Silenced

Adrien Agreste is always silenced. Don't slouch, don't act out, don't talk back, don't disobey, don't do anything to make the Agreste brand (not name; never name) look bad. Never talk with your mouth full, never step to the right when you're meant to go left, never look up when you are not told to, never speak without permission. Adrien Agreste is always silenced.

Gabriel Agreste, his father (not dad; never dad), has conditioned him to stay silent and sit on the back burner, while he takes everything by the reins. From his studies, to his internet access, to his social interactions-down to the very outfit he wears. He is controlling of his son's life, but his son is used to it.

Because when you're Adrien Agreste, you learn to be silent. You learn to sit up straight, to act right, to comply without words, to obey, to be perfect (not good; never good). You learn to chew before even moving your lips and covering your mouth to do so, to follow your father step by step and never break from the routine, to look down and only look up if called, to speak when spoken to. Adrien Agreste has learned to live with being silenced.

Adrien Agreste is always silent.

Cross posted on AO3! :)
Cover art: https://pin.it/5vx59nl (I fit it to the wattpad cover size and added a filter)
Originally posted on AO3: February 21, 2023
Word Count: 15,556