Welp, okay, we all know what happened last chapter. Uhm, if not, let's just say Adrien may have cut himself.

...That's not dancing around the topic at all. AND YES, THAT WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO WRITE. Well, guess what, at the end of this chapter, y'all are going to hate me :D!

ON THAT NOTE, ENJOY!

Adrien rubbed his face and grabbed his phone, wincing slightly at the brightness. He adjusted it to just above zero, checking the time on the top corner. It was time to start the day, him tossing the sheets to the side.

The tight bandaids felt warm around his wrists, but he couldn't take them off for at least the rest of the week. He was debating on skipping school; he could barely keep his eyes open. But, if he did, Marinette may feel guilty and think she would be the cause for this.

That was the last thing he wanted, and he brushed his teeth while Plagg and he both shared a silence. Plagg looked to the side, silently munching on his cheese while Adrien washed out his mouth.

"Are you going to talk?" Adrien sighed, "You're scaring me." "That's it?" Plagg mumbled; Adrien needing more context. "You're just going to act as nothing happened?" -he gestured to his wrists- "Like that didn't happen?"

Adrien sighed deeply, "If you're going to complain-" "I'm not going to!" -his kwami shouted- "I'm worried about you!" "How many people do you know would do this to themselves!? And you don't deserve it?"

"How do you know!?" "Do you think Marinette would deserve it?" Plagg shot back angrily. "Well," he muttered, "No, of course not. "Exactly," -he crossed his arms- "And neither do you!"

"That's completely different," -Adrien grumbled- "That' Marinette, and I'm me." "You're both teens, you're both in the same class, have the same GPA," -he grumbled- "You're both superheroes."

"What was that last thing?" "It doesn't matter! But, you can't just throw off your miraculous and do that to yourself!" "Why not?" Adrien grumbled, "I'm not bothering you, am I?" "That's the point, you are!"

"Do you think Master Fu would like this!? Do you think I like this!?" "Well, Master should have thought of that before," -he rubbed his temples- "It's not my fault he chose a disappointment as a miraculous holder!"

"Adrien, you're not-" "Plagg, just go do something. Go." Adrien interrupted angrily, his kwami leaving as he sighed deeply. He leaned his palms on the edge of the counter, staring at his reflection into the mirror.

He had evident bags under his eyes, his hair a strangled blonde rat's nest. His skin was pale and clammy, his wrists wrapped in dirtied bandages. He remembered a time; it seemed it was so long ago.

***

"Marinette!" Adrien smiled, "How are you?" "A-ADRIEN!?" she stammered, "I-I'm good.." she rubbed the back of her head. "And you?" she fumbled nervously. He laughed, "I'm good, thank you for asking."

Marinette smiled slightly, "I-I saw your ad yesterday for your new cologne-" "Adrien, dude!" Nino wrapped an arm around him, "How have you been?" 

Adrien smiled at his friends, "I've been pretty great," he paused, "And yeah, thanks Marinette! I'm happy with how the ad turned out." She smiled nervously in response, Alya walking over to the threesome.

"Having a convo without me?" she laughed, "Or, are these two flirting again," she gestured to Adrien and Marinette. "A-ALYA!?" Marinette covered her face, Adrien laughing nervously. "Haha, no Alya," -he chuckled- "What gave you that impression?"

"Oh, haha, no reason," she giggled, Marinette's face pure scarlet. She laughed nervously, "I-I suppose it is a crazy thought," she stammered, Adrien smiling warmly at her.

***

He froze, his grip tightening on the edge of the sink. She had loved him once before.

***

Adrien walked briskly into the hospital, his eyes directed to the ground. He conversed slightly with the secretary, walking up to the third room. He sucked in a breath, walking into the room. Zoey's eyes were closed softly, her hands pale and clammy, her hair tied into a tight ponytail that draped over her shoulders. 

"Hey Zoey," Adrien whispered, "How have you been?" He paused as if she was magically going to start talking and open her eyes again. "Uhm," he mumbled, "If you can hear me, can you move your finger slightly? Or blink, or..."

He paused, her body staying deathly still. He laughed under his breath, "T-That's what I thought," he mumbled sadly. "I...I told Marinette how I really feel," he whispered, "She didn't like me back."

He sighed, "But it's fine because I really didn't expect anything else." He looked at her face, shutting his eyes tightly. "Hey Zoey?" he asked louder than before, "W-When-" -he caught himself- "If you wake up, will you hate me?"

"I-It's just something I've been wondering since you're fiance is now in jail because of me and my father, and..." -he sighed- "I-I'm sorry, I should've defended Quinton. My father just told me if I sided with him, he would stop beating me..."

"My mistake, I should have never thought my father could be a decent person."

His breath hitched, and he ran out of the room, sucking in large breaths. He couldn't - how could he? Everything that happened to Zoey was his fault - he should have been pushier to get her out of his house.

No, he should have never been introduced to her; never been apart of her life. That would have been the only way to prevent the situation.

He ran back to his house, bursting through the doors, his grip tight on his ring. He slammed open his bedroom door, running straight to the windows, opening one.

"ADRIEN!" Plagg exclaimed; Adrien sighing deeply. He stepped onto the ledge.

...AND CUT! Yeah, okay, feel free to murder me .___.

OKAY, ADRIEN HAD BEEN THROUGH TOO MUCH SHIT, I'M SO SORRY YOU POOR BEAN OF A PERSON ;-;

But, anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter :>