Work Text:
Marc sat under his staircase, glad he was finally let out of that horrible maths lesson. Whoever decided it was a good idea to mix the alphabet with numbers was… actually onto something because it kind of did work when you thought about it, but deserved to step on nothing but Lego bricks for the rest of their life. Thankfully it was lunch now, so he had all the time in the world before his English classes started. He sighed as he pulled out his journal and began writing. He felt himself get drawn in, the chatter of students laughing and eating becoming nothing but a blur. Words poured out of him like a fountain that had water building up and up and up, and the tap had just turned on. Characters came to life on those pages as they engaged with each other, dialogue flowing as naturally as a real conversation–
“Yo Marc!” An upside-down head snapped Marc back into reality. The writer yelped, and hit his head on the step above him. Alix cackled, as she withdrew her head from between the steps and walked down to face her victim.
“A-Alix please don’t do that.” He stammered, still in shock.
“Ok, ok, I’ll try not to. But Marc. I need you for something.” A manic grin spread across her face.
“What? Alix, I’m no-not getting caught up in your stupi– in your bets.” Marc groaned.
“Hey, it’s not a bet! Unless Kim wants to get involved. Anyway, I have some chocolate I need you to give to Nath in Art Club later.”
“What? I-I’m not giving him anything from you!”
“Rude.”
Marc cringed. “Yeah sorry. But you know what I mean, y-you’re literally the biggest gremlin in the school.”
“Fair enough. Which is why I need you.”
“No.”
“Marc, hear me out!” Alix pleaded. She held up the ominous bar of chocolate. “This is some chilli chocolate Jalil got his hands on. It’s really good stuff, and I swear it’s not that spicy.”
“I feel a ‘but’ coming.”
“But – remember what happened at that chilli challenge when he was trying to impress you?”
Heat crept up Marc’s neck. The three had been at Marc’s house, and it was pretty early in the voyage of SS Nathmarc, as it was called by the author who is losing her brain cells at the moment and is now breaking the fourth wall because she doesn’t know what to write and is hoping this will come off as funny even though it really isn’t. So naturally, Nathaniel had been trying to impress Marc more, so jumped at the opportunity when the writer brought out different spicy dips for their chicken. What the artist didn’t factor in though, was his low spice tolerance, or the spice level of the sauces. It was a pretty hilarious sight until Nathaniel had begun crying and the milk wasn’t having the desired effect.
“I want that, but without the sobbing.” Alix’s eyes shone. Marc felt uneasy. He didn’t want to put Nathaniel through that experience again… but as he read the packet, he realised the spice level was nowhere near as high as his dips… and it had been pretty funny, even Nathaniel said so…
“Fine. But if anything happens it’s your fault.”
“Hey!”
*
“Hey Tomato,” Marc looked up to his boyfriend as he entered the art room. Nathaniel waved, before making his way over to Marc’s desk. Soon the two were working as usual, discussing comic concepts, adjusting dialogues to fit the illustrations, or changing the posing of a hero to match the tone of the speech. Before they knew it, it was half-way through the session, and Marc’s stomach began to rumble.
“S-sorry ’bout that.” He laughed. “Don’t worry, I came prepared.” Marc pulled out the Chilli Chocolate, without its wrapper of course because that would be stupid. His hands felt clammy as he broke off a piece and ate it. Surprisingly, Alix was right, it wasn’t that spicy at all. There was definitely quite a bit of heat, but the rich flavour and bittersweetness of the dark chocolate balanced it out beautifully.
“Hey look, we actually have a full house today,” Nathaniel looked around, and he was right. At this point, people usually left early, or just arrived from other commitments, and sometimes people just got busy. Marinette was one of these, and even she was here today. “Is something going on?”
“Nothing that I know of.” Marc popped another piece into his mouth. He held the treacherous bar out to his boyfriend. Marc’s heart pounded in his chest, knowing what was to come. “Want some?”
“Sure.” Nathaniel broke off a decent-sized chunk, and ate the whole thing. Out of the corner of his eye, Marc could see everyone watching as he did, with bated breath, to see the inevitable. Of course Alix told the others she was doing this.
Although it all happened in a second, it was as if the whole thing was in slow motion. Nathaniel’s expression changed, from one of nonchalance and content, to confusion, to horror as the realisation set in. Heat rose up his face, and his eyes bulged at the betrayal.
Suddenly, Nathaniel was panting, the occasional “it’s hot!” and “what was in that?!” coming out in gasps. The artist grappled for his water, as Alix laughed her head off, swigging her own drink.
It was quite funny. Nathaniel, who was always so cold and collected to anyone who didn’t know him, who was ruthless whenever he felt he had been wronged, was now running around the art room, red in the face, trying to find something more effective than water to cool the flames in his mouth. Mr Monlataing seemed completely at loss. Marc chuckled, watching his boyfriend run around for once like a headless chicken. The writer rarely got moments like this where he could mess with people, so he was going to relish it while he could. He caught Alix’s eye as she recorded the ordeal on her table because of course she was sitting on one, and she winked. ‘I’ll send it later,’ she mouthed at him.
After about another minute and Nathaniel chugging all the water he could, Marc thought maybe it was time to stop. He looked into his bag for the milk carton he packed for the occasion, but it wasn’t there. Panic began to creep in as he searched every pocket for the drinks he brought to help Nathaniel. Nothing.
Damn you Alix.
Marc ran. He ran straight out of the classroom at the speed of light, out of the school, and out to the streets. He ran into the first shop he saw, ran to the dairy section and grabbed several bottles of milkshakes of varying flavours. As soon as he bought them, he ran back to the school, panting as he ran up the stairs and into the art room. He sent up a quick prayer and lobbed the bottle of strawberry milkshake through the door. It was a throw Ladybug herself would be proud of, Marinette told him later. Rose caught the bottle and handed it to Nathaniel, who gratefully began drinking the sweet, strawberry-flavoured drink like it was the elixir of life. I think. I can’t exactly remember what that is to be honest.
“IS HE OK?” Marc burst into the room, still panting but on his feet. He had never been so grateful for his love for football and akumas forcing him to learn how to run.
Nathaniel looked around to see his boyfriend in the doorway. The boyfriend who just ran out of the school and bought him… how many milkshakes? To make him feel better quicker. His heart melted.
“I could kiss you,” he declared. Marc made a noise that resembled a keyboard smash.
“M-maybe not the best idea seeing I ate some of that chocolate too, un-unless you want to go through all that again.”
“BOO!” Alix yelled, still recording. “That would have made the most hilarious blackmail material ever!”
“It’s ok Alix, we’ll just put it on the wedding reception playlist instead.” Marinette patted her back.