When morning came, Adrien knew that, this time, he needed to feel ashamed. After all the trust, all the kindness, all that Val had done for him - this is how he repayed him: by making him into a fantasy of a demon who would fuck him and then disappear. The realization that he was capable of such treason crushed him. Val had been opening himself to him, grateful to have found his understanding, sharing his deepest secrets as he had never done before - and he had been polluting this bond; he had been using it - and breaking it. He bit into his fingertips - deep enough to make his nails turn red. What would have Val said if he had known? He would have been so disappointed, so mortified - so betrayed.

Adrien took in a few deep breaths. At least for the time being, he had to push his thoughts away. He needed to be at his best to help Val through the upcoming long day of errands; he could not allow him to discover the ways in which he had failed him - and he could not allow himself to discover the ways of his failures. This was not the time for epiphanies, as needed as they were.