26. Suspicions(2)

“Gotta love Alya,” Marinette agreed, smiling as they walked along through the nearly empty streets of Paris. They fell into companionable silence for a time, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. It was Nino who broke it first, voicing the concern he’d been harboring all night:

“So are you gonna tell me what was up with you and Chat Noir tonight? Or would I rather not know?”

Marinette sighed, sounding like the action was pulled from deep within her. Nino frowned. Was what was going on that bad?

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” she refuted his concerns, eyeing him with a flat look for a moment. “There’s just…something I’m worried about, that’s all.”

“What?”

Marinette went quiet, her eyes on the sky. Nino waited, counting seconds in his head—he got to ninety before she spoke again.

“Tonight was too much for us.”

Nino’s frown deepened once again. He didn’t like to think of anything being too much for them to handle—they had superpowers for god’s sake—but even he had to admit, if only privately, that tonight probably would’ve bested them, if it weren’t for Alya’s quick thinking—

“I’ve been thinking…and I want yours and Chat’s opinion on this, but we’ll ask Chat later: what do you think of a fourth Miraculous holder for Team Miraculous?”

That brought Nino up short; he halted in his tracks, staring at Marinette, who paused as well, speculation in her expression as she stared up at Nino. And, Nino, for his part, didn’t know what to say. This was so out of left field that all he could do was stare at her for a moment before he remembered how to respond.

“…A fourth?” He questioned, blinking in a startled fashion. “You want a fourth superhero running around with us? You, who hates new superheroes?”

“I don’t hate them,” Marinette denied with a frown, folding her arms defensively as she scowled at Nino. “The Volpina incident just put me a little on edge, that’s all. And I don’t like being surprised with new superheroes. I’m Ladybug. I should know these things.”

Nino raised a brow.

“So the only reason you’re open to the idea now…is because you’re the one suggesting it?”

Marinette gave a shrug.

“That helps…” she trailed off, her expression becoming troubled. “…But if AVA plans to stick around—and if I know Alix, they will be—we can’t be put in a situation where we’re overwhelmed again.”

That, Nino had to agree with. Being stuck in the middle of a feud between akuma haters and former akumatized victims, like they were in the middle of some sort of civil war, was something straight out of Marvel comics…and Nino did not appreciate his life imitating fiction.

“So, what were you thinking? You wanna see if we can try and get Pavone on our side after all?”

Marinette shook her head.

“No. He’s too elusive. I doubt he’ll show up to help us now, even if we knew how to ask him.”

“Then, what? You wanna try with the two Miraculous we still have?”

Marinette gazed up at him, a spark of something in her bluebell eyes…anxiousness?

“…Actually…I was thinking, if Chat agrees that we need more help…then the decision on who it should be should be left up to you.”

Nino stared at her.

…Okay, she just had to be yanking his chain at this point.

“You’re the leader of Team Miraculous, ‘Nette, not me.”

“But you’re the Guardian now, Nino,” Marinette reminded him, taking his wrist and lifting it so that the jade bracelet he wore caught the light of the nearby street lamps. “Choosing new Miraculous holders is part of your job.”

Nino groaned, unable to help it. He had forgotten all about that part of the job description.

“I’m still new here, ‘Nette. Turtle Miraculous or not, I don’t think I’m qualified—”

“You are qualified,” Marinette cut him off firmly, her tone so sure that it brought Nino’s building sense of self-doubt to an abrupt halt. “Pavone chose you for the Turtle Miraculous, and though we don’t really know what he was thinking, the fact that he acted on Master Fu’s orders—and the fact that Master Fu approved the choice—proves that you’re more than qualified.”

Marinette’s hands went to Nino’s shoulders, her fingers flexing over them as she stared up at him, her eyes determined.

“I don’t care when you joined, Nino. The fact is that you’re a part of Team Miraculous as much as I am, and that your opinions, your actions, you matter. And it’s heavy, being a superhero. I know it is—believe me, I know. But you can do it, because I’m here, and so is Chat…even if it took him a while to come around.”

Marinette smiled, her blue eyes bright.

“I know you never asked for this, Nino. And I know being the Guardian adds extra weight on your shoulders now…but I know that you know what you’re doing. So, if Chat agrees that we could use a fourth, I’ll leave the decision to you, because I know you’ll choose right. Because it’s you.”

Nino felt himself flush. Well damn…when she put it like that…how could he refuse?

“…Okay,” he replied after letting out a breath, smiling a little. “With so much faith put in me, how can I say no?”

“No pressure,” Marinette teased with a wink, letting her hands slide away from him as they resumed their walk. “And this is only if Chat agrees, too. I want all of us to be on the same page here before we bring someone else into this.”

“He’ll say yes,” Nino said confidently, sliding a sly look Marinette’s way. “If he knows this is what you want—”

“Don’t start,” Marinette warned him with a roll of her eyes. Nino shrugged, unperturbed by her attitude.

“I’m just saying.”

Nino barely registered Marinette’s groan, his mind whirring with thoughts of his status as Guardian, his duty…and how heavy indeed it was. That was a lot of pressure, picking someone who would wear the mantle of “superhero” well…who would get along with the three of them…whose powers would add something to the team, when used wisely…someone who was clever, quick on their feet, strong-willed, and had a good heart…someone who would look good in yellow with black stripes, or orange and white…

Nino stifled his sigh. He didn’t want to start complaining, after Marinette had proved that she had faith in him beyond a shadow of a doubt, but already, this task was shaping up to be impossible.

Seriously, with all the qualities he was thinking of…where on earth was he going to find someone like that?