Work Text:
Some days were better than others.
There were days in wich he would politely correct people when they mistook his pronouns, or called him by his dead name. In wich he'd hang out with his friends and just have fun, not worrying a single bit about his body or his gender because they accepted him for who he was. In wich he would look himself in the mirror and feel... okay.
This wasn't one of those days.
It was one of the days that he'd look at himself and just feel... odd. Especially his chest.
His chest was the one thing he couldn't ignore, the thing that made him feel uneasy and uncomfortable with his own body.
Not to say when they started hurting.
He didn't want to take surgery. It was expensive, scary, and for most days, he didn't had desire to.
But still, his chest was a call back to who he had been... no. He was never that person. At least, to himself.
He sighed, turning his backs to the mirror and trying to ignore it, for now. Focus on something else.
And maybe it would just go away.
It didn't go away.
Marc had come to work on their comic, and he would also stay the night. He was preparing the inflatable matress, already acostumed to the routine as he slept there very often, while Nathaniel twirled his pencil between his fingers, looking at the same panel he had been for the last five minutes, it would seem like he expected the drawings to start moving by how intensely he was staring at it.
The panel showed all of the heroes of their comic fighting Frozer, all dressed up in their winter outfits, colors worked to perfection (at least, if Marc's praises and sparkling eyes said anything about it). And posing in all his glory, confident and strong as ever... was Mightilustrator.
What usually came as a comfort character, a ground to stand on... Today came like a punch to his stomach.
His eyes traveled on the hero's figure, feeling his eyes heavy, biting his lower lip.
Whenever he drew Mightilustrator -and 'Super Nathan', before that- he was projecting what he wanted to be. Confident, brave, and...
"What's wrong?"
He turned back, facing Marc's clearly worried face. He had finished preparing his bed and was now just behind him, hands slowly caressing his shoulders.
It would be no use to hide it from him. Marc knew him right and left, up and down. He knew about everything, everything... Even the things that he didn't tell to a single soul. Even things that Nathaniel himself didn't know about.
It was best to just come clear.
With a sad sigh, he put the pen on the table, his eyes now staring at his feet.
"I'm not feeling like myself today."
Silence.
A soft gasp.
"...do you want a hug?"
Marc always asked in cases like this. Just in case he didn't want to be touched. He had his own demons to face about it.
But everytime, Nath accepted without a second thought.
This was part of their love language, and always made him feel a little better.
Protected. Accepted. Loved.
They laid down on his bed enventually. After two minutes? Five? An hour? He didn't know. He didn't care.
He usually took his binder out when he was home, but today...
If Marc noticed, he didn't show.
The writer was too busy kissing his tears away.
It took a while longer for Marc to ask.
"Are you okay? Did someone say something?"
Nath gave him a half smile. He knew that Marc wouldn't let anyone be rude and gross to him with no consequences. The last guy that catcalled him went home with a bright-red hand mark on his face.
It was nice to have someone have his backs like this.
"No. No one said anything. I'm just feeling down today." He sighed, trying to sink further and further on his embrace, his warmt, his protection.
But for his annoyance, Marc got out the hug before he could pull him more.
Soon his hands were on the artist's face, gently holding him to look at his striking greens.
"You know what you are?" He asked softly.
Nathaniel didn't know what was happening, much less how to react. His face was getting warm and pink by their closeness.
He thought for a second or two, then took a attempt.
"...An idiot sandwich...?"
Judging the way Marc burst into breathless laughter, he imagined it wasn't the answer.
"Hey, don't laugh!" Nathaniel pushed his face playfully, already giving up and giggling at the compass of the other's voice.
Marc's laugh was just too contagious.
Wipping a tear out his eye, Marc then pressed a kiss on his cheek, what certainly didn't help his blush at all.
"No. " He said, his smile now gentle and caring. "You're a handsome, sweet, amazing boy who I love with all my heart. Your birth gender doesn't define who you are. Nor does your body."
It couldn't be helped how Nathaniel pulled his boyfriend the closest he could, sinking his face on the crook of his shoulder to muffle his sobs and tears.
This time, they were happy ones.
A while longer until his breath calmed down. His tears were still fresh on his skin.
Marc had petted his hair and murmured sweet words and soft singing all the while.
"You know what you deserve?" He then asked, a sly smirk on his pretty pink lips.
If the last question was anything to go by, Nath has no idea of what Marc had in mind.
So, he was sincere from the start.
"...No? What is it?" A little of expectation marked his tone. He could think of some things that he wanted to ask for, too shy to voice them out.
But for his joy, Marc seemed to read his mind and gave it tenfold.
"A lot of kisses!"
Nathaniel giggled like a kid as Marc made a point of kissing each inch of his face, each freckle he could find. He kissed a path on his hands and arms, then gently peppered his neck and shoulders. All carefully, like Nathaniel was the most precious thing in the universe and needed to be cherished and loved and cared for.
And for Marc, he was.
"What did I do to deserve you?" The redhead asked fondly, both of them cuddling on the couch of the living room, journal and sketchbook long abandoned. They decided to call out a day and just relax for the rest of the evening. Skies knew that they needed.
"I could ask you the same." Marc chuckled, giving one more kiss to his cheek. "I love you."
Nathaniel almost felt like fluttering. He never thought he could get someone who loved him like this...
It was the most amazing feeling.
"I love you too." He turned, leaning to kiss his lips. A whisper pressed in between. "...Thank you."
Marc held him closer, pressing their foreheads together. "Anytime, my handsome, brave man."