Gotham's Twins

Chapter Twelve

Sorry for not posting, I've been trying to catch up on sleep because I've been living like Marinette and Tim.

Well here it is, it's not great.

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Marinette felt sick.

She wasn't being dramatic, she shouldn't have been so mean to Chloé, she was just like her class said she was, a jerk, a jealous whore, a--

"Pix?"

Marinette took a deep, shuddering breath. "It's fine, Jay."

"Sure, because girl drama is always fine. I'll just have to remember that when I find a severed finger in the mail."

"Why do you have a severed finger? Who sent it to you?" Marinette sent Jason an amused look, trying to shove down her guilt and regret.

"Oh, but that's the thing, Pix. I don't know, and I never will." Jason nudged his sister while they walked.

After the argument--could she even call it that?--Jason had led her back into the gardens, he knew nature calmed her. Even after so many years apart. The thought would have made her smile if she didn't feel so shitty. He had even taken off his stupid helmet when Marinette commented on how weird it was talking to the equivalent of a red cone.

The teasing grin left his voice. "But seriously, are you okay? I know it might not be my business but that didn't seem...great."

"Oh really? I had no idea it wasn't great." Marinette said dryly.

She didn't really want to think about it. Chloé was her whole world. She loved her so, so much. And how was she supposed to deal with the restless waters of the world without a boat? Chloé held her aloft, she kept her sane in a crazy world of liars and heroes.

She sighed after a minute. "Sorry, I--I just--" Marinette could feel tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "Chloé and I have been through a lot together. She's been with me for forever and I'm so afraid that I screwed it all up."

"Aw, little Pixie Pop has feelings." Jason snarked, pulling Marinette towards a large tree. "Gross."

Marinette shoved him, trying to keep the smile off her face.

"Back for a day and I already want to shove you into the pond!" Marinette growled, the laughter wracking her body made it hard to be intimidating.

"Pix! You wound me! I can't die again!" Jason cackled. He was a few feet away, bent over at the waist with his hands on his knees.

"Oh sure, Jay. You're hilarious. A real comedian."

"Oh, I know. I should do stand up!" Jason flashed her a grin.

Marinette took a deep breath. Another one. In, out. In, out. In, out.

She could do it. She could tell him about being Ladybug. They were twins, and Marinette had always seen that as a reason to tell him everything. And besides, he was a hero himself.

"So..." Marinette paused and bit her lip. "What would you say if I told you that you weren't the only Todd that's a hero of sorts."

Jason stopped walking. He turned to look at her. He gave her a look that meant "what the fuck".

"Ex-fucking-scuse me?"

Marinette winced, this was going to be hard. "Yeah, so let's say--hypothetically--that I was the hero in Paris that defeated Hawkmoth about a year ago? Hypothetically, of course." Marinette trailed off at the look on Jason's face.

He didn't look mad, per se, just tired. Like he put orange juice in his cereal by accident and ate it before realizing that it wasn't milk.

"Marinette." Uh oh, first name. "Are you Ladybug?"