||Devil's Advocate||Betelgeuse x Adam x Barbara

(𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧) A Forlorn Hope

Unsure of how he should phrase this, Adam phased completely through the bathroom door and moved to stand over near where Barbara was standing. Lydia was now leaning against the wall facing the bathroom door, her previous and second failed attempt to try and take her life now out of mind.

Adam rubbed at the back of his neck, biting his lip and looking off to the side as he tried to think of the best way to mention this. But still, not much of anything seemed to come to mind and the male ghost shifted a little as he closed his eyes.

Barbara raised an eyebrow, tilting her head as she glanced at Adam confusedly and curiously.

"Please don't tell me he's gone back up to the roof..."

"Yes actually," was Adam's response. "He's gone up there to sulk for a bit. Said he wanted to be left alone for now. And I think it's best we respect that. Wait until he comes around and learns that everything is in fact okay, because I can't bear to see him still all sad and unsure of us...."

Barbara nodded solemnly in response, knowing fully well that Adam was right. It would be best for them to leave Betelgeuse alone for the time being.

But then again...

Another, more concerning, thought appeared in Barbara's mind and she turned on her heel to face Adam. When her husband noted the worried look on her face, he spoke up out of confusion and concern,

"Barbara, something the matter?"

"I-... I don't think it's best for us to leave Betelgeuse alone for the time being...."

Adam cocked his head in confusion, then what it was that Barbara meant hit him. His eyes widened in realization and he slapped a hand against his forehead, regretting saying that. "Right... I forgot that was going to lead him to believe he was right to think that we were just going to leave him alone."

"Agreed." Barbara nodded in agreement. "Why don't we give it at least another hour before we go up and check on him. Does that sound okay?"

Adam and Lydia hummed in agreement, both of them nodding slowly in response and in unison to Barbara's suggestion.

Adam turned his attention to the since and still abandoned razor blade that was still sat on the edge of the bathroom sink before his gaze flicked to Lydia - who had noticed the stillness in the ghost's posture and looked off to the side in embarrassment and regret to her earlier actions. It was clear to Adam that the teenager did not want to think about that at the moment.

Turning his attention to Barbara, Adam lowered his voice and spoke in a hushed tone, "what happened to Lydia? What's that razor blade doing out on the bathroom sink both unattended and unused?"

"Lydia... well she... how do I put this...?" Barbara paused for a split second, trying to find the right words to say, then spoke up again in a hushed tone of voice of her own, "she... tried to cut herself earlier. I'm lucky that I managed to both stop her and talk her out of it before anything could happen. I know one thing for sure: I definitely do not and did not want to break the news to Charles and Delia had she actually done so."

Adam hummed in agreement, him and Barbara glancing over in Lydia's direction and noting that the teenager was now hanging her head and looking down towards the bathroom floor - shuffling her feet. Concerned for Lydia just as much as Barbara herself was, Adam knew that he had to ask, "Lydia, you doing okay? Do you want to talk about it?"

When the teenager didn't do as much as maintain eye contact with either Adam or Barbara, it made the two ghosts even more worried about her than before. They glanced over towards each other, then turned their attention back towards Lydia, Adam having to repeat the exact same question from earlier.