This needed an update, it's been so long.

Ten plus seven, seventeen, that's how many pages Chloe Bourgeois had taken up in Nathaniel's new sketchbooks. Some were colored, others were just sketches, but all were of her. Queen Bee was the majority theme, the larger sketchbook held more action scenes and poses of her. The smaller, more personal one, had her face on every page. Differently lighting, shading, and poses he had seen over the past four days. He tried some scenes for his comics but always ended up back to her. Whenever he thought about the kiss she placed on his cheek his face got all red but it didn't stop him from coloring her mouth a soft pink. She had been busy these four days and now it was Friday, she had barely uttered a hello to him. She seemed distracted and was often looking off, perfect for sketching her profile but with her looks came her hand rubbing her collarbone and shoulder. Nathaniel was worried she'd hurt herself with Monday's Akuma but he hadn't had a chance to talk to her. Currently he was now sketching her from a classroom window, Chloe was outside on the steps talking with Sabrina, and he was hoping to talk to her before the weekend.

As Chloe talked to Sabrina she realized she was actually half listening to her. Lately she had been able to have conversations with her but something was still different. She felt she was changing and everything she talked with her she secretly wished she was talking to another redhead. Whenever Chloe thought about Nathaniel her heart would hurt and she got into a nasty habit of rubbing her shoulder to alleviate the burn, it never worked. She saw him using his sketchbooks and markers often but she didn't follow up to see if she made a good choice. After Monday's Akuma she went back to class and everything carried on like normal, for four days. She felt the need to actually talk to him today. Perhaps during lunch, she knew he would be in the library. Life was so much easier with her Queen Bee confidence, but now Chloe had become a little less. Her mean personality was dimming and being replaced with turbulent feelings she couldn't describe. Her father was no help, he was the one to teach her to hide her feelings to begin with.

She couldn't tell Sabrina about herself as Queen Bee or her feelings. Sure they might be friends, but their relationship was still transitioning from minion to friendly normalcy. The only one who knew both parts of her was Nathaniel.

Chloe realized she tuned out Sabrina and felt a little guilty but realized she was droning on about the weekend's homework. She gently grabbed her arm and led her into the school, she didn't want to be late and she was wondering if he was already sketching at his back table. They entered the classroom and her eyes were immediately drawn to his, contact was made and blushes formed. Chloe was the first to look away and made her wait to her seat with Sabrina being none the wiser to her blush or internal emotion.

Homeroom started soon enough and she realized Sabrina had stopped talking to her and was staring at her attentively between taking notes. The bell rang and the homeroom diverged into class time, halfway through English she looked to the back.

Head down, red hair covering his face, Nathaniel was either writing notes or drawing. She figured the latter since he never really seemed a fan of the English language. Her thoughts sputtered, somehow she stored that information and it surfaced, she didn't even realize her thoughts and feelings could do that. How did she feel about him? Tuning out the rest of the class and probably the whole morning, she tried to sort her feelings.

For once, Nathaniel was actually taking notes. The English language was becoming easier to understand and if he ever wished to be a serious artist he would have to be using it a lot more in his future. He often wondered what the future would hold, would he be happy and successful or a struggling artist like all thought. The bell rang and the teacher quickly finished her sentence and Nath wrote down the last bit before packing up. He was in a daze now and realized he wouldn't be doing much focusing the rest of the day.

The day was over and Chloe watched as Nath became a zombie to the school system. He was just doing the bare minimum and looked lost in thought. She wanted to talk to him but not just yet. She was also lost in thought but her thoughts got organized after lunch. She came to the conclusion that friendship with someone other than Adrien and Sabrina would be welcome and she can handle that rather than figuring out other matters of the heart. She could see him walking down the street and rushed to catch up with him.

"Nathaniel!" He paused and she was able to stand by his side, slightly out of breath. He seemed a little shocked to see her. "I haven't had a chance to talk to you. Did you like my added gift?" Chloe knew she was nervous but couldn't figure out why she was having this reaction just talking to him. Unfortunately before he could answer the signs of a rampaging Akuma were happening. Screaming, people running, and Ladybug swinging through the streets.

Saying nothing, Nathaniel grabbed her hand and dragged her into the nearest alley. "Chloe, hurry."

"Wha- what about what you said? The public transformations?"

"I'll keep watch." He turned her around and stood facing the ally, his back to her. He heard her whisper and felt the warmth and saw the glow of her transformation. Unexpected was his feet suddenly leaving the ground and his back being pressed against her. "What! What are you doing!?"

"Flying you to safety, now where do you live Tomato?" Chloe was thankful for fate intervening this way, now she could learn where he lived and visit at a later date. He told her and luckily he had a balcony for her to land on and set him down. She peeked inside and saw it was for his living room not his bedroom but luckily saw no parents or siblings. She didn't even know if he had siblings or what his parents were like.

"Well, I guess I should go save Paris. See you later Red." The nickname was new, seemed softer than Tomato. It was from his queen and his heart fluttered against his better judgement. Her foot hit the railing, about to jump when the Ladybug cure took to the sky. From behind her she heard his words.

"Guess you don't have to leave after all." He coughed and tried to forget the blush taking over his face. "I meant, that is, if you don't have anywhere to be, we could, I don't know, hang out?" The more he babbled the more strained and dry it sounded but she turned around and took steps inside past the glass doors.

"Got water and honey around here?" She dropped her transformation and strode toward the kitchen, leaving him to scramble behind her. He was going to hang out with Chloe Bourgeois in his home.

Nath coughed and got her a glass and a little honey pot. Pollen flew out and took the honey from him and he focused on Chloe rather than the little bee he had only seen once before. He waited till she finished half the glass before asking. "So, uh, Red?"

"New nickname, suits you." She left that as her only explanation as she finished her water and handed it back. She left him and pollen to go sit on the couch in the living room and look around. Nathaniel focused on the little bee for now rather than the strange behavior of the hotel heiress.

"So, Pollen right?" The small creature flew up in front of his face.

"Yep! My Queen found me and had been helping Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"And you just, tolerate her." The bee frowned.

"She isn't as bad as everyone things. Her past is in the past and she moves forward in the light. She has tough skin but her inside is as fuzzy as a dandelion."

Nathaniel took her words into consideration and moved toward a bored Chloe in his living room. "To answer your earlier question, yes. I really appreciate the thoughtful gift. Thank you for the supplies."

She turned toward him and straight faced joked at him. "Draw me like one of your French girls?" She could only hold the face for a second before a smile spread and she let out a small laugh.

He sputtered "Titanic? Really Chlo?" The name slipped out. She didn't seem to mind other than her pink cheeks and turned head.

"I know you like to, now I can properly model for you." She wanted to spend time with him as friends and assumed this would be a good place to start.

"Uh, sure, let me just go get my easel and you can get comfortable." She hummed and he darted into his room to get his supplies. Finally having her as a real model in front of him was an opportunity he wasn't going to pass up. Perhaps he could get this crush out of his system by drawing her live. The back part of his brain told him it didn't work like that but he elected to ignore that.

Pollen flew over to Chloe once Nathaniel left the room. "My Queen, What is happening?"

"I honestly don't know Pollen, Its homey here isn't it?"

"Yes…" The bee was wary. "I thought you didn't like him?"

"I don't dislike him, surely he is interesting and he knows my secret, not even Sabrina knows. Perhaps I could make another friend." Chloe explained, finally speaking her thoughts out loud from the morning. Pollen hummed and went somewhere Chloe couldn't see, nor was she paying attention. Lost in thought she didn't even realize Nath came back and started sketching her. She had her back on the arm rest, legs out in front of her and crossed, sweater across her lap. Her eyes went to the glass doors and the city skyline.

She wondered how she got here. Yes she knew she flew here but to this level of comfortability was new. She was so… bitchy… to everyone. She really needed someone to care and be there for her, her butler Jean tried but it wasn't the level she needed or got from Pollen. Pollen liked her before she even opened her mouth, was her friend and confidant. Sabrina was slowly becoming a friend rather than another servant. Being a hero to Parisians made her reflect and see that if she was nice to others and opened herself up to new things she could make friends.

Nathaniel was a fluke, she had been stupid transforming that day in the park, it was rushed and she didn't look around. In the back of her mind she knew he was there and it allowed her to let her guard down for him. There was something about him that got under her skin. He was talented and kind but also had a sassy streak, she could feel it swimming below his usual facade. Someone to verbally spar with her, someone who might not judge her for her hopes and dreams. Someone who didn't expect as much as her mother and father did. She felt flattered by his interest in her, he didn't seem turned away when finding his hero was his tormentor. Ah that. The bullying, unnecessary projection of her own flaws onto him. She needed him to know how she felt now, how she grew in a short time.

"I'm sorry."

Nathaniel almost missed her whisper in his focus. He paused and gave her a confused face from behind his easel. His hair was tied back and out of his face, they made eye contact and she could see how handsome he really was. She cleared her throat and went back to the position she was in before turning her head to him.

"I'm sorry for what I said and did back then. I was cruel to you and you didn't deserve it. You are a nice person, caring, talented and surprisingly handsome. I appreciate you taking the time you have and spending it with me." Chloe's voice was low and calm and he couldn't look away from her.

"You've changed." The way he phased it was like a question he couldn't quite believe for himself but also a statement for her that she needed to hear. "You are working toward becoming a better person than your past. Change takes time and helpful people. I guess I just don't mind being around to help and witness the change. I already saw your hero transformation, why not see your inner personality transformation." He turned back to his art and started finishing the lines.

"Thank you." Her mind felt calmer, closing her eyes, she breathed out a heavy breath and fell more into a relaxing state of mind and position.