Chapter Text
In the movies, characters who traverse time usually have one of two purposes in mind, either to change it or to observe it. Alix hated movies about time because the ability to travel it was nothing like the movies.
For starters, she was limited to the time that she was physically in, so from the time she was born to the time she would die. Yay for that knowledge! It was often hard to remember if she was in the past, the now she lived, the now she observed, in the current future, or in a possible future. Through time the people who knew what she did, often coined her as the Keeper of Time, but really she was the Agent of Evolution. Her decisions, right or wrong, caused the course of time to change; evolved for better and hopefully not worse.
It was a duty that would make a person, what most would term, crazy. And it was hard work for Alix to appear ‘normal,’ knowing more than everyone, and trying not to influence the future while she lived in the current.
The few who had once tried to hold the Miraculous of Evolution after its creation, often ended up in a state of madness, overwhelmed by the knowledge and responsibility. They were unfortunately not up to the task of determining if action needed to be taken, what actions to take, and often unable to stop unconsciously influencing the future.
Eventually, the Guardians recognized their mistake and determined that the Kaiduan of Evolution would be the only holder of Fluff and trusted Fate would determine when she was needed.
It was hard, even after all her reincarnations to have all that knowledge. Cursed to inaction even when friends suffered, tasked to determine when action was needed to maintain balance and burdened to figure out what intervention would create the right outcome without unintended consequences.
But Alix loved it, especially when she had opportunities like today.
Sitting beside her was the always stoic Damian Wayne, Marinette’s husband. Not that he or Marinette knew it or that Alix was aware. That was the beauty of knowing time, rubbing it in that you knew more than everyone else when they finally figure it out.
There were many possibilities to how the month in Gotham could end, many forks in time where important decisions would influence the direction taken. So, Alix wanted to meet Damian before they came to the first fork.
A seminar on working across borders was not Alix’s idea of fun and entertaining, in fact the entire seminar portion of the conference would probably find Alix more in her burrow than attending. But it was the only seminar Damian would be attending alone and that is how she wished to observe him.
He had noticed earlier that she was watching him; she merely smiled setting him on edge. It was quite entertaining, him trying to figure her out. Knowing who he was, she understood his enmity, but she knew that he would figure her out soon enough, and so she wanted to enjoy pushing his buttons till then.
“If you continue to stare, I will be sure to give you something to stare at.” Damian growled at Alix, but his eyes never left the presenter.
“Sorry, you looked like someone I’m going to get to know.” Alix smiled, not even pretending to look away.
Damian looked pointedly at Alix; the lines around his eyes defined thanks to his constant scowl, “Is that your idea of a pick-up line?”
Alix broke out in a sincere laugh, drawing the attention of several participants around her. Theere were interested in how the Ice Prince of Gotham had caused someone to genuinely laugh. More eyes were on Damian than he preferred, he glared harder if that was even possible.
It is amazing how much he would change with Marinette by his side. He was not the man he would become, that man had less forehead wrinkles.
There was some level of bullshit going on and Adrien was not usually one to use such words. But how he and Mari were in the same seminar but not paired together was beyond him.
With the seminar focused on the application of business practices in other fields and both focused on fashion, it made sense for them to be paired up. Yet, Jon, the boy they had met yesterday, had somehow managed it.
Adrien wasn’t blind, Jon was extremely attractive. His 6’3’’ frame supported a fair amount of muscle, more than even Adrien, yet not too much to be described as bulky. His black hair was rugged, much like Chat Noir’s, accentuating his face so well that it appeared professional even in their current surroundings. But, it was easily his chiseled features that had Adrien most worried, they perfectly accentuated his blue eyes. They closely rivaled even Mari’s in depth; even from afar he could tell they spoke to those who looked into them. He could have easily been a model if he was just slightly less built.
That is why it was bullshit that Mari and Jon were paired together.
Throwing her head back in laughter at something Jon said, he felt the jealousy rolling off him in waves. If anything, he should have been paired with Jon.
*“Adrien, you need to stop staring at Mari and focus on the task.” Adrien turned away from the pair to look at his own partner. Kagami hid her hurt well, but after so many years together, Adrien could easily note the slight pain in her eyes.
Despite a mutual break-up and promises of friendship, there was still a slight tension between them when it came to Marinette. Kagami had clearly known the reason for their relationship not being able to move forward. She had known his feeling towards Marinette even before he did. That didn’t mean that she was happy that she had loved Adrien, and it hadn’t been enough for him to forget his love for Mari. Adrien liked and even loved Kagami, but he wasn’t in love, and if he was being honest with himself, he never was. Pretending hadn’t changed the facts and it had doomed their relationship.
*“Sorry Kagami, I’m trying to determine how I feel about our new friend Jon.” It took all his strength to not look over at them.
Kagami looked right at him; her eyes smirked while her face remained neutral. *“Well, we know how he feels about you.”
Wrecking his brain, Adrien tried to decipher her words. Did Jon not like him? Had he messed up another first impression? They had talked for some time after the opening ceremony while Mari had to talk to Mr. Wayne, as the writer of the winning essay? Had his disappointment at their pairing for the seminar been obvious? *“What is that supposed to mean?”
*“Nothing Adrien…nothing at all.”
Adrien hated that Kagami had tried to drop it. He had thought that their conversation had gone well. They had spent a good amount of time finding that they had many interests in common. They talked about the different anime that they both enjoyed. Finding camaraderie in liking the same characters and wishing misfortune to others. Surely, he hadn’t messed up that much?
He didn’t like to think he had misread the signs. He had promised himself after finding out about Mari’s crush on him that he would never fall victim of being unaware to other’s feelings. Yet apparently, he was here again, oblivious.
*“Adrien, stop staring or I will go over there and ask them to assist me with this problem as you seem disinclined.” Kagami huffed as Adrien panicked at the idea of them knowing he was staring. “Stop hesitating and ask her out already.”
*“I can’t do that Kagami, it’s not the right time and I can’t risk pushing her away.”
*“Why is it not the right time? She will not stay single forever Adrien, we both know her list of admirers is many and constantly growing. Your hesitation will only lead to your loss.” She gave Adrien a pitying glance, much to his dismay.
Kagami wasn’t wrong; there were very few people that didn’t have some kind of crush on his Lady. He even suspected that part of Lila’s problem with Mari was due to a crush, much like Chloe's had been. The longer Mari was single the more suitors she would attract.
The thought made him sick to his stomach, literally. Since arriving in Gotham and watching eyes lurking on Mari, his stomach had felt unsettled. He had gotten comfortable in Paris; all of her admirers were known and he knew she did not return their affection. Yet here in Gotham he couldn’t be as secure in his assurances and it left him feeling… odd.
Still, Adrien and Mari were both not in a place to start a relationship. Mari was still feeling a heavy burden by something she refused to share. Adrien was still dealing with the complicated relationship with his family and the emotions that came with it.
Gabriel was still a topic that he tried to steer away from. Leaving for Gotham almost a month after his mother had returned, their relationship hadn’t progressed much. In fact, the departure almost felt welcomed by Gabriel and his mother, which wounded Adrien deeply. He tried to seem happy, but the truth was he was still feeling bitter and guilty.
For all his resentment towards Hawkmoth, there was shamefully an equal layer of gratitude. His terrorist father having the miraculous gave Adrien things that he would not have had without it. Chat Noir was needed, that need allowed him his freedom from his isolated tower. Without concern for Adrien figuring out his villainy, he would have undoubtedly not conceded to Adrien going to school, making friends, and getting to experience more than the limited life of a brand model. Most importantly, without Hawkmoth he would never have met his Lady, Marinette, either from school or fighting by her side.
Now that he knew her, he could never lose her.
Laughter brought his attention back to the object of his affection. Mari had punched Jon on the shoulder bringing a toothy grin to the man’s face.
If they couldn’t become a couple yet, he would have to do the next best thing. Protect her from other would-be suitors. For now, that meant to make Jon a ‘friend.’
Katana…dagger…switch blade…karambit…bare hand, all viable choices to remove that look from the girl’s face.
For the entire seminar so far, the pink hair girl beside him held a cheerful smile. Stealing glances his way that he was confident she had thought had gone unnoticed. But he was trained by assassins and Bats; he could feel eyes upon him and knew when people were hiding things. What made it worse was her blue eyes seemed to know something, and that had him on edge.
He was trying his best to convince himself that it must be some form of attraction. But the more he looked at her the more he was unable to do so.
She seemed far too much of a polar opposite to find him anything more than an attractive face. While he wore an Armani suit with his hair perfectly styled, all things becoming of a Wayne heir, her white suit seemed to be for no one but herself. A notch lapel jacket was paired with capris suit pants with shoes that could barely pass for more than sports. In fact, he was confident there were blades on the heels, like an adolescent’s. Her powder blue shirt had her looking ready to hit the gym as soon as the seminar ended. He believed that her style was coined ‘skater’ and while the suit looked very well made, rivaling his own, it looked out of place.
So, while it was possible that she found herself attracted to him, the more he caught her stare the more he was sure that the smug look she carried held humor, not lust. He would have to keep a close eye on her. Her behavior was suspect, and he hated not knowing.