Hey!

Ok, so apologies for the long wait, but I promise this is not all I have managed to come up with in that time, I've got another 2000 words or so currently waiting on my computer, so the next chapter is nearly done. It will be quite a long one though.

Thank you to Emily, who gave me this idea of doing a chapter from Adrien's POV. It fits perfectly with the story, so thank you!

Enjoy!

From the perspective of Adrien....

I open my eyes.

I'm lying on the mattress in the middle of our cell. But... how?

Casting my mind as far back as I can, I remember talking to Marinette last night. But I slept on the floor, didn't I?

Everything is so warped, like I remember how to piece together half of a jigsaw, but the rest of the pieces have been taken. Blinking the sleep out of my eyes, I stretch, but pause, realising my limbs aren't as sore as I thought they would've been. Especially after yesterday.

I force myself to forget about yesterday. Or at least, the parts without Marinette. Those parts were amazing. But the others... I look down at my side, ready to see the marks left by my disobedience and the scars from my unwillingness to cooperate.

The skin has healed.

No wonder I felt a lot better this morning.

I wrack my brains, and don't think it's possible. She wouldn't have.

And yet, she's the only explanation.

"Marinette?" I look up, moving my dishevelled hair from my eyes.

I'm afraid I'm worrying.

Marinette is sat in the corner opposite me, hugging her knees with her head resting on them. She's awake but unmoving and her bright blue eyes are open but unblinking. I would have studied her porcelain face longer, if her eyes weren't trained on me.

Slowly, I am worrying more and more, her stunned silence speaking louder than a hundred words.

What have I done?

What don't I remember?

Her face is not reassuring me. Because when I look into her eyes, the bright cobalt blue is tinted with fear... no, terror. She's scared. Shaken. Why?

Marinette mirrors everyone who's ever looked at me, her eyes shining like the thousands of others that have glistened with tears every time I come near them.

"Mari, is everything ok? What did I do? Did I hurt you?" I blurt, extremely flustered.

She snaps to attention and blinks at me as though seeing me for the first time. It is apparent I've interrupted her train of thought. Opening her mouth, she utters a single word, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No."

Her answer, so blunt and concise. Almost making me believe her. Almost. I watch as she tucks a strand of her loose blue hair behind one of her ears. I notice how pretty she is. Beautiful.

It is apparent something has happened. Chances are that it's probably me that has ruined everything. Being the monster I have come to know all too well, it can only ever be me that has done something wrong. Others are just wrongly blamed. Like Marinette. I don't believe she would be capable of hurting someone, not as I have. She's so brave and fearless, so kind and beautiful, she's the only good thing in the world. And as long as I'm here? I'm only going to be a danger. So, I need to know what's wrong.

"Then... what happened?"

She draws closer to where I am kneeled, a tear sliding down her cheek. A tear of happiness? I think. I hope.

"Adrien, you didn't do anything. I-it was me," she laughs in between tears. He voice is so soft, so gentle. But I can't let my guard down. Not just yet. I frown at her, eyes wide. Still waiting for the bad news.

"You think that you're a monster, that since you're untouchable no one will ever love you. But... but what if- what if things were different?"

I am extremely confused now. Isn't that teasing, Marinette asking me to think about life without this curse? The curse that as long as I live, will be a bucket of water, putting out any flames of happiness or hope that start to light, dousing the sunlight with darkness, a deep black that is endless, but full of a dark love that I can only look upon from my prison and know I'll never have.

I'm suddenly transported back to a place as dark as that. A recent memory.

I remember a dark room.

Terrifyingly dark.

I remember an artificial blue light that glowed from the corner of the room, making the room look as if it had been painted with a ghostly pale tint. I remember frantically trying to find out where I'd been taken again, trying to see anything I'd missed the previous times. I recall iron beams and bolts and springs and giant wheels that whirred and buzzed at an alarming rate, growling from the dark corners of the room. I never knew what they did, what they were for. I presumed they just enhanced the experience. I remember being strapped to an iron plank, uncomfortably digging into my spine, when I struggled the pain worsened, burning and nipping until I had to stop. My hands were locked into place at my sides by heavy metal cuffs that were chipped and scratched. I was trapped, forced to face up at an enormous steel ball in which I could just about make out my own terrified face staring back at me. I recall flinching as the ball suddenly crackled with energy, a fierce purple lightning zapping and quivering around it, the odd bolt occasionally daring to zip out of orbit and be yanked back by the force of the others.

Most of all, I remember the hooded silhouette that hovered over where I was strapped. Leering over me, exhilarated as if they could stand and I was not privileged enough to.

I was asked questions, so many questions.

And when I didn't answer, they would snap their fingers sharply, the sound bouncing from wall to wall. The spark of bright purple electricity shot from the ball above me and stuck my skin, seeming to seep through my pores and into my blood. Immediately my whole body was riddled with pain, weakness. I knew that I wanted to escape, but the shackles stopped me from moving, and evert time I struggled, the agony that followed compelled me to stop. I remember them asking for answers once more, but I couldn't tell him. I wouldn't help him. I refused to do that to Marinette. I needed to be there for her, so she didn't have to endure the same loneliness I did. I needed to see her again.

I needed to survive.

So I refused. And felt the grave consequences.

The figure produced an iron rod and with a merciless laugh sunk it into my skin. It was then, through this immense amount of unnecessary torture, that I discovered the rod was made from burning metal. I vividly remember it searing my skin, scorching deeper and deeper. I remember me begging for them to stop.

I remember them ignoring me.

I recall the feel and the warmth of my blood as it as seeped out of me. I screamed as they lifted the rod from my side and gaped helplessly at my now blood-soaked side. The figure leant closer to me, and I could just make out their eyes. Cold grey eyes that haunted me as I slept that night, devoid of any warmth and laughter, hardened with rage and anguish. I remember the feeling of my spine standing on end.

I was limp with agony, I could only listen as they whispered to me in a hoarse voice.

"You monster. You can't even do something so simple to save yourself. I'm betting it's for that girl," they sneered, their twisted voice making the hair on the back of my neck stand up, alert and terrified.

I looked at their black hood.

"Leave her out of it," I manage to grunt, gasping at the pain my injury caused.

They gave another cruel laugh. Haunting. Chilling.

"Oh. Oh! How sweet! You love her. Of course you do. A bit cliché, is it not? And you're not willing to save yourself over her. Stupid and dangerous."

They offered me another chance.

After I refused again, they paused.

That's when the unimaginable pain started.

Bursting into every inch of my body, my face, my chest. Cutting further into me with every blow.

But I knew I had to survive.

For Marinette.

So there we are! I admit this chapter is very dark, but it will make the next one all the better ;)

Also, have any of you seen Oblivio? If you have, how good was it?! Aaahh, I thought it was incredible! The kiss scene was everything!

Sorry, I had to rant haha!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter :)