Miraculous Ladybug AU One Shots

Brain on Fire

In which Marinette Agreste's family and friends are put to the test when she faces an extremely rare disease, told in the point of view of Alya Césaire. Based on the novel and movie, Brain on Fire. (It's not very long and it's formatted weird, but just go with it)

It all began with her birthday, her twenty fourth, to be precise. She hosted a small get-together at her mother and father's home; they baked up a cake and brought over Adrien, Nino and me to celebrate too.

While her parents, Adrien, Nino, and I were huddled closely around her, I starting feeling as if she were in an empty daze, as if she had been unfocused on everything around her.

I simply blamed it on my lack of sleep.

After attaining a job in Gabriel Agreste's fashion company as an apprentice of his, she's been working awfully long hours, but it wasn't necessarily difficult work. I know she was already used to having to create garments of clothing within a limited amount of time, taking care of paperwork in small timestamps, and all that jazz. What she was doing for Mr. Agreste was nothing out of the ordinary, and definitely wasn't overworking, right? It might have been quite the jump from college, but there's nothing she couldn't handle Dupain-Cheng style!

Well, Agreste style now!

Call it quick, but she and Adrien got married a few months ago, after dating since they were fifteen. God knows why they married at such a young age, but they're enjoying themselves nonetheless, so I'll let the dorks slide. Nino and I, however, are still taking it very slow.

Marinette, Adrien and I became roommates after college, and we all live in a fancy apartment downtown, closer to the Agreste headquarters, and La France Locale. I was able to score myself a job as one of the leading reporters for the company, it's a big deal. Adrien decided to test his independence with his father and began working in some experimental dermatology lab. I don't really know much about it, but he's going to make it big in the medical industry, I'm sure.

Marinette snapped back to attention when I gently tapped her back. It was time for her to blow out the candles, but she was nearly unresponsive, as if she were in a lovesick daze for her sweet Adrien, like grade school, except more sorrowful.

She even had trouble blowing out the candles, much to my surprise. Out of breath, perhaps? It's inexplainable, but "maybe she's just under the weather", I thought. After cake and a glass or two of wine, it was time for the party to disperse, so we bade our farewells to the Dupain-Chengs, and head out.

I kissed Nino goodbye and went home with Marinette and Adrien. For the area, the apartment was rather large. Three bedrooms, plenty of kitchen space, and well furnished too. Marinette and Adrien share a room, I have my own - sometimes my boyfriend Nino would stay over - and the last is a spare. Some time last year we ended up renovating it, and it's our ideal place nowadays, like maybe a permanent kind of settlement thing. Nino may even move in later on!

Of course, my natural journalistic tendencies led me to interrogate Marinette, and she insisted she was fine. I kept on thinking it was probably just the common cold. It can't be anything serious considering her pristine and perfect condition. A young woman living the time of her life with her husband and dream job, she's healthy and moderate, nothing could possibly be wrong with her all of a sudden, we all just assumed.

As time went on, I would get news of her being under the weather in work now, but she'd continue insisting she's fine. Gabriel Agreste even sent her home once in concern. He knows when she's not on her A game, so something should be wrong if he sends her home. Call it the father-in-law kind of care, but it's serious nonetheless.