I want more traumatized characters so we're gonna do it ourselves.

Marinette noticed when Adrien wasn't feeling alright. She never said anything, but she did. The concealer that never quite covered the bags under his eyes although he tried his best. The way his gaze would slip every so often, darkness pooling in the shadows toward the bottom of his gaze as he pinched his forearm to keep himself awake. The way he would send the cafeteria side glances as he walked off to get into his car alone, to eat who knew what. He was getting thinner, and she saw that too. Lately, she'd been getting more and more worried. Any attempt, between her, Nino, and Alya, to get him to join their after-school study halls or trips around the city had been met with short, pathetically apologetic texts. I'm really really sorry, fr, but I have a photoshoot tonight. Always a photoshoot. Or a showing. Or modeling. Or a charity event. Or a new advertisement that needed revisement. Or extra fencing lessons. Or Chinese–

"And it's not even like he needs the extra practice!" Marinette fumed, spurred on by Alya's enraged nodding. "I saw him at fencing practice yesterday, he looked amazing! And no, Alya," She interjected. "That wasn't overly biased. Anyway, he always looks so tired all the time now!"

Nino threw his phone onto the pink daybed, crossing his arms. "I know, right? He hardly ever smiles anymore! It's like someone replaced Adrien with a robot!"

"I'm worried for him." Alya sat at Marinette's desk, a notebook of designs now being used as a prop for her forearms. "He flinches whenever anyone gets too close."

"You noticed that too?"

Alya and Nino nodded at Marinette, who sat on the rug with a thump. She drew her legs up to her knees, glancing back and forth at her friends' worried faces. "What do you think happened?"

Nino shrugged. "I don't know…" Then his expression changed. "But we're going to find out. We're sneaking into his house tomorrow."

"WHAT?!"

"His idea makes sense." Alya spun the twirling chair around, flipping a pencil between her fingers. "Have you noticed whenever we ask Adrien if he's alright, he always changes the subject?"

"Yeah!" Marinette replied, tugging at one of her pigtails. "It's like he doesn't ever want to talk about his life outside of school. He hasn't always acted like that."

"It's Adrien." Nino said, and suddenly his tone took on a darker hint that sent chills down Marinette's spine. "He would never lie to us. So there has to be something he's hiding."

Marinette shuddered, hugging her knees tighter to her chest. "But what if he's not even there? Or what if he's there? That could be worse! And– oh, no, what if his dad is in the room?!"

Nino snorted. "I can see his face now."

"Nino!" Nino shrunk under Alya's warning glare. She sighed and turned to Marinette, joining her best friend on the rug. She slipped an arm across Marinette's rounded shoulders. "It'll be fine, Marinette. You want to check on him, don't you?"

Marinette nodded.

"And since we can't get in the front door, the window is our only bet!" Alya leaned forward, giving Marinette a conspiratorial smirk. She continued in a quieter tone. "And it's not like you haven't jumped through his window before."

"Oh, that's right! His room is on the second floor! How on earth are we going to get in?!"

Alya sighed. "Missing the point, girl, but Nino has a plan for that. Don't worry. Just be at the corner by three, alright?"

Marinette hesitated, then nodded. Her eyes hardened. She looked almost exactly like Ladybug when she frowned, Alya noticed. How had no one else figured it out yet?

"Alright, I'll be there. And we're gonna– uh, make sure Adrien is OK!"

"YEAH!"

A/N: Once again didn't have time to proofread, (no beta we die like Gabriel's left arm ig) but what did you think of my first MLB fanfic chapter? Considering uploading to AO3 more as well... that was completely off topic. Buggachat inspired me. ALSO I HAVE TUMBLR NOW ITS avianna15 SO GO LISTEN TO ME RANT FOR NO REASONNNNNN

Next chapter out soon hopefully and then maybe I'll be able to focus on my WIPs for once in my gosh darn life.

Bless! -Grace