With the Marcaniel collage I made for pride month last year reviving some love recently, due to how The Ruler episode focused on Marc Anciel and Nathaniel Kurtzberg, as well as the struggle people in same sex relationships go through, I decided to make a second Marcaniel collage. That uses screengrabs from season six, as well as from the episode that is the reason the support on this Miraculous Ladybug ship as doubled.
As conflicts escalate and the guardian of the Miraculouses is lost, Marinette is entrusted with the Miracle Box. She wonders if the jewelry would be safer from Hawkmoth and his steadily growing legion of villains if scattered and left under the care of trusted individuals, rather than kept together to be captured all at once in the worst case scenario. Plus, Ladybug could use the extra help. (If we’re assuming Marinette would choose all of her classmates because they’re the only people she can trust, I think Ladybug would find a way to contact and choose a small handful of heroes at a time. That way, when an Akuma attacks, Ms. Bustier’s class doesn’t suddenly all have to go to the washroom at once). Ladybug meets all the potential holders individually to give them their Miraculouses, rather than running back home in the middle of battle to pass them out one at a time.
Marc would be given the goat horn earrings, highlighting his parallels with Marinette, and mirroring his black and white colour scheme as Reverser. (Assuming these things are supposed to be earrings, idek)
The day Ladybug walks up to Marc Anciel and entrusts him with protecting the Miraculous of the Goat is one he’ll never forget. He was so unbelievably honoured that Ladybug, his idol and muse, would bestow someone like him of all people with such a sacred responsibility.
He’s especially relieved Ladybug wasn’t upset or creeped out by the comics he made with Nathaniel where he basically shipped her with one of her former adversaries. Secretly, having Ladybug as the protagonist was a scapegoat for his self-insert fanfics that indulge both his desire to be just like the powerful lady superhero, as well as his shameless crush on the Evillustrator. Which, by extension, includes his soft spoken civilian counterpart. Marc will take this fact to the grave.
When the Goat Kwami pops out of the box, Marc curls in on himself and let’s out a dying whale noise, because she’s just. SO. CUTE. His Kwami curls up into his big red hood when they travel together.
Marc and his Kwami quickly learn to love talking to each other and exchanging stories. The Goat Kwami enjoys the writer’s endless creativity and romanticism in his stories. While Marc is enraptured by the tales of previous owners and the true accounts of various historical events, making him just as knowledgeable about Kwamis and the Miraculouses as Alya after she shoots Trixx a million questions. He also learns a few things not even the original three holders are aware of, including how Kwamis can also disguise their owner’s voice if asked. “You guys never talked to your Kwamis about these things? You are carrying around literal GODS among men who’ve been around for millions of years in your pockets, and you don’t want to know everything about them?”.
In Marc’s room they spend hours together working out plot holes or inconsistencies with some of the writer’s original works or his trashiest fics he can’t bring himself to show Nathaniel. Though, most of the time it entails Marc solving the problems himself while his Kwami sits back and listens, devouring pretzels and other salty snacks.
Ladybug isn’t the only girl Marc admires. He feels the same way about Marinette, but he is also envious of her. She’s a fantastic friend and leader figure, and even got the attention of Nathaniel once. Marinette is everything Marc wants to be, but just can’t.
In the art room, Juleka, Rose, and sometimes Alix model for Marinette’s clothes. Marc helps takes photos, and the Goat Kwami ends up seeing them. He secretly wants to try on her designs, but is too afraid to ask, worrying that his friend would think it’s weird for a boy to request such a thing. His Kwami doesn’t really understand Marc’s hesitation, because while Kwamis use male and female pronouns when referring to each other, gender is still just another human social construct to them, and he thinks Marc would look great in a dress or a frilly hat. Those words meant a lot to him. (This headcanon is also accepting the idea that Kwamis use the same gender pronouns of their latest owners, since not all languages have gender-neutral pronouns.)
This conversation happens before all the heroes meet up to introduce each other. Ladybug recommends to everyone to decide on their hero persona in advance, from hero name to their very mannerisms and behaviours. “Become an entirely different person” she says. When the heroes meet up, Ladybug is pleasantly surprised to meet a goat themed super-heroine, with a female voice and all. “I just figured no one would question why Marc and a girl superhero are never around at the same time…you don’t think it’s weird, do you?” “Not at all!”
I can’t for the life of me think of a good french goat pun, but one hero name I thought of is ‘Silene‘, which is the genus of flowers whose petals look like goat hooves, and apparently represents ‘Youthful Love’ in flower language. It’s also a combination of the name Silenus, god of the Satyrs, and Selene, the moon goddess who was seduced by Pan. It was either that or “Panic”. “Pan….ic. Panic. Get it? Because I’m panicking on the inside”.
Joining the Art Room has allowed Marc to express his real sense of humor and show off some of his true colours, but it’s only when he is in his heroine persona that he feels safe enough to fully express his adoration for cute boys. Silene also adopts a much more ‘do no harm, take no bull’ attitude than Marc normally has. He’s dealt with a lot of things in the past before transferring to Collège Françoise Dupont, and quite frankly he’s tired of being pushed around.
One day Marc would tell the Goat Kwami about his crush on a boy in his class. Since “having a crush” is an expression that began in the late 1800s and the zodiac Kwamis haven’t had masters in centuries, he has no clue what Marc is talking about. “You want to CRUSH him? Have you tried using a boulder?” (English has too many idioms, man.)
Marc has to explain to him that having a crush means when you really really like someone and feel like you want to spend the rest of your life with them. The goat Kwami interprets this as something like how he feels towards the Horse Kwami (who just so happens to be under the ownership of a certain artistically talented redhead). Marc’s Kwami feels saddened by the fact that he likely won’t see his lifelong companion again until Nooroo and Duusu are retrieved, which is when Marc and all the other holders will have to give up their Miraculouses.
Over time, Marc becomes more open about himself, even in his civilian form, and becomes a better person because of his time as a Miraculous holder. Unlike with Ladybug and Chat Noir, neither Sirene or Marc is the mask. Both are very real to him. It’s just that Marc has to learn to be honest that both sides of him are valid. When it’s time for the two to separate, the Goat Kwami wants to stay with his holder. “Marc, I want to crush you.”
so I was hella inspired by @dreamingutopia ‘s post and came up with this crack because it was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Also that art literally gives me reason to live jksnkjbskjbg
also idk what’s up with these text blocks but the line spacing is weird. . .oh, well
“Too bad Room 33 is closed today,” Nathaniel said as they settled down at one of the more secluded tables in the library.
“I don’t mind, the library isn’t too bad for one day,” Marc said. “Besides, I have to work on an English project today, too.”
“Oh?”
Marc nodded.
“Literature studies, but also pronunciation, I guess. Some kind of classic poetry...I don’t know what I’m going to do, though.”
“Need help picking?” Nathaniel offered. “I read a bit of English literature here and there, myself.”
“Oh, yeah, sure,” Marc said. “I didn’t realize you’d be the type...”
“I do prefer mostly comic books, but I can’t resist the odd dark macabre tale,” Nathaniel explained. “The Raven is a classic.”
“Sure, let’s just keep it basic,” Marc shrugged, reaching for it, but Nathaniel held it away.
“Bold of you to call Poe ‘basic’,” he challenged.
“Sorry?” Marc asked.
“I’m joking,” Nathaniel assured him. “But Poe is anything but basic. You sure you can take his stuff?”
“I think I’ll be fine,” Marc mumbled. “What is this even about?” he asked, examining the cover.
Nathaniel grinned.
“This guy is sitting alone at night, grieving for his lost lover, when he goes paranoid at this raven he sees in his room,” he summarized.
Marc blinked.
“What?” he asked.
Nathaniel nodded.
“Not your conventional classic,” he reminded, sighing. “It really is a masterpiece.”
“Let’s get started, then,” Marc shrugged, sitting down. Nathaniel sat down opposite, opening his sketchbook.
“Maybe for our next comic, we could do a darker, gothic theme,” Nathaniel thought aloud, while Marc opened the library book.
“Mm, maybe,” he agreed, finding the first page of The Raven, and starting, softly reading aloud.
“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
‘ ’Tis some visitor,’ I muttered, ‘tapping at my chamber door—
Only this and nothing more.’ ”
Marc frowned and held the book closer to his face, scanning the text with slightly confused eyes. Nathaniel half-watched him, half-absorbed in the his sketchbook, as Marc continued to read in soft, semi-broken English.
“... And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!” Marc finished, putting the book down and letting out a sigh.
“I love Poe,” Nathaniel sighed dreamily, resting his chin in his hands. “What did you think?”
“It’s really challenging,” Marc admitted. “Isn’t this the kind of stuff that native English speaker have trouble with?”
“I guess, yeah,” Nathaniel shrugged. “You read it really well, though,” he said, smiling at Marc.
Marc flushed.
“I, uh, really?” he asked awkwardly. “Th- thanks...” he mumbled, lowering his head.
“It’s your choice if you still want to do it though,” Nathaniel assured him. “It just sounds so nice in your voice, though,” he said, giving Marc a dreamy stare. Marc’s blush deepened.
“No, I think I’ll do it,” he said quickly. “I- if you think I can, that is...”
“If it’s not too emo for you,” Nathaniel teased.
“Never,” Marc assured him. “I just don’t know if I can read this in front of the class without creeping them out.”
“Would that be a bad thing?” Nathaniel joked.
“Uh...yeah?” Marc said dubiously.
“I’m joking, you know that, right?” Nathaniel assured him gently. “Trust me, you’ll do great. Even if they think you sound creepy, you’ve got this emo’s heartstrings tugging along with every line.”
Marc had to hide his blush then, and gave Nathaniel only half a mumbled excuse before he grabbed his things and dashed out of the library.
***
In the end, Marc’s classmates were only awed by his English proficiency - his teacher particularly impressed by his fluency and comprehension of the classic poem, but none of that compared to Nathaniel’s reaction when Marc showed him his brand-new idea for a new comic book, complete with a dark English poem that would make the Father of Macabre himself proud.
Ambos están enamorados uno del otro y Nathaniel es quién decide dar el primer paso. Cada semana le envía cartas de amor anónimas a Marc con el dibujo de un tomate. Marc sabe que es él (por el dibujo XD) así que trata por medio de indirectas confirmarlo pero Nath aún no lo acepta, porque quiere que su declaración sea inolvidable.
PD: Todo el mundo sabe que se gustan ya que son demasiado obvios
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
In english
- I wonder, who will be the person that sent me these love letters?... Always the drawing of a tomato is the signature.
- No idea
- They're so obvious...
Both are in love with each other and Nathaniel decides to give the first step. Each week, he sends anonymous love letters to Marc with the drawing of a tomato. Marc knows that he is (by the drawing XD) so he tries with hints to confirm it, but Nath doesn't accept it yet, because he wants to make the declaration unforgettable
PD: Everyone knows they're in love with each other because are pretty obvious
