This chapter is for all those Nathanette fans out there...

It was a cold, December night. The park of Paris was silent, which is exactly what Marinette needed right now. There was not one soul around her, it was too cold for anyone to be outside. Marinette sat on a bench, her knees touching her chin and her hands covering her face, she was shivering.You're going to be ok, she told herself as warm tears ran down her cheeks. Everything will be fine, Marinette whispered. 

She knew that the relationship she shared with Adrien Agreste (her boyfriend, but now if we think about it, her ex-boyfriend, a fashion model, secretly her Chat Noir) was too perfect to last forever. She knew Adrien had responsibilities. She knew it wasn't his fault that his father, Gabriel Agreste, forced him to leave Paris for New York. She knew he loved her and he didn't want this. Still, Marinette felt miserable as if someone pulled her heart out of her body.  Marinette not only lost her boyfriend in 12 hours, she lost her partner, her soulmate, her true love. She felt like she wouldn't ever recover. 

Marinette wanted to see his excited smile when Mari cooked him his favourite cookies. She desired to feel the pressure of his lips on hers, to feel his hands around her and hear his sweet but deep voice. She wished to smell the burnt food he attempted to cook at last Christmas to surprise her. She wanted, wished for him to be near her. Mari missed his awful puns and pick-up lines he said as Chat Noir. She missed him so much.

She felt lost, she believed that no one could find her. Christmas was close, therefore her parents were very busy with the bakery and the costumes, so she decided to keep her heartache to herself. And Alya? True, right now she needed Alya, in ways she needed her more than ever. But ever since Alya and Nino started going out, it felt like she lost Alya.  Alya was busy with her love life, and her Ladyblog. She understood that after all she was very busy with her own relationship and being Ladybug, but she wished they could spend more time together. Also, Mari knew that if she told her best friend that she broke up with Adrien Agreste, she would be worried about her and she would also feel upset. Therefore, she decided not to tell Alya.

"Here, have this." she heard a gentle voice. She wiped her tears and looked up to see her classmate, Nathanael offering her a grey jumper. Marinette was so busy living in a world of her feelings and thoughts, she didn't even hear or notice the boy sit down next to her. Her cheeks went crimson. 

"No, you will be cold. I can't take it." Marinette said, moving her hands up and down on her bare arms. 

"Don't be silly Marinette, take it. You clearly need it more than me." Nathanael smiled at her and put the jumper around her shoulder. There was an awkward silence as if both of them were unable to make a word out and unsure what to say. Marinette was embarrassed that she didn't realize Nathanael was sitting next to her, and she was curious why he was here in the middle of a very freezing, cold night. On the other hand, Nathanael didn't know what to say first and how he should say it. The silence stayed until Nathanael finally broke it.

"Are you ok?" he was concerned. 

"Yeah, sorry about that," Marinette whispered, looking down to her feet. 

"What's wrong? Tell me, what happened?"

"Nothing, I am fine.." Mari lied, she didn't want to trouble him with her problems. 

"No you're not, you are clearly not fine, Marinette. You have been here for nearly an hour, crying your heart out. So, please, tell me what bothers you." Nathanael looked into her ocean blue eyes, which couldn't hold the tears back. Marinette couldn't speak, she tried to, but she couldn't. It was like someone was strangling her, she couldn't make words out. So, Nathaniel got no answer. 

"Is... is it him?" cautiously, he asked and to this Marinette nodded, " Are you ok? What did he do?"

"His dad is making them move to America. Apparently, New York is a brilliant place for his business and for Adrien's modelling career and future. So Adrien.. he is forced to go. His father doesn't allow him to have a long distance relationship, as it would look bad for his future. We had to separate." Marinette burst into tears at the end of the sentence. Nathanael hugged Mari tightly and brushed her hair aside from her eyes. 

"Is the moving permanent?" he asked. 

"Yes, I guess," Marinette said sadly.

"And what are you going to do?" asked Nathanael. 

"What do you mean?" confused, Marinette raised her eyebrows. 

"I mean, he was your partner, wasn't he? How are you going to work, saving Paris like this?" Nathanael stated, swiftly. 

"I don't know, I don't even know how-" she stopped, fully consuming what he just said, "Wait? What do you mean by saving Paris?" she panicked. 

"Well, you're Ladybug, aren't you?" Nathanael smiled, waiting for a friendly reply.

"No, I am NOT Ladybug. Where the earth did you got that from??" she really panicked now. 

"There is no use lying Marinette. I already knew who you are, and don't worry I never told anyone. I know it means a lot to you."  Nathanael explained.

"How did you know who I was, Nath?" Marinette asked, still feeling stressed and uncomfortable. 

"Marinette, I am an artist, I draw people. It wasn't hard to guess who you were after I compared a drawing of you and Ladybug. You have the same hair,  similar colour, same eye colour, same body shape, you're exactly like her because you are her. Plus, I saw you transform." he replied.

"How long have you known?" she asked, staring into his light blue eyes. 

"For many months Marinette, probably before Alya even made a blog about you." Nath said, giving Mari a cheeky wink, causing her to blush even more if that was even possible. Marnette then looked down to the ground, unsure of what to say. Nathaniel didn't look away, he stared with his turquoise blue eyes at the nervous Marinette. 

"Do you remember when Hawkmoth turned me into Evillustrator? When I asked you out?" Nathaniel stuttered, as he nervously, gone through his red-orange hair with his fingers. 

"Yes, of course, I do." Marinette smiled, sweetly.

"Even so, I.. um.. I wasn't myself and I was akumatised, I did mean that, " he took a deep breath. "You might not remember that we were in the same Nursery, but even then, I adored you. You were, are, the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful girl I ever met. And I started having my crush on you when you made me that delicious, red velvet cupcake for my 5th birthday. I loved you, and to this day I still, I always will love you. Even if the feeling isn't mutual, I will always love you. I mean everything I said today, Marinette. I know that I am not the ideal dream guy and that I will never be Adrien Agreste or Chat Noir, I might not have much looks or puns and pickup lines, and I might not be the most confident and manly boy in the school, but I can promise you, that I will love you forever. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I have known you for 11 years, I loved you for 11 years. And I know that Adrien broke your heart and that you're not up for a relationship anytime soon, here is my number in case you changed your mind." he finished off with handing a piece of paper to Marinette's hand and after taking a long look at her shocked impression, he started to walk away. 

Marinette sat there for a while. He loves me, she told herself. She repeated them sentences in her head, acknowledging fully what Nathaniel just confessed to her. It might have been too soon, as it has been only 12 hours since her breakup, but she couldn't help herself, but to make herself stand up and run towards Nathaniel. She stood in front of him for a moment, panting loudly and Nathaniel raised his eyebrows. It was easy to see the shock on his face.

"Marinette, are you-" he started but Marinette interrupted by grabbing his shirt and kissing him, Nathaniel kissed her back.

The kiss lasted for quite some time, as the two expressed their feelings for each other with this kiss. It felt like nothing felt before, none of Marinette's and Adrien's kisses felt like this before. It felt... complete. As if this is what the both of them were waiting for their whole lives, they were meant for each other. Suddenly, it felt like the cold, December night has disappeared, that the streets of Paris and Paris in general never existed. There was no cold around them, they were warmer than ever, as their shared the kiss. There was no noise, everything was quiet. There was no one anywhere around them, it felt like the two of them ruled the world. Then, Marinette broke the kiss. 

"Marinette." Nathaniel whispered into her ear. 

"Nath, look, please understand that I need a week or two to clear my thoughts, but.. I... I love you too." she said, out of breath.

"Mari, you have no idea how happy I am right now. " he smiled, as he caressed her cheek.

"Can you promise me something though?" she asked, her eyes filled with brightness.

"Anything for a beautiful bug like you." he winked at her, and Marinette gave out a little giggle.

"Promise me that you won't ever walk out on me. That you won't repeat Adrien's actions. That you won't ever leave me like that." 

"I promise." he replied, holding her cold hands.