Gotham (Maribat)

Chapter Six

Marinette knew she had made a mistake when the sun started coming up. She didn't sleep most nights, it wasn't necessary when she had more pressing matters to deal with or people she needed to keep in line, mainly the team. She had gotten a call from Luka sometime around eleven stating patrol was done and that she'd have a report from both him and Marc by tomorrow night, or tonight she supposed. 

Marinette chuckled, last night had probably been one of her better nights. Even with the events from earlier. 'That reminds me, I'm going to need to call my lawyers.' She mused to herself, slipping the fabric through her sewing matching. A soft hum filled through the room, as it did most nights, and it made Marinette smile just a bit more. 

The blunette wasn't sad, not truly. In fact, it felt freeing. When the class had originally destroyed one of her sketchbooks Marinette had opted to forgive them, after all, it was THEIR designs and if they wanted them remade then they'd have to pay more than they already agreed upon (of course that had just pissed them off and pushed them closer to the thin line of 'no return' they always talked about in movies). However, even with the serenity, Marinette felt as though there was something sticking in the air, something bad. It felt... destructive. 

It wasn't Hawkmoth, he had been quiet lately tho she thought it had something to do with how pent up her own emotions were, many of the Akuma couldn't find a direct source of negative emotions and ended up going back. And yet, it wasn't him. Not it felt closer, like some bond was being torn, or was about to be. She had already cut her connections to her class so it wasn't them. Maybe it was Alex? Alex had been tethering between Marinette, Lila, and middle ground. Bunnix hadn't shown up and directed her yet so she had brushed the girl off, deciding that time would play out as it pleased. Although that still wasn't exactly comforting. 

It could have been Adrien. He had swayed around that rope once, even fell off in one timeline, but It didn't feel like that kind of betrayal. Besides Adrien had been doing better since he was given the bee miraculous, Marinette having swapped the two powers between Chloe and Adrien in hopes of keeping the already powerful bond. 

No, this bond, it felt like one she had with Gotham, strong but deadly. Either it was going to kill her or she would kill it. And that scared her. Luckily she didn't have to think too hard about it when her mom called her down.... at three am. 

"Marinette? Are you up?" Marinette's light was on so it should have been a no brainer that she was up, but Sabine never liked to assume after multiple nights of Marinette falling asleep with the light on. 

"Yes Maman, what's up?" Sabine seemed frozen, and Marinette felt.... tense. The feeling seemed to get stronger and this time it was like a needle. Several needles, all being shot into her body at rapid-fire. 

"Dear... your father and I need to talk to you." And with that Sabine disappeared, leaving Marinette to silently drown. This didn't feel right. Marnette could breathe, she knew that. But it felt like her soul didn't. It didn't know she could breathe and instead, she was rocketing. 

Marinette got up, a dizzy swirl coming over her, and her lungs seemingly giving out. The bad was going up, reaching u further and further and she didn't think she wanted to godown there, learn what her parents had to say. But she did. "what did you want to talk about?" 

Sabine and Tom were stiff, 'could they feel it too,' she wondered. "Why don't you have a seat," Her mother asked, a soft but rigged smile on her face. 

Marinette looked between the two adults, confusion and pain rushing through her body. The sharp feeling pinched into her legs causing her to sit down. She felt week, overwhelmed. 'Stompp, Fluff now is not the time for this' She mentally cursed. 

"Marinette... there's something we need to tell you" 

Marinette stayed on the couch, all of her emotions seemingly gone. When her mother, no Sabine, reached towards her she flinched away, curling in on herself. 

She had trusted them, she had told them her secrets and grew to trust them and this is how they thank her. 

"-And your brother... he's alive" 

She wanted to scream, the bad had gone but it was only refilled by something worse... nothingness. Marinette had cried over her brother when she found out he died, she had blocked everything out and refused to talk. she had become isolated by her own doing and so many had pulled her out, told her it was ok. And the two people who had helped the most kept it a secret when they found he was alive! For six years (SIX YEARS!!!) Jason had been alive, and they hadn't told her. 

Marinette, although looking at the floor, could feel the sudden shift of air. "Don't... please," she pleaded, still now looking up. Toms' hand moved away. "you should go start prep, I'm fine." She wasn't but hopefully either talking to Adrien or Luka would help. 

Tom and Sabine, tho reluctant, left Marinette in the room. 

Marinette wasn't thinking, she wasn't feeling. Her head was on repeat with a single word shouting out, 'please.' She had nights on repeat, nights were she was alone in one house or another wanting her older brother to come to save her but he hadn't. He wasn't there. He was alive once, then he wasn't, and now he was. and it was... it wasn't ok. Because he should have come for her, should have talked to her, should have told her he was ok and hugged her. 'He doesn't want you...'