Switching it up a little bit this time ;)

Guilty as Charged

by thepeacockandthebutterfly

Number 3: Drowned by Love

Nino was running.

He liked running, always had. It was a good way for him to get some exercise...otherwise he'd be in his room all day. Also, he wasn't a huge fan of looking weak next to his buff best friend, Adrien.

His legs moved fluidly, striking the ground evenly and propelling him forward. Running was a beautiful thing to watch. His arms moved back and forth in a rhythmic motion, cutting through the air. And then he heard it, turning his head slightly to see what had happened.

There was a loud crash that boomed through out the air, sending an array of fiery spark shooting up into the air. A cloud of grey and white pigeons whipped up and into the air as well, distancing themselves from the clash in a flurry of feathers.

He kept running.

It wasn't like akumas were anything unusual in Paris anymore, he didn't understand why people freaked out so much. Sure they were loud and sometimes destructive, but honestly it wasn't anything new. Ladybug and Chat Noir always saved the day and fixed everything, so there was never anything to be worried about.

Even as he thought that a wave of pink and ladybugs circled around him and through the city, signaling the end of the akuma attack.

That was when the screaming started.

Nino stopped in his tracks, his shoes skidding against the pavement as he came to a sudden halt. Screaming was pretty typical as well, but it was usually the over-dramatized diva cries of some girl. This was terror that was ringing through his ears. Pure unadulterated fear that pulsed through the air in a rippling sound wave. And then the hoarse voice behind the shrieking became recognizable.

He was sprinting then, heading towards where the akuma had been, fearfulness seizing his heart.

"ALYA!" he screamed, skidding to a stop just in time to see Alya falling.

Her beautiful brown eyes were blown wide in horror as she scrabbled for the banks. Nino couldn't do anything to help, merely standing frozen, watching as Alya lost her grip and plummeted towards the river.

Falling.

Falling.

Falling.

SPLASH!

Nino hurried to the river, looking frantically into the churning depths for a sign of bushy auburn hair. "ALYA!" he screamed, over and over again. It felt like his heart had ripped itself in half, trying to strangle him.

"No, no, no, no, no!" he shouted, rambling as he ran to the riverbank and waited, managing to barely grab the limp body out of the water. He struggled for a moment, finally deciding to leave Alya floating in the calmer shallow water by the riverbank.

"Alya, please stay with me," he pleaded, clutching her hand as she breathed raspily.

Water tinged pink frothed up at the corners of her lips as she rasped, trying to tell him something. "Ni...n-no," she whispered.

He bent over her form, leaning in to hear her words better. "What?"

"I...al-alw...ays...l-liked...y-you," she forced the words out, eyes beginning to glaze over.

Nino felt his eyes water up, tears slipping free to run down his cheeks. "I like you too, Al."

"I-m...s-so...s-so...rr-y, Ni...n-no."

And then her chest rose and fell one more time, the horrible wheezing sound of her dying breaths filling Nino's ears and drowning him in his misery. The moment her hand slacked in his grip, he felt pain like a bolt lancing his heart and squeezing his chest. She's gone.

"ALYA!"

Not quite as horrifying or immediately heartwrenching, but painful to write and read at the same time.

Thanks for reading!