A/N and so the final arc begins (for book 2)

Warning:

This chapter discusses and examples homophobia from a parent directed at their kid. It is a sensitive topic, I'm aware. What happens in this chapter is based on personal experience. If you relate to it, I'm here for you.

That being said, homophobia or disrespect will not be tolerated in the comment section. I've received a lot of transphobic comments throughout this fic series so I ask politely that whatever opposing thoughts you may have, you keep to yourself.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Marc asked, tenderly holding his boyfriend's hand with timid reassurance.

"No," Nathaniel said. Oh no. He was shaking. He was shaking because he'd just decided to come out to his parents a second time, this time with marc as backup. The end of their hgihschool careers was approaching. If it went south, he'd be out of the house anyway. But surely they'd see how happy Marc was making him... right?

"No one is forcing you to," Marc said, giving his hand a squeeze.

"I have to," Nathaniel dismissed, "I'm tired of being a coward."

"It's not cowardly to protect yourself."

"Well, I thought I was protecting myself when Marinette and I pretended to date but that really just hurt the both of us. And emotionally I just can't keep pretending anymore. They already know, they just refuse to accept."

"If it goes south..."

"Then I'll come live with you. I'm eighteen. They can't stop me."

"How will you pay for college?"

"They weren't planning to pay for it anyway."

"Then... Nathan... What is the point of telling them? Won't it just make you miserable?"

"It'll get a weight off my chest," Nathaniel said, shaking his head dismissively which caused his red curtain bangs to bob slightly back and forth, "and I know they love me. They believe love is unconditional. That's what their book says, at least, and they follow it... for the most part."

"Okay..." Marc said. He really didn't believe this was a good idea... like, at all.

Nathan had been debating it for an entire weeks now. He was willing to jeopardise his future just to stand up to his parents. He decided the consequences weren't much worse than the cards he was already being delt. And if it went south, it would assure him he'd be making the right decision to cut his family off for good once he moved out. It was a sad thing to admit to oneself, realizing that no matter how much you love your parents and they supposedly love you, it's just not going to work out in the long run. To think you're better off cutting the rope is heart wrenching.

Marc had supportive parents. They knew he was gay before he did. He came out when he was thirteen years old because that was just the prime age to do it apparently. His parents were more than okay with it, and were proud of him for owning who he was and trusting them enough to confide to them with it. Even so, Marc had been shaking and crying all the way through it, having heard enough horror stories of parents kicking their children out into the wild world to fend for themself and sever contact immediately. Because what disgraceful offspring would ever be homosexual?! Marc was glad to have the parents he did.

Nathaniel came out to his parents when he was seventeen. He'd known since he was ten. After carrying a secret like THAT around for a whole seven years, still a child who didn't understand the world, he had to tell his mother. He couldn't bear to live with it alone any longer. He told his mom, thinking for sure she'd be okay with it. Nathan had heard of those terrible coming out stories but he'd also seen enough with good endings he just believed it would be the same for him. After all, his whole life his mother told him her love was unconditional. Even if he committed a terrible crime and went to jail for a sum of years she would love him nonstop and fight for him the whole way through. When he was bullied for a variety of reasons, his mom was his number one defender. His parents never expressed their views of the LGBT openly, so seeing what he'd seen and knowing his mom his whole life, why the hell would Nathaniel be expected to assume she'd find such disgrace in him for being gay?

It was exactly that. At seventeen, Nathaniel came out to his mom. He expected her to hug him through his tears and promise him everything would be okay. That she'd love him no matter what, because love was unconditional.

But instead she looked horrified.

Like.

Actually horrified.

Beyond words, his mother could only cry. She couldn't look at her son in that moment and started sobbing about all the things she'd done wrong as a mother, apologizing to Nathaniel profusely for somehow failing him even though, to him, the only time she'd ever failed as a mother was her reaction just then. Nathaniel couldn't have predicted his coming out would be a mistake because he loved his parents so much. He trusted his mom to keep it secret until he was ready to tell his dad but instead she ran from his room, immediately calling his father and telling him to "Get home NOW!" because this secret could no longer be kept within only Nathaniel.

When his father learned of Nathaniel's self proclamation, he made him sleep on the kitchen floor. "Everything you need is in the kitchen. Food. Water. A floor to sleep on. If you need to use the bathroom, you may leave the kitchen. But you will be staying here until you come back to me as my son."

"My son." How had Nathaniel ever stopped being his son?

It only took a day for Nathaniel to come from the kitchen and take back everything he said.

Nothing was ever the same after that.

Conversations were short and awkward. Nathaniel was too scared to open up about anything with his parents, especially his mother. After a month, he was sent to a therapist, which turned out to be a form of conversion therapy but Nathan would not realize this until a few months after the fact. That therapist wasn't the worst of it. What was terrible was the way his mom cried and apologized for her failings that hadn't occurred. She'd never failed him as a mother. Not until he came out, at least.

He didn't hate his parents. They were convinced he did, but he didn't. He did, truly, love them. And he loved them enough that he was willing to give them a second chance. They told him he couldn't hold a grudge forever, so he didn't. He wanted to forgive him.

Maybe that's why he was doing this.

He wanted to forgive them that badly.

"If it goes wrong, my parents already said you're welcome to stay with us," Marc said.

"Thank you. But... let's not think so morbidly," Nathaniel said, patting Marc on the shoulder, "they can't as bad as the first time. I mean, at least now it's not hitting them out of the blue."

"I'm worried, that's all."

"Don't be," Nathaniel said, placing a kiss on Marc's cheek, "I'll be fine. I have you."

"And you're sure you want me to stay here? To be there when it happens?" Marc asked. They were currently in Nathaniel's room. Nathaniel was just hyping himself up. When his father came home any minute now, he'd be marching out into the living room with Marc to confess his sin.

"I don't think I can do it alone."

"Okay. I'll be here."

They heard the front door shut. His father was laughing, talking to someone on the phone as he came inside. Nathan smiled. "Sounds like he's in a good mood. That makes it easier, I hope."

"Is there anything you want me to do? Or say?" Marc asked.

"I will tell them you're my boyfriend and you just have to be adorable enough they let me keep you."

"Like a stray dog."

Nathaniel laughed. Yeah, he was nervous. This was going to be shit.

"Sounds like he's off the phone now," Nathaniel stated, "I guess it's time."

"..........." there was a long moment of waiting. "....... are you going to go to them?"

"I will," Nathan said stiffly, "in............... a minute."

"You literally don't have to do this."

"Mom apologized to me about what they did like a month ago," Nathaniel confessed, "so... maybe she's open minded now?"

"....... sure."

"They've had time to think about it. It can't shock them this time. They probably know how to react. Even if it's bad, it won't be like, BAD bad."

"Right....."

"And if they kick me out, they kick me out! We have a plan for that."

".... Uh huh....."

"Okay, I'm going now," Nathaniel said, taking in a deep breath and still not moving.

"You know you have to move for it to work–"

"Shut up! I'm trying! Hhhhhhhaaaauuhhhhhh...."

"Na–"

"I'm going!" Nathaniel said, suddenly swinging open his bedroom door and marching right on out. Marc blinked for a second, processing the change. Then he remembered he had to be a supportive boyfriend so he skidaddled out of there, following Nathan loosely into the living room. Nathan already called his parents in there. Marc had a bad feeling but managed to swallow it, keeping a good distance to give them space.

"How was work dad?" Nathan asked, urging his father to sit on his lazy boy. His father grunted in response, a typical answer from him.

"Oooh, is this about the comic you've been working on?" his mother asked with a polite smile as she joined him. Marc had not been aware she knew they were making a comic. She must have made the assumption that would be the direction of this conversation, given that Marc was standing there awkwardly. It provided a window for Nathan to escape from. Internally, Marc was begging for him to take it.

"Uh... no," Nathan said, flushing red in the face. Damn it Nathan, you blew it.

"I've got to get on dinner soon, so can this be quick?" his mother asked.

"Sure mom," Nathaniel said. Marc visibly saw him gather his courage, like a fish taking a deep breath of oxygen and drowning in it. "Okay... I'm not sure how to word this. I know it didn't go so well last time–" Marc caught Nathan's dad rolling his eyes at this, already knowing where this was going. Marc was literally begging Nathan to stop now before it was too late. "But I wanted us to try again. I've given it a lot of thought. And I know you love me just as much as I love you so I know we should all be willing to forgive each other for what's happened. No more grudges."

"Is this something your friend needs to be present for?" his dad grunted again.

"Um... Yes. Because.... Well, I'm gay- still- like last year– and uh- he is my boyfriend?"

Fucking radio silence.

Shit was about to hit the fucking fan, Marc could smell it.

Receiving no reaction, Nathaniel filled the void with more clumsy words. "I hope that's okay. I AM eighteen. And if you're worried about anything, to be very open and honest here, we haven't done anything and aren't planning to so uh– whatever just ran through your head is probably not a problem, I promise."

"How long have you been lying to us?" his mother asked, abruptly cutting him off. Nathaniel obviously didn't know how to respond and Marc could only look on in horror.

"Lying to you? I– I came out a year ago? I haven't lied to you, you know?"

"No son," his father shook his head, "a year ago you told us you were straight."

"You wouldn't let me leave the kitchen so I didn't think I had a choice–"

"So you lied?"

"I– Uh–"

"What about that girl you were dating all fall? Did you lie to her too?" his mother pried.

"No– she was in on it!" BIG MISTAKE NATHANIEL YOU FOOL.

"WHAT?!"

"UH! What I mean is– We weren't dating. Okay, so I guess I did lie about THAT. But it was because... I uh... Well– I'm sorry. I really am. I shouldn't have done that. I thought it would make things easier for me but I messed up, I'm sorry." He was crying.

"And how long have you been lying to us about him?!" His mother demanded, pointing sharply at Marc who could only mutely stand there.

"Two months maybe–"

"Two fucking months?!" his father exclaimed in frustration.

"And you just had to do this in front of him so WE'D feel pressured to comply to this joke you're playing?" his mother gestured wildly, "that's mean, Nathaniel! And unkind to US."

"With all due respect, Mr. and Mrs. Kutzberg–" Marc tried to interject but they wouldn't allow it.

"No, no. You need to leave. This is a private conversation with our family," his mother waved him off. Marc furrowed his brows, deciding to stand his ground in protest.

"It's not his fault, don't take it out on him," Nathaniel said, trying to soften his tone.

"I know! Which is why I'm asking him to leave. YOU'RE the one in trouble. Not for being gay, but for lying!"

Marc knew that was twisted in all the wrong ways. Bullshit they were mad at him for lying. He wouldn't have lied if he didn't get in trouble for being gay in the first place. He was telling the truth now and they were clearly upset by it, not the fact he'd lied. If it truly was the sin of lying, there wouldn't have been a given need to sin in the first place because, simply, Nathaniel wasn't a natural liar. He hated lying. The only time he'd been compelled to was for the past year. Of course he lied. How else was he supposed to survive?

It escalated quickly. Marc was forced out of their home and stranded in the hall outside the apartment. Orikko shifted through the door secretly and, well, he'd never seen her look so concerned.

"Do something," she urged in a quiet voice.

"I can't," Marc choked.

"You have near infinite power! Just do something!" Orikko urged.

"I can't use the miraculous for selfish reasons! And it puts my identity at risk!"

"Then give me the ring and let me do it myself!"

"No!"

"Okaym, go back in there right now! Do something! Anything!" She was begging him. She'd never begged for anything aside from her own ring back, a game she'd given up on a long while ago. She looked traumatized by what she'd seen in there. He never expected the kwami to even care so much at all about a human.

Something crashed inside the apartment. Marc placed his ear against the door desperately to hear what was happening. There was a lot of shouting and it sounded like something had just been thrown at the ground. Then, a loud thud hit the wall near the door, followed by a loud yelp of anguish from Nathaniel's muffled voice. He'd just been slammed into the wall. It caused something, likely a picture frame, to fall down and shatter by the sounds of it.

There were now tears in Marc's eyes.

"I told him not to–"

"Marc, if you don't help him right now I swear! I will revoke your privilege of being a hero! A hero would step up and help!"

"Orikko! It's complicated!" Marc said, fidgeting with his thumb ring. "What could I even do? I don't know what to do– I don't know–"

"Marc–"

"Orikko, stop!" he pleaded, "I'm trying?! Do I call the cops?"

"Yes! Yes! Call the cops!"

There was an even louder ruckus heard from inside the apartment and a lot of screaming. Marc was starting to hyperventilate. How could someone even do this to their own child?! He didn't understand it! And he was mortified! He felt so stupid! He should have stopped Nathaniel when he had the chance but he was foolish!

"Marc–"

"Orikko, I'm trying!" Marc said, with tear filled eyes. He'd already dialed the number and was waiting for an operator to answer. When they did, he went dead silent.

"911 what is your emergency?"

....

"Hello? Is someone there?"

....

"If you are afraid to be overheard, pretend to order a pizza."

....

"Hello?"

A horrid feeling came over Marc, shrouding him in darkness. The entire world outside him was tuned out. Orikko grasped at him, tugging his shirt, his hair, his hands, anything, desperately trying to get him to move or react but all he could do was crouch there, being filled with toxicity.

He was getting akumatized.

He didn't realize it at first. Even after Hawkmoth spoke to him in his head, he didn't quite understand what had happened. His mind quickly became overwhelmed.

"Marc! Please!" Orikko begged, "take off the ring or something! If you do, then I can make the call! The operator can't hear me while I'm like this!"

She hadn't noticed either, quite yet. Hawkmoth whispered things to Marc, promising power, and the ability to protect Nathaniel. It sounded appealing and no matter how much he wanted to scream no, his heart flooded with sudden evil and he found himself saying, "yes, Hawkmoth."

A void consumed his body, morphing and changing him into the akumatized villain he was destined to become; Reverser. Reverser had the power to undo the damage the Kutzberge family caused to their son. Reverser could right all the wrongs in the world with just a switch of mind. Reverser was the answer... to everything.

His body was disconnected and fluid. His limbs didn't actually touch at their joints, like he was a man composed of floating shapes. He was strictly black and white, split down the middle. And he was filled with rage.

The door to the Kutzberg apartment blew open, Reverser standing in the frame with a menacing look on his face. Nathaniel was on the floor, looking up at him in terror. Equally scared were the Kutzberg parents, now backing away toward the kitchen.

"You're horrible people," Reverser said darkly, "you deserve punishment worse than death. But for him," Reverser glanced down at Nathaniel, "I suppose fixing you will suffice instead."

"Get out of our house, criminal!" the father barked.

"I can fix this. Fix you. Reversion!" Reverser said. He'd summoned a paper airplane into his first which he knew threw, aimed at the parents. Once it hit them, a metamorphosis occurred. They stalled for a few seconds in shock, then softened.

More politely this time, the father asked, "please leave."

Knowing their cruel nature had been exchanged for genuine love, Reverser turned, satisfied with his work. Nathaniel called for him, not able to even scramble to his feet. Desperately reaching for him, he grasped Reverser by the leg.

"Where are you going?" he asked with a desperate voice.

Reverser pulled away from his grip. "To fix everything."

He abandoned Nathan in the apartment, returning to the world outside. Orikko chased after him, begging him to reject the akuma. Reverser ignored her firmly. Hawkmoth had just now figured out the boy he akumatized happened to be Roosterbold and was excitedly shouting things in Reverser's head. Quiet and angry, Reverser ignored him.

He summoned a magic glider to his feet as soon as he was outside on the street. Stepping onto it, he used it to glide away. Poisoned by Hawkmoth now, he only sought to attack Ladybug and Chat Noir. To do so, he'd have to first get their attention by causing mayhem to unleash on the city. He quickly got to work, throwing his airplanes at all passerby below. He didn't even care what effect they had when aimless. They'd reverse some trait of each person, essentially ruining an aspect of them or making them better people. Maybe he could hack away at all the evil people this way.

It wasn't long before Ladybug and Chat Noir caught on and came to protect the people. Reverser was pleased by this attention. He kept high to the sky so they could not easily catch him, taunting them with great pleasure. His joy found in this was quickly ruined, however, by Orikko.

"I'm sorry young masters!" she exclaimed, catching their attention.

"Is that– Orikko?!" Chat exclaimed with surprise.

"It's Roosterbold!" Orikko said, sounding almost like she was crying, "I'm sorry, I've failed you twice now!"

"That's Roosterbold?!" Ladybug said in alarm.

"Yes! And Hawkmoth knows it! I'm sure!"

"How–"

"SILENCE!" Roosterbold said. He threw a plane at Ladybug, striking her lightly in the shoulder. "You're so smart and witty, always careful and precise! Now, you will be a clumsy fool!"

"Not so fast!" Chat exclaimed, lunging himself up in the air to catch Reverser by his sail. He tore Reverser off the glider, causing both to free fall. Chat Noir supponed his cataclysm so that when they crashed onto a rooftop, he could pin Reverser under the threat of it. Once trapped by the threat, Reverser couldn't even squirm his way out.

"That was easy. Where's his akuma?" Ladybug asked.

"It's the–"

"Roosterbold's been akumatized?!" came a taunting voice, sailing down from above.

Volpina.

She looked crude, donning a villainous smile under her fox mask. At her side, she held her violin and bow threatenings.

"Why are you here?" Chat Noir snarled.

"If Roosterbold's been akumatized, then we have a powerful villain on the loose," she said coyly, "if he still wears the rooster ring, he can obtain unlimited power through Hawkmoth."

"That's not true–"

"Oh? Why don't you give it a try? Reverser?" Volpina grinned.

Reverser wanted to rip Chat Noir's head off right now, so he hadn't immediately noticed her. He considered what she'd said. Indeed, the ring was still on his thumb. If he transformed now, he'd harness unlimited possibilities. Potentially, hed have no cap to his power if Hawkmoth interfered with Orikko's magic. He could... fix everything, this way.

"Sunrise!" he called out, thus receiving the power of the Rooster.

"No–" Chat Noir was immediately kicked off by Reverser, now in combo power with his miraculous.

"I grant myself the ability to steal power!" Reverser called, summoning another paper airplane. He shot it at Chat Noir who hadn't even a chance to react. Instantly, his cataclysm vanished and appeared around Reverser;s warped fist.

"You can't do that!" Ladybug screamed, then falling over her own two feet in a clumsy effort to attack. Reverser grinned with pleasure.

"Reverser, I want to make a deals with you," Volpina called out. Reverser eyed her suspiciously. "I want to fix the world, the same as you. I'll help you get Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous, but Hawkmoth must let me use them first."

"I doubt he'll agree to that," Reverser said with a growl.

"I reminded you of your power, give me some credit."

"Lila! Enough of your tricks," Ladybug seethed, "how dare you come out of nowhere like this to manipulate someone who doesn't even understand what they're doing!"

"I know exactly what I'm doing!" Reverser barked. Then, his face scrunched, realizing the name Ladybug had just shouted was Lila's. It couldn't have been her... "Are you Lila Rossi?" he asked, looking at her sketpically.

"I am," she said with annoyance, "I had to unveil myself to these two so they'd believe my theatrics."

"Lila Rossi..." Reverser said darkly, "you have no idea how much I hate you."

"What?"

It was true. Reverser hated her more than most may think. She'd tormented Nathaniel for months, posing a threat to his security between he and his parents if Lila's rumors spread too far. Plus, she was annoying and irritable in class, always whispering negative things under her breath and further making remarks directed at Nathan who was unfortunate enough to sit next to her.

"I know I can't fix the whole world," Reverser said, "but I know if I kill you, a little piece of it will have gotten better."

A/N

SO Uh... Reverser about to fuck... everything up for everyone. Maybe.

IT'LL BE FINE!!!!!!!