Nathanael has had his fox miraculous since the beginning of the summer, and has been working with chat noir and ladybug ever since. Lately the akumas were growing stronger, and master fu thought they would need a helping hand. The three of them get along fine, although every time Nathanael, or Volpin, tries to talk to her out of akuma topic, chat noir seems to get a bit protective.
There was no need for that. He has eyes only for Marinette. Those big beautiful eyes... Sometimes he saw Marinette in ladybug. They had the same hair, but there was something different about their eyes. Marinette's were kind and innocent and warm, while ladybugs were filled with determination and confidence.
He does admit that ladybug is beautiful and he might have a tiny crush on her, but all thoughts of her fade away when he's around Marinette. Because he loves Marinette. Chat Noir doesn't need to worry about him.
There was something about the suit that gave Nathanael a huge confidence boost. He didn't know why, but the mask seemed to let him be himself. On their nightly patrols, Volpin would occasionally talk about Marinette, but he only told his partners what happened when his mask was on, just in case the trio knew eachother in real life.
"I'm thinking about visiting Marinette today after our patrol. She might need a little comforting after the day she had." Volpin said, his voice filled with worry, which made Ladybug blush.
"Marinette is a big girl, I think she's alright." Ladybug said, neither of the boys aware that she was laughing on the inside.
"I know that, but she was singled out by that akuma today, I care about her... Which is why I can't help it." Volpin sighed and ladybug put her hand on his back. Chat Noir stared at them, with a hint of jealousy in his eyes.
"I know you do Volpin, I know you do." Ladybug stood up and got her yoyo out. "Sorry boys, but I've got prior activities to attend to tonight. Bug out!" Chat Noir and Volpin smiled after her as she soared across the rooftops of Paris. Chat noticed and called Volpin out on this.
"Don't you have your OWN lady to attend to?" Obviously angered with him, but Volpin did not let Chat get to him, he just giggled.
"Yes I believe I do, have a nice night chat noir" Volpin smirked at Chat, which seemed to anger him greatly. Within ten minutes Volpin finally arrived at Marinette's home.
She was sitting down in her pajamas listening to music playing mega strike III. God she was so adorable. Nathanael tapped on her window sill and she was so startled that she screamed and fell out of her seat.
Volpin opened the window himself and ran to her aid, hoping that his delicate flower hadn't broken anything. "Marinette! Are you alright? Does anything hurt?"
"Yes I'm fine, thanks Volpi- wait. Volpin?! What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to make sure you were okay after that akuma attack. Are you? Alright?"
Marinette smiled. "Yes, I'm perfectly okay thanks to you." Volpin scratched the back of his head, blushing.
"Well I wouldn't have been able to save you if it weren't for ladybug and Chat. We're a team, I can't take all the credit."
Nathanael loved being around her as his alter ego, he actually had enough confidence to construct a full sentence.
"Would you like to go somewhere with me, Marinette?"
"Where? It's the middle of the night and it's not like my parents will let me just walk out of the house!" Volpin chuckled and looked down.
"You do know you're talking to a super heroine with the power of flight, right?" Marinette's face flustered with embarrassment, she had completely forgotten one of her partners most commonly used abilities.
"Where?" She said to him, still embarrassed of her forgetfulness.
"Take my hand and I'll show you." Volpin held his hand out to Marinette and she took it without hesitation. He led her up to her rooftop and pulled her body against his. She looked up at him, and he looked down at her. She trusted him completely.
Marinette had been too busy looking into Volpin's eyes to notice that they were up in the air, hundreds of feet off the ground. When she finally did, he felt her grip onto his shoulders more tightly. Volpin smiled.
When he set her down, they were in a beautiful Japanese garden in a part of Paris that she had never been before.
"Where are we?" Marinette said in awe.
"A place where I like to go to think." Volpin said to her with a low and soft voice. "The owner was an old friend of the family, and when he moved to America he gave it to us."
Marinette walked around the garden, looking at the small stream that was next to her feet. "Is that house yours too?" She pointed to a small home that matched the garden's Japanese theme.
Nathanael nodded.
"Would you like to go inside?" Marinette nodded and they went inside and sat on the couch as he made tea for her. She thanked him and he sat beside her.
"So... Where exactly are we?" She said after taking sips of her tea.
"Well I'd tell you, it's just that I come here sometimes as my regular self... And it wouldn't be the best thing if you came here and we ran into eachother. Marinette nodded in understanding and they talked for the rest of the night.
