Nathaniel x reader!

Chapter 3- Lunch

Your POV~
I nervously stepped into the cafeteria at lunchtime, waving to Nathaniel as I passed out usual table and sat by Chloe and Sabrina.

"You're friends with him?" Chloe asked, giving me a skeptical and disgusted look and gesturing to Nathaniel. I did my best to not seem as irritated as I was with her expression.

"Well, yeah. We're both artists and we sit by each other in a lot of classes, so it just happened." I said coolly.

"Hmmmm. Fair enough. You know, he used to be in love with Marinette. That's how he became Evillustrator and tried to kill me! Can you believe it?!" She ranted, looking at her lunch.

"Yep! Marinette tricked me into thinking she was my best friend that day. That's why I don't like her." Sabrina added, a bit too cheery for her words.

"Uh-huh. So why don't you like her Chloe?" I asked. I saw an opportunity to figure some stuff out about their relationship.

"Oh God, don't get me started! She's ridiculous- just utterly ridiculous! Her silly underage pigtails, trying to be Miss Goody-two shoes all the time, trying to take alllll the attention, always being so clumsy and trying to get Adrien to notice her and help her up..." I nodded and tried to appear listening intently, but it was clear that she was pretty absorbed in her list, so she thankfully didn't notice me glance around at the other lunch tables.

I noticed Alya and Marinette whispering and staring at me. I decided to give them a wink, and waved. I wasn't being friendly; I was making sure they saw who I was with, and that I was happy. Oh gosh! What am I thinking? I'm acting so haughty! I caught myself, but then realized something. I could be whoever I wanted to be! I didn't have to be the shy artist that I had become after my fight with Marinette, I could be a confident girl again. I could maybe even break Nathaniel out of his shell. Maybe become really good friends with these two girls, and hopefully help Chloe be less self-absorbed.

"...so yeah, there's a lot of reasons to not like Marinette." Chloe finished, looking me directly in the eyes. "What about you?" She asked. I smiled inside; Chloe asked someone other than herself to talk! It was improvement.

"Well, we were friends, but then she thought I liked Adrien, and-"

"What?! Do you?!" She cried, appalled. She crossed her arms and bent forward, frowning.

"No! See, that's what I was trying to explain to her, but she didn't believe me because she was just acting out of pure jealousy." I quickly explained.

"Hmm. Yes, she is very clingy. And ridiculous." Chloe said, uncrossing her arms. Her frown changed into a smirk. "We both know that she has no chance with him though. Everytime she tries to speak to him, she causes some sort of disaster! Plus, he's my best friend." Chloe mentioned. She glanced at Sabrina, who was frowning. "Besides you, Sabrina. Chill." Chloe looked at me intently. I scooched back on my seat a little. She was actually quite intimidating.

"Uh, Chloe?" I prompted.

"I think we could be friends. If you can crawl out of your hermit shell." Chloe stated, leaning back and taking a bite of her food casually. I smiled.

"I'm working on it. So, do-"

"What's your phone number?" Chloe interrupted. I chuckled. This might be difficult.
I told her, and then she looked up at me from her phone.
"How do you spell your name?" She asked. I had a feeling she didn't exactly know my name. I spelled it for her and she assumed a face of contentness.

"Sabrina, I'm going to make a group chat with you and y/n. Don't freak out like last time with Adrien, kay?" She said, not looking up from her phone.

Sabrina grinned doofily and nodded. She was pretty funny. I turned to look at Nathaniel. He was talking with Adrien and Nino. I smiled, glad that he was actually socializing. Then, Adrien decided to walk right over to our table. Chloe looked up with the happiest, sweetest expression I had seen on her all day. She might have liked him more than Marinette.

"Hey, Adrikins!" She chirped. "You know y/n, right?" She waved a hand at me and smiled.

"Yeah, it's nice of you to branch out and make new friends, Chloe. I'm proud of you!" He smiled and patted her shoulder. "I'm glad you're being nicer." He added.

"Of course, Adrikins! I think we're going to be good friends. You should sit down with us!" She suggested.

He shrugged okay. "Can Nino join us?" He asked. I nodded my head towards Nathaniel. Adrien noticed and looked his direction. "And Nathaniel?" He added.

Chloe slightly grimaced at both suggestions, but nodded, keeping up her politeness for Adrien. His eyebrows raised in surprise and he smiled. "You really are changing!" He waved both other boys over and we made room for them at the table.

Adriens POV~
Usually Chloe is very talkative and boasty, often limiting her kind-socializing to Sabrina and I, but today she showed me that she really can be sweet and open minded. She invited y/n to lunch (without my suggesting it) and then agreed to allow both Nino and Nathaniel to join us as well.

I had always felt that Chloe was pretty annoying, but I reminded myself of all our fun memories as younger kids, before her father became mayor, and I couldn't stay annoyed for long. Now she was improving a lot, and I was beginning to think of her in a much better way. The improvement started when she became Queen Bee. I think that in the few moments she has with Pollen, her kwami is a good influence.

Now, the only time I had ever felt elated and infatuated was around Ladybug. But for some reason, in this moment at lunch with Chloe, when I reminded myself of Ladybug all I could draw back were the bad memories and rejections. I noticed that Chloe was actually talking to y/n and Nathaniel, even with me here which was pretty rare. And she was being nice! Chloe was changing, and I liked it. I liked it a lot.

Chloe's POV~
Talking with y/n got Adrien's attention, and I got some juice about baker-girl from her as well. My plan had worked perfectly, and I had gotten exactly what I wanted. But after what Adrien had said to me, and putting his hand on my shoulder, I realized that this could really last, and maybe that I could actually be friends with her. She seemed fiery about Marinette, and obviously wasn't a threat involving Adrien. She proved to be useful, and we... Clicked, I guess.

I suppose I really could change. Adrien had pointed out to me in the past that he wanted to be my friend if I could care about others more. I didn't quite realize what that meant, and that it was a long term thing, not a temporary charade, so I didn't exactly change thaaat much. But after I met Pollen and got my wishes and  dreams of being a superhero granted, I realized I should start acting a bit more like a superheros alter ego.

But I really think that today is the real clincher. The Day Of Change. Adrien asking me out isn't too far away!!

This doesn't mean I'm going to be all besties with Dupain-Cheng though. I don't think that'll ever happen. Sorry, Adrikins, not everyone's perfect! I'm pretty close, but at least I admit it! Mwah!