June 2: Famous

Author's Note: Epcot97 here and this is day two of our counterprogramming for Ladrien June, because, well, MariChat is just more in our wheelhouse. Today we take a look at what it means to be Famous - but through my warped interpretation of the word.

Now that DearestMrIcarus has joined our team, ChubbyUnicornMama and I have again begun our pursuit of some ownership stake in Miraculous. Our patent lawyer, however, has informed us that someone else created the "animated motion picture" before us, so it appears we are once again out of luck.

CM: *Channeling my inner 5 year old* oh yeah? Well, I licked it, so it's mine now!

Patent Lawyer: I'm doubling my fee, and you might want to get a civil attorney, too.

Ic: If there's one thing I learned about being a five year old, it's being nice goes a long way. Maybe if we ask nicely, they'll give it to us.

Chat was running late.

Marinette had asked him a few days earlier to make an appearance at the Bakery that evening as she'd said she needed his help with something. Not one to pass up an opportunity to spend time with his Princess, he'd immediately agreed to be there, and then life reared up and threw curveball after curveball at him in an attempt to prove he was incapable of keeping a simple promise.

The trouble started shortly after he'd vaulted out of his bedroom window at the mansion. As he sailed over the first set of rooftops, his feline ears immediately detected a vague humming noise that seemed to be paralleling his movement. Circling back around, he quickly located a small camera drone wearing the logo of the local news station. He was reasonably certain he'd picked it up some distance from the mansion, but just to be on the safe side, he led it on a merry route across half of the city before it was forced to return to its home port.

Now somewhat late, he'd started out again for the Bakery, only this time to discover that a satellite news van was now tracking him from the street. He'd leap over one rooftop only to see it swerve around an alleyway, it's camera pointed up at him. Once more, he re-routed to the far side of Paris, ultimately losing the news truck in a more industrial area.

Chat was now very, very late, and started a speed-route toward the Bakery. Halfway there, the news helicopter appeared on the horizon, and made a beeline directly toward him. Wondering how he had managed to attract such attention on a random Thursday, he started to get a little hot under the mask. This time he helicoptered toward the helicopter, landing on one of the skis, and knocked on the window.

A very surprised looking camera operator slid the passenger area's hatch open. "Chat?" he hollered over the sound of the rotor. The pilot was managing to accommodate the extra weight Chat added by perching on the gear.

"I'm getting a bit furustrated," Chat said. "What's the deal?"

"With what?" he hollered back.

"You're the third crew I've had trailing me this evening. Did I make the news for something?"

The guy nodded. "We got a tip you have a girlfriend," he yelled. "Every news outlet is on it."

Chat rolled his eyes. "Seriously? Don't you have more important things to cover?"

He didn't let him respond before falling backwards off the helicopter and diving away from them. Chat helicoptered toward a rooftop and ducked behind a chimney, waiting for them to pass and wondering who had planted that rumor. He had a pretty good idea.

Chat managed to avoid the circling copter, and once it was far enough out of range, he rolled off the rooftop and dove toward the ground, opting for a more traditional cat-like approach to avoid detection. Keeping to the dark back alleys of Paris, he crossed the city and finally arrived at the Bakery a good two hours past his promised arrival. Carefully clawing his way up the rear of the building, he pulled himself over the edge and perched atop the brick wall, looking down at the rooftop patio.

Marinette was pacing the small space, and Chat was certain he could see steam pouring from her ears. For a brief moment he considered falling back into the darkness but swallowed instead. "Hello, Princess," he said quietly. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"Chat Noir! Where have you been?"

He dropped off the brick wall and landed atop the railing beside her. "Commuter traffic was clawful," he said. "For some reason, the entire city's news operations are out to determine who my girlfriend is." He blinked his masked green eyes as he looked at her earnestly. "I think, Princess, we have a leak."

Her eyes went wide. "There's no way!" she said, forgetting for a moment that her kitty had nearly stood her up. "We've been pretty circumspect. You usually meet me here, and in the random cases when we meet elsewhere, you're usually in the hoodie and sweats combo. I can't imagine-"

At that moment, the skylight popped open, and Sabine poked her head out. "Ah, Chat, you are here!" she said, smiling. "I thought I heard you on the roof. Would you like some fresh coffee?"

Chat and Marinette both looked at each other, then back to Sabine. "Maman," Marinette said carefully, "you, uh, haven't mentioned my nightly visitor to anyone, have you?"

"Of course not, dear," Sabine replied sweetly. "Your father and I take your privacy seriously. I told that to your friend, Alya, just the other day."

Chat's eyes narrowed as he saw Marinette's surprised look. "Alya?" he said, turning back to Sabine. "What did she happen to ask you?"

"Oh," Sabine said, suddenly realizing that she might, possibly, have divulged too much information. "Well, I guess she asked if either Ladybug or Chat Noir had ever stopped by the Bakery."

Chat stared at her. "What, exactly, did you tell her?"

Sabine looked more unsettled. "Well, dear, I told her honestly that Ladybug has only been here a handful of times; I might have mentioned, uh, that Chat Noir was a… uh... slightly more frequent visitor…"

"Maman!" Marinette cried, blush creeping up her face.

To her horror, Chat was actually chuckling. "Sorry, Purrincess," he said as he laughed. "That's what happens when you date someone famous…"