Chapter Text
Every evening, he lay doing absolutely nothing. Scrolling on his phone had initially been just a small part of his day, but it gradually filled the void of his free time. Nathaniel was an artist who used to spend his spare moments refining his drawings. But lately, even that had started to bore him.
Don’t misunderstand him. Drawing is something he loves to do. Yet, he feels increasingly uninspired. It’s as if he’s drawn everything there is to draw and tried every style. Sometimes, he feels like he’s forgotten how to create. He knows it’s just an artistic block—it’ll pass. But the emptiness is overwhelming. Now, all his brushes, sheets of paper, and colored pencils lie dusty on the table, waiting for someone to use them.
With no greater purpose in mind, he scrolled through social media and stumbled upon *LadyBlog*, run by a girl from his class, Alya. Anyone who knows her knows how devoted she is to the site. She never loses her inspiration. Every day, she chases ladybugs, risking her life just to capture the perfect shot.
Nathaniel glanced at the other side of his room, where a large collection of ladybug sketches was pinned up. He had to admit, he visited *LadyBlog* quite often. The ladybug was a symbol of peace, hope, and fighting evil—it could inspire anyone.
Even though he hadn’t exchanged many words with Alya, he was proud of her and admired her work. She was the first to document the ladybug and had remained loyal to it. Beyond its content, the blog also showcased an artistic and aesthetic side. As an artist, Nathaniel appreciated those details. He especially loved the mix of red and black, paired with lighter, pastel colors. He’d heard that Marinette had helped design the site.
Marinette was extraordinary. Nathaniel had once harbored feelings for her, but over time, he realized it wasn’t meant to be. She was like the sun in human form—kind, honest, and always ready to help anyone in need. She was also the main reason Nathaniel had friends. Before her, he’d only had Alox, and he’d thought that was enough. But in his class, he was ignored, even bullied by Chloé. Marinette noticed his loneliness and started inviting him to class gatherings and outings. He didn’t always attend or actively join the conversations, but it was always a nice change.
The blog didn’t just follow the fate of Paris’s heroes—it also documented every *akuma* that appeared in the city. As he scrolled further down, he noticed a photo of himself—or rather, an *akumatized* version of him.
*Akumatization* was a difficult topic for him. Not because he was ashamed or afraid to talk about it, but because he couldn’t remember any of it. After being humiliated by Chloé in front of the object of his affection, he had run to the bathroom, tears streaming down his face. He’d felt terrible, his head pounding as if it would explode. He’d seen the akuma approaching but hadn’t had the strength to react. He didn’t remember the words the Shadow Moth had said to him either. What he *did* remember was that feeling of freedom. It was wonderful to know you could do absolutely anything and not care what others thought. That was how he would define akumatization.
Curious, he checked the comments. Of course, there were people writing things like *“Poor guy, another victim of that monster,”* and fangirls swooning over their hero in the photos. But as he dug deeper, he discovered an entirely different group.
People wrote about him as if he were a fairy-tale character, complimenting his outfit and admiring the powers he’d been granted. But what fascinated him most were the fanarts—drawings of *him*. He smiled to himself and kept scrolling through the sketches until he suddenly came across a post.
**@ladybugglover:**
*Is it just me, or does Evillustrator fit *so* perfectly with Reversor? Look at how well they complement each other. I’m dying for someone to draw them together 🔥🔥*
Without hesitation, he scrolled down, eager to see the responses. Everyone either agreed or promised to draw the pairing.
He opened a second tab to learn more about this *Reversor*. From the descriptions and photos, he gathered that Reversor was a student at his school—Marc Anciel, a year younger. He might have recognized him in the hallway if he didn’t spend all his time daydreaming.
The boy looked delicate and sensitive, but his villain persona was nothing like him. His bright hair and fair complexion were replaced by stark black-and-white lines. Nathaniel liked the way Reversor’s face was half black and half white.
He grabbed a sheet of paper and began sketching the villain with simple lines. He didn’t even notice how his inspiration magically returned.