Sorry this took so long to upload I've been hella busy! Thanks to: dicaxasinus on both tumblr and fanfiction for writing and sinning with me!
Why is talking to people so difficult? Why was I born to be such a shy and awkward kid? Why me?
These were questions that Nathanael had found himself asking himself often over the past few days. He had been trying for almost an entire school week to work up the courage to just say "Hi" to Justin. Unfortunately, he seemed to fail at every chance he got. If the two of them ever passes each other in the hall, Justin always seemed either preoccupied or was talking to someone else. Nathanael was just too shy to interrupt. If Nathanael happened to see Justin sitting by himself somewhere, usually writing in a journal, he was too awkward to just walk over and talk to him. After all, talking to someone for the first time can be very scary. Nathanael had managed to see Justin at the park with two kids he assumed were the boy's siblings. But instead of going over and talking to Justin, Nathanael decided to watch him run around and play with the two small children from behind a nearby tree. And no, he wasn't being creepy. He was simply observing from afar so he could get accurate ideas and images for later drawings.
Alya and Nino had both offered to help Nathanael, even though neither of them really knew Justin all that well. Alya sometimes submitted photos to the school newspaper and knew Justin from there. Though even then she had only talked to him a couple of times and barely knew the kid. She still offered to help though. Nathanael however turned down any offers for help. He wanted to do this on his own. He was going to have to start working on his courage sometime or later, so now was a good a time as any.
Nathanael was now sitting on a bench at the park near their school. A little way away, Justin was once again writing in a small black journal with white swirls on it. Justin had a small smile place on his lips and seemed to laugh to himself at something he wrote. Nathanael found himself smiling to himself as well. He was sure whatever Justin wrote, it was probably great. After all, the boy was constantly writing, he had to be good. Why else would he get put in charge of the school newspaper?
Nathanael was going over the many plans floating around in his head of how to approach the boy writing in front of him, when he saw a group of older kids walking towards Justin. Justin had been sitting at the base of the Ladybug and Chat Noir statue when the group of teens walked almost right into him. Justin tumbled over and his journal and pen went skidding way. Nathanael heard the kid who had bumped directly into Justin mumble a brisk apology before walking away without a care in the world. People like that pissed Nathanael off to no end. How could they be so rude to a kid they just kicked like he was a piece of litter? Nathanael got up and started walking over to Justin who just sighed to himself.
Justin picked up his nearby journal and looked around for his pen. Nathanael noticed the pen underneath a nearby shrub and picked it up. This was perfect for Nathanael; it was the perfect chance for him to talk to him! As Justin stood up Nathanael walked over to him and held out the pen in his hand.
"Um, I think this is yours right? Those kids kicked it all the way over there." Nathanael tilted his head over to where he had found the pen as Justin took the pen back.
"Thanks! I was wondering where it had gotten to." Justin smiled brightly and Nathanael found his face heating up slightly.
"Yeah, well those kids were jerks. They just walked right into you like you weren't even there! People like that are just terrible…" As he spoke, Nathanael found his voice raising as he got more heated, but it soon got quiet again when he realized the volume of his voice.
"No, it really wasn't that big of a deal. Stuff like that happens often. Most people seem to not even realize I'm here. I'm kind of invisible, you know? Not that I mind; people annoy you less when they don't realize you're there." Justin explained all of this with a smile permanently painted on his face. Nathanael's heart was sad at this information. Because really, Nathanael couldn't believe anyone could just look over someone like Justin.
"Still...people shouldn't just ignore you. I mean, you're not just a nobody. You write the school paper and everything right?"
"Wow! You actually recognize me from that? Most students don't even read the school paper let alone care that I write the majority of it. Hey, I just remembered! You're Nathanael right? You're the kid from the class next door that draws really cool comics?"
Oh my god, he knows who I am? He knows I like to draw? And he thinks my comics are really cool? This is amazing I can't believe it!
"Um, y-yeah. That's me, uh, how'd you know about my comics?" Nathanael's face grew red with blush again as he spoke. Justin smiled again and his whole body just screamed excitement.
He's like an excited kitten...it's cute.
"Oh! Your classmate, Marinette told me about them and showed me some pictures! I asked if Marinette could draw some comics for the school paper since I always see her sketching, but she told me if I wanted comics I should ask you!" Nathanael's heart ached a little bit at the mention of the sweet girl in his class. Nathanael still had some feelings left for Marinette, but he knew it was hopeless.
"I didn't know you were friends with Marinette."
"Oh, well, I'm not really that close with her. I mean, I used to have a crush on her but I don't think she really understood that. Although, she did end up introducing me to my ex-girlfriend…" Justin's seemingly immovable smile faltered a bit as his tone became somber. So that was it, Justin too was a victim of having his heart broken by Marinette. Not that Nathanael would ever blame Marinette for not recuperating their feelings.
"Really? You had a crush on Marinette too?"
"You too? Man, what are the odds of that! Hey, maybe we could hang out after school sometime and work on making a comic for the paper! Plus, we could always bond over Marinette." Justin teased and nudged at Nathanael's shoulder.
"Um, yeah that sounds great…"
"Awesome! I gotta go pick up my siblings from a friend's house, but I'll talk to you at school, kay? See you later, Nathanael!" Justin ran off, waving excitedly and Nathanael quietly waved back. Nathanael's stomach was bubbly and he didn't really feel like figuring out why he felt this way. Though, he knew the reason deep down. Instead however, he decided to contently head home and start sketching ideas for a new comic series.
Remember to share this with your friends! Get people on board this crackship!