The next time the met, Damian wanted to teach her something. So, he began teaching her Arabic and English. She had wanted to learn English first, but then realized she could both at the same time.

The third night, she taught him how to make brownies.

The fourth, he taught her basic stretches.

And so it went for almost a year.

She was almost fluent in Arabic and English, and knew how to fight decently. The child assassin could bake just as well as she could. He could also sew a bit, but Damian had never gotten halfway as good at that as she was.

Of course, they had decided that neither of them would tell anyone about each other. Damian, to ensure her safety, and Marinette because 1) He asked her, and 2) It was fun to have a secret from everyone.

And so, it went on.

Marinette was excited. It was her first day of Ecole! Damian had wished her luck the night before, and she just knew it would go well.

She was a bit nervous about meeting everyone, but she knew how to handle herself.

Chloé was mean to everyone, but Marinette wasn't worried about her. After last year's threatening, she knew she wouldn't be bothered. Mari had looked at her in the exact same way Damian taught her, and then told her off in four languages. (The girl had peed her pants and hadn't spoken to Marinette since. Damian had gotten an extra big hug that night.)

She had already met Nino. He was nice, but too quiet. She decided he needed some macarons on the first day, and they had been friends ever since.

When Marinette walked into the classroom, Chloé went silent, and Nino had smiled and waved at her.

She returned the gesture, and then saw a little boy with black and blonde hair heading over to him with the same look on his face that Chloé used to. Nino would need help.

So she ran over to the boy and gave him a big fake smile and announced, "I'm Marinette! Who're you?"

"I'm Kim. Move please. I want to talk to four-eyes."

Kim felt a shiver when he saw the look on her face. She was giving him the scariest look ever! Then, her face changed right back to the big smile! She said, "I want a hug!"

And as she pulled him in, she squeezed really hard, and whispered, "If you say anything, even a little bit mean, I'll break your arm. Leave him alone."

When he pulled away, the teacher had come back from the door and smiled at them. He raised his hand slowly. "Madam Teacher? Can I go to the bathroom?"

"Sure thing Kim! Just take someone with you. How about Nino?"

He got even paler as he saw the boy give him a friendly smile.

If he was Marinette's friend, he had to be scary too.

He ran out to the bathroom.

"Oh dear! I guess he really had to potty. Nino? Can you catch up to him?"

"Sure, Madame Bustier!"

Nino had no idea why Kim's face looked grey-ish whenever he looked at him, but he didn't like it. He kept trying to be his friend, but Kim obviously didn't want to be. So they walked on quietly.

When they got back, he saw Marinette smiling at Kim, and Kim had gone white.

"Damian, you were so right! That was really funny. He was white as a ghost!"

Marinette was laughing so hard that she fell off the couch. They had recently discovered that if they really, really wanted something, they could get it to come to them. So, they had decorated the whole room.

Marinette had turned her sewing machine pink, and her desk, chair, and her blanket were all the same color.

She had finally gotten Damian to decide on his favorite color, and it was red.

So he had a red blanket, and all his things were red. The walls were pink and red, which normally wouldn't go together, but for them, it looked perfect.

Tonight they were just hanging out. Marinette had told him all about her day. She told him everything, and he laughed when she got to the part about Kim. Damian was her best friend. She loved his nickname for her, Angel, and even though he wouldn't admit it, she knew he liked it when she called him Birdy.

When he asked her why she called him that, she told him that he reminded her of a bird. He had a permanent mean face, but he was actually really nice. And he was tiny.

He threw a cookie at her.

She just gave him a smug grin and told him that he was her best friend. His cheeks colored ever-so-slightly.

As they grew older, and he noticed how some of the members seemed to believe less in the League than the used to, he was happy to have something that could not be taken from him. His mother wasn't even aware that he had a soulmate. He knew that if she found out, she would either kill them, or induct them into the league, so he kept it a secret. Marinette would never be able to kill. He trained her so that she could if she needed to, but he knew she couldn't handle it. She would feel guilty.

He couldn't tell her much about the details, she simply knew that he could fight well. He told her the little things that no one else knew. How he loved animals, his favorite color, how he liked his tea.

She told him everything about herself. He thought it wasn't fair that he could know everything, but she couldn't know the details of his daily life, and he told her as much. She answered with, "I know that you share as much as you can, and that's fine."

They both had very mature spirits. He was more jaded, but while she knew plenty about the world, she still trusted openly. It was… nice.

She taught him games, and how to have fun. She made him smile. She was creative, and very smart. He liked that about her.

One day, when he was about ten, he came into the dreamscape practically shaking with suppressed rage.

Marinette immediately rushed over and gave him a hug. "Birdy, what's wrong?"

"My grandfather is dead, and now Mother wishes to take me to meet my father."

"I'm sorry Dami."

"It will be fine, I'm just not sure why I don't want to go yet."

"Does your stomach feel tight? Like something's twisting it up?"

"How'd you know that?"

"That's just nerves Birdy. You'll be fine. I like you, and he'll love you!"

He gave her a small smile and blushed. "What happened with your day?"

"So Nino and I were on the playground right….."

They talked for a while until Damian felt his body being woken.

"That must be Mother."

"Bye Damian! I'll see you tomorrow! It'll be great, you'll see."