The Marriage Law

Chapter 8- The Marriage Law

Marinette POV

Time went on, solemnly. Ever since the day the list was posted, things have been harder for those chosen. Sometimes I think to myself, maybe, my name was added to the list by mistake, like maybe, whomever written the list had gotten distracted and written my name instead of someone else's. 

Or they wrote a name similar to my own, but being too similar, they input my name instead.

Reality is, there nothing remotely close to "Marinette Dupain-Cheng". And that reality, I have to deal with.

Elise had arrived the next day she had called me. Nathaniel made it his mission to be the first one their to greet her, but decided to back out once he arrived at the airport. Seeing as Adrien, Nathaniel and myself came in one car, which happened to belong to Adrien's, he couldn't leave as none of us knew the way back home by any other transport, or the walk of shame.

So, he stuck with us, and dragged himself inside the airport facility to seek her out. While he was in front of us practically running around, asking people for directions or if they've seen her description, and resembling those regret-filled/guilty lovesick boys on sappy love film, Adrien and I strolled way behind him, nonchalantly.

I was happy that Elise was back in Paris, but I was not happy for the right reasons. Aside from her being back, I was excited to see my God-babies, Brielle, and Miles, but also terrified as Nathaniel believes that Elise had a miscarriage, when really, it was a ploy to help her escape and keep her babies. A baby Nathaniel wanted to get rid of, a baby Nathaniel didn't want.

I understand Elise returning to Paris, but she didn't exactly say with whom was she returning with. Her parents? The twins? From our conversation on the phone, in my opinion, I tensed when she said Nathaniel, I never thought that I'd say... we're halfway there, I have an inkling as to who she was speaking of, but I'm hoping that I'm wrong.

I don't know how Nathaniel will take the news of his offspring actually still living. Will he be angry? upset? sad? will he be scared? Will he want to stay and help her raise them? take his responsible role as their father? Or will he really leave Elise behind and have her continue to raise them as a single mother? Will he even be happy?

As I was left wondering and worrying about the outcome for both Elise and Nathaniel, I hadn't realized I had stopped walking only for oncoming passerby's in a rush coming to and fro, until Adrien pulled me aside. 

"Nathaniel!" he shouted, but Nath either didn't hear, or ignored him, and shrugged.

"Are you alright, Marinette?" Adrien asked concerned, and I nodded.

"Marinette, I can tell something's not right, you're holding back, and you never hold back, this is unusual, even for you, if it's about Nathaniel, he's far and running and bumping into people, you can tell me, or don't. Whatever it is, I can help you get through this," his statement caught my attention as soon as he said Nathaniel.

"Nathaniel? Why would this be about Nathaniel? and unusual, no I'm clumsy and awkward Marinette, I'm fine there's nothing to worry about, it's all dandy, why... why would you think something's not right?" I ask.

"Because you're Marinette. Yeah, you're awkward and clumsy, but you never hold back, and ever since Elise called, you've been holding back, around Nathaniel. I know you guys told me your guy's history with each other, but I don't think, you told us everything. Maybe some things not even Nathaniel knows, or you guys might've left some things out,"

Remind me how I'm Ladybug again. I grabbed a man and yanked him to the sidewalk? No, no, I was clumsy and late to my first day of school and saved a random old man. and in the end, I found random magical earrings in front of my computer. Yea, no, how can I be confident as Ladybug and Guardian of the miraculous, if I can't act like I'm totally fine in reality? How can I hide my secret of being one of the biggest superheroes in Paris, if I can't hide the fact that I'm nervous about Nathaniel and Elise meeting up again after a few years? After what went down?