Damian's eyes flew open at the squeal of surprise and subsequent crash, the boy was on the couch, Marinette on the floor in front of him looking confused- eyes blown wide, her cheeks ladybug red.

"What are you-" Damian never got to finish the sentence, the night prior rushing back to him.

"Where? Why? Uh- how, how did we?" Marinette tried to form a coherent sentence but couldn't seem to.

"I don't know, you fell asleep at the table and I tried to put you on the couch but you wouldn't- and I fell asleep-" Damian couldn't help his blush, "I didn't want to wake you." Marinette seemed to understand what had happened and blushed even harder.

"I-I'm so sorry, I really didn't-"

"I know, me too." Damian took a glance at his watch, it was 9:30- they were late. Very very late. "Shit, we're late." Marinette took a quick glance at the clock attached to the wall above the television behind her.

"You shower- I'll make food and eat, then we trade?" Marinette nodded quickly walking to what she must have thought was the bathroom, it was really where Damian kept all his non-everyday things, all the suits and things the billionaire heir would wear, Marinette seemed to notice the higher end items and quickly closed the door, still blushing, she then rushed into the bathroom.

When Marinette was done she changed into some spare clothes she happened to have in her bag and traded places with Damian, eating quickly- her damp hair drying. Damian walked out fully clothed with wet, disheveled hair. The two quickly rushed out of the apartment, into the car, and onto the road.

Damian literally groaned when the car's dashboard showed a call from his father, it was not the morning for this. The boy picked up his phone and answered the call, turning off the car's Bluetooth.

"Yes, father?"

"No, I will not be going."

"I don't care, if Todd is there that should be enough. Doesn't Drake need to go, it's his job too."

"Date night with Stephanie is not a good enough excuse, he can take her there instead. I have a plans."

"My plans don't concern you. Don't put Alfred on the- Alfred, tell father I'm busy. Unlike him, I have a life."

...

"Well it just so happens that I do. Yes, I have a date tomorrow- with who?" Damian paled slightly, he hadn't thought through this lie, the chaos of the morning wasn't helping his tea deprived mind.

"One of the women I dance with- her name? No, I'm not making this up- why would I lie? Her name is- Marinette. I'd put her on the phone but you're probably far too-" Marinette jumped, blushing madly, if Damian was being honest he'd only said her name because he meant it- he wouldn't mind having a date with the girl.

"Then put her on the phone, Damian, if you really want to skip the charity gala I need proof." Damian mentally cures his father, he then turned to Marinette with pleading eyes. She nodded, still blushing like a mad woman. Damian heard a mumble.

"Ah- I'll have to call you later Damian, work." Damian sighed in relief.

"Of course, father, enjoy the gala."

"Yeah, right." The older man scoffed hanging up the call.

"I'm so sorry about that, you were the only name I could think of. My father was trying to get me to go to some trite gala."

"It's alright-" Marinette had to stop herself from saying that she actually like the sound of going on a date with him- while it took weeks for Marinette to realize it, now Marinette couldn't get the thought of kissing and dating Damian out of her head.

"Why would you need to go to a gala?" Marinette asked, looking out the window.

"What do you mean?"

"Why would you need to go to some fancy rich person party?" Damian looked at the girl like she was insane.

"Because my father is hosting one? The Thomas and Martha Wayne Foundation host charity galas every month. Unfortunately." Marinette seemed to put two and two together at that- Wayne. Like the billionaire Waynes. Marinette fell asleep on a Wayne Wayne.

"Oh." Marinette commented feeling like an idiot. Damian smirked.

"Yes, 'oh' sounds appropriate." He joked.

"NO WONDER YOU'RE SUCH A BRAT!" Damian gave the girl a glare but he couldn't follow through, she giggled as they pulled into the garage of the dance studio. The two got out of the car and rushed into their respective practice rooms, quickly shoving their shoes on, trying to catch up with what they missed.

Marinette sat outside one of the ballet rooms waiting for Damian to finish his practice- the boy walked out a few minutes later quickly noticing the girl.

"Marinette?"

"Ready?" Damian was pleasantly surprised that she wanted to continue practicing together after the fiasco that was their morning.

"New rule: no practice past 9:30." Marinette said as they walked into 'their' practice room, Damian chuckled- it was half past seven so they had a few hours to clean up their dances. After, Damian and Marinette realized that they didn't have food again, this time Marinette went home in a taxi with a full stomach and a smile on her face.

Damian had been relieved to see that Marinette wanted to continue practicing, he was worried that he screwed up, she'd never go for an ass like him but maybe friends would be enough for the boy.

Who was he kidding? He'd have to make a move soon before someone else did, the oblivious Parisian was too amazing for her own good. Damian wouldn't be able to stand watching Marinette fall for someone else.

"Damian! Pizza!" Marinette called out as she shut the door to Damian's apartment, walking in with their pizza. It had been a little over a week since the 'fiasco' as Marinette jokingly called it and since then their friendship had become more teasing and open. Damian was still a rude brat, snarky and sarcastic as ever- but different. Marinette didn't know why but it was almost like he liked her- which was ridiculous, he probably just saw her as a friend.

"I'll be out in a moment!" Damian called from the bathroom, he'd just finished taking a shower. Marinette turned and put the box on the coffee table as she grabbed one of their phones off the table, it was Damian's. Someone named 'Grayson' was calling. Smirking, Marinette answered the phone.

"Hello, this is Damian's phone. Who is this?" The line was quiet for a moment.

"Damian's brother, who is this?"

"Damian's brother?" Marinette voiced aloud, she heard a slight commotion from the bathroom. "I'm Marinette, his-" Damian swiped the phone, still damp with a towel secured around his waist. Marinette couldn't breathe at the sight of him.

"tt, what do you want?" Damian was shirtless, his damp, tan skin shinning in the light, highlighting his muscular physique. Marinette wondered if his torso was like that all the time or just because he was flexing in the cold, he always wore looser shirts during practice. She wanted to poke him but bit her lip to restrain herself.

"No."

"I said no, just put Mar'i on the phone." Marinette was snapped out of her ogling at the mention of the name Mar'i- perhaps the rumors had been right. Damian seemed to relax when speaking to the girl, not that Marinette could hear anything. Marinette felt a little jealous, of course he had a girlfriend- how could he not?

"I don't care, it's late. Your bedtime was half an hour ago." Damian was not blind to Marinette's appreciative stare or her reaction to his asking to see Mar'i. To confirm his promising suspicion, Damian subtly suggested the girls age and their familial relationship and watched the girl relax, looking both relieved and guilty.

"Good night." Damian was about to hang up the phone but stopped short, Grayson spoke.

"One of my co-workers."

"Don't even think-" Damian looked so done when his sentence was cut off by the dial tone, the call had been ended.

"Great." Damian sighed.

"What? Look I'm sorry, I didn't think-"

"It's fine. Now you're just going to have to deal with my brother, he thinks you're my girlfriend." Damian stated as if the very idea was ridiculous.

"Oh?" Marinette couldn't help her hurt tone, she'd be lying if she didn't say Damian only became more amazing with time. But he'd never like her back.

"Well you'd never want to date me." Damian explained as if it were obvious, even with her earlier reaction.

"I wouldn't say never." Marinette commented without thinking, turning her head up and to the right defiantly before she realized what she'd said, the bluenette blushed madly.

"No?" Damian was hesitant to ask but her tone left room for hope.

"No. Hypothetically speaking: if you were to ask me out I would be more than inclined to accept. And, hypothetically speaking, would you... ever ask?" Damian would be an idiot not to want to date Marinette, he took his chance before Grayson ruined it.

"Well... hypothetically speaking, if I were to kiss you, right now, you would...?" Damian wanted to tread carefully but felt emboldened by her answers so far.

"I'd return the favor. Not hypothetically." Marinette said, Damian leaned down- eye level with the seated girl her lips parted temptingly. The boy swallowed dryly before steeling himself.

"I'd like to prove that theory." Damian moved to close the gap, their eyes closing as their lips met. Marinette's hand unconsciously went to Damian's still damp hair and neck, her smooth hands contrasting against the biting cold air. The feeling of the girls warm hands on Damian gave him goosebumps as they eventually ended up properly standing, their lips still working, far more in sync than their routines could ever hope to be.

Marinette could smell the peppermint of his shampoo.

"I came as fast as I- OH! HEY I BROUGHT A KID, KEEP IT PG PLEASE!" The man quickly covered his daughters eyes as he moved back into the hallway, slamming the door behind him.

Damian and Marinette tried to push apart but it was too late. Grayson saw too much.

"Great, now he's never going to leave." Damian groaned, frustrated, he finally kisses Marinette- who was far too good a kisser when it came to Damian's sanity- and now he had to deal with Grayson and an excitable seven year old.

Marinette was blushing like there was no tomorrow but seemed to regain her composure. She had the audacity to smirk as she neared again. The girl put a hand on Damian's bare shoulder jestingly, seeming to enjoy his reaction- his muscles unconciously flexing, she used the other to pull Damian closer by the back of his neck- their lips touching as she spoke.

"I think you have guests." Damian struggled to move away from the girl, her soft hands running across his skin in soothing circles as she looked up at him before pulling away. Damian grumbled as he turned to answer the door.

"What do you want, Grayson?"

"Jeez, I thought you'd wanna say 'hi' to you're niece. She's been waiting all day." Just then, a girl with dark hair charged into the room heading straight for Damian who was still in nothing but a towel.

"Uncle Dami!! I missed you! Papa said you're gonna be the nutcracker this year! Can you show me the dance? Like last time?" Damian barely caught the five-year-old with his free hand, using the other to keep the towel around his waist.

"Of course, but I need to change first, I'll be right back." Damian put the girl down and hesitantly left Marinette alone with two excitable Graysons.

Mar'i stared up at the only other girl in the room.

"You're pretty." The younger girl said to the older one, this seemed to embarrass her.

"Oh- thank you! You are too, is that a leotard? Do you dance?"

"Uh-huh! Just like uncle Dami! He helps me practice extra when we visit! Do you practice with uncle Dami too?"

"Yeah, we dance together for work."

"You're like a real life ballerina?" The girl asked, stars in her eyes. The little girl seemed to get so excited, amusing the girl father.

"You work with Damian? Are you in the Nutcracker? We have tickets for a few weeks from now, opening night."

"Yes, do you like the Nutcracker?" The woman quickly turned the attention back onto the little girl, she nodded.

"Who are you gonna be? Do you dance with Uncle Dami in any of them?"

"Yeah, I'm going to be Clara. The girl who gets the Nutcracker." The girl smiled, jumping in excitement.

"Can you show me some of the dance?"

"Of course!" Marinette shows the girl a very simplified version of one her dances, helping the girl as she goes through the motions. Neither had realized that Damian and Dick had been watching.

"Alright, alright, no more stealing my dance partner." Damian huffed, now fully dressed.

"Who? Me?" Marinette asked, holding the little girl in her arms.

"Or me?" Mar'i finished, Dick chuckled. Damian rolled his eyes.

"Both. And you-" Damian tickled Mar'i as he grabbed her from Marinette's arms, "-need to get to bed, it's late. Grayson, why is she even up?"

"Couldn't sleep, but she promised that after we said 'hi' she'd go right to bed. We get to sleep in, Kor'i's got an afternoon shoot nearby. So... night!" Dick quickly stole his daughter back, shook Marinette's hand-

"Dick Grayson, Damian's favorite older brother. That's Mar'i."

-and rushed out of the apartment with a cheeky wink before shutting the door.

...

Marinette softly chuckled before full on laughing, grabbing onto Damian for support- he slyly wrapped an arm around her waist as he waited for her to finish.

"Oh, shut it." Damian lightly remarks.

"Make me." Marinette challenges, Damian took his wrapped arm and used it to pull Marinette against him softly enough that she could easily break out of his grasp if she wanted to. She didn't.

"Gladly." Damian immediately leaned into a kiss Marinette impatiently met him halfway.

Marinette was stretching against the balance beam before practice, when she turned her head she saw Damian come in, his impartial expression changing for just a moment to a small smile as he winked at the girl.

"Hey, Marinette." The bluenette turned to see some of her friends, Sophie and a few others started casually stretching next to her.

"We noticed, a week or so ago, that you were late." Marinette smiled slightly, far too pleased with the night before to see where the conversation was going.

"Yes, I over slept."

"How come?"

"I was really tired from practice, I've been trying to get the Pas de Deux right for so long." Some nodded.

"Damian Wayne was late that day too, arrived at the same time."

"Oh, well, that's because he drove me." The looks on her fellow dancers faces demanded she elaborate, some seemed to have come to their own conclusions, "I fell asleep on his couch and forgot to set an alarm, apparently I 'coerced' him into going to bed too late because we practiced until midnight. The brat didn't even say thank you for me making him food."

"Yikes, worst date ever." One of the girls mumbled, Marinette's head snapped up so fast she nearly tumbled to the floor.

"It wasn't a date."

"Sounded like one to me." Sophie joked, everyone seemed to agree.

"It was not, I just forgot to bring for after practice."

"Why would you bring him something to eat after practice?"

"We usually go over the Pas de Deux in the evenings after all the children's practices, I'd bring something so we wouldn't starve." The explanation didn't seem to satisfy the group but some accepted it.

Marinette wasn't one to kiss and tell, but they didn't have to know that.

Damian was holding Marinette, a hand on each side of her waist as he leaned her down her arm outstretched before they slowly rose again. They were about to continue but the music was cut off by a ringtone playing over the speakers, Marinette jumped slightly in surprise as Damian caught her. Now, the bluenette was facing him one arm supporting her at the waist the other cradling her head, Damian just stared until the ringtone blared again.

Marinette and Damian got upright and the boy went up to his phone, unplugging it as he answered without looking at the contact.

"What?"

"Uncle Dami?" Mar'i asked, confused as to why her uncle was upset at her, Uncles Timmy, Duke, and Jay Jay never spoke like that.

"Mar'i? I thought you were someone else, why are you calling so late? Is everything alright?"

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

"For you? Never."

"GREAT! Papa and Grandpa want you and Marinette to come for a gala-thingy! Its for a new animal shelter! Think of all the puppies!" The girl sounded like she was reading from a script at that point.

"Wouldn't you rather do something more fun? Why don't I bring you to the studio? You can see Marinette there." Apparently the young girl had become obsessed with the girl, talking nonstop about how amazing the Parisian was before showing anyone that would watch the dance Marinette showed her.

"But the puppies! They're gonna bring some!"

"I know, but just because I can go doesn't mean Marinette can."

"Uh- go to what?" Damian gave her a motion to wait a moment. Damian heard Grayson whisper something to Mar'i.

"Oh I know! Why don't I go to dance with you and then we go the party?!"

"Grayson, stay out of it."

"Please, uncle Dami?" the girl pleaded.

"Let me ask." Damian relented, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger. The boy put his phone to his chest and turned to Marinette.

"Would you like to attend a charity gala with me, Mar'i, and the rest of my heathen-like family?" Damian made it sound like the worst thing in the world.

"Um, I don't know- do I?" Damian shook his head slowly mouthing 'no.' but the mumbled phone speaker loudly said 'yes.' it sounded like a group of people.

"Don't say yes because the imbeciles can hear you." Damian ground out, glaring at his phone.

"Uh..." Marinette felt like she was stuck between a rock and a hard place, Damian clearly didn't want her too but Mar'i did and the bluenette didn't have the heart to say no to the cute little girl. She gave Damian an apologetic look. His eyes pleaded that she refuse.