Author's Note:

Set between Obsession and Glaze.

Sit

Marinette thought that one of the best things about having a cat inclined boyfriend (beyond the purr which was absolutely divine and on par with kisses) was how it came out at odd times. Like following a laser pointer. Playing with her wool when she wasn't looking. Knocking her ornaments over when she was looking.

Or a preference to sit in boxes.

But the most fun, she thought, was trying to get that side of him to come out, without telling him she was deliberately baiting that side of him.

Being the daughter of a baker meant she had access to all sorts of boxes. Big boxes. Small boxes. Chat-sized boxes. And being the daughter of a baker meant that Tom was often in bed before the sun went down (especially in summer) and Sabine wasn't far behind him.

And while Adrien, her wonderful boyfriend, would never be allowed to be in her room while her parents were sleeping and certainly never with her trap door closed (conversations pending), they didn't know about Chat Noir. As long as she and Chat Noir were quiet, her parents couldn't hear him gallivanting about from their bedroom two floors down.

And maybe that was stretching the rules and certainly would get her in trouble, they weren't doing anything that she'd be embarrassed to tell her parents.

Summer in Paris was absolutely wonderful. Sunset at ten meant at nine, when the sun was sinking, it caught in the various crystals she'd hung around the room and delighted one kitten as they swung. Marinette could hear the soft pitter-patter of scampering feet as Chat Noir chased rainbows while waiting for her.

While she was absolutely sure he'd come down and help her finish the dishes if she asked him, just hearing the soft little thumps and saddened little mews as the rainbow escaped brought a smile to her face.

She waited, listening carefully to his antics and could pick the exact moment when he saw the box she'd left for him in her room. He skidded to a halt and then everything went silent.

Tikki, bobbing in the air beside Marinette's shoulder, giggled.

Casting her kwami a conspiring glance, Marinette wiped the kitchen bench down, washed her hands and went upstairs to her room.

The box, previously tucked away in the corner, was in the center of the room. Right in front of the stairs. Where she couldn't miss it. Upside down.

Marinette ignored it. "Hmm. I thought I heard Chat up here," she told Tikki as she closed the trap door to her room.

"Perhaps he got bored and went home," Tikki said.

"Ahh, well," Marinette said, tapping her fingers against the top of the box as she moved past it and headed to her computer.

The box jutted after her, stuttered little movements as it kitty-hopped across the floor.

Tikki and Marinette grinned at each other. "Such a shame," Tikki said, joining in the game.

Marinette lounged in her computer chair, watching the boxes jagged movements across the floor to her. "Who's going to eat all these macarons?"

The box mewed.

Marinette overdramatised how upset she was. "I brought them special and all."

The box bumped her knee and she heard scratches against it.

Tikki giggled, covering her mouth with her paw.

Marinette drummed her fingers against the top of the box and felt Chat Noir's hands thump against it. Still drumming, she moved them across the top and down the sides, hearing the scratchy little sounds his claws made against the inside of the box as he followed the path of her fingers.

Sliding out of the chair, she sat on the floor beside the box and drummed her fingers on the floor, right near the hand holds cut into the box.

A black-clad hand snaked out of the hand hold and tapped her fingers, then disappeared.

Marinette giggled. Reaching up to her desk, she grabbed the box of macarons she'd left up there and retrieved one. Holding her palm flat, she offered the box the macaron.

His hand snaked out and plucked up the macaron. Instead of retreating, his index finger extended to brush its pad against her fingertips, while the rest of his fingers curled around the treat. "I feel ridiculous," he said and pulled his hand back inside the box. "I saw the box and I just… couldn't resist."

"If you fits, you sits," she replied, giggling.

"Absolutely." The box shuffled forward again and his hand came out to find her ankle. "You weren't… you weren't using it for something, were you? There… might be scuff marks inside now. From my claws. Sorry."

Marinette chortled. "Oh, kitty, this box is all yours. I got it for you."

Silence for a heartbeat, then the box was thrown upward. In a sweeping movement, Marinette was grabbed, hoisted onto Chat Noir's lap and then the box descended on both of them. It thumped against her still-out legs and tilted but Marinette didn't care as Chat Noir's purr filled the box. "Can't be a Chat-in-a-box without my best girl, can I?"

Marinette ran a finger down his nose, then scratched his chin. "It's not a bug-in-a-box."

"As snug as a bug in a box," Chat Noir purred and his face dipped toward hers.

"As snug as a bug in the lap of a cat in a box," Marinette chirped and tilted her head to accept his kiss.

"Um, excuse me," Tikki said, interrupting as she peeked through the gap between the box and the floor caused by Marinette's legs. "Before you get too engrossed—" she gave Chat Noir a sweet, imploring smile. "We have cheese and a Plagg-sized box and I was hoping that—"

"Ahh, but of course, mademoiselle," Chat Noir said, bowing with relish in the small space. "Claws in."

"Thank Camembert for that," Plagg announced as he, still surrounded by a flurry of light, pounced on Tikki and spirited her away.

Chuckling Adrien looked back at Marinette. "Where were we?"

She reached for his ears to scratch. "About here."

His purr rumbled and his eyes closed. Tilting his head back, he leaned into her hands. Feeling daring, Marinette ducked her head and pressed her lips against his throat.

The purr spluttered and Marinette smiled as she let her teeth graze his skin before moving back.

"Sometimes," he said with half-lidded eyes as he nosed her shoulder. "I think you get more out of this than I do."

"It's about even."

"Well, good, I'm glad. I'd hate for you to think I was just in this for the pats." His face nuzzled the crook of her neck.

"I am well aware you're only here because you adore my sinful hands," she quipped, scratching her fingers through his hair.

"And macarons," Adrien replied as his lips found the patch of skin between her neck and her shoulder to nibble. "Don't forget them."

Marinette fought to keep the game going as he kissed his way her neck and along her jaw. It was hard, especially with his hands unconsciously (or was it a conscious action) kitty-kneading her ribs and the contented purr filling the box. "I… er… um… I…" He reached her cheek, leaving a tender kiss on the corner of her mouth. Close enough to make her turn her head and seek his lips, only to find him returning to her neck. "No fair," she whined.

He laughed, soft and under his breath, and sent a delighted shiver down her spine. "You know, if I'd known I could take your breath away by adding kissing to our scratching sessions, I might've kissed you a lot sooner."

"Technically," she said, then gasped as he nipped her. "I kissed you."

"Technical-smechnical," he said with an open-mouth kiss on her neck.

She shuddered at the warmth and wet of his mouth. Her fingers tightened against his head as his hands slipped from her ribs to cup her back near her shoulder blades.

Tilting her head back to give him more access to her neck, she bonked her head against the cardboard box. Startled by the noise and the subsequent adjustment of the bumped box, Adrien over-compensated and pulled her closer, which made her unbalance on his lap. She grabbed his shoulders, he grabbed her hips, her legs flailed and forced the box upward, and in turn, the box thumped against them. They toppled, box and all until they thunked against the floor.

"Are you okay?" Adrien asked.

Hopelessly tangled in his arms, Marinette giggled.

"I always knew box-ing was a dangerous sport," Adrien said with a grin. "But it certainly has you falling for me."

Marinette huffed and mock-frowned at him.

The grin got wider. "Am I card-boring you?"

"Oh, that's just bad."

"I'm all boxed—"

Marinette kissed him to stop the puns. Then, as his mouth opened beneath hers, kept on kissing him because she wanted to.

Author's Note: I tried really, really hard to find an appropriate moment for Chat-in-a-box for Glaze, but was never able to do it without it feeling weird or thrown in there. Every other cat moment had a purpose, this one was purely gratuitous.

Plus kisses.

Also, let me know if you have any requests.