Marinette grit her teeth as she landed, holding onto her yo-yo until she regained her balance instead of retracting it immediately. The suit tightened around her foot and ankle, cooling slightly.

Thank you, Tikki

She'd noticed that the temperature rarely bothered her as Ladybug but hadn't realized Tikki could actually make it into an impromptu icepack.

Another rock candy boulder flew her way and she dodged just in time. She'd already let her guard down once in the face of such a young akuma, she couldn't let it happen again.

"Chat!"

"On it – Cataclysm!" Chat destroyed the candy tower Jolly Smasher perched atop and their enemy, completely surprised, started falling to the street below. Ladybug threw her yo-yo and caught him on the way down, taking the lollipop that housed the akuma.

Once safely on the ground she smashed it, giving her signature farewell.

"Bye bye, little butterfly."

De-akumatized but separated from his mother, the five-year-old sat down where he was and started crying. Chat Noir cooed at him, making funny faces as Ladybug threw her Lucky Charm in the air.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

Paris ceased to be a candy land as the cleansing light swept across the city.

Her mind must have wandered for a moment because Chat was now standing in front of her with arm extended and eyebrow cocked. Right. She reached out to bump fists, both congratulating the other.

"Bien joué!"

Chat's smile faltered for a moment.

"Are you alright, m'lady? It looked like that boulder hit you."

Her earrings beeped, providing the perfect excuse to rush away.

"Just fine - see you later, Chat!"

Zipping away, she peeked back at Chat and saw him frowning in her direction. Well, too bad for him.

It only took a few minutes for her to swing home, but her ankle was throbbing when she landed gingerly on her patio. Good thing it was after dinner and her parents wouldn't be surprised if she stayed in her room for the rest of the night.

She had just enough time to get situated on her bed, injured leg propped up, before the transformation wore off and the pain hit her full force.

"Ooow... how am I going to walk around school like this, Tikki?"

The kwami lay beside her on the bed, recovering.

"It should be okay so long as we treat it properly. Give me a moment and I'll fetch some ice from the kitchen."

"You don't have to do that! What if my parents see you?"

Tikki gave her a stern look that halted any further protest.

"We need to treat it quickly or it'll just get worse. Now stay here and I'll be right back; I promise I won't get caught."

Marinette watched Tikki phase through the floor and tried to keep her mind off what was happening out of her sight. She peeled off her shoe and inspected the bruises forming there; she'd have to wear long pants and socks tomorrow or someone was bound to notice them. She sighed and leaned back, trying not to fidget as she waited for Tikki to return.

"I'm back."

"Gah!" Marinette startled, jostling her injured leg. "Oww..."

"Sorry." Tikki's soulful eyes looked up at her. Her brow and mouth were pinched. "I'm sorry, Marinette."

"What? No, it's fine." She resettled her leg on the pillows and put the ice pack on top. "You know that happens all the time, I-"

"Not about that..." Tikki took a big breath before letting all her words out in a steady stream. "I'm sorry my magic didn't heal you. I should have warned you but usually the luck is enough to make sure Ladybug doesn't get injured and-"

"Tikki, slow down. What are you saying?"

The kwami floated down to perch on Marinette's arm.

"The Miraculous Cure... it doesn't always work on Ladybug since you're at the center."

Marinette blinked.

"Oh. Well, that's... good to know. I'll be more careful."

Tikki looked away, folding in on herself slightly.

"Hey, it's fine. I'm alright; you didn't do anything wrong. It was my fault for letting my guard down."

Marinette gently lifted Tikki, nuzzling her against one cheek until the little being started giggling.

"That tickles!"

"Oh? Like this?" She teased her kwami with one finger, poking a spot she knew could cause laughter every time.

"Stop! Stop!"

"Marinette, time for bed or you'll never wake up for school!" Her mother called from below, used to her daughter getting distracted and missing out on much-needed sleep.

"Yes, Maman!"

Tikki flew down and turned off the light leaving the two to sit in the faint moonlight filtering through the roof hatch.

"Goodnight, Marinette." Tikki snuggled up against her on the pillow.

"Goodnight, Tikki."

The next morning Marinette was feeling pretty good. Well, after she wrapped her ankle and took some pain killers.

Despite Tikki's protests she walked to school as if everything were normal and it didn't even go poorly – until she got to the school steps.

Alya had been waiting for her on the front sidewalk, excited to talk about the previous night's fight, and the two were walking in together as the fledgling reporter told the tale with expressive hand gestures.

"... and I thought for sure that one had at least clipped her leg as she dodged, right? But then Chat destroyed the tower and Ladybug swung in there while it was all falling down like-" Alya swept her arms out to demonstrate, caught up in the moment, and Marinette swayed out of the way. Unfortunately, this caused her to put too much weight on her injured leg and she toppled sideways and back, falling down the stairs.

"Marinette!" Alya scrambled to catch her friend, eyes wide in panic.

Marinette's arms windmilled as they sought purchase, finding nothing. What happened next must have been pure Ladybug luck: Marinette had nearly reached an upside-down position when her palms landed flat on a step and she found herself doing a back-flip down to the sidewalk where she stood with both arms still extended over her head, frozen in shock.

Alya stared, lips parting but no words coming out.

"I'd give it a 10!"

Marinette jumped at the voice and clapping behind her, trying to turn but overbalancing. Adrien.

Adrien and Nino were there watching just as her ankle decided it had had enough and gave out, causing her to stumble into the wall beside the stairs.

"Ow. Ow ow ow." She bent over and clasped her leg just above the bruising.

"Hey, are you okay?" The boys approached only to be pushed aside by Alya.

"Girl, are you okay? I am so sorry!"

Marinette gave her a watery smile.

"Oh I'm okay, really. Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry? Of course I'm going to worry! Look – it's already swelling; we need to get you to the nurse."

"Alya-"

"Don't you 'Alya' me; I'm taking you and that's final. Come on." She grabbed Marinette's arm and looped it around her shoulder, lifting her friend into an upright position.

"Feel better!"

Marinette turned and gave Adrien an awkward smile, tittering into Alya's shoulder as she was all-but carried off.

"I can't believe I did that, Mari; do you need me to carry you? We could piggyback if-"

Marinette patted her friend's arm and smiled at her, keeping her tone light as she replied.

"Alya, it's fine. You know this sort of thing happens to me all the time."

"But I've never seen you actually get injured before!"

Alya's voice was rising in pitch and volume and Marinette decided to give in before it turned into outright shrieking. She'd just have to be careful to pull her wrapping off at the same time as her sock before the nurse could find it herself.

Thankfully it was a short trip and, though the nurse was amazed at the extent of the bruising, she didn't seem suspicious.

"You'll need to elevate it – don't put any weight on it - and use an icepack. 10 to 20 minutes every hour. I've called your father and he'll be picking you up. I encourage you to stay home tomorrow as well but if you insist on coming then please use crutches; sprains are often worse than broken bones since people do too much and injure themselves more."

"I'll be careful." Marinette responded, having heard several variations of this lecture while the nurse was wrapping her ankle.

"See that you are. Alya, you should return to class now."

"But-"

The nurse frowned. "Go."

Alya shot Marinette a look.

"Text me when you get home. I'll come visit over lunch break."

"You don't have to-"

"I'll come visit over lunch break."

Marinette sighed.

"I'll see you then."

It wasn't long before her father arrived to carry her the short distance home, where her mother was waiting for them in the bakery. After they had fawned over her and repeated all the things the nurse had told her she was set up in the living room with snacks and a drink in easy reach while a movie played.

Well, at least she had an excuse for her injury now. Her brain supplied her with a picture of Adrien's face after her landing – was that amazement? - and replayed his call of "feel better" while the opening credits rolled.

Perhaps this wasn't a bad thing after all.