𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏, jasonette

iv. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝

(part two to dead)

Jason resisted the urge to throw up as he walked into the graveyard.

Months had passed since Marinette died but Jason was unable to go to her funeral or her grave until now.

He inhaled the frosty air seemingly matching his mood as he looked to the grave he was looking for. There. The grave stated:

Marinette Dupain-Cheng;

Beloved daughter

If I could do it again, I wouldn't change a thing.

Jason remembered the first time she said that to him. She was telling him when a liar stole all of her friends in high school. Lila or something.

She didn't shed a tear while telling him the story. When he asked her why, she simply said, "I found new friends – ones that didn't leave me behind for someone shinier. If I had to relive my life, I wouldn't change a thing."

That line could have been Marinette's motto in her life.

A droplet of water fell onto the grass below Jason. He didn't even realize he was crying.

He suddenly registered the cold water on his cheeks coming from his eyes. It was still too painful to think about her. It hurt too much.

Jason stared listlessly at the colorful array of flowers around Marinette's grave – just like her. He could single-handedly pick out who gave what.

The yellow ones were from Chloe. The blue and red ones were from Luka and Kagami. The purple ones were from Jagged and Penny. The roses were from her parents.

Jason looked at the flowers in her hand – white ones. Marinette told him once while running her hand through his hair, "White is my favorite color."

When Jason questioned it, she replied, "Because it's a color in your hair. It makes you different from the others."

Jason could feel another onslaught of tears coming. He let it.

He needed a way to tell Marinette he was sorry. That he was sorry for not telling her about him. That he was sorry for missing their dates. That he was sorry he was the reason they broke up. That he was the reason she was dead.

"I'm sorry Marinette," he rasped. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I was Red Hood. I'm sorry we broke up because of me. I'm sorry that you're –" his voice cracked at the end. He hoped she got the message.

That he was sorry.

He sniffled as he put the flowers on her grave. Right in front of her.

Jason stood in silence, tears pouring down, for how much time he couldn't tell. By the time he realized, almost an hour had passed.

He wiped his face and turned to leave the graveyard. As he turned though, Jason couldn't help but feel a chill in his face – like someone dumped and ice-cold bucket of water on his hand.

And when he left, he couldn't help but feel lighter – like...like Marinette had forgiven him.

Little did he know, she had been listening the whole time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marinette stood up slowly as she saw another person come to her grave. Jason.

She couldn't help but be surprised – it had been months since she was bound here, why was he coming now?

He didn't really do anything for some time – just stood there with the white flowers in his hand (white, she couldn't help but think, her favorite color.

She remembered telling Jason about it while they were relaxing)

Suddenly, tears started falling from his eyes, and Marinette – despite how much he hurt her, she still loved him – felt her heart hurt.

Just before she was about to walk to him, he said, "I'm sorry Marinette," he rasped. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I was Red Hood. I'm sorry we broke up because of me. I'm sorry that you're –" his voice cracked at the end.

She didn't realize she was crying until she felt something fall onto her pale dress.

He was sorry, she realized, sorry for something he couldn't control.

He put the flowers right in front of her – as if he knew she was there, watching – and stood there until dusk. Marinette, unable to move, overcome with emotion, stood still with him.

As he turned to leave the graveyard, Marinette realized she wanted to do something even if Jason would never know.

So, she ran after him, her dress billowing in the wind and kissed him. Jason stiffened up but she ignored that.

To Marinette, his lips were still the same. The same soft, chapped lips she loved.

When he stepped out of the graveyard, she forgave him.

It's not your fault, she wanted to say, it's not your fault.

But she couldn't say anything.

Bound to the graveyard for eternity, she was a mere, pale shadow of herself.

A ghost.