Somehow, ever since that meeting, the three younger people noticed Adrien being less carefree and more serious. Not really critical, just less neutral to everything. It caused Alex to worry about his idol a whole bunch.
"Why is Mr. Marais in such a bad mood?" Alex asked as the two of them walked to his so called house for who knows which time this month.
"It's not like we're not doing any progress at all." Mia told him sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"Why are you in a bad mood?" Alex turned his attention to his female friend, who seemed more irritable than usual.
"I don't feel like going there every day. We aren't learning anything new, we just keep failing and nobody will listen when I say we need to take the easy way out." She stopped walking, telling him this in a sort of accusing tone.
"Mia, would you rather go to school?" Alex asked her, knowing it was the thing she hated most but still continued to do just to please him.
"I don't want to do either, Al." She answered him, somehow her voice sounding quivery, but like she was trying to mask it.
"You keep complaining how you never do anything with yourself. Now's your chance." The dark blue haired boy tried to be optimistic, but she just sighed at his enthusiasm.
"Just forget it." She said, somehow looking hurt and annoyed.
Alex didn't quite get what he did wrong. He showed her a lot of sympathy and care, he never exploded once on her about how she never does anything with herself. He only gave her understanding and kindness, but he felt bad that he couldn't genuinely help her. He didn't understand in general how to help a person like Mia. Someone unmotivated yet unsatisfied with it.
"Are you sure?" He questioned one last time, somehow scared of just avoiding the subject.
"Yes, I'm sure." She answered briefly, walking up in front of him, ignoring him for the whole walk.
He felt so useless next to her. She was so much smarter and competent and better at solving problems, but she never did anything with it. He felt as if though he was watching a flower that wasn't blooming, but just dying away. Like he's letting her be worse and worse, but he couldn't find out a way to help her, and she didn't look like she was willing to even listen to him. How could he not feel useless? He just wanted to help her, but he couldn't even do that.
When they did arrive at Adrien's fancy mansion, she started acting like nothing happened, making jokes with him like it was nothing. He was so damn scared for her, but he couldn't do anything. He just went along with it, knowing she'd want that. The least he could do is do what she wanted, if he was too incompetent to help her.
"Giving her food from the decades in hopes to make her memories return... I guess that's plausible." Adrien sighed as he looked at the paper, checking off all of the ideas he thought were alright.
"Have anything good in plan?" Mia asked the man who was sitting on the couch.
The man was quiet. His red hair was starting to not look as polished as it usually did. He always looked oddly tidy, but now it looked a bit messier. It wasn't noticable, but it was something odd. His neon red eyes had bags under them as he tiredly looked into the paper, writing down new ideas by himself, crossing out the ones that seemed bad, but at the end he barely crossed out any, he just kept adding more and more ideas.
"You listening to me?" Mia asked more loudly, wanting to make him listen to her.
Adrien closed his eyes in a quick fashion, as if he was snapped out of a trance.
"Oh, yes." He looked at her, rubbing his eyes.
"Excuse me. I've been a bit tired lately." He sighed, looking as if he wasn't satisfied with having basic human functions such as feeling tired.
Mia looked at him with a bit of sympathy. She didn't know exactly why he was so tired, but somehow she felt bad for him trying so hard. But she decided not to dwell on it too much, knowing he'll probably annoy her the next minute just as easily.
"Anyway, I think we should try out giving her food. I have a kitchen full of supplies. If you need anything, give me a list and I'll buy it now." Adrien explained to her, somehow looking like he felt bad for telling her he was tired.
"You're telling us to cook?" Mia raised her eyebrow.
"Ah, I have no doubt that Mr. Carvallo can cook. I'll join you after I buy what's missing." Adrien answered her, standing up to find a nearby pen.
"Make a list with him. I'll go get dressed." He added, throwing Mia a pen which she easily caught.
When she turned to look for Alex, she saw him talking with the girl again. They talked often. Seeing them together made her feel annoyed, but only because she wanted this job over with. Him making her laugh and touching her didn't quite help. He can do it after this is done.
"Alex, stop trying to get in her pants and get here." Mia yelled a bit loudly, just to get her point across.
Alex looked very red in the face after her statement, making him look at her with an angry face. She didn't quite take it seriously, so she grinned at him for a bit. He got up from the kitchen table they were sitting at, but to his surprise, the unknown girl asked something.
"Can I talk about this with the both of you?" She questioned, finally trying to be apart of this.
"Why are you even asking that?" Alex smiled at her, giving her a hand to help her stand up.
She smiled brightly, feeling much more warm ever since Alex started talking to her. She started feeling like there might be a reason to live here. Like she can start over again, maybe even without her memories. Maybe she didn't even have to try, as long as she can have friends like Alex by her side.
