Work Text:
“Hey, guys,” Marc said, walking up to Nathaniel and Alix in the mostly empty locker room at the end of the school day. Nathaniel yelped, spinning around from where he was talking to the other, eyes blown wide open in panic, before calming down a little, “Oh, hi Marc!”
Marc giggled, happy to finally scare someone who was famously immune to jumpscares. “What are you two talking about?”
“Oh, just something I’m planning to do in a little bit,” Nathaniel chuckled, seeming nervous for some reason.
“Really?” Marc asked, curious, “What is it? Do you need help?”
“Nah, Nath is just asking out his crush, ay yo,” Alix snickered. Nathaniel blushed bright red, hitting her on the shoulder.
“Shut up,” He hissed, eyes flitting towards Marc for a split second before his glare returned to the cackling girl. Marc understood. If anyone spoke about his crush around anyone he didn’t know, he’d also be embarrassed beyond anything.
"You know, the crush that has dark hair, gem-like eyes, and their name is spelt M, A, R-"
"ALIX!" Nathaniel screeched, shutting her up, shoving his hands in her face.
Alix stuck her tongue out playfully, "Haha, just joking."
Marc tried to laugh at their banter, but he could feel his heart sinking with every word. Right. Of course. Nathaniel’s last crush fit every part of that description. There was no way it could’ve ever been him.
It still hurt though.
“Oh, uh, I guess you like Marinette then. G-Good luck.” Looking down at the ground, Marc quickly left the room, avoiding eye contact with the other two. He just needed to go away for a while to let his heart recover.
Both Alix and Nathaniel stared wide-eyed at the door as it closed. Nathaniel took a deep breath before pushing his best friend, muttering, “Nice going.”
“Whoops. Thought that would’ve helped. Uh. Sorry.”
“In what world would that have helped?!” Nathaniel exclaimed, exasperated. “Either that happens or you just ruin the entire thing I had planned by revealing it too early.”
Alix rubbed the back of her head, “My bad.” Marinette and her romance schemes must’ve been infecting her.
The artist sighed, before turning and running after Marc, “Hey wait up!”
---
Marc took a deep breath out in the hallway, willing himself not to cry. He shouldn’t be upset over this. After all, it’s not like Nathaniel even knew about his feelings in the first place.
“Marc!”
The writer turned around, pausing long enough to let the artist catch up to him. Marc quickly wiped the remaining tears out of his eyes. Nathaniel didn’t need to see them.
“Look, look, okay, it’s not Marinette,” Nathaniel blurted out before Marc could say anything. “It’s someone else.”
“Really?” Marc pondered, bewildered, "Who is it if it’s not Marinette? Dark hair, gem-like eyes, Name starts with M, A, R..."
Nathaniel took a deep breath, approaching him, and grasping his hands in his own, "Marc. What color is your hair?"
"Black?"
"Right. How do people always describe your eyes?"
"Emerald green?"
"Mhm. Now. Tell me how you spell your name."
"M, A, R- Oh."
"Yep."
Marc blinked, before going bright red, “Wait, does that mean you like me?!”
Nathaniel looked down at the ground, nodding, and letting go of Marc’s hands, taking a step back, “It’s fine if you don’t like me back.”
“I do!” Marc shouted, before quieting down with an embarrassed blush, “I like you back too.”
The artist smiled up at him through his bangs. “I.. I wanted to do something more romantic than this,” Nathaniel muttered, “But I guess this works too. Thanks, Alix .” He turned towards the locker room with a glare. Alix, who had been peeking her head out of the doorway to eavesdrop, squeaked and went back in.
“You can still do it,” Marc offered, “I’ll just pretend I don’t know anything.”
Nathaniel rolled his eyes, giving him a playful shove, “Yeah, yeah, shut up.” He ended it with a quick kiss to the cheek.
Both boys felt heat rush to their face, but they couldn’t find it in themselves to care.