To Stop A Loop

Prompt 54: "Stop running away!" "Then stop trying to protect me!"

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"Stop running away!" Robin says as he's running behind Marinette, wondering why she keeps avoiding him like the plague. He watches as she tries to lose him, trying to keep up with the acrobatic girl, almost stumbling as incoming debris fell from the sky. The large chunk of cement crash landed beside him, nearly hitting him. Thankfully, it merely grazed a hair on his head.

When Marinette saw this from the corner of her eye, she turned sharply and came to a halt, her face causing Robin to come to a halt as well. She was covered in cuts and a few bruises. When did it get like that? Nothing has hit them so far.

The entire time the two had been running towards the mastermind behind the mayhem, Robin had been the one to be taking the blows and destroying debris that dared to harm Marinette.

"Then stop trying to protect me!" She wailed, tears running down her face, more gathering at the brim of her eyes. "Stop dying for me!"

"What are you talking about?" Robin said, looking at himself. "I'm right here." He was perfectly fine, when you casted aside the small cuts and aching bruises on his side.

"I've been at this for months." Marinette said weakly, her eyes drifting to her trembling hands. They were coated in deep red, the stench of iron ingrained into her memory. "This is the 25,923 time in which I'm trying to keep you from dying in front of me... " her voice trailed, going to a distant memory.

Marinette remained still as memories of Robin flashed before her eyes.

Robin watched as Marinette looked at her pale hands, wanting to hold them and stop them from violently shaking. Now that he looked at them, where were her leather gloves?

"Is this how Adrien felt? Or was it worse?" Marinette's voice trembled with such anguish, Robin was at a loss for words.

Who's Adrien? Was he an old acquaintance? Marinette never spoke of her friends once since he's met her. She only spoke of her family and of her upcoming fashion show in Gotham.

"He's watched me fail over and over again, always getting caught by- Luka." Marinette whispered, tears flowing even quicker at the name. "Oh God. It all makes sense." Marinette dropped to her knees, a sob escaping her lips. "He's seen me die. Possibly knew my identity too. No wonder he was so overprotective of me and yet so distant."

Luka? Identity? And... she's died before? So how was she still her? The Lazarus Pit? No. She knew how she came back. The question is... how?

"I knew I should've erased his memories. I should've known better. What a failure of a Guardian I am. Not only that..." Marinette looked up towards Robin, looking at him threw her own domino mask. "I can't even protect you, even with the magical powers I have... Damian."

Damian took a step back before taking two forward, cautiously approaching the broken heroine. He crouched, lifting her head to see glossed eyes staring back at him.

"How long have you known?" Damian quietly said. Marinette slowly raised her hand and cupped the side of his face, her eyes softening a bit upon feeling his warm skin.

"Two months." He watched as her lip trembled, tears cascading once more. "I found out when you told me to take your mask off as you-" Damian felt his heart ache at the sound of her voice cracking, "-as you died in my arms."

"Mari." He wiped her tears away. "We can do this together. We have the strength and equipment to-" "

"It's not a matter of being prepared or not." Marinette sternly said, getting up. "You don't know what you're up against." He watched as her eyes softened, but were brimmed with sadness. "Even then, you protected me, paying the price every single time... but I can't continue to see you suffer."

"You're the one that's suffering Mari." Damian softly stated, Marinette shaking her head as he stood up, entwining their hands in the process.

"I'm not. This is part of my job." She tried to loosen his grasp on her.

"You can't do it by yourself." But he tightened it.

"Yes I can."

"You can't. Your body can't keep up anymore." He took her other hand and also held it tight.

"I'll just keep pushing harder."

"You'll die if you force yourself to continue this." Damian hoped his words reached her.

"If that's what it takes."

"Don't you-"

Marinette kissed him, one more tear slipping.

"I will protect you, no matter how many times I have to go back in time." Her hands slipped out of his grasp, her warmth only remaining at the tips of his fingers.

"Marinette stop!" Damian yelled, trying to grab her hand, but it was out of his reach. "Don't do it!"

"I know I said this 25,923 times, but it will never be enough." She only gave him a small smile. "I love you. I really do Damian and that's why I must do this alone."

"Marinette!" Damian yelled as he watched her yell 'Second Chance' causing him to cradle his head as his mind went blank and he found himself chasing Marinette.

He looked up, horrified to see that she was running towards the giant destroying the city of Gotham.

"Stop running away!" Damian found himself yelling, but he felt like that wasn't everything he wanted to say. "We can work together if you stop letting your fear take over you!" He felt something stir in his chest. "Stop pushing yourself to save me!"

He watched Marinette turn around with watery eyes, her running slowing down. "I know you're doing this because you fear that you'll lose me." He watched as Marinette's eyes widened, her running coming to a halt, allowing him to catch up.

But he wondered... what was going on? "But I promise that I'll still be here with you, so please-" Damian wrapped his arms around Marinette, giving her a tight squeeze, feeling her tremble underneath. "Stop trying to protect me and let me protect us." He gently pushed her back and planted a kiss on her forehead. "We can do this together, even if you think we don't."

He cupped her face and placed his forehead on hers, something finally clicking in him. "I know you're trying your best and I know you're frustrated. That's why we have to work together, to get out of this nightmare once and for all." He felt her wrap her arms around his torso and quietly sob into his chest.

"You remembered our previous time?" Marinette said through her sobs.

"I do" He placed his hand on her head, gently patting her. "Every detail." He looked at the giant that was a few meters away. "I want you to stop suffering." He felt Marinette raise her head. "I want you to see that we can take him down, without you having to turn back time once again."

Damian grabbed Marinette's hands and squeezed them tightly. "I want to see tomorrow, with both of us sitting once again in that coffee shop, drinking coffee. I want to see tomorrow with both of us in it."

"So do I." Damian smiled at that, turning his attention to the giant that had finally noticed them. His eyes narrowed. "So let's take him down Ladybird."

"Right, Robin."