Note: in the beginning of this chapter I'll still use the name Jean, but it'll be switched later on with an explanation.
Enjoy! ❤️

The woman took a deep breath before she shared a look with her mini floating friend.

"Should I?" She asked, her hands about to knock on the door, just a few centimeters away from it.

"Well miss surely we aren't going to stay out here the whole night." Duusu replied.

"Right."

With that Nathalie had gathered the courage to knock on the door of her 'friend', and to not much surprise a response was immediate.

Jean had always been the organized sort who was proper and never imperfect.

Even in their past relationship he had barely allowed the dark haired woman to see him in a vulnerable state or at times where he wouldn't be prepared and not his best.

Anyway.
Now the stylishly painted wooden door of the hotel at which the butler worked at slowly pulled back itself and opened in front of the assistant.

At first it appeared as if there would've been no one in the room, as if the door would've mysteriously opened by magic, however, just when Nathalie leaned her head forward to look inside, Jean's face from behind the door popped out.

"Nathalie?" His voice doubted itself.

It had been a while since he said that name, nevertheless his tounge still knew it's way to form when pronouncing the letters.

It felt nostalgic.

"Y-you're here for-"

"The night." She strictly cut in. "But nothing else! Just to rest."

"I understand." The man nodded.

They talked about this over the phone, in fact, Jean was probably the one who knew the most about the assistant's plan to flee, so he knew what she meant by 'the night'".

He had heard about it long ago when they were together, he watched the assistant begin to construct her escape, he helped her when she needed assistance with a few steps of the plan. However, deep down Jean never supported her with this.

He was willing to make it appear as if he'd be supportive, yet all he wanted to do was make her stay.

Ever since the butler had first heard of her escape, he wanted to sabotage it in secret.

With this he wanted to convince her that there wasn't a need to get a whole new identity and live in a foreign place when she could just stay here with him and...to be honest he didn't really have a good excuse to make her stay.

He just didn't want to let go.

No matter how irrelevant they were to each other now, Jean felt an unexplainable feeling that made him unable to live without her.

Maybe it was Mayura's charm, or maybe it was simply Nathalie's.

Either way, he knew that letting the assistant flee would be his biggest mistake.

Unfortunately though the sabotage wasn't going to be easy for the the butler since this woman was the stubborn kind who didn't change her mind easily, and he knew it.

Despite all this, Jean pretended to be fine.

As he got back to reality he stepped aside to let Nathalie in.

This made things nice and easy for the woman, though something still troubled her.

Something in Jean's eyes which were tilted towards the floor didn't give off the right feeling to Nathalie.

He seemed hurt, which was unusual as the butler usually did not show much of his negative emotions.

Jean just kept whatever was bothering him to himself, also a reason as to why the assistant's relationship with him failed.

His communication skills weren't the best.

Despite all these conflicting thoughts rushing through the woman's mind faster than the speed of light, the assistant took a deep breath in and slowly, as well as hesitantly put her foot in the apartment.

It didn't feel so right.
Coming back to her ex.
Remembering the whole layout of the apartment.
It was all very weird.

Well, at least Nathalie navigated herself easily through the rooms.

Barely any challenges stood in her way as Jean was also the man who had been the same ever since the ripe age of 18.

Not a single major change did he make all by himself.

He still smelled the same way, talked the same way and stared the same way.

It was all nostalgic.

"So." He unexpectedly broke the silence "How have you been Nathalie?"

"Please." The woman returned chuckling "Been better."

"Clearly," the butler grinned, though that was something he wouldn't have usually done, therefore this made the assistant's eyes surprisingly widen.

A second ago he seemed troubled and even hurt, however, now that sadness was nowhere to be found.

Even the man knew this wasn't such a 'him' thing to do, and he obviously saw the shock on the woman's face in front of him.
Despite this, he continued casually, almost enjoying the constant surprise that was present on Nathalie's face.

"So you're  planning your 'great escape' huh?" The butler wondered curiously "Or at least as much as I remember that's what you used to call it."

"Indeed," she laughed "you remembered precisely."

"You know me." The man also chuckled along. Getting more confident by each passing second.
"I've always managed to read you like an open book, even if those cold expressions of yours are the only ones ever present on your face, I still know what you're thinking of."

"I-" Nathalie became speechless as a little lump in her throat stopped her from everything.

He remembered so well, and he wasn't afraid to show it.
Quite contrasting as to how the assistant remembered her ex.

The only 'thing' which remained the same was Jean's professional manners, they never broke too much, however, his words were so excellently thought through that they let the woman reminisce a little.

They even caused an unexplainable sensation of desire to begin to form in the woman.

The sweet thought of the past rushed through her mind, all while the butler himself magically appeared closer and closer to Nathalie.
So much so that she had to shake her head and breathe;

"Just for the night."

"Pardon?" The man's all of a sudden alluring voice wondered.

He knew what he was doing, but he acted innocent, and all while this the assistant was completely shocked.

"I-..." Nathalie couldn't find the right words.

Her mind instead of staying loyal to her 'escape plan' was now filled with a foolish desire.

Him.

"Sorry." The assistant uttered to break the nervous air around them "I-I was just talking to myself."

"Oh." Jean smiled "You still do that?"

"W-What?"

"I remember." He began "You always used to constantly mumble something under your breath quietly, no matter if it was the middle of the day or if it was the very deepest of nights. I remember hearing tiny sounds and some words alongside that which made me think of how crazy you were. But I guess I liked that. It was pretty funny."

"F-funny?" The woman could no longer format a full sentence.
She was almost 'hypnotized' by him.
All the change in him and all the things which stayed the same.

She liked it all.

"Yes, you were a fun girl Nathalie." Jean's words pierced her "I liked you very much."

"L-liked?"

"Loved." He corrected himself "I loved you."

"L-loved?"

Nathalie held her breathe for a moment.

What on earth was she thinking?!

How could she allow herself to get caught in such a situation and why did it feel painful to put the 'd' on the end of 'love'?

Loved.

These were all the questions flooding her brain more and more while she blinked nervously.

She knew she had Hawk Moth who also stole her heart, but now she was trying to go back to her ex too.

The woman sighed deeply as she realized the peacock miraculous did truly mess her up.

It hurt her emotions and destroyed her heart.

Now she was feeling feelings she shouldn't have been for multiple men.

"What are you so unsure about?" The butler's voice became harsher, that way Nathalie immediately focused back onto him.
"Did I not make you feel like that? Loved?" He asked.

"Y-you d-did. I'm sorry." She tried to brush it off "I'm a bit tired from everything, so my words are messy-"

"Are you?" The man interrupted.

"W-Why are you asking?"

"Because sometimes in the past you used to excuse your unprofessional behavior with being tired." Jean smirked faintly "So are you tired or are you saying these things on purpose to get a reaction from me that you want?"

"I-Jean what?!?!"
Nathalie was way too confused by now.

How did he know so much and why was he analyzing her so much?

The assistant couldn't even get a break from the scarily accurate facts.

Not to mention that this all made her feel weirded out and intimidated by the man's behavior.

It felt almost like a manipulation tactic that the butler was using.

"I-I just want to sleep! There's nothing more behind it." said Nathalie a little frustrated.
"You're overthinking too much, like you always used to, Jean."
Now it was she that pierced the man with the past, and it indeed worked.

He gasped, but immediately tried to switch the topic for his own benefit.

"That's not even my name." He spat "Stop acting like we aren't familiar with each other."

"I'm not acting in any sort of way!" Nathalie argued "You said you hated your real name and preferred being referred to as 'Jean'."

"Yes that's the case when I'm being professional, but I think I know you a little too well Nath for you to be calling me a fake name."

"Fine" the woman took a deep breath;
"Armand."

To be continued-