Chapter Text
Prologue
Lost in the Darkness.
“Come on Paon! You can’t be tired already.” The laughter in the young man’s voice was breathless as he leaned against the wall panting, looking at the other man who was kneeling and panting on the ground.
“Fuck off, dude. You barely pulled your weight in that fight.” he muttered, pushing purple, blue and green feathers down from his face as he sat up a little straighter and looked at his companion, clearly joking. He pushed himself off the ground and moved over to the other, reaching out to trace a line of blood that was slowly trickling from a cut along his hairline, worry in his eyes. “You got hurt.”
A gloved hand reached up to take his hand gently and pull it away from the blood, the other hand gently taking his chin to turn his head so they could lock eyes. “I’m fine. It is just a scratch.” Green eyes crinkled a little as he smiled and squeezed Paon’s hand. “But it’s fine now. The city is safe and we can go home, sleep and heal. Unless….?” He raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question.
Before Paon could answer the brooches they both wore beeped their warnings in unison. He looked at the Butterfly wings on the other’s chest and gave a sad smile. “Maybe next time, Papillon...You know we can’t know each other’s identities.” He moved to pull away but Papillon pulled him in close.
“Fine. Next time.” He pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before letting him go. “Run away, Paon. I will see you for patrol tomorrow.”
He could see the blush spreading under the mask that hid his partner’s face away from him. He found it adorable that even that little show of affection made his partner blush. Some day he would know the person under the mask and would do more than kiss him chastely.
He watched the feather clad hero jump up on to the roof of the buildings above them and disappear into the night before turning and walking down the alley, letting his own alter-ego drop and pulling out a cracker for the little purple creature that appeared next to him. “Well, that was harder than usual to fight. These monsters are getting stronger, Nooroo.”
“But you and Paon managed it. You two work well together.” The little creature took the cracker and started munching on it as they walked. They hadn’t gotten too far when they heard a scream, followed by a loud, ground-shaking roar. They looked at each other, eyes wide.
The man had a sinking feeling in his stomach as he turned back towards the area they had just cleared. “Finish that cracker quick, Nooroo, looks like the night isn’t over yet.” He said, swallowing as he saw a large creature touring over the smaller buildings.
“Duusuu, Fan Out!” He heard from around the corner and part of him was tempted to run and try to see the other man out of costume, but there were more important matters at this time.
“Nooroo, Wings Rise!”
Running out of the alley he was in he saw the purple and blue blur that was his partner throwing himself at the monster they thought they had defeated, a large fan in his hands helping protect him from the slashing claws. Jumping in the air, Pappillon joined the fray, his own weapon, a staff with a yellow jewel at the top, moving to beat at the creature.
However, he felt time stop and everything freeze in place when the creature swatted the fan from Paon’s hands and grab the man out of the air, squeezing him tight.
“PAON!” Papillon yelled, trying to throw himself as hard as he could. He watched as Paon was shaken back and forth, pain clear across his face. He had to get him free. He took his staff and jammed into the stomach of the creature as hard as he could. It roared in pain and flung it’s arms out, releasing Paon midair.
Without his fan though, he had little control of his flight and it seemed that he had been knocked breathless from the hold and shaking and wasn’t in great control of his motor functions at the moment. Papillon watched his partner fly through the air, wincing as he hit a bridge going over the Seine, dropping into the water below. Rage filled him and he screamed, a wave of sickly yellow light flying out from him and knocking the creature down.
He ran over to the fallen monster and hit it with the staff, the jewel at the top cracking little by little with each hit until it shattered and the creature turned back into the stuffed toy that had been possessed by the Akuma. With the butt of his staff, he trapped the small black essence and twisted, killing it.
He bolted for the river, screaming for his partner; why wasn’t he up yet? Where was he? When he reached the banks of the river he looked around, terror making his heart pound in his head, white noise filling his ears with a loud rushing sound.
He saw something floating in the water and reached to pick it up. Opening his hand he saw a dull purple and blue feathered pin with dull green stones at the tips. He swallowed hard; it was Paon’s Miraculous. Where was Paon though?
Faintly, as though at a great distance, he heard the warning beeps from his brooch and knew he needed to leave before anyone saw him. Clutching tight to the pin in his hand he took off, tears rolling down his face as he left.
He only made it a little distance before he collapsed to the ground, sobbing as Nooroo separated themselves from the man. “E-”
“No!” He cut them off. “Don’t say anything….We are getting you food and we are going to find Paon. He has to be okay.” He broke down, holding tightly to the pin in his hand. Paon had to be okay. He had to be.
Papillon didn’t know what he would do without his partner...but it wouldn’t be saving the world.