It was a typical day in Paris when Nathanael found himself attacked by an akumatized victim. Usually he would have worried, but with four superheroes keeping Paris safe, he could relax a bit knowing that maybe Queen Bee would rescue him.

He wasn't overly-obsessed with her. He liked to think he was the right amount of obsessed, and that his sketchbook dedicated to her was really just fan art, but deep down, he knew better. He knew he was head-over-heels for the superhero. And he didn't mind the fact that she was unattainable—how long had he obsessed over Marinette who had seemed just as unattainable?—he just wished he'd fall in love with someone who wasn't so out of reach.

She came for him pretty quickly, saving him in one fell swoop, and the akuma was purified not long after.

I hate that I love you, he thought, stepping closer to her. He wished he had said it out loud—maybe it would have been more effective, because there was no way that he believed it when it was just in his head—but he kept his mouth shut and his eyes on the way she moved.

—

Chloe saw Nathanael's sketchbook the next day at school, full of doodles and comics of Queen Bee.

At first, she didn't know what to think. He may have just been tired of drawing Ladybug and Chat Noir and Marinette, but when she asked him about it, his blush told her more than she needed to know.

"You shouldn't be drawing her and you shouldn't be in love with her."

Nathanael flushed as red as his hair. "I-I'm not—" But she cut him off before he could lie to her—lie to himself.

"I just don't trust her, Nath. You should be more careful."

"What has she ever done to you?" he asked. "Besides, she helps save Paris everyday. How can you not trust her?"

"I just don't," she snapped. "You'd be better off if you'd just listen to me." You'd be better off without me.

"Find some proof that she's untrustworthy," he mumbled. "Then I'll listen to what you have to say."

Chloe had proof alright—proof she was the worst person he could've possibly fallen in love with—but there was no way she could tell him without revealing her identity. The one thing she could do was try to scare him away.

—

Queen Bee jumped from building to building, making her way towards Nathanael's window. If her plan worked, she could have him believing Chloe and he'd go back to avoiding everyone. If it didn't…

…then she'd have to try harder. She wasn't just going to give up on trying to push him away.

It was for his safety, after all.

She tapped on his window, and a surprised Nathanael opened it without a word. She slipped inside—she really should've figured out what to say beforehand, because Nathanael's excitedly stunned stare wasn't helping.

She swallowed the unwillingness in her throat and turned to him, fixing her best glare on him. "Who do you think you are?" She watched him gulp in sudden fear. "I save you and you think you can be obsessed with me? That's not how this works."

"I-I didn't mean to make you angry," he whispered.

"Oh I'm angry!" she snorted. I'm angry I'm not good enough for you. I hate that I love you. "You're not the only person I've saved, okay? So don't think that makes you special or something, because it doesn't. You're not special. You're nothing. I hate you."

And she leapt through the window before she could see him cry—before he could see her cry.

Because she didn't think that at all. In fact, those were the biggest lies she'd ever told. Nathanael was special. He was the best person she knew.

And that's why she had to break his heart.

—

Adrien found Chloe in Miss Bustier's classroom the next morning, sliding into the seat next to her without permission. "You told Nathanael you hated him?" he whispered, despite the fact they were alone.

She started to wonder how he knew, but with Alya on the team now, it would be almost impossible to hide anything from her partners. "What do you mean? Queen Bee told him she hated him, not me." She almost laughed at her own joke—their identities hadn't been secret in a long time.

Adrien did not look amused. "Why?"

"Because it was easier than telling him the truth," she snapped. She really did not want to talk about Nathanael. Not with Adrien. Not today—not ever. But she knew he wouldn't leave her alone. "It's easier than telling him I'm in love with him."

His eyes widened; apparently it was a surprise to him that she hadn't denied it. "So you're scared...of being with Nathanael?"

"I wasn't meant to be loved. Especially not by him."

He entered the room then, and she and Adrien looked down, but he walked over to them anyway. "Chloe?" His eyes were red and his voice was fragile. "Can I talk to you?" He glanced at Adrien, who didn't need a second hint to leave Chloe behind. Nathanael slid into the seat beside her. "You were right," he said mournfully.

"What?"

"Queen Bee can't be trusted. I shouldn't have fallen in love with her."

Of course I was right. Of course she can't be trusted. Of course you shouldn't have fallen in love with her. Any of these would have been the appropriate response, but Nathanael was already so sad, Chloe didn't think she could break him. She caught Adrien's eye over Nathanael's shoulder. His eyebrows were raised expectantly, no hint of helping her in the casual shrug he threw her.

She could almost hear it: You got yourself into this. You can get yourself out.

Adrien slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

—

Chloe sighed beside him and Nathanael's heart twisted in response. She hadn't wanted to hurt him, he realized. She just wanted to help him get out before it was too late—before he was in too deep.

He couldn't help feeling grateful. Despite all her flaws, Chloe really was a good person, but he'd always thought differently. He'd judged her inaccurately.

"Thank you," he whispered, dropping his head onto her shoulder. "I think if you had told me any later, it would've been too late. So thank you for stopping me before I had another Marinette incident."

Chloe stiffened under his touch, then hesitantly put a hand on his back. "You should really learn to fall in love with people who can love you back."

He knew she meant someone else, but he heard the twinge of sadness in her voice and almost thought she could have been talking about herself.

No, she loves that she hates me too much to hate that she loves me.