Note: Thank you so much for the nice comments and the favorites and follows. It makes me happy that you love this story. :)
Marinette clutched a box in her arms as she nervously followed Nurse Bustier to her new room. It felt like the walk took ages when it wasn't too far from the room she had before.
She swallowed hard as they stopped in front of a door. She peered up at the door and noticed that it looked the same as before. The only difference being that she knew who and what was behind that door.
"Are you ready? We're going to trial run this for a week. We have safety precautions put in place in case something happens. Before you go in there, if he acts out… he will be restrained. We don't want him hurting you or any of the other patients. He is notorious for it after he sees his father and-" Nurse Bustier was interrupted by the door opening.
"You mean when I see Nathalie with her tablet that has my father on it?" Adrien pointed out and Nurse Bustier smiled at him.
"Either way." She nodded and Adrien rolled his eyes as he turned his attention to Marinette.
"Hello, Marinette." Adrien smiled and took her box for her, causing her to smile. "There's that smile."
"She only smiles for you, you know." Nurse Bustier smiled and Adrien peered up at her.
"Really?" Adrien smirked at Marinette and watched her rub her upper arm and look down at her ballet flats. "Well, welcome." He stepped into the room and Marinette walked in.
Nurse Bustier was about to finish what she had started to say, but when she heard Marinette giggle; it caused her to stop. She took note of that and slowly walked away from them to tell Dr. Fu that they were settled.
Adrien set her box on one of the beds. "Which bed do you want?" He put his hand in his pocket and messed with his hair.
Marinette pointed to the one under the window with a smile. She knew that if he was going to be stuck to a bed, at least he could look out the window.
He nodded and moved her box to that bed. "Are you sure you want that bed?"
Marinette nodded and smiled at him as she opened the box. Adrien sat on his own bed and opened his box, grabbing various items out of it.
A few nurses came in with more boxes, sitting them on either side of the room. Marinette began to set up her sketchbooks on a shelf above her bed along with a photo of her family.
Adrien peered up to watch her line the shelf with various items, one being a stuffed black cat. "You like cats?"
Marinette nodded and smiled at him. He sighed and grabbed his tablet from his box. "Here. Use this."
Marinette peered at him as she took it with a shaky hand. She opened a drawing app and started writing with her finger. "I've always liked cats. I don't know what it is about them. Do you?"
"Ah… good thinking." Nurse Bustier walked in with a warm smile as she saw Marinette using Adrien's tablet.
"It's the only way she'll talk." Adrien shrugged as he leaned back on his palms with one knee drawn up. "And since you won't let us have pencils or pens or anything with caps… how is she supposed to talk?"
Nurse Bustier smiled at him and pointed to her lips. "Eventually, we hope that she speaks to you. Although, giggling is a good start. A smile is too."
Adrien felt his cheeks grow hot as he hid in his hair. Nurse Bustier smiled with a nod. "Anyway, I'm here to deliver your pills and send you to breakfast." She passed them each a cup of pills and water.
Marinette watched Adrien knock the pills back and swallow them with water. She slowly took hers one and two at a time.
"Sometimes… I feel like these pills make you worse…." Plagg circled Adrien and wrapped around him, causing him to drown in darkness.
Marinette grabbed his hand and Plagg dissipated. Adrien gasped and panted as the light from the window, coupled with her soft hand, pushed the shadows away.
"Thank you." Adrien whispered at her and Marinette took his cups to stack them with hers. She handed them back to Nurse Bustier.
"Alright, let's go." Nurse Bustier lead them out of the room and to the cafeteria.
Nino ran up to Adrien and fist bumped him. "Hey, man! I miss having you as a roommate. It's not the same without you."
Adrien laughed and nodded as he peered over at Marinette talking to Alya and the rest of the patients.
"So, I heard you're sharing a room with you know who now." Rose became excited for her. "They finally decided to pair him up. How romantic…" She brought her hands to her cheeks with a daydreamy expression.
"I wouldn't necessarily call that romantic…" Juleka spoke under her breath with her hair in front of one eye.
"I mean how long have we been told not to talk to him?" Mylene chimed in and Alya rolled her eyes.
"Just leave her be. She just got moved into there." Alya put her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Plus you know that only Nino is allowed to talk to him."
"I'm curious about how he got here. Like besides what we were told." Mylene became curious as she leaned against Ivan.
"I doubt anyone is going to tell us." Kim scoffed and ate some of his food.
Marinette stared at him and noticed how a guy with glasses and chocolate hued skin sat beside him. How that guy spoke about statistics and reasons for picking one decision over others in an obsessive manner that made Marinette confused.
She got distracted by Adrien talking to Nino and walking outside to another area to eat. Marinette grabbed her tray of food and got up from the table.
"Hey, girl, where are you going?" Alya called after her and she ignored her as she followed Nino and Adrien. Alya shook her head as she went back to eating and laughing with the others.
"Dude it's crazy that you get to room with a girl. I wish I could be roomies with Alya." Nino dreamily stared up at the clear blue sky.
"Ask Dr. Fu." Adrien picked up his spork and poked at his fruit.
"Man… I doubt he'll say yes to that." Nino shook his head and laughed at him.
Adrien shrugged and let his spork fall back onto his plate. "I hate this place."
"I would too if they locked me up as much as they do to you." Nino snorted and ate another bite of food.
Adrien leaned back in the chair and ran a hand through his hair as he peered up to see Marinette standing between a couple of lush green topiaries. He watched her nervously clutch her tray and point her toes into each other. How she worried her bottom lip and peered up through her bangs. The sunlight reflected off her dark hair and her sapphire eyes caught the light.
"Hey." Adrien smiled at her and sat up straight. He stood up and pulled another chair up to the round table. "Care to sit with us? You can. It's okay." Adrien coaxed her over and Nino was shocked by his manners.
Marinette nodded and slowly walked over to sit her tray on the table. She sat down and Adrien pushed her in. Nino shook his head and went back to eating.
Nino watched Adrien sit down and stab a piece of chicken. He lifted it to his mouth and when he thought no one was watching, he shoved it under his shirt in a napkin to throw out later.
Marinette caught him pretending to eat and she reached across the table to touch his arm.
Adrien stopped mid raise of his hand and sighed as he let his spork fall onto his tray.
"So, how are you liking this place so far? Are you enjoying it?" Nino smiled at Marinette and she turned her attention to him with a flick of her gaze.
Marinette nodded and went back to staring at Adrien. He sighed and nodded as he shakily picked his spork back up. Marinette let his hand go and he stabbed a piece of fruit with his utensil and shakily brought it to his mouth.
He placed it into his mouth and slowly chewed as Marinette watched him chew behind his hand.
She picked up a piece of fruit and ate it after she saw that he was slowly eating.
Nino was beside himself as he watched his friend slowly eat with a trembling hand. Adrien never ate his food for real. Nino knew that. A part of him wondered if he would throw it up later.
Adrien stared at Marinette as he picked up a piece of chicken and brought it to his lips. He turned away and set his spork down as he shoved his tray away from him, throwing the napkin onto it. "I can't."
"I'm just amazed you ate what you did, dude." Nino shrugged as he ripped a piece of his roll off and stuck it into his mouth.
Adrien felt the food roll around in his stomach as his anxiety rose and made him feel queasy. Adrien lifted his shirt and poked at his stomach, pinching it and pulling what little was there away. He felt like it went straight to his stomach and all he could see was the fat building.
Marinette caught sight of his hip bones again and how they stood out. She swallowed hard as she watched him knit pick over his stomach.
Nino sighed as he realized that his friend would probably throw up what little he ate later, if the bathroom attendant didn't notice. Not that he wouldn't find a way to hide that somehow. "You have to stop letting your father control everything you do, man." Nino finally spoke up and Adrien dropped his shirt. Nino gestured towards Marinette. "You have a girl that's concerned about your well being. I suggest you at least try for her."
Marinette blushed and hid in her hair as she scooted her fruit away from her pasta.
Adrien groaned and picked his spork back up, pulling the tray back towards himself. "I'm doing this for you." He pointed at her with his utensil.
"Don't throw it up later either." Nino knocked his shoulder and Adrien rolled his eyes.
"Are you gonna follow me to the bathroom then?" Adrien smirked and shoved a piece of chicken into his mouth.
"No. Besides you'd just find another way to hide it." Nino snorted and Adrien shrugged.
"You got a point." He hid his chewing behind his hand and Marinette went back to eating.
"I'm serious dude. Try." Nino sighed as he sat back in his chair. "If not for yourself… then for her." He gestured to Marinette, who was busy looking up at the clouds.
Adrien watched her slowly close her eyes as the sun warmed her face. The sounds of birds invaded her ears and the breeze felt good along her skin.
Marinette slowly opened her eyes and went back to staring at her food.
Nino leaned over and whispered into Adrien's ear. "Do you know why she stopped talking?"
"She talks… in her own way." Adrien smirked as he watched her organize her fruit into neat rows. "Just have to give her a tablet or make her laugh."
"Dude, she doesn't laugh." Nino cringed and Adrien snorted. He pat his friend's shoulder and turned all of his attention towards Marinette.
Adrien smirked and picked up a piece of his fruit. He threw it up in the air and tried to catch it into his mouth, succeeding.
Marinette watched him chew it slowly and she worried her bottom lip.
"Ready?" Adrien smiled and held a grape between his thumb and index finger.
Marinette held her upper arm and nodded. He gently tossed it and she tried to catch it with her mouth, but she missed and it hit her cheek. She burst out into a fit of giggles as embarrassment colored her cheeks.
"It's okay. Try again." Adrien chuckled and set up again. "Ready?"
Marinette nodded and he tossed it and she caught it. Her eyes widened in shock and she giggled harder.
"TEN POINTS!" Nino called out and they all laughed.
Adrien leaned over towards Nino and nudged him. "Told ya." He winked and Nino shook his head.
"Only for you man. Only for you." Nino laughed and threw a piece of his own fruit into his mouth.
"Everyone keeps saying that." Adrien spoke with his hand and Nino shrugged.
"Because it's true." Nino grabbed his tray and took it to the trash.
Marinette stared at Adrien with an intense stare. "You're going to keep watching me until this plate is empty aren't you?" Adrien crossed his arms with an unamused expression.
She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Of… course you are. Are you gonna watch me puke it up later too?" Adrien raised an eyebrow as he challenged her.
She shrugged and pretended like she didn't hear him. Adrien sighed and fell back against his chair, continuing to force himself to eat.
Marinette waited for him to finish eating what was on his plate. Adrien sighed and placed her tray on top of his, picking them up. "Ready to go?" Adrien smiled at her and took her hand.
Marinette nodded and let him lead her to the trash can area. The attendant, that was standing guard, took his tray and checked it to make sure it was empty. He nodded at Adrien that it was okay for him to throw it away.
Adrien carried them to the trash and cleaned off the trash from the tray. At the same time he hid and secretly dumped what little food he was able to hide into the trash beneath the trays.
Marinette sighed as she watched him do that. "Don't-" Adrien sighed and set the trays and dishes where they go. "Just don't judge me, okay?"
Marinette pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded. She took his hand and squeezed onto it as he lead her back to their room.
Marinette wasn't sure why she thought he was joking when he had asked if she was going to watch him throw up later. Especially, as she watched him pull out a ziplock from some hiding place and proceed to stick his fingers to the back of his throat.
She watched the door to make sure no one was headed in as she heard him quietly spit and pant. She wanted to tell him that he was fine the way he was. That he needed to be healthy. That he was okay being himself. That she accepted him in any form. That he was perfect the way he was. But how could she give that advice when she didn't even take it herself.
Adrien wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and cleared his throat. "Okay, you can turn around now."
Marinette worried her bottom lip as she sat down on his bed, noticing that the ziplock was gone again. She suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and Adrien's eyes went wide with shock. He froze up and slowly embraced her, feeling something wet soak into his shirt.
"What's wrong?" Adrien tried to pull her away, but she clung to him and trembled. "you're worried about me, aren't you?"
Marinette whimpered and nodded against his shoulder.
"I'll be okay. I always am. I'm used to handling myself, Marinette." Adrien sighed and hugged her harder.
Marinette shook her head and finally let him go. She took her tablet out and began to write on it. Adrien watched her with an interested expression as he felt his stomach turn again. He shook his head to clear the feeling.
She sat in front of him, on her knees, and passed him the tablet. Adrien sighed and took it. "I wish you did speak. Even just a hi would suffice. I'm dying to know what you sound like." He watched her expression become sad and he instantly felt guilty. Like he had let her down. His arms tingled and his skin felt like it was on fire. He began to crave the feeling of a cold blade along his skin. He swallowed hard and read what she wrote. "I like you the way you are. You don't have to be perfect or anything. Just be you."
Marinette smiled as he passed her the tablet. He felt his heart sadden with each beat as he noticed how much she cared for him. "Let me ask you this. Why do you care so much for a guy you just met?"
Marinette panicked as she scrambled to think of what to say or how to act. Adrien grabbed her hand and brushed his thumb along her knuckles. "I only ask because I care for you. A lot. More than I could about anyone and I don't understand it myself. And I guess… I don't know if you do either."
Marinette shook her head and intertwined her fingers with his. She smiled for him and he sighed. "Why did it have to be here? I couldn't have met you outside of this place?"
She picked up the tablet and was about to talk when Nurse Bustier knocked on the door and entered the room. "Sorry, but your group therapy is about to start and then you have to eat a snack, Adrien." Nurse Bustier Smiled at the two of them as they pulled away from one another. "Then you both have visiting hours."
Adrien cringed and his hands began to tremble. Marinette peered at them as he shoved them under his thighs to hide the fact that they were shaking.
Marinette quickly wrote down something on her tablet and shoved it into his lap. Adrien turned his head to the side to read it. Everything will be okay. I'll go to therapy with you and then I'll even sit with you at snack and then maybe I can go with you to meet with your father.
"Can Marinette go with me to meet with my father?" Adrien let the words rush past his lips with wide eyes that shocked Nurse Bustier.
"I- It's up to Marinette." Bustier stared at Marinette and watched her smile and nod. "Then, I don't see why not. As long as your father agrees to it."
Adrien sighed and lost all hope. Marinette peered back at him as he hid in his blonde hair. She crawled closer and peered up at him from beneath his messy hair. Marinette smiled and poked him on the nose and Adrien burst out laughing.
"You're too damn cute, ya know that?" Adrien chuckled and poked her back on the nose.
Marinette giggled back and bit her bottom lip as he stopped hiding.
"Ready to go to group therapy?" Nurse Bustier smiled and Adrien got up from the bed.
He held out his hand and Marinette took it. They followed her down the hallway to a massive room with a circle of plastic chairs. Everyone that she had met in the common area sat around. Marinette swallowed hard as she watched them all look up in shock.
"I know this is surprising, but I think it'd be better to let Adrien in on our little group therapy sessions." Dr. Fu smiled up at Adrien. "Is that okay? Can everyone scoot down a chair so that Adrien and Marinette could sit beside each other?" Dr. Fu smiled at the group of patients.
Everyone scooted down one chair. Marinette and Adrien sat down; before, Nurse Bustier left the room.
"Alright, today I want to play a game. I will give you all a situation that a friend would be in. I want you all to answer, truthfully, what you think you should do." Dr. Fu pulled out a stack of cards and held his tablet in his lap. "Now, we'll go around counter clockwise, starting with Rose."
"Okay." Rose became determined as Dr. Fu began to read the situation out loud.
"You meet a new friend and they start out confident and happy. You laugh and joke around. You spend almost everyday together. But one day you start to notice that they disappear to the bathroom often after meals. That they start to push around food on their plate. You catch them glimpsing in every mirror to poke at their face or body. Their laugh fades as does their smiles. You see them less and everytime you see them, they look thinner and thinner. What should you do?" Dr. Fu peered up at the group and smiled over at Rose.
Adrien started to bite his nails and bounce his leg as he hid in his hair. He kept his eyes on the floor and Marinette stared at him. He crossed and uncrossed his arms, switching from bouncing one leg to the next and back again.
"He's talking about you, kid." Plagg sneered as he slithered around his chair. "It's all you… No one else in this group has a eating disorder. Now they know… They're all gonna talk about you…" Plagg laughed as he showed his sharp teeth and began to wrap around Adrien's throat.
Marinette grabbed his hand away from his mouth and Adrien jumped in his seat and peered at her with wide eyes that were red from holding back tears. She brushed her thumb along his knuckles and smiled for him.
"Well, when Juleka noticed that I wasn't eating and that I had taken up meth… She told me that I was beautiful and she told me that she understood what it was like because of her brother. I began to rely on her and soon my mom found me overdosing in my bedroom and here I am." Rose smiled and leaned into Juleka to kiss her.
"Yes, but what would you do if YOU saw that?" Dr. Fu wrote some notes and questioned her again.
"I guess I would tell her that everything would be okay and ask if she needed help?" Rose answered truthfully and Dr. Fu nodded as he wrote down some more notes.
"Juleka?" Dr. Fu gestured towards her to talk.
"Well, my brother is a drug addict and has stopped eating because he doesn't feel hunger much." Juleka shrugged as she hid in her hair. "I guess I'd get them help, somehow. He's in rehab now."
"Ivan?" Dr. Fu made some notes beside her name.
"Teach them to fight whoever made them start that." Ivan crossed his arms and Dr. Fu shook his head. "What? Someone has to pay for doing that to them!"
"It's not always about the fight, Ivan." Dr. Fu smiled at him and wrote down a note. "Mylene?"
"I guess light up a bowl and talk. Tell them how it's not worth it. Everything is easier when you're F'ed up." Mylene began to go off on all the different varieties before Dr. Fu stopped her.
"But what would you say to them?" Dr. Fu wrote down something.
"I would say that you don't need to be thin to be beautiful. I mean look at me? I overeat because someone told me I was too fat and instead of losing weight… I bottled my feelings and covered them up with food." Mylene got lost in her thoughts and Dr. Fu nodded.
"But we're working towards helping you, Mylene." Dr. Fu smiled as he watched Ivan wrap his arm around her shoulders and kiss the top of her head. "Kim?"
"I'd tell them that instead of throwing up, they should work out two hours a day. Maybe more. Build muscle." Kim flexed his biceps and Dr. Fu wrote down something. "That's what I did. God, I miss working out that long."
"Alright, Nino?" Dr. Fu stared at him and watched him twitch and mess with a ball cap that wasn't on his head. It was a nervous tick of his and Dr. Fu knew that.
"I'd tell him, I mean. I would tell them that they were cool the way they were. That they didn't need any of that to look good. That they were thin and that they were okay." Nino hid inside himself and felt Alya touch his thigh.
"Alya?" Dr. Fu smiled and waited for her response.
"I would tell them that it gets better and I'd get them help." Alya shrugged and stopped talking.
"Adrien?" Dr. Fu finally stopped on him and he looked up with wild eyes. He was in fight or flight mode and Dr. Fu saw it. "Deep breaths."
Adrien closed his eyes and took a breath in and then slowly, shakily, let it out. "I would tell them that beauty is pain. It's okay to be hungry if it makes you look better. It's okay to not want to feel. To be numb. To be alone. To be locked up in a-"
Marinette touched his shaking thigh and he shot a look at her as he stopped talking. Her expression was concerned as he got lost in negative looping thoughts.
"What would you tell them to help them, Adrien?" Dr. Fu warmly smiled as he wrote down his words.
"That they look good the way they are. That someone will love them regardless of weight or looks. That they don't need to change how they look for anyone." Adrien swallowed hard as he kept his gaze on Marinette's.
He watched her slowly smile and got lost in her sapphire eyes.
"Good. Now, Marinette?" Dr. Fu questioned her and she quickly glanced at him.
She shook her head and pointed at Adrien. Adrien sighed and turned his attention to Dr. Fu. "She would tell them that she loved them for who they are. That they are special and unique in their own way. That flaws make us who we are."
Marinette smiled and nodded with excitement at how he got it right.
"Great. One day I hope to hear it from your lips, Marinette. And when that day comes… it will be beautiful." Dr. Fu smiled and wrote down her answer.
The group was shocked with the two of them and how Adrien could easily answer for her and get it right.
Dr. Fu continued to ask them situational questions and each one took turns until it had been a few hours.
"Alright, I think we've made some progress today. I'll see you all later in your individual sessions with me." Dr. Fu smiled as they all stood up.
Nurse Bustier walked in to lead Adrien to the cafeteria. Marinette interlocked her fingers with his and Bustier smiled at her. "Do you want to join him?" She found it cute how they were inseparable. Marinette nodded and placed her cheek against his bicep.
"You can come." Nurse Bustier smiled and lead them to the cafeteria.
One Song I wrote to:
Everything is Alright by Motion City Soundtrack (I used to listen to this a lot and even now when it comes on.. I'll randomly sing along with it. haha I used to relate to this song so much. haha)