alone. But she wanted to stay on the ground by the floor. This honestly brought back so many memories. Like those times when Lila used to tourment her during high school.

Those years were awful. But they soon died down.

Damian got up and opened the freezer pulling out a small pack of ice. Really random but quite useful.

"At least use this, it will help lessen the pain". He said softly.

She quickly grabbed the pack and put it on her cheek. It felt marvelous. But she tried to not show it in front of him. But then again, why should he care.

" Thanks, I guess" she said sniffling. All this tormenting was just awful.

She got up and sat on a chair and started thinking about random things, until certain memories started coming to her.

They seemed to be of some blonde guy she just couldn't remember as always. Then she saw herself and realized what they were doing. Kissing.

She started remembering more except for the face and she started laughing.

"ahahaha, AHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"!!! Damian just stared at her extremely confused and worried for once.

Was this normal?

Could there have been a side effect to the hit Rachel gave her? Or was she always this crazy. Whatever it was, it made Damian want to get away from her. Because she was staring at her hand. That's all. And, she was laughing like a maniac. And the hand, could definitely not be that funny.

" Marinette"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA"

"Marinette" .

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"!!

" MARINETTE "!!!

" WHAT?! I mean, what"?

"Why are you laughing? I mean, your hand doesn't seem that entertaining. So what's wrong with you"?

" now that you say that, even I don't know. I don't even remember why I was laughing"!

And once again, she started laughing. But only because she couldn't remember. This, was the effect of the holder's vows.

Tikki the cat, entered the kitchen with Plagg the cat following closely behind. The two jumped up onto a countertop with the window view and the two layed down and started mewing and stuff. To each other. Cat language.

While the real Tikki, the kwami, she zipped towards Marinette but quickly hid in her hair before Damian saw her.

Every single time Marinette acted like a complete lunatic, there were always two causes. The holder's vows, and her traumatic past. These two merged and made her laugh and randomly cry.

So all Tikki had to do to save her holder from drowning into some unknown land, she'd have to tell Marinette Lila never existed. Even if that just wasn't the truth.

Actually, Lila was now a good person. She was now a psychologist. But when awful memories came, it was better to use the 'Lila doesn't exist' technique. Cause, why not?

"Marinette, as it is the day before the photo shoot, I'm going out for a while".

" Cool. I don't care. Have fun doing whatever you're going to be doing. I'll just go upstairs and work on the usual".

Damian for once could not decipher the meaning to her words. Was she being serious or sarcastic. Did she actually want to stay and do her work or go with him and do whatever he was going to do.

So he asked, not entirely sure why he was even asking.

"Well, do you want to come along"?

Marinette was actually not being sarcastic or anything. She was just in way too much pain and wasn't able to think of do anything properly at the moment. Cause the slap, that was just recent.

But she thought about it. When was the last time she went out for fun? A REALLY LONG TIME AGO.

So she decided why not. It's not like they were going to have to do some weird stuff in public, right?

" Uhm, yes please".

Tikki the cat was resting on top of Plagg the cat's back and heard what Marinette said. This caused her to raise her head up and wonder what the hell was wrong with her.

"Well then, go get yourself ready. It's snowing out there apparently, and the temperatures will drop".

" Right".

Marinette was now much more calmed and went upstairs for a coat, boots, scarf, gloves, and tons more.

She hurried downstairs but first, she made sure to fill the cat bowls with food and water. And another two bowls with camembert and macaroons.

"You spoil them too much". Said Damian.

Marinette just sighed remembering a time Damian wouldn't stop kissing both cats. Kind of weird and awkward moment, but that's in the past.

The two went outside and literally entered no car. Because guess what, THEY NEVER EVEN HAD CARS IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! Well, Damian had to sell almost everything just to save a few things and actually have a mortgage on the Wayne manor. And the red Tesla Marinette once had, that one was eventually sold too.

The two walked for a really long time in plain silence until they reached the local town square with tons of random people walking everywhere.

Damian looked like he was gonna be sick while Marinette happily greeted every single soul that walked by her. They all looked so happy. So full of joy. And when she turned to Damian, he just looked like some dead fish or something. Not going well with the crowd.

The two walked a bit more until they came to a tall building that was labeled Ice Rink.

" Well, I consider this entertaining. Will you come along or shall we move on".

"We can enter".

Damian nodded and opened the doors for both of them to step inside. The building was warm and cozy. Not many people were really here, which was good. Damian did NOT, want to face another jolly soul. Those guys gave him nightmares too be honest.

How does one simply smile to make others smile. WHAT'S THE FREAKIN POINT OF THAT!!!

Whatever. The two got a pair of ice skates and put them on.

" please tell me you won't need much assistance ".

Marinette thought about it for a while. Then she thought about her younger self all those years ago. Fighting villains as an ice skater.

" No, I'll be fine for now".

Damian nodded and entered the rink with Marinette following along.

The two were just skating side by side as a warm up when Marinette completely froze.

She remembered Adrien? But, how?

Marinette slowly looked around the rink and saw him. Saw him holding another girls waist the way only he would hold her. And then, he kissed the girl.

That girl kissed back then looked at Marinette. And Marinette was horrified. Her bestest friend ever betrayed her, just like that.

Marinette quickly left the rink and sat on the bleachers getting rid of her ice skates and all. Damian saw Marinette and followed her.

"Wha-"

"I'm going home. I should've stayed there anyways".

There were tears forming in her eyes but she did her best to not let them fall in front of him.

Kagami Tsurugi was no longer a friend of hers.