Work Text:
Monday, 19 th April
M: 'Hey is everything okay? You didn't show up to the hero meeting today'
N: 'Yeah I'm sorry I couldn't make it, my mother was not letting go of me today'
M:'You know if you need to talk I'm here, right?' N' Yeah, I know but don't worry I'm fine'
M 'I love you' N' Love you too'
Tuesday, 20th April
M:'Everything alright honey?'
M:' I haven't seen you all day at school'
N: 'Yeah I'm sorry I've been stressing too much about Mrs. Mendeleev's physic project lately'
M:'Again, if you need help to ease some stress or if you need to talk with someone, you can come to me' N:‘Don't worry, I'm fine'
M:' Are you sure?' N:' Yes'
M: ' You know I love you, right?' N:'I know I love you too'
Wednesday, 21th April
M:'Would you wanna go to the aquarium on a date this Friday?' N:' I'm busy, sorry'
M:'Then maybe Saturday?'
N: 'I'm going on a trip with my parents all weekend'
M:'Oh, have fun then. I'm gonna miss u <3'
M:'Btw I forgot to tell you'
M; 'I love you<3'
Thursday, 22th April
M:'Can I call you, I need advice for the next issue of our comic' N:' I can't right now'
Friday, 23th April
M:'Have fun on your trip honey, love you<3' N;'Thanks'
Monday, 26th April
M:'How did the trip go?' N:'Good'
M: 'That's all?
M:‘Come on tell me' N:'I'm tired, maybe later'
M: 'Alright, I love you'
Tuesday, 27th April
M:'Where the heck have you been?' N:'?'
M:'There was an akuma attack and you didn't show up'
N: ' About that...I lost my miraculous, Ladybug knows about it'
M:'Oh...How did that happen?' N:'Overnight, when I woke up it wasn't there'
M:'I hope you find it soon' M:'yeah me too'
Wednesday, 28th April
M:'Hey would you wanna come to dinner at mine this weekend?’
M:‘I noticed that we haven't been able to spend much time together lately so why not make up for it?' N:'I'll see if I can come'
M: 'Alright:3'
Thursday, 29th April
M:'Did I do anything to upset you? Because I'm sorry if I did, you know it would never be my intention to hurt you in any way. But I'd prefer we'd talk about it than do whatever this is' N:'What are you talking about?'
M: 'Nath you've been avoiding me and been cold to me for weeks now. If it's something I did I'd like to fix it, if it's something that happened I'd like to help you get through whatever it is'
N: 'Nothing happened and I'm not mad at you, everything is fine there's no need to worry'
M:'It doesn't seem fine to me' N;'Just leave me to handle this'
M:'I want to help you' N:'God why can't you just leave me alone?'
M:'Nath please just talk to me'
M: 'Nath'
M:'Nath please answer'
Friday, 30th April
M:'Darling, are you okay?'
M:'I'm sorry for yesterday, I didn't want to come so harsh on you I'm just really worried'
M:'Nath?'
M:'You know I love you right?’
M:‘I'll always be there for you if you need me'
Saturday, 1th May
M:'Nath?’
M:‘Please answer me’
M:‘You're making me worry'
By now Marc had started to notice that Nathaniel was trying to avoid him at all costs: every time they'd make eye contact in the hallways suddenly he was running away in the other direction, he was showing up less and less to their meetings in the art room, during lunch he'd either not show up at all in the cafeteria or he'd find another table to sit in despite the fact that Marc was still reserving a seat just for him, he started to reply coldy to his messages and not reply at all to his 'I love you' and don't get him started on the dates. Every time he had tried to arrange something all of a sudden he was super busy or his mother wouldn't let him, which Marc would normally understand but given the circumstances he was starting to get suspicious.
Not to mention that it was making him very worried and sad to the point where everyone was now concerned for him. His parents had noticed that when he'd return to school, instead of talking to them about his day, he'd storm off into his room and would not be seen for hours until his parents begged him to come out and eat something. When he would come out of his room it was clear that he had been crying given the red puffy eyes and the stuffy red nose, but his parents tried not to put one too many words on it. They'd try to make him open up to them or at least understand what was going on, eventually they'd get an answer by Marc's behavior whenever they'd ask if something had happened with Nath since the boy would go silent and wander off with his mind.
His art teacher, Mr Danvier, had noticed too that Nathaniel was not showing up to his art classes. Whenever he'd ask Marc about it, he would make an excuse for him despite the fact that him firstly didn't have a clue of where his boyfriend had wandered off. Mr Danvier would simply offer him a warm smile and ask him how the progress of their comic was going or if he needed any help, and even though Marc had been too busy trying to chase his boyfriend to open his notebook, he'd always reassure him that everything was going just fine.
It got even worse when his friends noticed. Everyone would come ask him all sorts of questions: 'Where is Nathaniel?' 'Did you two fight?' 'Did you two go through a breakup?' 'Is Nathan alright? He doesn't look very well' 'Are you alright?'. He'd always try his best to answer their questions, but given the fact that he didn't have proper answers about the whole mess, he started to ask himself if all the answers he had given were not to reassure his friends but to reassure himself with an illusion that deep down he knew was just a lie.
To make things worse it started to affect his superhero life too. Being a miraculer is already tiring as it is, but added with the pain he was currently bearing due to the whole situation, it was crushing him. He hadn't been able to see Nathaniel or Caprikid for weeks now and even if he knew Nath had lost his miraculous, he wondered if that was the reason he had started to grow distant for him. He thought that maybe he felt too ashamed about it to talk to him. But that would have been stupid, Marc certainly wouldn't have blamed him or made him feel bad for it.
One night he had had enough, after an akuma attack he decided to ask Ladybug while playing the part of someone who had no idea of what had happened to Caprikid. At least it was good to half know where one of his boyfriend's versions had disappeared.
'Ladybug?' before the heroine could return home after the intense akuma attack, a voice behind her stopped her. She turned to see Rooster Bold nervously staring at her 'Can I talk to you? In private' he quickly added that last part. 'Sure, follow me.' she said before trailing off with her yoyo, Rooster Bold following right behind. She settled on a roof that was high enough so people couldn't hear nor see them, which they often used to think of strategies during akuma attacks. 'What did you want to talk about?' she asked, this time her tone was softer noticing that the rooster hero was still slightly shaking 'I-it's about Caprikid. I haven't seen him in a while and I was starting to get worried' Ladybug got quiet all of a sudden.
It was reasonable that Rooster Bold was getting worried for Caprikid, the two were very close both as superheroes and as civilians, but Ladybug hesitated to tell him. 'Caprikid... He... He has lost his miraculous' so what Nath was telling him was true 'What?' he tried to play dumb but some of his shock was real, he thought that Nath had been lying to him.
'How did that happen?' 'During a fight, he got slightly hurt and he went to hide. When I found him again after, he told me he was attacked and that they had taken his miraculous' it was a very different story from the one Nath had told him, he started to get suspicious again. 'So we won't see him again for a while?' 'I don't think so, but I'm keeping a close eye on him, he has started to distance himself from some people and he's been acting weird for a while now' explained Ladybug 'Wait you know Caprikid?' 'I know his identity, with his miraculous gone I have to look out for him'
There was a moment of brief silence before their miraculouses started to warn both heroes that they were about to detransform 'Did you need anything else?' asked Ladybug taking out her yoyo 'Nono that was about it' 'That's good, don't talk about this with anyone else, got it?' Rooster Bold nooded 'Good, stay safe Marc. Bug out' and with that she disappeared with her yoyo. The writer made his way to his own home having now more questions than before.
Chrysalis was a bitch. Ever since that day she had found him and threatened to hurt the people he loved if he didn't choose to work with her and betray the miraculers, she didn't loosen his grip on him: she had forced him to put up a scene and tell Ladybug he had lost his miraculous, when in reality it was kept safe and sound in his room, away from his parents reach obviously. Then she started blackmailing him, she wanted to know whatever information he knew about the miraculouses and their holders.
At first he didn't budge, he had no intention of telling her anything, that was until she threatened to hurt Rooster Bold or better yet Marc and that made him sing like a chirping bird. He didn't tell her much, just that they were trained to not transform back and use their powers limitlessly. She was content enough about that and she let him go for a while. Then she started sending him on missions. At first she started sending him out during akuma attacks to try and sabotage the other heroes, hidden in an alley he'd create a few objects to throw in the middle of the fight scene and create chaos, but he'd always try to go light on them.
Chrysalis noticed that and went ballistic on him, she threatened right there to hold Marc kidnapped and reveal to the other heroes what really happened with the goat miraculous, Caprikid begged her not to and promised to take his assignment more seriously the next time. Then she sent him on missions during night, his hero outfit had changed a bit since that day and it now made him less recognizable.
His outfit was pretty much the same except for some chains that were tied around his waist, his white hair, a collar he had around his neck (signaling Chrysalis' grip on him) and a scarf he wore up to his nose to hide his face since he didn't have a mask anymore. During these missions he'd either patrol the area to stop the heroes from getting to the fight scene while Chrysalis akumatized a new victim or he'd get informations that were needed for Chrysalis work.
By then he had realized that he was putting his friends in danger, he knew Chrysalis would keep threatening him to hurt the people he loved if he still kept being close to them. So, giving up a whole night of sleep, he made a though but much needed decision, he was gonna distance himself from anyone he knew. He started avoiding Marc at all cost and he'd try to not reply to any of his messages, he didn't accept to go on any dates and instead he kept ghosting him.
With his friends in his class he started to be colder, he would not answer any of their questions and instead he would push them all away. When they started over exaggerating as their usual he completely lost it, screamed at all of them to stop harassing him and took off a few days from school. When he came back no one dared to come near him.
The worse happened a few days later on the 10th of may, he was in the library trying to think about how to get out of this whole mess when he was cornered, by the last person he would want to see on earth in that moment. 'Nath, will you please talk to me?' there was Marc standing right in front of him with this worried look on his face that was slightly mixed with a bit of anger. Nath froze for a moment 'What?' 'Is something going on with your mother? Is it about the miraculous? Why are you not talking to me?' Marc asked, his tone getting more and more frustrated 'It's nothing' he started walking in the other direction to avoid the conversation but Marc placed himself right in front of him.
'It's not nothing Nath. You've been avoiding me and everyone else for weeks now, I see you're stressed but I don't know the reason, I don't know what happened and it's making me so worried that I can't sleep at night. I can't focus on anything else but you. I desperately want to help you because if I know that you're okay then I know I'd feel more calm but you won't talk to me and Ladybug says you've been distant with everyone else and-' 'I think we shouldn't see each other anymore' Marc froze right there.
'W-what?' 'We should break up' Nathaniel’s voice was cold. Marc didn't know how to answer. Is this the reason he had been so distant with him? Is it his mother forcing him? Was he so stressed by these thoughts that he had started to push away all of his friends?
A million of questions rushed in his head. 'W-wha- why? Is it because of your mother? Is she still-' Marc was shaking now 'No, my mother has nothing to do with this, it was my choice. I'm doing this for your own good' God he sounded just like his mother. He hated it. He hated much more seeing Marc fighting back the tears in his eyes 'B- but how c-could that be for my- my own good?' he asked, he was starting to get angry, Nath wasn't making any sense. 'I don't love you anymore. I don't think I ever did' the words felt like daggers stabbing him a million little times. Is he being for real? Is this some kind of sick twisted joke? He would've noticed the signs if what he was saying was true. 'I'm sorry' was all that Nath could burst out before running away, leaving Marc still processing the words in his head while the tears streamed down his face.
That day when he came home he looked visibly exhausted and this time, instead of running to his room to cry, he sat down next to his mother on the couch, he hugged her then he started sobbing while his mother held him tight. He explained the whole situation to her: how Nathaniel had started to avoid him, how he wouldn’t answer his texts, how he didn’t accept to go on any dates with him, everything they said to each other in the library (of course leaving out the miraculous part).
His mother helped him calm down, gently stroking his cheek with her hand ‘Sometimes things are not meant to last forever, but they were good while they lasted. The pain you’re feeling now is inevitable, but it will make you stronger. And Nathaniel… he’s a good boy, I think there’s more about this situation that he’s not telling you’ his mother reassured him.
‘Do you really think he never loved me?’ he asked ‘I’ve seen the way you two interacted Marc, that boy loved you with his whole heart, I could see it in his eyes. I don’t know what happened to him but… I don’t think what he said was true’ Marc blew his nose and his mother pulled him closer to her, he leaned his head on her chest then said ‘I miss him’ ‘I know honey, I know’
In the days that followed none of the two boys looked good, they were both drained and exhausted, Nathaniel's energy being completely taken away by that bitch of his mother and Chrysalis, Marc's energy from trying to get through a single day without having a mental breakdown.
Marc only tried sending a few text messages to Nath, not intending to harass the boy into getting back together but instead to get the answers he was denied for too long. Nath ignored him completely, even when he saw him in the school cafeteria or in the hallways, even when he saw how crushed the boy was, even when it came to their comic book, he tried not giving a single shit. Because, in the end, he knew he did this for his own good, he knew he did this to protect him, even if meant hating himself after taking away the bright smile from his rainbow's face.
Although he had to admit he missed him. He missed how he was the only person who could actually understand him, he already missed the soft touches he received on his freckled face, he missed the kisses, the hugs, he missed all of their inside jokes about being superheroes that people couldn't understand. Sharing his identity as Caprikid with him always felt more intimate than kissing him, it made their connection feel 10 times stronger. But he decided to let it all go, all just for the safety of his rainbow.
Then came the night Chrysalis sent him out again. This time she needed informations about a certain place located next to the pont d'Iena, apparently it had been abandoned for decades and it could be useful to her plan. Caprikid just needed to find out if people lived there, what kind of people lived next to it and make sure teenagers who liked exploring abandoned places wouldn't go near it for a while. She wouldn't tell him anything else and Nathaniel was fine with that so, when it was late enough in the night and his parents were asleep, he went out for his mission.
However, when he was halfway through his path, he stopped and looked back for a moment. He was looking in Marc's house direction. For a moment there was a battle in his head, he stared at it like it was the most interesting thing in his life, then he glanced back to the abandoned building, then he looked back again and started running towards his house.
He was able to land on his balcony without making too much noise and to his fortune he found the window half-open, especially since it was almost summer season and the weather was starting to get hotter. He reached for the handle of the window and opened it fully, allowing him to step foot into the room. There weren't any differences from the last time he had been there, his room was just...a lot messier: there were papers flying out of the notebooks on his desk, clothes scattered on his chair and his bed, the plushies that were once carefully placed on his bed were now laying on the floor, just one goat plushie was resting in between the arms of his lover.
Now his gaze was fully locked on him, even though the boy was sleeping he had this uneasy look on his face, he was curled in a fetus-like position with the bedsheets messily covering only half of his body and his cheeks and nose were still bright red, signaling that he had been crying.
Caprikid got closer to him, crouching at the end of the bed and gently stroking the back of his hand against his cheek, running it up and down. He kept on with the gesture while he analyzed the features on his face, he couldn't stop blaming himself because he knew he was the reason his face looked so pale and contorted. Even though he wanted to bury himself deep down in the ground and never riemerge there was a little voice in the back of his head that kept reassuring him "you did this so he would be safe, you did this for his own good". But it was hard to believe it. Sitting there almost felt like hours, when probably not even 10 minutes had passed, but the guilt eating him was far too real.
He got up from his position and leaned in bringing his face closer to Marc's, he was running out of time. He brushed with his left hand some hair out of the way and pulled off his scarf with his right one, then he placed a gentle kiss on Marc's cheek 'I'm sorry rainbow. I'm sorry but I had to. I didn't mean any of it dear, I love you...so much...but you have to stay away from me. I could put you in danger, I have to keep you safe. I love you rainbow, I love you' he said laying his head in the space between his lover's head and his shoulder while his eyes started to shed multiple tears.
Suddenly, he felt a hand brushing his white hair, he looked up and saw Marc staring at him 'Nath...'. He didn't think twice and threw himself in his arms, this time he let out everything. Marc was on the verge of tears too, everything was hitting him like a train but he didn't know how to handle things, he was concerned for his boyfriend but he didn't know what to do.
'Nath please talk to me, what's happening?' he asked concerned but his boyfriend hesitated to respond 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm running out of time, she will find out' Marc looked at him confused 'W-what do you mean? Why are you running out of time? Who is she?' Caprikid looked at him straight in his eyes 'I don't want to bring you into this, it's too dangerous. I can handle things myself' 'Nath I'm already into all of this mess! Why are you not telling me?' he shouted. He didn't know if it was because he was getting angry or because he was getting too worried. 'I don't wanna hurt you' he said in a whisper while looking down.
'Nath, if you're not gonna tell me you're gonna be hurting me more than if you did.' Caprikid didn't raise his head 'I don't wanna force you to tell me but I don't know what I'm doing right now and I'm worried, confused, I'm feeling too many things all at once and ... I just wanna know you're okay' he brought his arms around Caprikid's back and then pulled him closer for another hug, which was reciprocated by the other only a few seconds later.
'Everything is...a whole mess right now. I've been acting like a bitch and putting you all through so much misery, when I'm the first that is sinking too deep to come back. I don't think I have enough time to explain it now but I desperately wanna tell you, I should go finish this one first' Suddenly, his miraculous started lighting up, a sign that Chrysalis was probably getting irritated 'This time I'll be back to you, rainbow. And I'll explain everything, I swear.' he placed a kiss on his forehead then started going towards the window.
Before he could, he felt a hand grabbing his wrist causing him to turn around ''Wait, everything you said earlier, when you thought I was asleep...was it true?' there was a small spark of hope in Marc's eyes. 'I'm sorry about everything that happened that day, about how I treated you this whole time... I didn't mean any of it'
'So you didn't mean what you said back in the library?' he asked in a small voice. Caprikid took both of his hands and placed them on top of his chest then, without losing grip on him, he leaned in and locked their lips together. The kiss was sweet and gentle, also very short fearing it would make Marc uncomfortable, but it was long enough for Marc's fears to be reassured. 'Does that answer your question?' asked Caprikid with a small smile pressed on his lips.
In response Marc kissed him again, this time it was more passionate but ever so tender at the same time. 'Does this answer yours?' replied Marc giggling. Caprikid zoned out for a moment 'Do that again' 'What?' 'Do that again...please' so there was another kiss, and another and another and another, then another one and another one and another one.
Marc pulled away completely out of breath, it was crazy that just a few hours ago he was crying his heart out after losing the person he loved the most and now he was desperately gasping for air after he came back to him. ' I'll always love you, mon amour. It doesn't matter if you're a hero, a villain, my partner, my biggest crush, my worst enemy...I wouldn't care, I would still love you' he gently caressed his boyfriend's cheek while the other leaned into the gesture 'So please let me help you, I don't want this to crush you. Together we're stronger.' Nath got lost in his emerald eyes once again, he didn't know what he had done to deserve his boyfriend, but he had never been more grateful to whoever decided to send his angel to him.
'I won't ever leave you behind again, rainbow. I promise.' Caprikid kissed Marc's left temple, then brought their foreheads together while intertwining their fingers. 'I guess I have to go now...' he pulled away from his lover who didn't utter a word 'I'll be back, okay?' 'Mhm mhm' 'I love you, rainbow' 'I love you too'. Knowing that he wouldn't have been able to part from him if he stayed any longer, he was soon flying out of the window while Marc rested his arms on the balcony railing watching his lover disappear into the night. But this time, he knew that he would've come back to him.