Fractured (ON HOLD)

Chapter 8 Sparkles

Third pov

However big or small you are, in order to live in Gotham's underworld, you need to have connections.

The young woman who's name has been circulating in the underworld has awakened a curiosity in almost everyone.

"Heard she's at Sally's every Sunday night. Apparently KC and the others love having her around, snarky thing and good at the game too."

Riddler snorted as Penguin's underlings gossiped. News of the latest poker player at Sally's had spread like wildfire since Red Hood had brought her there over a month ago.

"Is it true, or are they exaggerating?" Two-Face asked after taking a seat at Riddlers table.

"Why don't you come over on Sunday, and find out for yourself?" Riddler suggested, a smirk on his lips.

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Damian let Titus run loose after they reached the dog park. Titus himself seemed very agreeable with that and bolted in the direction of the bench where Marinette seemed to sit every time she got there.

Butch, who was slowly starting to look less sickly, met Titus halfway. The pitbull played with Titus to the best of his abilities.

His owner was reading on the bench, but Damian could clearly see that she had an eye on her surroundings.

To be completely honest, her hypervigilance was impressive. There really wasn't much she missed when it came to her surroundings.

"Hi Damian!" She waved him over. "How's your day been?"

"It's been good. We had a potential, partner visiting. Father wanted me to see if he was worth investing the energy in."

Another thing, Marinette had figured out who he was as soon as she saw him. Jason found it hilarious since she didn't treat him any differently. Damian didn't really care much.

"Was he worth the energy?"

"No. Just someone wanting to take people's money and give them subpar goods in return."

"God, I hate people like that." Marinette groans. "Wants everything and gives nothing." There's a slight twinge of bitterness in her tone, but it's gone as soon as he hears it.

"There are awfully many of them, aren't there?" He muses.

"Too many!"

They're interupted by Butch coming back over with Titus in tow. The two of them are panting and look happy. Butch sits down and buffs Marinette's leg.

"Can I give Titus a treat?"

"Sure."

The two dogs happily ate their treats while their owners sat and talked.

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Time skip

It hits her like a brick when Saturday comes.

She's watching Netflix when suddenly, the walls are closing in and she can't breathe.

The world is spinning too fast and she knows she's throwing up everything she's eaten that day. Her throat burns.

Butch is watching from the other side of the room, too afraid to step close in case his new human suddenly decides she doesn't like him anymore.

Marinette just knows that this is taking her so many steps back with how far they've come.

"Butch-"

He's afraid of her.

She curls up into a ball in a corner of the room and cries.

Time skip

When she leaves for poker night she looks like death warmed over. There's dark circles underneath her eyes and she's paler than snow.

Butch had been hiding before she left and the only thing she could do before leaving was making sure he had food and water.

"Here." The bartender puts down a glass of ice tea in front of her normal place at the table.

She's dealt a hand and they play.

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Robin steps into Sally's with Batgirl in tow. Batman had refused to let him go alone. And the reasons for said refusal is currently..... Playing poker with Marinette?

Bane, Killer Croc and Riddler were all three at the table.

"Looks like we have some bats in here."

And with that the whole bar looked over to see which bats.

"Come on man! We're cool." Batgirl protested.

Most agreed with her. For a good reason too, Batgirl had been coming around for years without making trouble in these parts.

In the end everyone went back to what they were doing, with the exception of the bartender who kept an eye on them.

"Would ya look at that boys, we got company. Here to arrest someone?" Riddler asked in a snarky tone.

"Nope. We're here to ask you for help." Batgirl replied. "Yours specifically. We got a fella trying to imitate your earliest crimes."

Riddler folded before turning fully towarss them. "Someone is imitating me. Tell me it's at least a good imitator."

"Nope, they're awful for the most part, so we figured that if we want to catch someone trying to act like you, then why not ask you. You wanna help?"

He did. If there's one thing that truly pisses most of the villains off, then it's people imitating them. Like, if you want to be a bad guy, go ahead. But don't try to make it look like someone else has done it, that's not cool. You gotta own your bad side.

"Have fun. Don't end up in Arkham. We still have a game next weekend." Marinette told Riddler before they left.

The green clad man just patted her head and told her to kick some ass.

Robin quietly observed the whole bar before leaving. Sally's had never been a problem before and apparently Marinette is a regular, he feels confident to leave her there.

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Once poker night was over Marinette found herself wandering the streets.

She wanted to go home, but facing Butch right now felt daunting.

Her feet took her to one of the better parts of Gotham during early morning. A few people were out and about in the cold air going about their day.

"Interested in a cat?"

Marinette looked up to see a younger woman smoking a cigarette outside of what she can now see is a cat shelter.

"Why not... What kind of cats do you have?"

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