Chapter Text
Marinette loves her cousin. They may be distantly related through their mothers, but that would not change their closeness and the fact that they consider each other sisters. The two are as thick as thieves and have been through so much together and apart.
She loves her so much that she turns her eyes away from anything related to her cousin’s occupation. Not that she has much of a say in it, considering that it is in their blood, and she was lucky enough that her mother’s side of the family had long since left such a lifestyle in the past.
It was the reason Talia was the only one outside of her court that she had trusted with a way to contact her when she was on Miraculous Duty. Although few and far between, those usually took her from a few days to a few months to finish and there were times when she was unreachable. The device she gave Talia was made of Kwami Magic and thus enabled its users to contact her whenever and wherever she may be. Marinette gave it to her cousin in the hopes of her using it whenever she needed help—especially if it had to do with the so-called demon’s head.
Has it been mentioned that Marinette loves and cares deeply for her cousin?
Because she does, she truly loves her. However, right now, she finds her love put to the test as the assassin's blood slumbering deep in her veins awakens and locks on her dearly beloved cousin as its target.
Talia used the device. She sent a message containing only two words.
COME NOW.
Marinette thinks her heart stopped for a few seconds after reading the message, her mind racing as she tried to process it. Once she felt her heart beat louder and faster, Marinette dropped her work, let her court know of the emergency, and asked Max to portal her to Talia's exact location.
Seeing her cousin drinking tea as she waited for her arrival did not do anything to ease her panic. Talia telling her that she was physically fine only increased it as her mind spirals for other possibilities.
Her next words though put her mind to a screeching halt, panic forgotten.
Let it be said that Marinette Dupain-Cheng loves her cousin, but right now, she would also love to strangle her to death.
Her cousin is now standing in front of her, telling her of the most ridiculous story she has ever heard—and she had lived through Hawkmoth’s years of reign in Paris—all the while carrying a bundle of blankets in her arms where a newborn baby boy is comfortably tucked in, asleep.
“He is yours, ukhti,” Talia al Ghul, her cousin, repeated as if they were discussing the day’s weather. “Your own flesh and blood.”
As much as Marinette wants to believe that this is somehow a big joke orchestrated by Talia, she is unable to do so for two reasons: First, this is Talia al Ghul and there is no way that her cousin would joke about such matters, and second, there is no denying that the life force she can feel from the baby was born out of her own.
Merde , Marinette thought, I’m a mother now.
“This is ridiculous,” Marinette thought out loud. She took a deep breath and then let it out, “This is utterly ridiculous.” If Marinette were in a different situation, she would have made fun of the fact that she sounded like Chloe.
She went through a couple more deep breathing cycles before she finally directed her gaze towards her cousin.
“How was this even possible? I think I would remember if I gave birth or even got pregnant in the first place, which I didn’t for either of those. I also never donated my egg cells for others to use. Where did you even find him and how did you even know he's mine? He could have been anyone's, for Kwami’s sake!” her voice rose with every sentence. She’s not angry at Talia and her cousin knows this. It is just that if she were anybody else, it would be difficult to believe her cousin’s words.
“Before I explain how he came to be, please believe me when I say that I have not played a part in any of this,” that already told her of who could have possibly orchestrated this and Marinette could feel her anger simmering at the edge. “It is only today that I learned of his existence. I was not even allowed to take him alone with me. If my father knew of my insubordination, he—”
"So it really was him? How did he even do it?” Marinette cut her off, not wanting to hear of what her cousin's bastard of a father would do to her. Then an unpleasant thought came to her, “Oh Kwami, please tell me he's not the father!”
“He is not. As for how he has done it, I only know that he must have done something the night you stayed over after he found out your other identity,” she felt her heart drop at Talia’s words. She was younger then and although she had been Ladybug and a Guardian for years already, she was still relatively new to using Kwami Magic outside of her suit.
Talia had warned her not to agree to his father's terms for the deal they had made, but she did not think much of it and only thought of how this deal would help her cousin and another person. The only action she had done was to ask Tikki to take the earrings away while she slept and only return once she awakens.
Back then, she believed that Ra’s Al Ghul's only threat to her was his knowledge of her possessing the Ladybug Miraculous. She was confident that he would not take action against her life or of those she cared for unless he would want her mother’s family to make life difficult for him. While he was not afraid of them, they can and have proven themselves to be quite a thorn when provoked.
Oh, how naive she was to think like that.
Marinette planned to find answers today, but after her eyes once more landed on the baby in her cousin’s arms— My baby, a part of her mind reminded her—all thoughts of the Demon’s Head vanished from her mind. Her eyes were stuck to the baby’s face. It was not until Talia called her name that she realized that she had been staring at him for too long.
“Do you wish to hold him?" Talia's voice did not falter which would mean she already knows of her answer.
"Yes," she still answers, her gaze never leaving the peacefully sleeping babe. It was quite the experience of holding the baby for the first time. While this was not her first time holding a baby, Marinette found that holding your own child can be quite an anxiety-inducing moment. It was as if she had no prior experience with this. Her hands were shaking and a bit stiff. She might have fumbled a bit, not knowing if her arms were positioned correctly or worrying if she would drop him.
Her heart was beating fast. The baby was so small—she thinks he is smaller than average, a matter she would worry for later—but as the baby settled in her arms, she thought she could feel her heart beat to the same rhythm as his did. The baby squirmed a little and then Marinette found her breath taken as she gazed into the little one’s eyes.
For the third time in her life, Marinette found herself falling in love.
The first time she fell in love was when she discovered the world of fashion. The second was with a boy—who later grew to be a man—who she thought would be her forever. Now, her third time falling in love is with the baby gazing back into her eyes.
Her baby. My precious little boy.
The little one then yawned and Marinette could not help but to coo at him. Then he flashed what seemed to be a smile towards her and she felt her cheeks hurt as she smiled back at him. “Oh my Kwami! He smiled at me. Did you see?” she quickly looked at her smiling cousin before bringing her gaze back to her baby who flashed her another smile. “Oh, he’s so cute! How are you so cute?”
Her cooing went on for a while more and her baby was happily being swayed in her arms all the while. As Marinette watched him go back to sleep, she asked her cousin another question, “When was he born? Or even just a date that could be his birthday given that he wasn't born the usual way .”
She felt Talia come closer, then let one of her fingers be clutched by her son. Talia looked at his tiny fingers wrapped around one of hers as she answered in a soft voice, “I met him while he was still inside his artificial womb. I was present when he was taken out of it.”
Marinette let her words sink as relief washed over her at the realization that she did not miss her son's first day in this world. Although she did not get to experience carrying him herself inside her womb, she will be content to be united with him so soon after his birth.
“Thank you for letting me know as soon as you could,” she smiled towards her sister in gratitude then returned to gazing at her son. She could not help but stare at him, still feeling both scared and amazed of the life in her arms.
“What do you plan to name him?”
At her cousin's question, Marinette realized that her baby boy still had no name. It is only right for her to name him as his mother and so she began to think of one.
She used to have names of the children she wanted to have one day. Now that she is faced with her son, she finds that none of those names fit her little one quite right.
As she thinks of a name, her eyes darting between her son and her cousin, she remembers a conversation she had with Talia in the past.
“I am not like you, ukhti. I am my father's daughter, but I am no different to his men if I choose to turn my back on him. I can not be as free as you are for my chains have been made far before the day of my conception.
You, however, are unrestrained to be as wild and carefree as you can be. You may choose not to obey orders. You may make mistakes as you are seen as young and inexperienced by others. You are untamed and no one seems to have the ability to subdue you.
The power you hold truly fits you as creation can never truly be tamed by anyone.”
“Oh, Talia. I may seem to be untamed as you have said, but that’s only for now. One day, someone would tame me and I would find my world revolving less around my own life and more for that destined person—or so Maman would say.
All I know is that when that time comes, it will be because of love that I will be tamed. I am going to love someone so much that I would happily be less wild and carefree with my life for their sake. The same can be possible for you, you know? Only if you let yourself.”
“Damian."
Talia had a look of surprise flash in her eyes before it was gone.
Holding her son closer to her she continued, “I’ll name him Damian, the person destined to tame my heart.” Marinette was happy with her choice of name for her son. She is still new to being a mother but she would like his name to represent who he will be in her life. She knows that he is the person she would happily give her life for.
This feeling of happiness lasted for a while before Marinette finally moved her sight from her son towards her cousin, “We’ll need to move now. Ra’s won't be happy with what you have done once he finds out.”
At Talia's determined nod, she made sure her hold on her son, Damian, was secure and then she called for Max to pick them up.
No longer than half a minute later, there was a portal leading straight to her apartment in Paris in front of them. Max was on the other side as Pegasus, keeping the portal open. His gaze landed on Damian in her arms but he did not ask her any questions, something she was grateful for.
She went through first, making sure she would not drop Damian and then turned around only to find her cousin still on the other side. Talia was looking at them with that look whenever she had to leave when they were younger. It was then that Marinette realized that her cousin must have thought that she was only talking about her and Damian leaving.
Sighing, Marinette once more crossed the portal and took hold of her cousin's hand. Although she was nervous about holding Damian with one arm, she held on to her cousin to make sure she would not run away.
“I was also talking about you, you know. Kwami knows what your bastard of a father will do to you once he finds out. Stay with us for a while. Besides, I'm gonna need all the help I can get in taking care of Damian."
Once she had pulled Talia through the portal, it finally closed and she let her cousin’s hand go.
They are now safe. Damian is now safe and that is what matters most to Marinette—her son safe and in her arms. This would not have been possible without Talia's help.
Has she mentioned how much she loves Talia?