Miraculous Games

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen:

The night began to fall in the Arena. Marinette had carried Nathanael through the woods for a while and had set him down by a small pond maybe a mile or two away from the Cataclysmacopia. The pair hadn't really spoken during that time but had decided to make camp by the small body of water.

As the sun set behind the treetops to the west, Marinette was setting up a makeshift tent-slash-shelter. They would have to sleep on the ground because, even though a tarp had been included in Ladybug's bag, sleeping bags had not been part of the luxury kit.

Marinette had been patient all day, sitting through Nathanael's subtle complaining, but now she was starting to crack. She had set him down on a rock near where she would set up their tarp tent, but now he was starting to talk.

"Marinette, do you have time to help me?" He asked.

Marinette shook her head, pounding a stuck into the ground with a rock. "No, I can't help right now."

"But Mari-"

"Nathan, do you want a shelter or not?"

He fell silent. Marinette continued to work on the shelter. Her irritation with him was starting to drive her crazy. Her mind buzzed with anger and a little bit of exasperation.

"I'm sorry I'm dead weight."

That made Ladybug freeze. She turned to look at her partner. Fox's face was downcast and his eyes were watering. Ladybug's expression softened. She dropped the rock she was using at her feet and went to his side.

"Nathan, you are not dead weight to me."

"But I can't do anything," he insisted. "My leg is cut really badly, basically busted. This is supposed to be a balanced partnership -- a team, but I'm not doing anything to help you."

Marinette rested a hand on his shoulder. "Nathanael, I'm sorry I snapped. You are helping me. As much as you don't believe it, it's true. If I was alone out here, I have to admit, I would probably be cowering under a rock."

A small smile grew on Nathanael's lips. "I never would have thought you would have hidden."

She laughed. "Then you don't know me as well as you thought, huh?"

The two of them shared a smile. The sun officially set and, above them, stars began to slowly appear in the fake sky.

Nathanael sighed. "Well, I can start a fire, if you-"

"Hello, my lady."

Marinette spun around. In the trees high above them, a pair of green eyes smiled down at her. She popped her hips with sass.

"What are you doing here, Chat?"

"I came to protect my precious princess."

"Well, this 'precious princess' is a little busy at the moment."

Chat jumped down from the tree branch, swinging and doing a front flip, landing in front of her. He gave her a dazzling smile.

"Show off," Nathanael muttered.

Chat looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. "Well well, who is this?"

"This is my friend, Nathanael. Or, as most people know him as, Fox."

Chat crouched and held out his hand to shake. "Pleased to meet you, Fox. My name is Chat Noir, the protector of this arena and this beautiful princess." He winked at Marinette.

Nathanael glared at his hand for a minute, then shook it.

"I wasn't expecting you to arrive," Marinette said to Chat. "I thought you would come when I needed help the most."