Upon the umbrella come the playful sounds of dancing drops, and from its rim comes the sight of their more relaxed cousins, dripping as if their sole purpose was to bring a sense of ease and calm to the day. And as the rain became more intense, it began to soak the bottom of each pale blue jean leg, deepening the denim to a stronger hue, bringing Adrien's brown boots to a glossy water-shine.

Adrien didn't feel joyful. Or peaceful. Or content.

Instead, he felt crippling despair ricocheting through every piece of him as he clutched his umbrella and trodded down the streets of Paris. It had been a month since Marinette had woken up. Today marked exactly 6 years since they met for the very first time in high school. The rain had been pouring that day as well, almost exactly like the present. Adrien managed a small smile as he thought of the moment his hand touched Marinette's for the first time. 

It was the day he made his very first friend. The day he fell in love.

He regained his grim expression once again and continued walking until he reached the Dupain-Chengs bakery. Under doctors orders, he was not to talk to Marinette as so to not place her under much stress. However, he still continued living in a spare bedroom on top of the Bakery. Sabine and Tom were generous people and wouldn't hear of Adrien living somewhere else on his own as he went through this traumatic experience. The apartment he bought with Marinette was too painful. The memories were like torture. 

As he closed his bedroom door and looked out the window, he met an unwelcome surprise. On one of the many newly acquired Gabriel Agreste billboards was the new Agreste brand holder, modelling perfume and velvet coats.

Felix

Adrien gritted his teeth and shut the blinds before collapsing onto his bed. 

His father truly had replaced him. 

He expected it, of course, he did. He just didn't expect it to be so... crushing. 

After all, his father really was a man of his word.