Marcnath One-Shots

One Last Night

Graduation.

They've all been waiting for this day for years, and yet now that it's finally come, none of them really know how to feel about it. A strange mix of relief, regret, apprehension, and nostalgia hangs in the atmosphere, but a party is a party and they're not going to waste their last day together as the graduating class of Collège Françoise Dupont. Tonight is the night for one last stab at making memories, before it's all compressed, packed into a box, and shoved away to make headspace for lycée.

And making the most of it seems to be what everyone is determined to do tonight. Chloe, still on her awkward way to redemption, reserved the most luxurious hall at Le Grand Paris hotel, the effort into decoration and venue for this final night together is obvious. Nino has a mix ready for just this occasion, a playlist to highlight the interesting mixture of emotions that everyone's going through at this point. Adrien and Marinette, the ever-iconic couple, have already initiated the couples dances, and Ivan and Mylene don't take long to join them. Rose and Juleka are slightly more hesitant, then Kim runs to the floor with Ondine in one hand and Max in the other.

All while Nathaniel Kurtzberg and his fabulously aromantic best friend hang around by the snack bar, awkwardly watching the pairs (or, in Kim's case, trio) dance it up on the center floor.

This is the last night, this is the last night, just one last night, Nathaniel repeats it over and over to himself under his breath, but his legs won't move and his body is too stubborn to ask them to. They've been collaboration partners for goodness knows how long by now, but the exact dynamic of their relationship hangs in mid-air, not quite certain in any direction. He is an amazing friend, that part is certain, but is he more? And if he is, how much more? Nathaniel stares at the other side of the room, where the subject of his suppressed dilemma is currently engaged in conversation with Juleka's older brother.

Marc, Nathaniel softly says his name out loud. That's who his eyes are on tonight, and as uncertain as he's convinced himself he is right now, the decisive voice in the back of his head is growing louder and he can't keep denying it for much longer. No, he knows exactly what he wants tonight, what he's been subconsciously wanting and hoping and dreaming and wishing for for months, now, but for all he is, he can't find the right words. To be fair, he never could, not even after a childhood of growing up on comic books, he couldn't word them himself. That's what Marc was good at, wasn't it? Too bad the one time he really, desperately needed Marc's help with words was the one time he couldn't.

Alix isn't helping. At all. He glances over at her for support probably the umpteenth time tonight, but she's resolutely ignoring him and instead occupying herself with taking a video of Kim's antics on the dance floor. He already knows what she'd say even if he hadn't driven her up a wall already with his panicked lament. She'd look him straight in the eye, draw herself up to full height, and, with a completely deadpan expression, say, "Just. Do it. " And he would go off blabbering about how badly he wanted to but just couldn't and, well, yeah he really can't blame Alix for resorting to giving him the cold shoulder at this point.

So he's alone. He takes a slow sip of his shocking purple punch and cautiously chances another glance at Marc. Nathaniel sighs. Last night, last chance, final call...

***

Marc casually glances away from Luka for 0.1 seconds and immediately snaps his gaze back to the guitarist. He couldn't be imagining it at this point, Nathaniel has definitely been watching him for the last how long had it even been now? He nods along to whatever Luka was saying, smiling with interest, but not really processing any of it. How could he, when his mind has been monopolized by someone else for at least the entirety of today. It's his last chance to confess, last time he'll probably ever have to tell Nath how he's really felt towards him for the past year or so- it makes him scrunch up and hide his head in his hands just from the thought of it.