The Artist and the Flower

Chapter 5

Soon I was out of breath. I stopped running, and I laid down on the grass. I looked up at the sky and felt the silent tears roll down the sides of my cheeks. I wiped them away, but more tears came. The sky was blue, it reminded me of Marinette and her pretty blue eyes. What should I do? If I'm with her, she could be in danger! What if I got akumatized again and she was around? What if I hurt her? There's no way I could be near her. I was a constant threat to her. My heart ached at the thought of not being able to hold her hand anymore or even be in the same class as her. Why did this have to happen? Right when she liked me back! It's all Adrien's fault. It's his fault I can't be with Marinette anymore. No, wait, it isn't his fault. It's my fault. It's always my fault. There's something wrong with me, why can't I ever be happy? I pulled the box of chocolate strawberries receipt out of my pocket and played back that moment when I was with Marinette. I started to quiver again. I saw a black butterfly flutter towards me. "No, not again. Go away!" I yelled and got up backed away from the butterfly. It was the same butterfly that got into my pen and transformed me into Evilustrator. I didn't want any powers this time, I didn't want to be some mindless puppet for some dude obsessed with jewelry. I just wanted to disappear. I wanted to be forgotten, since there's no other way I can guarantee my flower's safety unless I'm out of the picture. I tripped over a tree root and saw the butterfly come close to me. I tried to get up, but I was so scared that I kept fumbling and falling over. "I don't need you, go bother someone else!" I yelled though tears. If I was akumatized again, it would prove that I really was a monster. That I was truly evil on the inside.
"Nathaniel!" I heard someone yell. "Get away from that akuma!" It was a girl's voice. I looked over e. It was Marinette. She ran to me and knelt down by my side and held my wrist that still gripped the receipt. "Nath, you have to stand up!" She tried to pull me up, but I felt so weak at that moment. Marinette had ran all the way from the deli to where I was... for me? "Nathaniel!" She cried out, her hand shaking. "Get up!" Suddenly, I was filled with energy and I shot up. I saw the akuma land on my receipt. I panicked and let go of the receipt, but it was too late. Hawk Moth sent me a message.
"Translucence, I'm Hawk Moth, though I don't think I need to introduce myself. We've met before. I grant you the power to turn invisible and move as you please without anyone seeing you. You can make anything invisible with your notepad. But you must do something for me in return. Do we have a deal?" My head started swarming with all the possibilities I could accomplish with my new powers. I heard someone faintly calling me. Was it... Marinette? I felt pain on my wrist, she was still holding my wrist? No, not holding it, more like squeezing the living hell out of it. I couldn't see anything except for darkness. Wait, there was something there. It was incredibly hard to see. A figure, a female figure. Marinette? I forgot she was there. Marinette! The akuma! How could I forget so quickly?
"Translucence! Do we have a deal??" Hawk Moth sounded irritated. Marinette looked like she was trying to get my attention, screaming, frantically moving her other arm while she gripped my hand. I didn't know what to do! Hawk Moth giving me powers seemed so, tempting. He could solve my problems. But it felt... wrong. What was I saying! Of course it was wrong! Marinette! I only want to be with her! I don't want to disappear! "We don't have a deal Hawk Moth! I don't need your powers! I don't need your powers! Leave me alone!" I yelled. Suddenly, I could see again. On the floor next to my feet was the black receipt that had turned into a notepad that said "invisible" on it. I picked it up and ripped it. The black butterfly fluttered out of the paper and I flicked it with my finger and watched it fall to the ground. "I don't want to disappear, I don't want to be forgotten. " I said as I covered my face with my free hand. Marinette was still holding my wrist. Then she slid her hand into mine and removed my hand from me face.
"Nath, I'm so glad you're okay!" Marinette said. She wrapped her arms around me in a hug and held on tight. "I didn't think it was possible to say 'no' to Hawk Moth, but you did! I was so worried about you." She looked up at me waiting for my response.
"I, I'm so sorry Marinette. Adrien's right, I'm a constant threat. I'm evil, there's no doubt about it. It's dangerous for you to be near me" I said as I stepped away from her. I shoved my hands in my pockets and shamefully looked away from her. I felt horrible, but I couldn't risk her getting hurt just so I could be happy.
Marinette looked hurt and she stared at me. "Nathaniel, you're not evil! I know you're a good person. That was in the past, you're not the same person you were before! I need you!" Marinette cried out. Her words pierced through me and I didn't know what to say. She came close to me and lifted my head. "Come on Nath, let's go back to school, okay? You'll be fine, and I really do like you." I looked into her blue eyes and knew she meant ever word she said.
"Marinette" I whispered and started to tear up again. "Are you sure you won't be afraid of me?"
"Of course not. I trust you." She ruffled my hair playfully. I smiled and twirled her pigtails.
"Okay, let's go back to school then, flower." I said and placed my arm around her neck on her shoulder. Marinette beamed and wrapped her arm around me on my hip. We walked back to class, laughing and talking the whole time.
Back in class, the teacher scolded us for being late. I was t listening though, I was giving Adrien an icy stare. I'm pretty shy, so I didn't plan on saying anything to him. Plus, there's no way I could confront him after he saw me cry. We went back to our seats, and I continued to spend my class time wisely, drawing me and my flower Marinette. I blushed and smiled as I drew us together.

A/N: I originally intended for this to end at chapter 5, but if you'd like, I'll do my best to add more chapters to this when I can. Let me know through a comment if I should continue. Don't forget to vote the chapters, thanks for reading!