Gotham's Twins

Chapter Ten

Guess who's getting anxiety medsssssssss

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Marinette didn't want to leave.

Her bones were heavy and her brain was mush. She felt like garbage with more garbage on top. Streaks of dried tear tracks itched on her face and her ponytail was drooping.

But she didn't want to leave.

With every second Jason--Red Hood--was gone, the hope in Marinette's chest shrunk just a little bit.

When had she started thinking of him as Jason?

Maybe the second he gave her the clip.

Or when he asked to talk to her.

Or when he tackled her off the joker--Scarecrow, he wasn't actually the Joker.

Marinette already thought of Red Hood as her dead brother, living.

But it wasn't possible.

Jason was murdered five years ago by the Joker. He couldn't be alive and beating up super villains.

"It's not possible," Marinette groaned to herself and set her head in her hands, bringing her knees to her chest.

Tikki floated up out of Marinette's purse and pried Marinette's hands away from her face.

"Marinette! You know that anything is possible! You've done things that seem impossible!" Tikki squeaked, smiling at her Chosen.

"Yeah!" Kaalki said in agreement, coming up to float by Tikki, out of sight.

Marinette frowned at the Kwamis. "But that was magic, I couldn't have done those things if I wasn't Ladybug."

Tikki huffed and crossed her tiny arms. "You know very well that you are Ladybug, in or out of the suit."

Marinette bit her lip, unconvinced.

"And besides, maybe he was brought back to life with magic! Didn't you feel his weird energy?" Kaalki grinned.

Marinette had felt it. The energy surrounding Jason--Red Hood--was...dangerous.

Marinette sighed and stood up. "I felt it, but that's something to deal with later. Right now, It's time to go." Marinette sighed, feeling her shoulders droop. Red Hood wasn't coming back. "He's out of time."

Tikki and Kaalki exchanged a glance before darting back into Marinette's purse.

"Bug! You ready to go?" Adrien slipped into place beside her, grinning widely as he slung an arm over her shoulder.

Marinette smiled back before checking her phone's clock.

12:04.

She didn't have any time left to give Jason--Red Hood.

"Well," Chloé said, falling into line on Marinette's other side, grabbing her girlfriend's hand and kissing her cheek. "I think we should go back to the hotel and watch movies the rest of the day."

"Ooh! We can get room service!" Kim called out, appearing on Adrien's other side.

Nino knocked shoulders with Chloé from the outside of their line. "Are you never not thinking about food?" He said, throwing an incredulous look at Kim.

Marinette zoned out as they bickered, feeling better touching and being near her friends. The fear toxin had fucked with her head but feeling how alive all her friends were was calming.

And then there was a crash from back where the ambulances had been.

Marinette skidded to a halt. Was it...?