Adrien traveled down a winding dark path, a door illuminated the area ahead, but it seemed stagnant, never drawer closer or farther despite how long he's been walking. He is alone, or so he assumes, his gut feeling telling him that he is being monitored, followed even.

Fuck this, the uneasiness is starting to eat at him, and his impatience with this damn door isn't helping matters; he'll catch it one way or another.

He sprints, thinking this would do the trick, yet it doesn't. The door is still unattainable, remaining at a safe distance with no hope of ever reaching it.

Fuck, this isn't worth it. Adrien halts, staring at the object with a curious gaze, finally noticing the eye looking straight at him from the window of it.

How did he not even see that!? He would have to be blind to miss it; was it always there, or did he ignore it? All of it?

"You always miss the obvious things."

A voice whispered in his ear, tickling it and causing an involuntary twitch in his shoulder. Wait. He whipped his head to the side: Nothing, nothing was there at all.

"I can help you reach it. If you trust me, that is." It whispered in his other ear this time, and instantly Adrien turned his head to be greeted by the darkness surrounding him. It is nothing; nothing is talking to him. Is he losing in his ever-loving mind?

Adrien

"Yes or no? Answer now."

Adrien

Adrien gulped-why the hell should he accept this offer? "I-"

"Wake up, Adrien."

The model jolted up, slamming his head on the wall of the limo, cursing under his breath as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Didn't sleep well?" questioned the driver, looking at Adrien through the rearview mirror.

Adrien opened the car door, giving a sheepish expression, "Not particularly, but I'll manage."

"Very well, but I hope the small nap will carry you through the day. Have a pleasant one."

"Same to you," Adrien replied as he stepped out of the vehicle. He rubbed his face, groaning as he made his way towards the school entrance. Shit, he would rather be sleeping than here- then there are all his other extracurricular activities afterward.

Today is going to be a drag.

"You look chipper as ever, I see," spoke a voice dripping with sarcasm.

Adrien shot a menacing glare as he scowled. It slipped his mind that Félix started attending yesterday. They were assigned the same classes to accommodate him to the new surroundings, and it went as well as expected; horrendous. Everyone despises him, and he only adds fuel to the fire with his friendly instruction. "Félix, just as charismatic as ever, I see," Adrien said with more venom than he ever intended if any at all.

Félix snickered, "Paris' renowned model didn't get his beauty sleep?"

Adrien stared at Félix, scrutinizing his appearance in the process: bags under his eyes, hair, and clothes slightly disheveled. He sure didn't have room to talk. "Should you really be coming at me when you look like a truck hit you?" Adrien narrowed his eyes, "Besides, if you keep acting shrewd, you'll still be alone, with no friends just like back home."

Félix shrugged, "More than likely, it seems like the others don't want anything to do with me due to the affectionate glares I have been getting since I arrived."

Appearing so nonchalant, yet the glum you are trying to hide is still showing despite the effort. Adrien frowned, "To be fair, you did cause a lot of issues the last time you were here, then there was how you introduced yourself, which by the way, isn't winning you any favors. They are good people, but they will not forgive you without some effort on your part."

Adrien noticed Félix's face shift from collected to solemn at a drop of a hat, sadness still lingering. God, it is jarring whenever his cousin did that, like a damn robot with a switch.

"Quite understandable," Félix mutters, his lips pursed, and there is a glint of disappointment mixed with determination floating in his eyes, "However, I am not here to make buddies- I am here to settle a score."

Adrien's breath hitches, giving a tight smile to his cousin. He has to defeat his father, and that thought hasn't fully sunk in. So many things are whirling in his mind, making it hard to concentrate on one coherent thought long enough to process it before the next one punches him in the face.

"Right..." Adrien eventually replied, drowsiness overtaking him. Lack of sleep isn't helping matters either, and there is the stress, then his fucking hero bullshit. And then there is his surly cousin. "It wouldn't hurt to at least, I don't know, TRY and make some friends."

There was no response, just silence from his cousin. Wow, that's a first. Generally, he has a rebuttal for everything.

"There is someone I want companionship with..."

Interesting, that isn't what he was expecting. "Who then?"

Félix whipped his head, face contorted into utter shock, "How did you hear that?"

Adrien raised a brow, "Whatcha mean? You said it out loud."

Félix's lips pursed, "I whispered it under my breath! How you heard it is beyond me."

Well, shit, damn cat's enhanced hearing. "I dunno, I just did, but are you going to answer it?" He let out a yawn, stretching his arms as he mewled.

"D-did you just meow?!"

Adrien waved his hands in front of him, "No! No no! I was stretching. Dear lord, give me a break-I barely slept last night."

"Here," Félix handed, well more so shoved, a can into his hands, "You need it more than me, it seems. Although felines shouldn't have caffeine, you are part human so I assume it should be safe."

The model glowered at Félix. Fucking smartass, even when his cousin means well, it comes off as being tactless.

"Um..." Adrien looked down at the can- a double expresso, frowning at the cursed thing. Great, he hated these things. Not sure how Félix can stomach this.

"If you do not want it, you can give it back to me."

"Bottoms up." In a swift motion, Adrien threw his head back and downed the espresso, the bitterness making him grimace. "Blegh!"

Félix whistled with a lop-sided smile, "Damn, a day of eye-opening, and you are just chugging drinks, having an attitude."

Adrien rolls his eyes, crushing the can before tossing it into the garbage. "I'm fine, just peachy."

"I'm sure you are," Félix held Adrien's shoulder, "But seriously, how are you doing?"

Oh, oh no.

Adrien can feel the tears threatening to spill out, biting his lower lip, "I'm..." Fuck, his voice is wavering, bad.

Félix embraced him in a tight hug, patting his back. "It's ok to be upset, angry at everything," Félix mumbled in his ear, "I felt many emotions when I found out. We still have emotions. We are still beings in our own right. Just be careful and don't do anything rash or that could get you akumatized."

Slowly, Adrien returned the hug, digging his face into his cousin's shoulder but trying to hold back the tears. He didn't want questions from his friends. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep a straight face if they did. "I'm trying my best..." Adrien choked out, "I really am, but everything came so suddenly..."

"I'm sorry."

Adrien pushed away, sneering at the thought of Félix APOLOGIZING for that of all things. "Why are you saying sorry? I would rather be told the harsh reality than live in blissful ignorance. I don't want to be a damn dog to him."

The tears were falling down his cheeks, shaking from the anger of it all. He is distraught, filled with an intense feeling of sadness and anger, and constantly flip-flopping between both. How the hell did Félix react? Was he like this? Nah, he would keep it bottled up like he always does. Shit, maybe he should ask how Félix has been taking it- he really hasn't had anyone.

His cousin sneered, scrunching his nose as he did so. "You think I am apologizing for telling you? Hell no. I am sorry that this is even a situation either of us has to be in!"

"Fé-"

Behind them, the wall of the entrance blew up, debris flying everywhere and nearly landing on the two of them.

Akuma! Why now? He needs to get Félix to safety and transform.

Before Adrien could react, Félix grabbed his arm and sprinted into the other building, dragging the model behind him.

"Where are we going?" Adrien shouts, glancing behind him to see if he can catch a glimpse of the Akuma or Ladybug on the premises.

"Isn't it obvious? Hiding!"

Dammit, dammit, now he has to worm his way out of his guileful cousin, prolonging this battle. C'mon, what can he do?

Félix shoved him into a closet, "Stay there! I'll be back to get you."

Adrien took a second to process. He isn't coming in here. Is he going to fight with the peacock!?

Before the door shut, Adrien placed his hand on the frame, staring at Félix with dread, "Wait, what are you doing?"

He didn't answer, just gave a sorrowful look as he pushed Adrien back into the closet, knocking him down on the floor before shutting the door.

Again, for the second time today, he has smacked the back of his head, and it most likely won't be the last with where this is going. Shit smarts, but- Félix! He can't be. He has to be joking.

He must help Ladybug and now his cousin, then give his cousins a stern conversation about this. "Plagg," Adrien said lowly, "Claws out!"