Kintsugi

Chapter 11

Shoutouts to my two wonderful new followers!! This chapter is dedicated to you <3

-@Ggirl0001 -@SunshineBloom6

Thanks so much!

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August 29, 2017 - Wayne Manor

Third POV - 

It didn't take long for Marinette to win over the hearts of her newfound family. Her kind gaze and bubbly laughter seemed to lessen the darkness that seemed to be ever-present among the young heros. Her ability to soften even Damien's perpetual glare earned her a newfound respect, even if she didn't know it quite yet. The men and women that currently sat around the table with her would lay their lives on the line to help her out. For better or worse she was family.

However, as all good things come to an end, something just had to happen to ruin the moment. 

Jason became silent.

The family knew that only one thing could end his teasing of the young couple, and the jeering remarks at the rest of his family.

This was something that they had all had brushes with in the past.

Pit Madness. 

They watched as he rubbed his temples, eyes closed in pain. 

His back was hunched and sweat was seeping through the front of his shirt. 

Normally these episodes would result in a full-on brawl and the siblings all tensed as they knew the only place their current situation could lead. They would need to incapacitate their brother. Again. Until a small parisian, who had just unlocked her powerful abilities, spoke up.

"Let me help." A soft voice broke through Jason's pain.

Marinette shot a look at Damien who got up and helped lower Jason to the floor.

"No.... go-gotta g-go. Leave." It seemed as though Jason was choking on his words, the sounds that escaped his throat were guttural. Near impossible to understand. He stood up, bracing his hands on the table before sitting back down. He could concentrate on one thing and one thing only right now. He needed to keep his family safe. 

From himself. From the things inside his head, currently clawing their way out.

Marinette shot Damien a look, and he quickly made his way over to Jason's side, lowering the man to the floor, positioning him so he was laying on his back. Jason barely even acknowledged the fact that "Demon Spawn" was willingly touching him, or even his position change.

"Now, Monsieur this is going to hurt very bad for a couple seconds. But I promise that it will feel better. I give you my word as Ladybug." Marinette tried to relax him as she brought two fingers to either side of Jason's head. At the sudden skin-to-skin-contact, his eyes snapped open to reveal sickly-green orbs. The color of Pit water. His pupils were dilated, and he had a sinister smile on his face. His hands darted for the daggers hidden in his jacket. 

"I'm out of time! Hold him down!" Marinette's voice turned hard. The small girl barely managed to keep her hands on the flailing man's head as the boys hurriedly pinned their brother down. Marinette pursed her lips in concentration and pink light emanated from the fingers that touched Jason's head. She closed her eyes as she started the process of banishing the Fog from his mind.

"This is been a plague for many years now. I will need more strength." Marinette's voice sounded deep, powerful. It startled those around her - such a voice did not belong in such a small body.

"Tiki spots on." She said it quickly and quietly, and in a flash of pink light Paris' red-clad heroine sat on the floor of the Wayne dining room. For a few more minutes, no one dared breathe as the small girl knelt over Jason. Until she finally let go of his head and Jason stilled, no longer fighting against his brothers' hold. 

"When he wakes up I will explain. Spots off." The flash of light came again and Marinette took the place of Ladybug, sitting on the floor with a dazed look in her eyes. Damien sat behind her, allowing her to lay against him and breath, calming herself after how much she had exerted on saving Jason's mind. 

"While we are waiting here, could I get the rest of your names? I fear we may have skipped the introductions..." The small parisian looked around at the large family, silently asking for a change of topic - Bruce caught on to the tiny girls pleading first.

"We'll, you probably already know this but I am Bruce Wayne, founder of WayneTech and father of most of these children. Except these two." He motioned to the redhead and the blonde.

"Am Cassandra. Call Cass." A small asian girl with black hair in a pixie cut spoke up from the back of the group, she had been silently watching the body language of this new person throughout dinner. She had come to the conclusion that while Marinette had her secrets, the girl was genuine. She was truly worthy of being accepted into the family. 

"I'm Stephanie Brown. You can call me Steph! It's great to meet you, you know you've really changed Damien. It's kind of freaky to be honest." The blonde spoke with enthusiasm, a lot of enthusiasm. She had wide brown eyes that seemed to glow with her joy.

"Richard Grayson. But you can call me Dick!" She turned to Damien with a questioning look in her eyes, and the boy quickly explained that 'Dick' was in fact a nickname for someone named Richard. She nodded and turned to Dick, sending him a warm smile that melted his heart.

"Tim Drake, the one who planned this whole trip and crazy's boyfriend." The boy had longish black hair, and a cup of coffee in his hands, he seemed to be gripping the mug like his life depended on it. "Crazy" who just so happened to be Steph, sent him a glare and turned back to Marinette.

"Lastly, that is Jason Todd on the floor there. White streak came from his dip in the Pit." She explained, pointing to the boy laying on the floor in the middle of them all, but one thing in particular caught Marinette's attention.

His last name was Todd.

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Marinette POV - 

Todd. 

Jason Todd.

A distant memory of a Ferris Wheel surfaced.

Cotton candy. Popcorn. Tearful goodbyes.

He had called her blueberry. She had called him brother.

 She had found her birth certificate not too long ago; that was when she had adopted the last name 'Todd'. Marinette Dupain-Cheng Todd. It was a mouthful but made her feel more connected. Tied her to her past. Her family.

And she had just found that family.

He groaned and sat up, I watched as the siblings tensed - getting ready for a fight. His eyes slowly opened, revealing blue orbs. No trace of the green that had once stained them a few minutes ago. All trace of the Fog that had been in his mind was gone. A Jason free from the weight of the Pit sat up and stared at us.

"What are you guys looking at?"

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Word count - 1135

edited 7/26/23