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miraculousturtle · 6 years

Text

at the edges

for @baneismydragon : missing nino moments throughout the episodes in season one :)

The weather is beautiful, sunlight streaming through his window. He’s figured out a new beat for a song he’s writing for Adrien’s birthday. They’re new friends--but--there’s a thing, you know, when you start to care about someone and--

Nino’s phone vibrates, catching his attention, shadows shifting through his window as he reads the message.

ALERT: New Akuma at Local Park. Please stay indoors.

He doesn’t go back to his music that afternoon. Not even after Adrien finally replies hours later.

(Sometimes it’s weird to admit you’re scared.)

ii.

The party is long over as they sit on Adrien’s couch, playing a racing game. It’s awkward. No words have been uttered for hours it seems.

His words are caught in his throat, refusing to rise because, because, because--

what is there to say?

(Hawkmoth exposed his heart for the world to see, took his rage, took his love and pinned him under a microscope to play with his feelings.)

Adrien breaks the silence.

“Hey,” he starts. “Thanks throwing me a birthday party. Even Akuma you has good taste in music.”

Nino rolls his eyes and leans forward, finally in first place in the game. “Anytime, man.”

iii.

He feels like it’s always his classmates caught by the Akuma, for he watches in horror as Alya dangles hundreds of feet in the air.

(He’s across town and nothing he’ll do will matter.)

(That’s a hard pill to swallow.)

iv.

He and Alya aren’t the best of friends, but they are close enough when he runs into her a day after her Akuma transformation in a coffee shop.

(Nothing bad happened, of course, Ladybug and Chat Noir always save the day.)

And maybe because he’s been there and maybe because he gets it and maybe because he doesn’t feel so alone in a way he can’t explain to other people.

When someone gets inside your head and twists your feelings inside out, an inverted picture of who you really are develops and--

He stands close to her in line and offers a small smile with a greeting.

She only glances at him before looking back down at her phone. “Hey.”

It hurts, the thudding in his chest, the moment where everything takes courage and it’s a lot easier to hide, but hiding is like that man and really, fuck him.

“It’ll get better, the shadows you sometimes see. Eventually, you won’t remember his voice at all, except maybe in a bad dream.”

His heart pumps wildly in his chest, everyone is screaming and neither superhero is here yet. How can they be when there is so much to do and this was a stupid race between two dumb classmates.

Is every day meant to be dangerous now? Every day not to be trusted when he wakes up and sees his friends turn into monsters?

Timebreaker (because Alix would never do this) dashes beside him, her hand a painful shock of electricity, splitting his cells and his very existence.

“Gotcha!”

His heart still pumps wildly in his chest, fear encompassing his whole body until--

(nothing.)

vi.

He has butterflies in his stomach. Random butterflies that brush the underside of his lungs. It’s different and he’s not exactly afraid, but watching Marinette in the contest and she’s so happy.

Well, it’s a different kind of fear, one that only boys have when it comes to pretty girls with prettier smiles.

vii.

He stops by Nathaniel's locker after school the next day after the Evillustrator debacle.

Note to self: Chloe causes an alarming rate of Akuma attacks. He doesn’t know what this means about Chloe or about how apparently people in Paris lack thick when dealing with her.

Leaning against it, he speaks as the red-head puts his books in his backpack.

“A few of us meet up sometimes. Me, Ivan, Alya, and Alix. You can come too. When you know--remember things.”

The shy boy blinks before swallowing, tugging on the strap of his backpack as he shuts the door. “That...that would be nice.”

Nino smiles and clasps his shoulder. “Awesome, dude.”

viii.

It’s a normal day for a normal boy like Nino. Go to school. Akuma attack. Go home. Do homework.

He’s stuck on a math problem when his phone chirps.

Adrien: we should totes watch robocop

Nino: ...

Adrien: ???? yes? no? imagine awful special effects and my big screen

Nino: ...

Nino: okay. i’ve been persuaded, ya dang loser

(Nino is just a normal boy with a normal life. Who watches with glee and tons of popcorn a stupid movie with his best friend to forget the real terror on the streets.)

ix.

Most people don’t know this, but he was so heartbroken when “Chat Noir” stole the Mona Lisa. Thank God it was just a copycat because he’d have to turn in his membership badge if otherwise.

Because despite everything, even he needs his own superhero.

He thinks about getting Marinette chocolates for Valentine’s Day.

But that.

That would be weird.

And he’s going to toss that idea out the window as quickly as it came.

(He invites Kim to the club, the Akuma Club, and buys him lots of chocolates instead.

Kim deserves all the chocolates every day.)

xi.

Okay, nevermind. Maybe he should have bought Marinette chocolates because it’s close to midnight right now and he’s going through all of the footage for the movie and there are only shots of Marinette.

It’s a monster movie and there was even a real monster--sorry, Mylene, you’re literally a sweetheart--and 65% of the footage is of Marinette Dupain Cheng. Looking flawless and amazing and--

Oh.

He’s so.

Screwed.

xii.

On one hand, he knows that he should vote for Marinette for class rep because she’s amazing and would make a fantastic leader.

On the other hand: Jagged Stone.

(Point: Chloe)

xiii.

The group gathers at an ice-cream parlor near the school.

“So, the Mime, huh?” Nino says.

Alix digs into her chocolate ice-cream. “Could there ever be a cooler Akuma? He seriously cut the Effiel Tower in half! Mylene! Your dad!”

Mylene beams. “My dad is really cool, huh?

Kim laughs and leans in his seat. “Hell yeah!”

Alya groans and slumps in her seat. “Dang. We’ve all been put to shame.”

xiv.

“Okay, I know we’re supposed to be terrified right now, but like...the walls are covered in caramel--” he pauses, “AND TASTE DELICIOUS!”

xv.

He sits in the bleachers with his friends cheering on both Marinette and Max. It’s a soothing balm because he forgets there was an Akuma attack earlier this afternoon.

Maybe that’s a problem.

xvi.

Note to self: Never have Adrien wingman ever again because Nino’s heart is spinning.

Because this was supposed to be a date with Marinette? Who thought it was a date with Adrien?

And--

He got locked in a cage with Alya

and holy shit, Alya is badass and fierce and set the record straight on Marinette’s affections

And--

(Hi, Alya, his heart says, with a dumb stutter.)

xvii.

He gets partnered up with Chloe for an in-class project. Adrien speaks the world of her, but Nino has known Chloe for years and--

She scowls as she scribbles down her brainstorm, pouting that she and Sabrina are separated.

“Hey, I heard your Ladybug’s biggest fan,” he says quietly.

Chloe looks up at him and sets her mouth in a firmer line. “Are you going to make fun of me to? Or are you going to invite me to your stupid club?”

Nino bites his cheek because Chloe truly has a special power of getting under his skin, but he smiles easily instead. “No, I was just gonna ask if I could see of the selfies you took with her. It’s cool you can see her so often.”

Chloe...beams instantly. Not smirks, not scowls, or smiles smugly, but actually, beams as she digs into her purse and starts to chatter.

“Yeah! I love taking pictures with Ladybug. She’s so cool!”

Nino looks over his shoulder at Adrien and sees his friend give him a thumbs up and just accepts his wandered into an alternate reality.

There have been stranger things in all honesty.

(Chloe, when not being a brat, can be really cool. Not that Nino will tell her that.)

xviii.

“Alya, so you’re telling me that Marinette has made cute little plushes of the Akuma and there is no Bubbler?!”

Alya’s voice is warm over the receiver. “Oh, she’s made a bubbler, but he came out wonky, so she’s going to try again. Don’t worry. But it was cute when showed it to me.”

Nino glances at the alarm clock on his bedside, noticing it’s after ten at night, his heart does a little flip.

“Well, that’s good to now, but, um, hey. It’s kinda late and, well, good night, Alya.”

“Good night, Nino. Sweet dreams.”

He hangs up the phone and flicks off the light, wearing a dumb smile as the moon filters through his window.

xix.

“Juleka, Julkea! Come take a selfie with me!”

Julkea gets up from the bench and shyly walks over. “Um, ok...if you want.”

Nino grins and pulls her in for a friendly hug. “I do want! C’mon, you have a beautiful smile. Say cheese!”

He clicks the camera and Juleka’s seems happier than ever.

xx.

Adrien sits for a moment longer as every else breaks for recess. Nino catches him linger and pauses before going outside.

“What’s up, dude?”

Adrien sighs and drums his fingers on his desk. “Do you think.....”

“Yes?”

Adrien sighs and drags his hand through his hair. “Do you think Marinette would sign my CD?”

Nino blinks and then chuckles, nodding. “She’s not going to bite.”

“But....” Adrien starts. “She gets quiet around me....”

Nino walks up to his best friend and places his hands on Adrien’s shoulders. “Trust me when I say this, but Marinette would love to sign your CD. She wants to be her friend. Trust in the Nino.”

Adrien rolls his eyes and pushes him off. “Okay, whatever. I’ll trust in the Nino as you said.”

Both boys laugh and head out the door.

xxi.

Music surrounds him, the concert following him home as he feels like he can fly and Akuma no longer bother him.

There’s a hum in his voice and a spring in his step and--

(He doesn’t realize this, but he’s crossed paths with an old man and that man stares and wonders...because maybe...just...maybe.)

xxii.

He’s not going to say it’s because of Rose, but Nino finds himself at the mall looking at colonge. Because...while body spray smells kinda nice, real men wear cologne and--

He has no idea why he’s here, but wouldn’t it be nice to smell good and have people realize he’s growing up and--

He sees the price tag...something like fifty euros plus and turns right around.

Body spray can do for now.

xxiii.

Nino slides next to Adrien at school following morning.

“Sooooooo. Ladybug, huh? Pretty hot. Can save you, looks awesome in red, stunning.”

Adrien buries his head in his arms. “Plase shut up.”

“Adrien and Ladybug Agreste. Nice ring to it.”

The punch to the shoulder is definitely worth it as Nino laughs.

xxiv.

Lila glowers at everyone blow, a pout on her face that reminds him a lot like Chloe.

Nino stands beside her. “You should come hang out this afternoon.”

“Yeah, so what, you can rag on for lying? I think not.”

Nino rolls his eyes. “Come get coffee with us. A lot of us know what it’s like to be an Akuma. And maybe tell us a few things about yourself.”

Lila is silent for a few moments and sighs. “Well, I honestly do love lattes so....fine. I’ll be there.”

Nino gives her a thumbs up. “See you later, Volpina.”

xxv.

Nino learns that there is magic in the world. Finds out at the start of the school year before he becomes friends with Marinette, Adrien, and Alya.

Nino didn’t think that there would be superheroes and bad guys and--

Nino didn’t think there would be magic.

But his beginning starts somewhat at the edges, only briefly there when the world goes wrong and he has no idea that in the future he will have magic too.

He will no longer be orbiting the action, but fully apart of it.

Completely apart of it.

#anapost #text #miraculous ladybug #nino lahiffe #here you go bane!#THINGS NINO WAS DOING IN ALL OF SEASON ONE #ALSJDFLAJSFLJASFJL #drabble

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