He twisted the lollipop around in his mouth. The cherry flavor seemed to be permanently part of his being, he'd never gotten over his addiction for them, despite all the years that went by. He twirled the pencil around in his fingers, touching on the sketch he'd already made. Ladybug and Chat Noir had been protecting their lovely city of Paris for five years now, it was about time for another statue. He'd gotten over his infatuation with Ladybug long ago. In fact…
He smiled at the woman that sat a little ways away from him, even though she couldn't see the grin dancing on his face. He'd met her a couple years ago, and he couldn't be happier with the fact that he'd been so lucky to find such a woman. Her long locks tumbled down her back, eyes sparking with amusement. She was perfect, really. She and him clicked like no one had before, he didn't know what he'd do now without her.
Which is why he sometimes still got a little jealous.
They were out together at a cafe, with one of their friends. Well, he was more her friend than he was Theo's. They'd known each other since they were kids, so they were understandably close. His hand was on her shoulder as they laughed together at a joke one of them told, more hysterically than anything Theo said could ever do. His grip unconsciously tightened on his pencil as he watched, a smile still plastered upon his face so no one would know anything was wrong if they didn't look too closely. And they weren't looking at him at all.
He tried to calm down. They were friends, nothing more. He knew that. He'd always known that. But it didn't seem to matter at the moment, jealousy reared its ugly head.
Theo heard a voice he never thought he'd hear again whisper in his mind.
'Copycat.'
His blood ran cold. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the writing utensil even tighter, just now noticing that it had turned a sickly purple black. They were still laughing. How did they not notice?
'You want her all to yourself, but she may love another man. I can help you there, we're both stronger than before, you can make her love you.'
He grit his teeth in an attempt to stay silent, eyes squeezing shut as if that would make the voice go away. It was difficult, much more difficult than last time to resist. Le Papillon had indeed gotten much stronger. Along with the sickly feeling, he could feel pain lacing his body. What the hell was happening? He parted his lips, but no words would come out. He couldn't warn anyone, he couldn't saying anything. The only words he could speak were already on the tip of his tongue, but he refused to say them, never again.
'All I need in return are the Miraculous.'
He couldn't keep it back, he was going to say it again. He wondered if it was possible for anyone to say no to him, to Le Papillon. Suddenly, something interrupted his thoughts, something interrupted the voice in his head. A hand rested upon his free one, and his eyes opened to meet soft green ones looking at him in concern.
"Theo? Mon amour? Are you alright?" Her voice wasn't that loud, but it pierced right through him, shattering any jealousy or resentment he had in a single moment. He could hear it in her voice. The love, the appreciation, the gratitude that they were together. The pride that she could call him her and he vice versa. The hope that maybe they'd have a future together past this stage in the relationship. In a single instant, he heard every 'I love you' that she ever said to him, and he knew that she wouldn't leave him for her friend.
Le Papillon was still speaking, but Theo could no longer hear him. Instead, the sculptor gave his girlfriend a warm smile, his own brown eyes flickering with adoration as he gazed at the woman in front of him with boundless affection. He lifted her fingers in his own, pressing his lips gently upon the knuckles. In his other hand, he snapped his pencil in two.
"I am now."
Nobody even noticed the black butterfly, pulsing with violet veins, phasing through the wall of the cafe.
Chat Noir spotted it during a quick patrol, and he studied it with confusion. Following after it, he found that it was merely wandering around, like it didn't know what it was or where it was supposed to go. He called Ladybug on his baton, and his favorite heroine soon appeared beside him. Her eyes were puzzled, but eventually, she shrugged.
"Who knows?" She hummed, catching it with her bright red yo-yo. It was released quickly, in a shimmer of soft white.
"Au revoir, petit papillon."