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

Breaking News (One-Shot, 3115 words)

It was free period when it seemed like everyone in Paris received a 'breaking news' notification on their phone. Naturally, everyone, including the students, opened their phones to see what was going on. Normally it was a warning about an Akuma that was on the loose and for everyone to find shelter. But this time, it was a live stream from the news station, showing Nadia sitting in the studio with a sorrowful look on her face. "This just in. An anonymous source has just sent us a photo of what seems like the body of Ladybug, bloody and unconscious. The source explained that they came across this bloody scene on the outskirts of the city. They had checked her for signs of life but found..." she sniffles and clears her throat, "found nothing.

"Our reporters are working hard to confirm this information and find and identify the body of Ladybug, hoping to get some answers as to what occurred to our superheroine. The image we are about to show you may not be suitable for younger viewers," she concludes before an image of Ladybug laying on the side of the street with scratch marks all over her arms and legs seeping with blood.

Marinette doesn't blink during the broadcast, her eyes glued to Alya's phone that's playing the transmission.

Alya drops her phone onto the table when the image pops up, her hands shaking slightly. Mari stares at the image, almost convinced herself that she was somehow dead. She nonchalantly presses her hand against the bench they were sitting on, half expecting her hand to pass right through. She lets out a silent sigh of relief when her fingers meet the cool plastic surface beneath her.

Now convinced she's not a ghost, she turns to Alya who has dissolved into a flood of tears, unable to be held back by her palms pressed against her eyes after putting her glasses on the table; tears dripping down her forearms. "Alya, Alya, hey," she tries to soothe her, rubbing her shoulder, turning the phone screen off, "That, that picture, it could be fake, it's probably fake, I'm sure Ladybug is fine!"

She tries to wipe her tears back, "We don't know that! And it looked pretty real to me," she chokes out between sobs, sending a new stream of tears down her face.

"Uh, um, but..." Marinette struggles to reign her in when more outbursts and cries sound off around her. She looks around and sees students with their heads hung low, consoling each other.

Suddenly, Nino comes up to their table, sliding in next to Alya with his arms open. She immediately falls into his embrace, burying her face in his shoulder. He rubs her back, looking over her shoulder at Marinette. "You should find Adrien. I expect he could use a friend right now." He urges her before turning back into Alya.

Her heart skips a beat at the mention of Adrien. She nods wordlessly before getting to her feet and starts scouting for Adrien.

'Why would Adrien specifically need a friend right now? Could he be in such a state as Alya is? Did he really care for Ladybug that much?' Her mind runs, 'Everyone in Paris is fond of Ladybug to some degree, is it possible that Adrien was on the higher part of that scale?' She mentally shakes away that thought, not wanting to go into the implications of that this moment. Right now, she is Marinette, and Adrien needs a friend.

After peering into a couple classrooms, she finds him sitting alone in a room at the end of the hall. He's hunched over, his head hanging in his hands, every once and a while his body shakes from a sob. The image of him jars Marinette a bit, used to seeing him with perpetually perfect posture and a smile.

'He could use a friend right now' Nino's words echo in her mind. She feels a calmness come over her; this isn't Adrien her crush that needs her, this is Adrien her friend that needs her.

She cracks open the door, knocking to alert him of her presence.

His head shoots up and a weak smile crosses his face, "Hey, sorry, I'm just,"