Chapter Text
It started out small
A cut here, a bruise there, she was clumsy after all. She hurt herself with her sewing needles all the time, dropped a hot tray of fresh croissants on her feet or even fell down the stairs. She payed no mind to her new injuries, never wondered what caused them. She was Ladybug after all, she did not have the luxury of rest.
She liked to think she was doing a good job as both Ladybug and the guardian but Akumas were getting more dangerous, more destructive. Ladybug’s miracle cure was needed now more then ever before. And Marinette was ready to give from herself to heal others, she always has.
It was small.
Until it wasn’t.
The small cuts were joined by sprained wrists and ankles, the small bruises grew in size and deepened their color. Her body was exhausted but there was no time to rest. Tikki, her loyal loving Kwami, would help as much as she could but she was tired as well. She could not magic away Marinette’s pains like the two of them have done for Paris and a certain black cat.
A balance needed to be maintained.
She rarely stayed for long after a fight these days. She could not let them know the invincible Ladybug could break.
When she broke her first bone Tikki tearfully explained her theory, a miraculous user’s powers can grow and change over time. Never before was the miracle cure needed in this scale, in order to help others Marinette has subconsciously given away the protective side of her magic to power the miracle cure.
Ladybug kept fighting, and Marinette learned to hide her pain. She had become quite the actress hidden behind a confident smile and easy banter with her partner.
They stood together on a rooftop the sunset lighting Paris below. She went to throw her yo-yo when her legs faltered, landing on the roof with a dull thud. She let out a hiss at the pain in her lower back, today’s Akuma was more destructive than usual.
“Ladybug” she looked up to see Chat Noir. Her partner, her little kitten. Gently glowing emerald feline eyes stared her down. She was not getting away from him, not today. He looked serious, it made him look older, more mature. This conversation needed to happen, it might as well happen now.