Nathaniel's P.O.V: 

"I'm sorry Nathaniel honey, it's either you can't go at all or it's your dad that's gonna have to send you and your boyfriend."

Of course, my own fricking dad has to send Marc and I to the school dance. How can I even explain this to my own boyfriend without having a part of him shattered? A sigh releases from my mouth as then I almost in slow motion step into my school. Up the marble white steps through the entrance as I quickly shift into a speed walk to my class. Most likely anyways that I'll be late, but, not much of a shocker other then a soon to come report of this absence. 

The vision from my eyes begin to blur up a bit as the word from my mom enough pierced my heart badly enough. Hurrying up to my classroom as it'll be a few more blocks until lunch arrives, and... until I eventually have to tell Marc everything with the dance. And... my stupid dad as well. 

'Please... please please don't be upset at me, for this...'

Marc's P.O.V: 

Light streaks of pencil lead aimlessly on my blank page of my notebook. As I sigh softly under my breath as then Spades peeks out from my hoodie and then looks at my more troubled face. As his yellow eyes stared to me and then spoke to me softly. 

"Stuck on something?" 

"Just... w-writers b-block I guess..." 

"Struggles of being an artist of any type am I right?" 

"I-I guess... Can't classes b-be shortened?" I ask softly to my kwami as he just shrugged his little shoulders to me more careless like. 

"Suppose not, cause if so you'd be out of class by now right?" Spades informs me as a nod from my head just responds to him back as he then follows up his answer to me with a question, "But really, what's the rush for?" 

"I-I... guess I really w-wanna be with N-Nathaniel right now..." I say back as I still wiggle my pencil lightly against the paper bored. 

"Marc... You can't be so dependent on Nathaniel all the time. I know you love him and all, but really, there's going to be a point where you'll have to be strong on your own." 

"...S-Spades... what a-are you getting at-?" 

My secret conversation with my kwami is soon cut off thanks to my teacher speaking up to the class about homework. Of course, my mind just processes about a half of what she's saying. Scooping up all my things into my arms I then go off to leave the classroom like everyone else. 

No eyes dare take a glimpse at me like I'm simply just existing for a reason unknown. But, no one bothered to really pay attention on me anyways. 

No one really does aside from Marinette, Nathaniel, and a few others... 

"Marc!~" A peppy voice chimes to me as I squeak a bit in instinct by the chime and look over my shoulders to see Marinette running up to me as usual as I perk at her my best smile. Lifting one of my hands up to wave at her. To then do so and about half of my things to fall from my grasp and plop onto the floor by accident. 

Great job Marc... 

"Oh! Let me help you there silly." Marinette assured to me as the bluenette girl then goes onto her knees and helps pick up my things for me. Awkwardly I do the same as she still kept her smile on her face, best I can I try to mimic her. 

Man, if only I could have that positive attitude all the time and look around the darkest times...

"Here Marc! All.... hey, are you feeling okay?" Marinette questioned as I snap out of it and nod to her quickly. 

"Y-Yeah... I am thanks." I simply reply to her convincingly as I can. Before taking the rest of my things in my arms from the girl. Standing back up as Marinette followed along on that. 

"I... dunno if I should say this, but... Nathaniel seemed kinda gloomy this morning. So, I was thinking maybe he needs you..." 

What? Nathaniel gloomy? He usually isn't so saddened unless it is something he's punished on or maybe if I'm hurt or some of his other friends. Wow, thinking much already? Snapping out of it for who knows how many times this entire day. I stare to Marinette's blue bell eyes as I then ask her more worriedly, "W-Where is he right now?" 

"I saw him wandering to the park next door... He should still be there." 

Almost instantly as Marinette gives me his location. I run down the halls and trot down the stairs as fast as my legs can carry me. Running out the back of the school since personally this route is more quicker to the park next door then any other. 

Plus... it gladly gives me the relief of not awkwardly crashing into someone around the main entrance like everyone else uses daily. 

Still dashing as fast as I can through the small like field. I cross the street rushed as I leap through the gates to the park. Then darting my eyes about to find Nathaniel. To then see him sitting on one of the furthest park benches in the back. As I pant a bit tired but also glad to see Nathaniel still here and now wandering off somewhere else I didn't know. 

Slowly going towards him with all my things hugged in my arms still. I then silently sit beside him as his eyes are tucked away into his knees which are positioned up towards his chest so it can purposely hide everyone on his sweet face of his. 

"N-Nath...?" I ask out quietly as I then gently shake him a bit by placing a hand on his shoulder faced to me. 

Instantly after I give him a soft shake. He lifts his face from his knees and looks over to meet my emerald green eyes as he then lowered his legs down to the ground again and shifted his red tomato hair off to the side. Showing to me for a split second his two ocean eyes, until his bangs again covered up one of his eyes again as always. 

"M-Marc? H-How'd you know I was here?" 

"M-Marinette told me you were here... s-sorry, you probably w-wanted to be alone-." 

I am cut off with a quick but tight hug from Nathaniel as he just as quick releases me, a blush rose on my cheeks before disappearing again. 

"N-No... I, was sorta hoping anyways you'd be here." 

"R-Really?"

"Really." 

Pause... 

"Marc... I, just need to tell you something, important..." 

"Y-Yeah?" I asked again to Nathaniel. He takes a deep breath as if this is supposed to be the biggest secret he is about to release for the first time ever. Forbidden to be told to a single soul...

"Marc... It's about the dance... I-I, can't have my understanding mom drop us off. And... it'll be my dad..." 

"O-Okay...? W-What's so bad about that-?" 

"You don't understand... He... He doesn't know that we're yet dating, and... if he did, surely he'll completely hate me and force me to break up with you. So, just for our sake... we can't be at the dance alongside each other... But, my mom tried to have him understand this even before we started dating. It... j-just won't work..." 

Everything in my body feels like it's been shot down with a bullet. Color drains from my face unknowingly as I then stare off into the fine fiber of my jeans as some tears run down my cheeks. And force myself to hold back a choking sob. 

A hand reaches for mine as I then sorta hesitantly move it away from Nathaniel's as I close my eyes up for a second and then slowly open then up again. 

"M-Marc... I'm so sorry, I wish my whole family could support us. But, it can't and I hate that. I couldn't care what my dad could say about the both of us. He could completely disown me if that meant I could be happy... w-with you. P-Please, i-it's bitter I know. So, u-until the dance starts, I can't go with you..." 

"Y-Your scared to tell I-I know... B-But, are you sure your n-not scared of something else greater then just losing me?" 

"Marc..." 

Pause...

"He's stubborn, he won't let me live the full life I want... if anything, I barely convinced him to let me do art as my living. I don't want to lose you, so, all I can do now is just hide it until the dance passes." 

If hearts can truly break, I think mine is pulverized. 

"H-Hide us?" 

"I-I know, it's a horrible idea... but it's all I can do right now... Please, don't be upset... I-I still love you so much, more then I could ever imagine even past Marinette." 

"Nathaniel I-." 

"It'll hurt y-yeah... but, I just want to protect you from what the hell my dad can say about you. For, just being my boyfriend. Please, can you promise me to lay low for now? T-Think about it! Once that night i-is over, I promise, we can then go back to us being normal and never worry again on what my stupid dad says..." 

Nathaniel's hand strokes my cheek with his hand on it, rubbing against my skin with his gentle thumb to erase off my tears. Well, he's right for a fact it hurts. Since I already feel the bullet hitting harder then imaginable. As he then moves his hand off my cheek to then twist my head towards him. Then gently kissing me tenderly for a split second before pulling away quickly. Mumbling to me a soft, but promising. 

'It'll be over soon.'    

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(Heya my lovelies! Janis_The_Bunny back again with a new chapter! And boy! Can I just say... 

*May or may not have died a bit inside for writing this chapter* 

Welp! Yes this is a bit twist in the story! Now, to everyone who read all the way down to the end of this chapter. I originally planned on maybe skipping this plot twist of struggles through Nathaniel and Marc's relationship since I know some readers may be triggered since they have had sad situations happen to them like this. However, at the same time I wanted to do this chapter to show some of the sad conflicts that the people of the LGBTQ+ community can face. As much as some people are lucky to have families and friends that understand their loved ones sexuality and preferred gender. Not everyone can have that happy and unconditional support from those even in families or even friends at times. Which honestly to me should be a goddamn crime. So, in the end I made this chapter a thing to show how some people can be so affected by these conflicts. So much so they are willing to even hide away who they truly love, see themselves as, or are dating to their families out of fear. To me, this is a topic that needs to be thought out and be shared more deeply for the world to understand. 

Cause... if your going to not support someone you love and is a part of your life just because they love a certain sex of people or see themselves as who they are not born as from the womb... what the hell are you trying to point out to them that's so wrong with who they are? If anything, it's bound to instead make them afraid of just being who they really are... 

Just know my dear readers, that no one is alone in this fight... 

Sincerely, Janis_The_Bunny)