#volpin

"What? No! Why would I need to study when I can cheat off of Sabrina? Hahaha..." Chloé spluttered out. With a quick flick of her arm, the covers of her bed went up in the air, sending all of the books into the air before they hit the floor with loud thuds. He watched as her tanned cheeks flushed a pale pink, clutching the heavy blanket around her tightly as he inspected her. "Why are you here anyway?"

Volpin shrugged as he pushed himself off the railing, letting himself into her room to escape the harsh winter wind. As soon as he took a step inside, his feet on the soft and plush carpet, he felt a warm, and surprisingly homey feeling envelop him, almost as if it were inviting him in with wide open arms. "Can't a hero come see his favorite civilian, Bumble Bee?"

"Now I know you're lying. What kind of hero favors the person who causes half of the akumas?" Her icy blue eyes rolled as she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, which she now remembered was only clothed in a flimsy tank top. "This kind does." Volpin noticed her cheeks flush a deep red as she glanced down at her arms, which confused him quite a bit. Until he also noticed her tank top and short shorts. "So how is my favorite Bumble Bee?"

"Oh, so you have other Bumble Bees huh?"

"Nah, that right is reserved for you only, Bumble Bee." He gave her a wink, not quite understanding what could have possibly taken over him to give him the urge to wink at her, or to even go to her room for that fact. He knew how she treated him at school, and yet here he was, leaning against her wall as she wore an outfit that left little to the imagination and flirting with her. Flirting.

"I'm fine, Foxy." Foxy, oh god I really like that.

"Foxy? I'm pretty sure you're the foxy one here, Bee." Another wink. God he was going to kill himself tomorrow morning if he continued this. He wrinkled his brows in confusion as he took notice of the titles of the books around him. Physics III, AP Calculus, Government & Politics III, and AP English. All of these were advanced classes, so much more advanced than himself or even Adrien for that matter. She was taking College courses, as a Junior. "Why do you have all these textbooks?"

"Um, Sabrina asked me to hold them for her, and she forgot them here. That's why."

"You expect me to believe that you willingly helped someone?"

"I'm not that mean." Chloé scoffed in annoyance, glaring at the fox themed hero who was slowly inching his way towards her.

"You're not that nice either." He pointed out, settling himself down onto her mattress, to which she unconsciously scooted forward.  The bed dipped at his weight, causing her to lean forward.

"Now that's mean. Now I won't tell you." He watched her rose pink lips form into a pout as she playfully turned her head away from him, her arms crossed over her chest once more.

"Are these yours by any chance?" He bent over and reached for the closest book to him. Government & Politics III. "Government and Politics three, huh? You're older than you look apparently Bumble Bee."

"Shut up! I'm 17 dummy."

"So these are your books?" Volpin raised the textbook he was holding, displaying the cover for her to view.

"Give me that!" Chloé crawled forward on her hands and knees and snatched the textbook from his hands. "Don't you know that it's rude to walk into someone's room and touch their stuff?"

"You would know all about rude wouldn't you Bumble Bee?" He gave her a sparkling white smirk before her grabbed her wrist, firm but gently. "Now why would someone as smart as you, try so hard to hide their superior mind by acting like a mindless girl who drapes herself over a rich model?" Chloé frowned at the backhanded compliment, her eyes narrowing at Volpin who looked sincerely confused.

"Who says I do that?"

"Chloé I know you. I've seen it myself as well, so please explain to me why you hide all of this?" He gestured to the books scattered on her wooden floor before gesturing to her.

"Well it's what everyone expects right? I'm a rich blonde girl who's daddy is the Mayor of Paris. Don't you think that people would hate me either way? People always expect me to snobby and bitchy so that's exactly what I give them. A snobby, bitchy, mindless girl who has other people do her work for her."

"Where are you getting all of this from? I for one really like the fact that you're a genius. It's hot."

Oh boy was he glad that his mask was covering his cheeks right now. Otherwise she would see they were as red as hers.

"My daddy has been Mayor for as long as I can remember. That means since I was little, I've been meeting people that have a high status like him. And after so many years of hearing the same thing over and over, the weird looks I'd get whenever I said something smart, or told people I made it myself just to be shot down and told to quit lying and tell them who really worked it, the insults my dad would get from the adults about me, and all the kids who ignored me for it, I learned to just hide it and act dumb."

"You shouldn't though. Not being yourself sucks, honestly. And like I said earlier, I think it's hot that you are so smart. You don't meet a lot of geniuses, especially not at your age. Wouldn't it be more fun to express yourself, than to bully others?"

"It would be, but I'm in too far deep for a redemption arc, Foxy. People already hate me, and it's my fault, so who am I to try to change that? I caused it, I should deal with the consequences of my actions." His heart began to throb as he noticed a break in the composure she had been trying to keep up for so long. He was cracking her walls, slowly with every passing day that he came to visit her, which he still had no reason why he did.

"Why don't you start with one person? One person can make a huge difference Bumble Bee."

"But who would I start with?"

"That's not my choice, it's yours." When he saw her defeated look, he sighed before giving her a suggestion. "Maybe try with someone quiet and nice? Someone who makes you feel a little happier when they're nice to you. Do you have anyone like that?" He watched her bite her lip as she scraped the back of her brain for someone, anyone, like that. Suddenly, her icy blue eyes brightened as she grinned, looking at him with a wide smile.

"Nathanael." His blue eyes widened as she said his civilian name, his pulse quickening as she watched her smile grow even bigger. "He's not exactly nice to me, but there were a few moments when he'd do something, like sketch a picture of my eyes,"

Sketch her eyes? I've never done that. The only eyes I've sketched before were- Marinette's and Ladybug's... of course she'd get them confused as hers. They were blue like hers, and he had accidentally colored them too light for the two girls cerulean eyes.

"I don't think I was supposed to see it, but when Kim had tripped him and he had dropped his notebook, showing the page that had the picture. He had looked at me in worry before closing the book and rushing out of the room. That had made me really happy. I didn't think anybody would want to draw me or do anything in general of me. It felt really nice."

Crap... now I feel really guilty. And she doesn't even know she's making me feel that way either!

Nathanael got up, taking a forgotten notebook off of the ground and dragging one of the many cushioned chairs in her room over to her mattress, picking up a discarded pencil on his way.

"What are you doing?"

"You said that having that boy sketch your eyes made you feel happy right? Well I'm gonna sketch you, so I can make you happy." It was the least he could do. "Who knows? Maybe by the end of this art session you'll fall for me, Bumble Bee." Another wink.

"As if." She pushed against his chest lightly, but didn't refuse his offer to draw her portrait. "Just don't draw me like one of your French girls."

"Man. I was really looking forward to that." A soft bubbly giggle came out of Chloé, and it was the most angelic sound he had ever heard. It made him want to hear it again, with some strange longing for it. He's never heard her laugh, let alone smile.

I've got to do something to make that happen more often.

Chloé watched him with a spark interest mixed with curiosity as he started brushing the tip of his pencil against the paper in small strokes, starting at her chin. From the corner of his eye he saw her lean closer to him as she peered over to the paper. "Hey, don't move Bee. I'm trying to draw you here."

"You could say please you know."

"Please Bumble Bee." She moved back into position as he continued with her portrait, his brows furrowed together in concentration as he worked on the angle of her cheek bones, highlighting them so they looked as perfect as they did in real life.

What the hell are you thinking Nath? As perfect as they are in real life? Jesus, hanging out with Chat during patrol is really starting to effect me.

Once he finished her nose he moved on to her eyes, but suddenly stopped, dropping his pencil onto her mattress.

"What's wrong?"

"I need a closer look at your eyes." As he spoke he got off of his seat, crawling onto her bed. He placed his hands on either side of her hips, pulling his legs up next to them so he was straddling her. He picked up the discarded pencil and paper before setting it on his lap, moving his face closer to hers so they were a hairsbreadth away from each other. "Now that's all better."

His confidence boosted up when she didn't push him away and he began to draw a very, very, detailed sketch of her pristine and crystal cerulean eyes. He could feel her warm breath on against his cheek as he moved his red bangs behind his ear.

"Fuck it."

"What-" he was cut off when soft lips brushed against his as if they were testing the waters. Instinct overtook him as he moved forward to close the gap, pressing his lips against hers in a rush. Her delicate fingers entangled themselves into his long hair, curling around the locks and gently tugging on them, lighting a fire in the pit of his stomach as he placed his hands on her waist, pulling her down slowly until she was lying on her bed and he was on top of her.

Before they could take it a step further, there was a knock on her door.

"Miss Bourgeois, your father has asked if your orange haired friend has finished your homework?"

"Um, yeah yeah, it's done." Volpin felt her tense beneath him as he rolled off, landing next to her, releasing a breath that he didn't realize he was holding as he heard footsteps, signaling that her butler was walking away.

"That was close. So your dad doesn't even know that you're taking these classes?" She pushed herself up as she looked at him, her honey blonde hair spilling over her bare shoulder in waterfall-like waves.

"You know what, I have an idea!" She completely ignored his question as she jumped up, making the mattress bounce as she walked across her room to her overflowing vanity table. Mascara tubes, lipsticks, lipgloss containers, eyeshadow palettes, and foundation bottles were scattered among the wooden surface, along with a hair dryer and a curling iron.

Volpin watched her fumble over the golden knobs of her vanity table before she managed to yank one open of the drawers. Her hand disappeared in it for a moment before it popped back out with a black hair tie around her wrist and a pink brush in hand.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to do your hair, because your hairstyle is too 90's Foxy."

There's that sassy side I've been missing.

Now it was Chloe's turn to straddle him. She moved her bare legs around his hips, teasing the hero slightly before abruptly sliding off his legs and moving behind him. Since he was so tall front he waist up, she had to stand in her knees to be up to his height as she began to comb through his tangled mess that he called hair.

"I swear if you cut my hair Bumble Bee..." His tone hid an underlying threat, but they both knew that he would do nothing to her.

"Did you see me holding any scissors idiot?" He didn't reply to her snarky comment as she continued to brush through the red locks, smoothing them out. "Now trust me, this is going to make you look hot Foxy." Now it was his turn to flush at the compliment.

He felt her tug pieces of his hair back, leaving his bangs to hang in his face. Chloe smirked as she grabbed the rest of his hair, smoothing out the bumps as she made it into a ponytail, taking the hair tie around her wrist off and wrapping it around his bright red hair, twisting it three times before pushing him forward so she could admire her work.

"Voila! A masterpiece!"

"Complimenting yourself now Bee?"

"Shut up and take a look for yourself." She laced her fingers in between his as she tugged him to her distorted vanity table, pointing at the mirror attached to it. "What did I say? A masterpiece!"

"So you say, Bumble Bee." He noticed her bite her tongue in frustration before he saw the Government & Politics III book set on her bed again. "Why are you take Government and Politics? I thought you'd be more into design and fashion."

Chloé eyed the book before she examined her nails. "Does there have to be a reason?"

"Come on, I drew you. The least you can do is tell me why you chose that class."

"You owe me something afterwards then." Nathanael nodded in agreement to the deal, looking at her with piercing greenish blue eyes, waiting for her to tell him why.

"It's simple. I want to run for Mayor when I'm older. And hopefully be a better one than my daddy is. Not that he's bad or anything but I just want to surpass his and everyone else's expectations. Surprise them that I, someone who everyone hates, can manage to improve Paris somehow, and maybe help people." When Volpin didn't respond, she sighed in anguish, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I know it sounds stupid-"

"I don't think it's stupid at all. That's a great goal, and an amazing dream you have. You really surprise me Bumble Bee."

"How so?"

"You're actually a nice and decent person under all those layers."

"Pfft, anyone could tell you that.

"Miss Bourgeois, your father requests that you go to bed now, so you're ready for the meeting tomorrow morning." Chloe's eyes darkened as she heard this.

"I guess you should go. It's not like I'm upset or anything so don't get the wrong idea. Okay?"

"I got it Bumble Bee. Earlier, when you said that the Nathanael boy had made you happy, I think he would be a good start at letting your personality shine through. And tomorrow, at that meeting, don't hold back. Be the Bee I know you are." Chloé flushed red, the blush creeping up her neck as she nodded in confirmation. "Goodbye Bumble Bee."

With a quick peck to the cheek, he flew off of her balcony.

I know why I keep coming back now.

It's because of that spark she has, that I've never seen before.

It wasn't long until the two of them realized that that spark, was admiration and love.