Hello. This is my first Miraculous Ladybug fanfic, and I hope you enjoy it!

~W&V

It was 3:00 a.m. in Paris, France, and Adrien Agreste was wide awake, butt firmly planted on the cold bathroom floor, frantically typing away on his phone. He was scrolling and skimming at an alarming speed, barely even registering any information. Dizzy, disoriented, and horribly, horribly afraid, he read article after article, the anxious knot devouring his stomach growing larger and more painful with every word. Cold sweat pricked the back of his neck as he read:

Hanahaki Disease

Often referred to as the Love Killer, Flower Cough, of even Death's Bouquet in some circles, Hanahaki is a rare infection of the lungs that causes a restriction of the bronchioles and alveoli, drastically reducing oxygen intake. There have been very few case studies due to the affliction being so rare, however the symptoms are well understood. The cause of the disease is one-sided love, whether perceived or true, and causes flowers to take root and bloom in the patient's lungs. Symptoms include coughing (usually expelling flowers or flower petals), tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, lightheadedness, exhaustion, and, as the disease progresses, fever, dizziness, and delirium. If you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from HD, contact your doctor immediately. The disease is terminal unless the proper medical procedures are followed…

Adrien only gave the rest of the passage a cursory glance, its contents almost identical to every other article, webpage, and blog post he'd read. His head was spinning with the information, the knowledge that his honest and innocent affections for his crime fighting partner, the hero of Paris, was eating him alive. The summary was this: he had three options.

He could find a way to win over his Ladybug, somehow convince her to return his feelings, and soon.

He could seek medical help, as all the articles implored him to do, and have the blooming love in his lungs removed. Adrien had latched onto this idea immediately, until he'd learned that the flowers were a manifestation of the feelings themselves. Removing the infection this way meant losing all the love he collected and treasured for his Lady. The thought made him woozy with grief just imagining it.

Or. He would die.

Adrien swallowed thickly around a rising lump in his throat, tearing his eyes away from his phone to the scattering of delicate yellow flower petals dusted across the floor and toilet bowl. He shut his eyes against the wave of dread that swept through his bones at the sight of them. It had only taken a few cursory Google searches to determine that the petals almost certainly belonged to daffodils, which he supposed was fitting enough.

"Daffodils symbolize new beginnings, joy, chivalry, wealth, and eternal life," the article had said. "While many daffodils can be used to represent joy and happiness, just one can be interpreted as an omen of misfortune."

The irony of "eternal life" was not lost on Adrien, but he couldn't find it in himself to be amused. In fact, the humor of it made him feel a little queasy.

Adrien knew, despite the desperate desire to run to Nino, to Marinette, to his father even, for comfort, that this information had to stay secret. His father would immediately send him to the hospital to have the operation, and Adrien wanted to make that decision for himself. He trusted his friends, but he knew Marinette and Nino couldn't keep secrets from Alya, and Alya couldn't keep secrets from anyone. If word of this got out, it would be plastered across the front page of every gossip rag in Paris. He could see the headlines now: "Adrien Agreste, Dying of a Broken Heart?" He shook his head, lamenting the possibility.

But, God, that was just the least of it. The realization hit him like a gut punch. The fact that Adrien Agreste had Hanahaki was just a sad story.

His real problem was that Chat Noir had Hanahaki. Chat Noir, protector of Paris, one of the only two people standing between Hawkmoth and the innocent people of France, was slowly choking to death on his own love. How was he supposed to fight like this, daffodils blooming in his chest, roots crushing his lungs?

He forced himself to take a few deep breaths, comforted by the fluidity with which he did so. He still had time. He could win over his Ladybug yet.

He had to.

The next day at school, Adrien was twenty minutes late and he knew he didn't look his best. He'd tried his best to hide the dark circles under his eyes before he left, using pretty much every trick he knew from modeling, but nothing seemed to do the trick. His haggard appearance went deeper than just exhaustion. Nino was the first of many to ask the inevitable question.

"Woah, dude," Nino whispered as Adrien slid into the seat next to him, "you okay?"

"I'm fine," He responded, giving Nino a big, tired smile. "I just stayed up way late playing video games."

The lie was small, but it made him think about how many more he was going to have to tell. One more secret, a thousand more lies. Nino seemed convinced; Adrien was experienced at cover ups.

For the rest of the day, he managed to hold it together, despite his heart hammering to unfortunate speeds every time he felt that flowery tickle in the back of his throat. He kept it all bottled up inside, safely under wraps. Nino shot him a few concerned glances when he caught Adrien worrying the strings on his hoodie or chewing nervously on his pen. Once, the teacher scolded him for dozing off. Near the end of the day, even Marinette, shy as ever, went out of her way to ask him if he was alright.

No, he found himself wanting to say, but didn't. Instead, he laughed it off and insisted he was fine, just a little tired.

"O-okay, if you say so," she responded, skeptical. "Just… make sure you're getting enough sleep. Wouldn't want you to get sick or anything. N-not that I'm saying you look sick now! You look great! Ah! I mean- uhm… you look… I'll stop now."

Adrien laughed, his heart lifting as she laughed too, bashful. Marinette was so good, cheering him up, even if that wasn't her intention. She ducked her head, looking up at him through thick black lashes. Something about her eyes made his stomach leap in some ill-understood joy. Confused, he attributed this feeling to them being that same lovely bright blue of Ladybug's.

Heart squeezing tightly at the thought of her, his mind flooded with images of Ladybug's brilliant, beautiful smile. It warmed him from the inside out, feeding the daffodils growing in his lungs.

His breath hitched painfully. The growth in his chest squeezed

"A-Adrien?" Marinette said quizzically, waving a hand in front of his face. "You sure you're okay?"

Adrien nodded, but felt that horrible tickling of petals in the back of his throat, the stutter in his breath, the sharp cramping in his chest as he held it all in: the flowers and the rampaging emotions.

"I've- gotta go," he managed to bite out, then squeezed past his worried friend with determination, fear strangling his heart.

Jaw firmly clamped and breath held to stifle any escaping coughs, Adrien rushed for the nearest bathroom, trying his best to look inconspicuous. He could see golden hair bobbing through the crowded hallway right towards him, and all he could think was God, not now. Normally, Adrien was tolerant of Chloe. Amused by her, even. He would take her advances with a laugh and a patient smile. Right now, however, he needed to get to somewhere hidden fast.

So, when Chloe greeted him with a shrill, "Adrikins!" and leapt forward to catch him in an embrace of dubious intentions, Adrien sidestepped her and just kept walking. He cringed, guilty, as he heard Chloe sputtering dejectedly behind him, but he had to get to the bathroom.

Pushing the heavy door open and slipping into a stall, Adrien turned the small lock behind him and fell towards the toilet as heavy, wracking coughs burst out of his chest. He was so unprepared for the sheer force jerking him violently forward that he was forced to place one hand on the toilet seat to steady himself. The petals in his throat needed no further invitation, filling his mouth and then spilling into the toilet water. They were bitter as they touched his tongue and left a strange aftertaste in his mouth. In the back of his mind, he desperately hoped nobody would enter the bathroom to witness him hacking up a lung. It took only about 30 seconds for Adrien's lungs to calm, having freed themselves of the loose petals fluttering in his airways. Staring into the water, he counted about eight little yellow leaves, their light earthy scent drifting up to him gently. He sighed and flushed the evidence, watching it swirl down the drain. This was going to be difficult.

It wasn't until several hours later, as he and Ladybug patrolled the rooftops of Paris that he realized how hard it really was going to be. As they kept up their vigil, she was right there. Standing next to him, behind him, ahead of him. She was as beautiful as ever, and Adrien felt himself melt just looking into those confident, kind eyes.

"So," he began, his signature slyness covering up any wayward nerves, "what's been going on in that lovely mind of yours lately? Anyone special in your life? A… boy, maybe?"

Ladybug blushed, which surprised him. He didn't expect this to be so easy.

"Uhm… yes, actually," she replied, ducking her head in a way that was oddly familiar to him, though he couldn't place why.

"Oh?" Adrien said, his heart swelling with possibility. "Tell me about him."

Ladybug smiled to herself, something sweet and private. Something so real it made his heart ache for her.

"He's… something else. He's kind and sweet and he just has the most beautiful laugh. And his eyes. They're the purest, brightest shade of green…" she gushed quietly, face going bright pink.

She looked like she wanted to say more, like she could keep going and never stop. There was a gentle drop in her shoulders, a softness in her eyes that made her seem almost like she was made of clay, ready to be molded to be the perfect shape to hold. And, wow, her voice. He'd never heard her talk like that before, so hopeful, so full and starry and sweet. The way she entwined her fingers together, like she was yearning to hold his hand. Could that be for him? He barely dared to think it.

"And?" he prompted, hopeful.

"And he's so… classy. Such a gentleman… nothing like you, you silly cat," she joked, giving him a playful push.

She didn't mean it to hurt, but oh God, it did. He felt his face fall, despite his best efforts.

So, it wasn't him. And wasn't that just great. His heart constricted painfully and his throat burned. She was so close, but so clearly in love with someone else. Just the way she talked about him made it clear. She felt the way about some other boy that he felt about her. He hoped, in a vague half-thought, that whoever this boy was loved her as much as he ached for her, enough to make her happy.

But the daffodils in his lungs thought otherwise, threatening to claw their way up his throat. Unable to stop himself, he let out a short cough, mouth closed, fist pushed firmly against his lips. A few tiny petals managed to force their way up, and he hid them under his tongue hurriedly.

"You okay, kitty?" Ladybug stopped, her big eyes searched him. "You seem distracted."

"Only by your beauty, M'Lady," he shot back, but even he could tell it was missing something.

It had only been one day, and already he was breaking. His smile wasn't quite so wide, his charm not quite so effortless. All because of some silly flowers. Nevermind his heart, silently trying to stay alive after tonight's horrible disappointment.

"Chat… are you getting enough sleep?" she asked, her graceful hands taking him by the shoulders, sending zips of electricity down his spine. "You seem really out of it."

She was gazing into his eyes, and he couldn't look away. God, she was so lovely. Her beautiful round eyes and thick black lashes, the smattering of freckles on her cheeks like stars, the delicate curve of her lips. All of it… all of her made him feel both like he was dying and like he was really living for the first time.

"Ladybug," he whispered, enchanted beyond reason.

His voice was a low whisper, so heavy with emotion and dripping with desire and desperation, he was almost certain she'd be able to read his mind just by hearing it. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to pull her against him, feel the strong curve of her hips and the softness of her skin. He wanted her to understand.

She smiled then, gently, oblivious as ever even as heat crept up the back of his neck, and responded, "It's okay, I've got this. You can go home if you want."

Adrien swallowed thickly, keeping the petals under his tongue under tight control. He took a deep breath, gathering himself, and shook his head, trying to pull his blanket of humor back around himself. For Ladybug, he could be strong. For her, he'd stomp down the pain in his heart, in his lungs, and keep protecting Paris. For as long as he could.

Thanks for reading and I sincerely hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Please leave comments and likes, we all know how motivational they are.

The next chapter should be up very soon.

~W&V