Ch 15
"I know you're ladybug." He said casually as if knowing someone's alternate identity was an everyday occurrence. Marinette laughed nervously.
"Hahah…T-that's a good one! Me, Ladybug?! Haha!" She said awkwardly. Nathanael just stared at her blankly which made her uneasy, her laughter began dying out slowly. "Look, Nathanael, I'm not Ladybug there must be some mistake." She persisted. Nathanael shook his head viciously.
"No, there's no mistake. It explains everything. It explains why you are never around during akuma attacks, it explains why you are more confident in yourself, same hair, same eyes, same facial structure….plus I saw you transform into ladybug in an alley way… you should really double check your surroundings."
"Oh god…" Marinette said with despair as she hid her face in her hands. "P-please Nathanael you can't tell anyone!" She pleaded her eyes glossing over with desperate tears. Her expression pained him, he flinched he wasn't ready for her sad, desperate demeanor...
"…uh…I-I'm sorry….I didn't m-mean to upset you…I-I just thought you should know that I know that you are ladybug..." He quickly explained as he waved his hands around not knowing what to do, he wasn't expecting Marinette to get this upset.
"S-so you're not going to tell anyone?" She asked shyly…
"Of course not!" Nathanael replied fiercely. "I know you have your reasons for not telling anyone…If my comics taught me anything is that a superhero's identity is probably one of the most valuable things a superhero has." Nathanael said trying to create a lighter mood. "A-Anyway…How do you change liters into moles again?" He asked quickly changing the topic, as if the whole previous revelation of Marinette's alternate persona never happened….or at the very least was as common placed as talking about the weather. She started to laugh.
"What's so funny?" Nathanael asked.
"It's just I don't know…I felt like when someone found out my secret identity it would be this grand shocking reveal." Marinette explained.
"Haha well sorry to burst your bubble." He said sheepishly.
"Well…since you already know I guess I might as well I tell you everything." Marinette said.
"Everything…? Wait! Are you going to tell me how you got your powers? Was it through a radioactive ladybug bite?! " Nathanael asked excitedly. Marinette gave a sheepish smile.
"Haha no that's not it….Actually…Why don't I let Tikki explain."
"Tikki…?"
"That would be me!" a gentle chiming voice piped in. Nathanael reeled back in surprise. What the fuck was that?!
A small red bug creature popped out of Marinette's pink purse. It had a tiny body and antennae that sprang out of its big head. It looked very much like a ladybug, what with its red body and large black spot on its forehead and each side of its head.
"W-what are you….? Some sort of bug….?" Nathanael asked unsure of what to think of the small creature that was currently flying in front of him.
"No I'm a kwami." It said.
"Kwami…?"
"We, Kwamis, are spirit like creatures that help people like Marinette transform into superheroes with their miraculous in order to maintain the balance of good and bad." The red Kwami explained.
"Miraculous …?"
"Miraculous are magic jewels worn as jewelry and they're what help us transform…Mine are my earrings." Marinette explained as she tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear to show Nathanael her miraculous earrings.
"Oh I see…Does that mean Chat Noir also has a miraculous?"
"Yes, his kwami resides in his ring." Tikki said.
"W-well speaking of Chat Noir…who is he really?" Nathanael asked his curiosity getting the better of him.
He immediately regretted what he said. He shouldn't be so nosy…He didn't think Chat was too keen on letting anyone know who he really is, besides his partner of course.
"Well….I-I don't know…" Marinette confessed.
"You don't know…?" Nathanael asked with slight disbelief. "But aren't you two partners…?"
"W-well yeah but…you see I thought it would be best if we didn't know each other's identities…I didn't want to mix my superhero life with my private life you know…?"
"That's stupid." Nathanael stated blandly.
Marinette blinked surprised at Nathanael's blunt words…he no doubt said this because of the bad influence Lila has over him…Nathanael was always very polite…she couldn't imagine him saying that to her before…then again…she didn't know much about his personality…maybe he would say something like that….
"W-what..? B-but didn't you say you understood why I had to keep my identity a secret."
"No I said I understood why you kept it secret from family and friends…But why didn't you tell Chat Noir who you really are…Don't you trust him…?"
"O-Of course I do! But…"
"But….Listen Marinette I can't tell you how to do things…but I would like you to consider telling Chat who you really are when you're ready. It may help…because if you know who he is as a civilian you can converse and become closer as team mates…you won't have to constantly worry about where your partner is and you can tell him what you can't tell to others because he will understand, he should even give you advice…Sort of like a confident. I just think out of everyone in the world; the person who is always helping you save the world fighting supervillains should be the one to know who your really are. It might also help clear up misunderstandings…If he's your friend as a superhero wouldn't you want him to be your friend outside of the chaos of doing your duty."
"I guess you have a point…" Marinette said thoughtfully…. "I-I'll think about it…"
"Good…You can go do whatever superhero thing you were doing before now." Nathanael said.
"Huh?" She asked confused.
"Oh you know saving Paris that who shebang…. Isn't that why you were making so many excuses to leave…?"
"O-Oh yeah…haha…." She said nervously…she didn't want to tell him the truth…he didn't have to know…but then she wouldn't be any better than Lila… "You see Nathanael the truth is…"
"Yes…?" Nathanael said patiently awaiting an answer. Marinette let out a sigh as she looked at the ground shamefully.
"Look…the real reason I was making all those excuses was so that I could hang out with Adrien…he invented me to study with him…but I didn't want to ditch you…and I didn't want to refuse him…" She confessed.
"O-oh…I see…"
"I'm really sorry!" Marinette said eyes closed in shame as she bowed her head.
Nathanael stared blankly. Adrien is a lucky guy was the only solemn thought he had. He let out a sheepish laugh to hide his jealousy and responded with a kind 'it's fine' and quietly mumbled under his breath how the intensity of Marinette's affection towards Adrien made him envious of the blonde. Nathanael is a wallflower by default; he can blend against the backdrop easily. He doesn't show off, there isn't he can really show off besides his art skills…But even though he wasn't the kind of person to seek the spotlight he couldn't help but yearn for the spotlight's warmth…he wanted to be praised, to be loved, to be looked up to….In short…he wished he was Adrien.
"W-well….It's fine I was planning on studying with Lila anyway." He lied with a small smile as he gathered his things to leave.
"W-wait! I don't think it was very right of me to have accepted Adrien's request when I already made plans with you…E-even though I really want to hang out with Adrien…I have to set aside my selfish desire first otherwise what sorry excuse of a hero would I be!" Marinette proclaimed.
"A-Are you sure…I-I mean we can always study some other time." Nathanael said with slight disbelief. Was Marinette picking him over the blonde heart throb?
"Yeah I'm sure I can always study with Adrien another time." She said with a smile.
Nathanael felt his heart throb…He felt important under the glimmering blue gaze of Marinette. He smiled.
"Well then back to Science!" Marinette exclaimed with a determined smile, Nathanael nodded in agreement and even though he was studying every once in a while he would steal a quick glance at Marinette…
Guess who's back? Yes it's me! Pretty short chapter compared to my others ones but meh. I think future chapters will be a little shorter. Anyway R&R please. Thank you for waiting!