Is Love A Strong Enough Word?

Fourth Year

Marinette was expecting to see the same Damian she usually did after break, maybe he grows another inch or two but she did not expect him to grow like four inches and lose so much baby fat in the span of three months.

Apparently he and his brothers got very competitive about athletics over the summer and even went on a biking vacation for a week.

"Shortie."

"I am not. You freakishly tall... tree!" Damian rolls his eyes as he dramatically bends down to be eye to eye with Marinette.

"Better?" Marinette huffs, flicks his nose, and complains about him not being able to fit through the doors. She turns and goes to browse through the books to hide her blush, entirely unaware of Damian's dilemma.

Over the summer, Damian hung out with his friend Jon who was very curious about boarding school. To avoid having to lie too much, Damian brought up Marientte.

"Do you like her?" Jon asks, only two years Damian's junior.

"Yes, I wouldn't put up with her rambling if I didn't."

"Wow. That's great, are you gonna ask her out?"

"What?" Damian's head snaps to his friend, taken aback by the suggestion.

"You know... on a date? That's what people usually do when they like someone." Damian isn't put off by the idea, but... its Marinette. She's not someone he'd consider dating- okay maybe it's crossed his mind in the dead of night but there's no way she sees him like that. She's his best friend besides Jon but now that he thinks about it... it... it wouldn't be impossible to turn that platonic friendship into something more.

"Right... I suppose I do." He admits, mulling over the new information. Reevaluating his friendship with Marinette.

"Awesome. I hope it goes well when you ask." Damian is quick to change the topic to Jon while he processes his mini epiphany.

But now that Marinette's in front of him he feels the full force of his realization. But what to do with this information? Perhaps he could let her know about his feelings towards her without saying anything...

As Marinette and Damian try to be discreet about their new found crushes on each other, Tom Dupain reluctantly hands his wife a galleon.

"I thought it would at least take another year." He grumbles as his wife hands the money back.

"They won't be getting together until next year, in the first semester," she studies the pair further, "Marinette will confess first." Alfred can't help but laugh at her confidence but Tom puts the money away and nods in agreement.

Marinette was far more visibly obvious about her crush, having come to the realization while fantasizing about how he'd write her letters and what his voice would sound like saying her name the same way she hoped he would say it in their letters.

Marinette and Damian spend the next semester dancing around each other, Marinette pulling Damian along and him no longer separating their hands after the fact. Marinette is at first very self conscious of being all over Damian like she used to and Damian notices when she suddenly stops after some teasing from her roommates. Damian takes it upon himself to put his arm behind her back when on the couch and sitting closer to her in the library until Marinette finally gets the message and then they're back to being on top of each other.

And if you were to ask them it's totally platonic, unless you think it looks like the other one might be interested in them romantically. Because then Marinette would fully rant about how there's no way Damian likes her back but would fully interrogate you if you think Damian likes her back. Damian would glare at you until he finally gives in and asks if Marinette told you anything.