It had been one year since Nathanael had used his powers. Master fu refused to take back his miraculous, which he had been wearing as a bracelet since it was given to him. After marinette's betrayal, he no longer had the desire or the will to fight alongside her.
"However you may feel now, should not put the citizens of Paris at risk. You must keep this miraculous, and when cat noir and ladybug truly need your help you will be ready."
Nathanael didn't want to hear that. He didn't think he could ever face her again. A year ago she cheated on him, and all she had to say for it was that she was sorry. Sorry wouldn't mend the gaping hole she had created in his heart.
Some two months after, Marinette and Adrien became public. Everyone was gushing over the adorable new couple they've been shipping since middle school, but that left behind Nathanael with only rose and Juleka to comfort him. They were his best friends, after all. Over the summer marinette had received an internship at the agreste design studio and was responsible for half of the brand's new collection, with adrien modeling them. Nathanael could not deny how much of a power couple they were, but as much as he wanted to forget her, she somehow showed up everywhere he went. Ladybug was seen on billboards throughout Paris, and marinette's name had been plastered all over the yearbook due to her success in clothing design. When Akumas attacked, he would see her soar across the sky with her yo-yo from rooftop to rooftop.
There was no escape.
Adrienette was short lived. After being together for 8 months marinette had decided to quit his fathers company and start a small line of her own. In the end this tore them apart but after a short time they were able to reconnect but only as friends.
Nathanael hasn't spoken to either of them since that night. He misses chat noir, but he does not have any way of reconnecting without revealing his identity. But Nathanael had decided to move on to a new chapter of his life and focus more on his art.
Akumas would be released by hawkmoth as per usual, and every time Nathanael would hesitate. "What if they really need me this time?" He would say to himself. "What if they can't do it alone?" They were always able to defeat the villain with ease without volpin, and he had hoped the day would never come when that wouldn't be the case.
But of course, it did.
