Disclaimer: Don't own and never will.

AN: This particular idea exists because although I ship these two with very different characters, I'm constantly disappointed by the fanfics I find for this particular pairing. And being a fanfic writer…well you get the idea.

Nathanael swore as he shook his pen. Just when he needed it to work, it had run out. Just died. Puff! No more sketching for today!

"I'm sorry, can we finish doing this tomorrow? It's just…" he gestured to his now empty pen and shrugged. "My pen just died on me and…"

"I have a spare…" she murmured quietly. "You could borrow it…if you like."

"Thanks," Nathanael replied with a nervous smile and he cursed internally as the familiar sensation of butterflies erupted in his stomach. He was used to feeling this sensation from Marinette, not the girl in front of him! He had known the girl posing in front of him for years, considered her to be one of his friends.

As she gave him her pen, he smiled and an eruption of butterflies awoke in his stomach. A far too familiar eruption of butterflies. (Or should that be ladybugs? This WAS Paris after all, with a butterfly supervillain…never mind) He was supposed to feel these for someone like Marinette or Chloe (he gave an internal shudder at that thought) or…well someone who was not one of his best friends.

She returned to her original position sitting on the window ledge of their classroom silhouetted by the sun and he began sketching once more, his (her) pen sketching the familiar lines once more and soon his sketch was complete.

"Thanks Juleka," he said with a smile as he returned her pen and she smiled. He held the picture up for her to see and her smile widened.

"It's beautiful," she murmured and Nathanael felt his face redden. "You've made me look really pretty."

"You are really pretty," Nathanael said without thinking and both teens blushed. "I'm sorry, I-"

Juleka mumbled something unintelligible and her face turned even redder. Nathanael looked curiously at her for a moment.

"Pardon?" he asked and Juleka's face turned redder still.

"I like…I mean, I'm happy that you think…" her voice trailed off as the two teens stared at one another and the air was filled with a moment of awkward silence.

"Juleka, I…" Nathanael's words trailed off as he tried to formulate the right words to say. It was those eyes that did it. That moment of awkwardness where he lost himself in those quiet copper eyes.

Another moment of silence and then, without warning, Juleka leaned forward and gently kissed him on the lips and ran away.

Nathanael stared at where she had been in disbelief, his lips still burning from that kiss. Picking up his pen, he made his way home.