Miraculous Reveals and More (A collection of One-Shots)

Anniversary (One-Shot, 1885 words)

"As long as you live under my roof, I will not allow it! That is final!" Gabriel Agreste shouts, standing suddenly from his desk.

Adrien's fists tighten, "Fine!" He screams back at his father, storming out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

He continues his anger fueled pace down into the foyer and out the front door.

A cold sheet of rain hits him as he steps outside, but it doesn't faze him. He shoves his hands in his pockets, keeping his head down, as he walks aimlessly onto the streets of Paris.

—

An hour later, Ladybug swings through the outer edge streets of Paris on the usual patrol. She pauses on a rooftop and wipes the rain from her face, opening her communicator with still no messages from Chat. She raises her eyebrows in slight worry, being that she's usually met up with Chat by now in the day, or at least gotten a message with an excuse.

She looks out over a rather gloomy Paris, squinting in the rain for any sign of him, coming up with nothing.

Ladybug lets out a short sigh and continues on her route; but it's not long before something, or someone, catches her eye.

She perches again on the edge of a roof and spies Adrien walking, hunched over, and soaked through.

Her heart jumps, but doesn't hesitate, swinging down onto the street in front of him. "Adrien Agreste?" She pretends to confirm his name.

He looks up from the ground and at the heroine. His eyes sullen, a stark contrast from his usual reaction to seeing Ladybug. "Yes?" He says in a hoarse voice, coughing to clear his throat.

"Are you alright? You shouldn't be out in this weather." She notes from puffiness around his eyes, knowing something's up.

Adrien shrugs, "I'm fine," he insists, forcing a smile on his face.

"Do you want me to take you home?" She asks.

He hesitates, tensing up slightly, "Uh, no, I'm fine here."

Ladybug shakes her head slightly, throwing her yo-yo into the air and producing an umbrella with lucky charm, big enough for the two of them. "Well you can't stay out in the rain," she says, moving beside him as they start walking together; the rap of the rain against the umbrella creating a thunderous chorus.

A genuine smile breaks across his face briefly, "Thanks. I'm...glad you're here. I didn't really want to be alone anymore." He reaches for the umbrella, offering to hold it instead.

"Do you want to talk about why you're out here?" She suggests, handing over the umbrella.

He leans the umbrella against his shoulder between them, "It's...it's the anniversary of the day my mom disappeared."

Ladybug is taken aback for a second, "I'm sorry."

"I usually spend this day in an even quieter than usual silence at home but," he pauses, shaking his head slightly, "I went into my dad's office to try and talk to him about this, about everything, but he accidentally implied that he knows something about my mom's disappearance." His voice breaks, "He tried to take it back, but I wouldn't let him, then he refused to say anything else on the matter..."

"So you left." Ladybug concludes.

He nods, returning his gaze to the ground. "He's hiding information about her, information he's had for years."

Ladybug presses her lips together, "You deserve to know. But maybe he's been keeping it from you because he believes you're not ready to hear it?" She suggests, offering a counterpoint to try to find a reason.