Please, Don't Leave Me

Chapter 20

A month later, Marc was still comatose, but Nathaniel remained by his side faithfully. His classmates let him copy their notes and brought him his text books. He would have to make up a few quizzes and a test, but he didn't mind. He never left Marc's side; however, he was growing more and more concerned by the day. "When will you wake up, Babe....? I need you... I want you back and hold you and dance with you..... I love you..." Nathaniel sat beside his lover on the bed until a doctor came in to check his machines. He wrote something on a clipboard and smiled at Nathaniel before leaving the room. Nathaniel sighed as he sat back down and took Marc's hand and kissed it. That was when he felt the fingers flex for the first time in a month. Nathaniel jumped off the bed and pressed the button to call a nurse excitedly. She promptly entered the room."What's the matter??" Nathaniel was smiling happily, "His fingers flexed! I was holding his hand and his fingers flexed!" This nurse, however, didn't seem to care since she was fairly new. "It's called reflex. Don't call us unless it's an emergency." She turned around to leave and froze when the doctor stood there. "This boy has been comatose completely for a month, Lindsey. If his fingers flexed, it is priority. Or have you forgotten your training? Leave. Let a trained professional take care of something you obviously didn't learn." She gulped and stepped aside embarrassed.

"Now then, you said his fingers flexed?" Nathaniel nodded and smiled. The doctor smiled softly and checked everything. As he was examining everything, he looked confused; none of his readings had changed. However, when he glanced at Marc, he saw his face change as he very slowly opened his emerald eyes, which immediately locked with electric blue. "Hey, Kitten..." Marc slowly tried to sit up. "Huh....? Where am I...? Nate...?" He looked confused then he saw the doctor. "Welcome back, Marc... You've given us quite the scare..." Marc looked over to Nathaniel in confusion. "Babe, you were in a coma for a month..." "What??? A month?? B-but school.... and D-Da--... Mr. Anciel....." Marc looked down, the memories of the previous month returning. Nathaniel took his hand and kissed it, "Hey... It's OK... He's actually in the waiting room.... He wanted to make sure you were safe.... I think he sorta came to terms with everything...." Marc looked up at him. "He did....?" The redhead smiled. "Yeah... And I think 'Tomato' has become my nickname with him," he replied with a giggle. Marc smiled and giggled. Nathaniel was grateful he has his baby back so he leaned in and kissed him gently. Marc, of course, kissed him back before the doctor cleared his throat. Embarrassed, the boys looked at him. "I'm glad you're awake again, but we need to make sure your sensory skills are still intact." Marc nodded, and Nathaniel helped him stand. "Now, try to walk on your own to the restroom over there." Marc nodded and, once unhooked from everything, slowly but surely made his way to the restroom, his legs wobbly but never giving out under him.

Satisfied, the doctor nodded. "I saw you interact with your boyfriend and how you held his hand so I know you can grasp things still so I will inform your guardian and once she signs some paperwork, you may go home." He left the room, and Nathaniel rested his forehead against Marc's gently smiling. "I missed you so much..." Marc looked away, not knowing what to say. Nathaniel just kissed his cheek. Marc looked at him with his cheeks dusted with a rosy blush. Nathaniel chuckled, missing this. "Wanna video call everyone?" Marc smiled happily and nodded. Nathaniel set up a group chat and video called everyone. When they all answered, they saw Marc awake and waving. "MARC!!!!!" Alya and Marinette simultaneously squealed. "Hey, Man!" Alex said, "It's good to see you among the living again. Tomato Head had been worried sick." "Really, Alex?? Don't embarrass me like that!!" Everyone laughed, and Adrian answered. "Looks like you're awake. It's good to see you, Buddy." Marc smiled softly, and when Luka answered, his eyes widened and he hung up. "Why did he do that...?" he asked right before Luka burst through the door and hugged him. "You had us all worried..." Marc's eyes widened before softening as he hugged Luka back. "Sorry..." Nathaniel smiled and kissed Marc's temple on camera earning squeals and"Awwwwwww's" from everyone. Marc blushed shyly then smirked at Nathaniel before pulling him down and kissing him, resulting in everyone cheering. Marc and Luka both giggled at how flustered Nathaniel was; he was using his free hand to try to hide his face.

Everyone laughed in good fun before Ms. Kurtzberg came in and smiled. "Nate, the sooner he gets dressed, the sooner we can take him out for ice cream to celebrate..." Nathaniel's eyes lit up and he helped Marc stand again since they had sat back on the bed. Luka smiled and left the room to tell Marc's father the news. Ms. Kurtzberg giggled and went after Luka, leaving Nathaniel to help Marc get dressed. "Let's get you something more you... Marinette brought an outfit last time she came that was made just for you..." Marc's eyes lit up when he heard that. He jumped up and went over to a chair with an outfit neatly folded in it. Nathaniel smiled and helped him out of the gown and once Marc had his underwear back on, he helped Marc put on the pastel blue crop top and pastel rainbow checkered skater skirt. Marc never felt so happy. He looked down and noticed that his legs were smooth. "Mom requested that they keep your legs shaved for you... Instead of using a razor, they used a hair removal cream." Marc smiled happily. "Thank you..." The redhead smiled as he watched Marc put on the black leggings and some cute black ankle boots. Nathaniel gently brushed his lover's hair, which had grown, and clipped his bangs out of his face using a hairpin Marinette made for him to look like a heart. Nathaniel took him to a mirror and saw that he was so beautiful; he didn't even have to worry about facial hair since he naturally couldn't grow any. "I look so beautiful...."

He didn't have any makeup on yet, but he still loved his looks. This warmed Nathaniel's heart as he kissed Marc's neck. Marc hummed happily. He found that there was something in one of the skirt pockets and when he pulled it out, he saw a rosy pink lipstick with a note saying, "From Chloe" on it. He smiled softly and tried it on, loving how it made his lips so pink and kissable. When he read the label he saw it was cruelty free and moisturizing. He smiled happily; those were factors he always looked for in makeup. "Chloe really changed ever since you talked to her... She's been working with Marinette as a model as well as being a better friend to Sabrina... She's even become nicer to literally everyone... You're the school hero...." Marc blushed, not realizing what his gesture had done. He looked in the mirror at how beautiful he was; this was the real him. He took a deep breath and took Nathaniel's hand. With a loving smile, they left the hospital room and walked toward the waiting room hand-in-hand.