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"You're drooling~" Marinette teased as she leaned against the checkout counter. Marc snapped to attention and returned to sorting through her books. Vehemently denying her statement, he said, "No, I'm not."
"Oh, come on, Marc! You've been staring at him since he got here." Marc frantically shushed her before taking a peek down the art aisle. There at the very end, completely oblivious to the world, was the subject of their conversation. Marc sighed, relieved that he didn't seem to have heard them before rounding on his cousin. "Say that a little louder, why don't yah." He hissed. "I don't think they heard you down in the auditorium."
Like the menace that she was, Marinette ignored him and continued, "At this rate he'll graduate before you so much as say 'hello'. I will literally die if you let the only person you've been attracted to in five years, pass you by." She groaned. "Do you even know his name?"
Just then, Marc finished checking out the last of her books. With the sweetest, brightest smile he could muster, Marc dropped the pile on the counter, leaned in close and said, "Then perish." He shoved the books into Marinette's arms and began walking her out. "Thank you so much for stopping in. Please, don't forget that these will all be due in the next six weeks. Have a great rest of your day. Bye bye." As soon as she was out the doors, he took a moment to breathe. Slumping down against them, he groaned.
The worst part was that she was right. Marc didn't know the man's name. He never seemed to check anything out, at least not when Marc worked. And he hadn't so much as uttered a word to the man who'd caught his attention. Ever. And chances were that he never would. 'God, I'm so hopeless.'
"Um. Excuse me?" Marc startled and whipped around. He had less than a second to see the person behind him before he tripped on the turn and took them both down.
Marc groaned as he came to. Shifting around he was glad to find that his head had landed on something soft, and warm...and moving? With a groan he pushed himself up to get a better look at what he'd landed on, only yelp and scramble up as he saw who he'd landed on. A litany of apologies poured out as he desperately tried to untangle himself from the redhead. After a few awkward minutes of shuffling and scrambling, they managed to stand up without further hurting each other.
"I am so, so sorry." Marc began apologizing again as he led the man to a table.
"It's fine, really. Please, you don't need to keep apologizing." The redhead said.
"Ah, so-" a single raised eyebrow stopped what was, undoubtedly, another apology. "Right. I- uh, I'm Marc." He said, extending his hand.
"Nathaniel." The man replied, shaking the proffered hand. Marc's mind latched on to the name and the voice that had spoken it. Before his thoughts could spiral down less wholesome avenues, Marc asked, "Was there something you needed earlier?"
"Hm? Oh! Oh, right. Yeah, actually I did." Now it was Nathaniel's turn to shuffle awkwardly. One hand coming up to fiddle with the hair that escaped his long ponytail. "I-um. I was wondering, if you -um, if you liked coffee? Or tea? Or you know, anything really?" He scrambled. Marc was pleasantly surprised and amused to find that Nathaniel could turn as red as his hair. His amusement settled a little as he processed what Nathaniel was asking him.
"That- um, that depends. Why do you want to know?" 'Don't get your hopes up.' Marc thought repeatedly as Nathaniel turned even redder, and moved to rubbing the nape of his neck.
"Well. In case there was anything in particular. I was kinda wondering if you wanted to get some. With me. You know, um- out, somewhere?"
Marc bit his lip and looked down. Hoping to hide his equally red blush. "So, like a date?" He asked.
"Yeah. I- if you want, that is." Nathaniel rushed to assure him that it was "totally cool if he didn't want to" and "they could just get to know each other. Or not. Anything was fine."
His rambling cut off when he heard Marc giggling. "I'd actually really like to go out with you, Nathaniel."
"Really?" When Marc shyly nodded, Nathaniel's face split into a big smile. "That's great! So um- next weekend, sometime?"
"Yeah. Here. Gimme your phone." When the requested device was passed over, Marc entered his contact information and passed it back. "Text or call me? I'm free most Saturdays, so just let me know what works for you?"
"Yeah. Definitely." Before either could continue talking Nathaniel's phone lit up. "Shoot. That's my alarm. I gotta go." He said. "If I'm not back in time my roommate'll tear me a new one. Sorry."
"No, it's ok. I get it. My cousin is kinda the same way." Marc said as he stood up. "I'll talk to you later, Nathaniel."
"Nath, please." He smiled, "and yeah. I'll see you later, Marc."
Marc watched him as he walked down the path until he was out of sight. Once he couldn't see Nathaniel- Nath, anymore he closed the door and braced himself against it. With the biggest, giddiest smile possible he thought, with a laugh, 'Marinette is never going to believe this.'