A Ladybug's Wrath

Epilogue

"Dami, are you sure we remembered to pack everything? I thought I packed the radio with the dishes, but I can't find it anywhere." Marinette called over her shoulder as she leaned over the box she was currently unpacking.

Damian, having only just come through the door, hauled another box up onto the counter.

"We packed everything. Habibti. Besides," he opened the box in front of him, "it's right here."

He handed the radio over to a beaming Marinette who immediately turned it on.

After Hawkmoth, Marinette had finally been able to pursue a life outside of Paris. With both Damian and Marinette taking online classes from Gotham University, they both took off to travel the world together.

Before leaving, Marinette left Chloe in charge of the business aspect of MDC designs and used a lawyer to buy up the dirt cheap shares in Gabriel Brand. Combined with the shares Adrien had gifted her, she was now the majority shareholder. With Chloe's ironfist and Marinette's designs/clientele, they were able to build the business back up and rename it Miraculous Designs.

At which point Marinette had revealed her identity as MDC to the world.

Adrien, after being cleared by the police as having nothing to do with Gabriel's schemes, was finally allowed to bury his mom and find closure. With her parents having signed up as foster parents a while ago, Adrien had chosen to stay with them so he could stay in Paris, a decision he could never bring himself to regret after they soon began pampering him with all the love and affection he had been missing out on.

Having been disillusioned with the fashion world and wanting nothing that his father had left for him, he had practically shoved the company at Marinette, begging her to take it when she'd suggested buying it from him. Especially after he discovered his love of baking, something her parents were ecstatic about.

Eventually, Adrien became fully adopted into the family and changed his name to Adrien Dupain-Cheng.

Lila and her pack of sheep went down in flames. Lila Rossi and her mother were served papers by no less than fifteen different celebrities. Alya's blog had taken quite the hit since she had endorsed Lila's lies on it, all without fact checking. It was only when it all came out that Bustier's class finally realized that the rest of the school was ostracizing them, having been warned beforehand of the liar by Marinette.

Marinette ignored their desperate and hollow apologies, graduated, and never looked back.

Damian's family all seemed to adore Marinette, much to his relief and continued annoyance. Their monopolization of Marinette's time, time that she could have spent with him, continued to cause arguments and death threats to this day(something that secretly amused Marinette to no end).

Damian, having decided not to take up a position at WE, had instead taken up a position as Marinette's right hand. Having him helping her with both paperwork and negotiations had been a weight off her shoulders that allowed her to focus on her designs.

With both of them excelling in their respective fields, and already owning a business, it was no wonder why they were both on the fast track to graduate early.

Now in their twenties, they worked continuously towards their goals, and with them moving in together into their new apartment in Gotham, everything was falling into place.

Including a certain plan of Damian's.

Marinette had just turned on the radio when she felt Damian's arms wrap around her middle.

Reaching over, he turned the dial until he found a familiar slow song and twisted the dial, turning up the volume. Taking the radio from her hands, he set it aside and turned her around by the hips.

He took a step back and offered out his hand to her.

"Could I interest you in a dance?" The words and music took her mind back to the night they'd first met and couldn't help the sweet smile that pulled at her lips.

"I'd love to."

Damian held her close, both of them flowing through the song, relishing in each other's company. They closed their eyes, soaking in the love they both felt, counting their blessings for having met when they did.

Damian spun her out, then wrapped her in his embrace when she came back.

Looking in her eyes, he took both of her hands in his and kneeled down, getting on one knee.

Marinette's eyes widened.

Is this what I think it is, she asked herself, excitement filling her chest.

They had talked about the future they'd wanted, how they imagined their lives to be, every milestone they wanted to accomplish together.

Damian pulled the box out of his pocket and opened the lid. Happy tears had already sprung to Marinette's eyes.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, My Angel, will you-"

"YES!!!"

Damian seemed startled by her declaration, even a little confused.

"But, I didn't finish asking; Greyson said I had to have a speech prepared-"

Marinette shook her head, getting on her knees with him, ignoring her tears as she cradled his still confused face in her hands.

"I love you. I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to go on even more dates with you, I want to try new recipes with you even if you somehow set it on fire, I want to have kids with you, I want to tell you no more pets even when I know there's going to be another stray just around the corner. I want you. What more is there to say?"

Damian broke into a soft smile that he reserved exclusively for Marinette. He pulled the ring from its box and held it up between them.

With a cheeky grin she held her left hand up, gesturing for him to put the ring on her.

With a small amused roll of his eyes he graciously took her hand and slowly slid the delicate band onto her ring finger, cherishing the moment.

Marinette smiled down at the ring and then at Damian, torn between crying happy tears and suppressing her squeals of excitement.

With pure happiness filling every pore in her body, she couldn't resist the urge any longer and simply pulled him into her, molding her lips to his in a desperate measure to ensure he knew exactly how she felt.

He took control of the kiss almost immediately, caressing her cheek as their lips moved in a synchronized push and pull.

They probably wouldn't have pulled apart if they hadn't heard triumphant shouts echo loudly from across the street through their, unfortunately, open window.

Looking over, the couple groaned in annoyance at the sight of the bat-family all crowded together on the opposite rooftop with binoculars and yelling shouts of celebration.

Marinette sighed, equal parts fond and annoyed.

"I really need to teach your family the definition of privacy."

"Our family now, Habibti, unfortunately. Though, there could be a bright side."

"And what 'bright side' would that be?" She raised her eyebrow curiously.

"If they refuse to respect our privacy, I happen to have a very sharp blade I could introduce them to."

Marinette nodded, as if she was actually entertaining the idea(they did interrupt her proposal after all).

"Or even worse," she mused, "we could tell Alfred."

Marinette grinned deviously at her idea while Damian chuckled in amusement.

Her deviousness was just one of many things he loved about her. After all, you should never tempt a Ladybug's wrath.