Shattered // Miraculous Ladybug

Hurt

Marinette had forced Chat to stay at her house last night after what had happened. She hadn't ever experienced that type of fear in her lifetime, and she never wanted to feel that way again. To think, she was only seconds away from being too late. Seconds away from watching her partner plummet to his demise. She didn't get a wink of sleep last night due to the what-if's and the nightmares that tortured her brain. It was now nine in the morning, and she sat up in her chair, drowsy and red-eyed.

Chat slept on the chaise a little way in front of her. Marinette had kept an eye on him all night and wasn't daring to stop now. She kept having to reassure herself that he was alive and sleeping in her room peacefully. Fidgeting with the pen in her hand and bouncing her leg, she continued to take shaky, deep breaths to calm herself down. The scene from last night replayed in her head.

He's okay...he's alive and he's unharmed. She shook her head, trying to block out the voice that was telling her otherwise. Her ear twitched as she heard a quiet yawn beside her.

"Morning Marinette." Tikki rubbed her eyes but paused in the action once she got a good look at her. "Did you get any sleep at all?"

"Not a wink." Marinette huffed out.

Tikki sat on her shoulder and surveyed the scene in front of them. Chat slept peacefully on the chaise. She glanced back at Marinette, who was watching him constantly. It seemed like she was drifting off to sleep but would jolt back awake the minute her eyes closed. The sound of a pen clicking also traveled through the room as she watched Marinette constantly messing with it.

"You need to sleep."

"No." Was the dry response she got.

Usually she would try further to convince Marinette, but she could tell today that wasn't going to work. She didn't blame her either. At most, she could at least try to put her holder at some ease. Tikki flew over to the hand on the desk that kept clicking the pen and pulled the object out. Marinette's fingers twitched with an urge to mess with something. She rested herself in Marinette's palm and slowly started to massage each finger.

"Deep breaths in and then slowly letting out, ready?" Tikki asked. She waited for Marinette to start, and they both went through the actions a few times until Marinette looked visibly calmer.

"Thank you." Marinette whispered, her eyes closing. Though Tikki knew she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon.

Tikki spoke softly. "Are you going to tell Alya? You know, about what happened?"

"I...I don't know."

"Why's that?"

Marinette hesitated. "I just don't know if Chat would want others to know."

Tikki frowned. She's lying. She knew by the way Marinette hesitated. It was partly the truth, but she wasn't telling everything. She didn't comment on it though. "Well...you should at least take a shower. No offense, but you're starting to smell."

Marinette lifted up her arm, only for her face to contort into a look of disgust. "Yep, alright, I'm heading in." She grabbed her stuff but paused to look at Chat once again.

"He's alright Mari...you saved him."

Marinette took a deep breath. "Yeah, yeah...right." She then took her leave to the bathroom.

Tikki took this as an opportunity to fly over to Alya's house. She just had a feeling Marinette would need her regardless of whether she said so or not. After a couple of seconds, she made it to the building and phased in through the bedroom window. Alya was still asleep in bed, which wasn't surprising considering it was still early in the morning. She gently nudged her face.