"Girl, you're doomed." Alya laughed as Marinette frantically paced around the bakery, purse swinging at her hip every time she turned.
"He's going to be here any minute." Marinette worried her bottom lip, peeking out the bakery window and then back at Alya. "This is a disaster!"
"Hey, at least when you have a breakdown it'll be right into his arms."
"Not. Helping." Marinette growled, collapsing dramatically into a nearby chair as Sabine came around the counter.
"Your date should be here soon, shouldn't he? Your father and I would love to meet him. Where's he taking you?"
"Oh my god, I can't do this!" Marinette cried at the reminder, burying her head in her arms as Alya cackled.
"He's taking her to the animal shelter. To see cats."
"No!" Sabine gasped, turning to stare her daughter down. "Why would you ever agree to that? You're terrified of animals!"
"Terrified. And so so stupid." Marinette cried just as the door opened and Adrien stepped into the building with a small wave.
"Hi, I'm here for-" Adrien stopped as Marinette lifted her head and peeked around her mother. "Oh. Hello, Marinette."
"Hi, Adrien." Marinette sighed, standing up from her seat and crossing the room towards him. "If I don't call in two hours, assume I've died by heart attack." She whispered into Alya's ear as she passed and Sabine turned to greet Adrien with a roll of her eyes.
"You must be Adrien. I'm Marinette's mother, Sabine. I hear you're taking her to the shelter?"
"That's me." Adrien half grinned, wiping his hands nervously against his pant legs. "I'm uh..looking for a cat. Another cat, I mean."
"Having trouble staying loyal to just one?"
"Maman!" Marinette interjected as Adrien laughed.
"No, not at all. Plagg, my cat, he's like my best friend. I've had him since I was seven. He's just getting older so it's time to introduce a new kitten before he looses his desire to play."
"Why not just wait until he passes? Certainly one cat is easier than two?"
"Because, maman." Marinette said as she pushed Adrien towards the door. "Kittens don't do well without a playmate to teach them." They reached the door and Marinette shoved it open. "Gotta go! The cats are waiting! Love you! Bye!"
The door swung shut behind them and Sabine and Alya shared an incredulous look.
"Did Marinette just tell us a cat fact?"
Alya nodded.
"She's a goner."
———
"So this is where you adopted Plagg from?" Marinette questioned as they stepped out of Adrien's car and onto the sidewalk in front of the massive building.
"Mhm. I was seven then, so it's been awhile, but I remember it like it was yesterday. They let me into the cat room and Plagg immediately climbed into my lap. He absolutely refused to leave, even if I moved or tried to play with another cat, he just wanted to be held. We took him home and I snuck him into my room. We've been together ever since."
"You snuck him in?"
"My father isn't fond of animals, but my mother felt it was important for me to have a pet. She said the responsibility and companionship would be good for me. Father didn't agree so mom brought me here when he was really busy with work and then I snuck Plagg into my room. It took father months to notice and by then…"
"By then..?" Marinette repeated as Adrien opened the door to the shelter with a soft sigh.
"Mom was sick. As long as I kept Plagg out of the way…he was the last thing on Father's mind." Adrien paused as they stepped into the shelter's lobby, looking her up and down. "You know the story, don't you?"
"I do." Marinette confirmed, mind running over it again as it was bidden from her explicit memory. Adrien's mother had been sick, then disappeared. His father had been convicted of her murder years later when her body was found in his basement…when Adrien had found her body in the basement.
"I'm not…like him." Adrien nearly whispered, looking anywhere but her face. "I just want you to know you're safe with me."
Was he really-?
"Adrien, I've never been scared of you. That thought didn't even cross my mind." Marinette stopped, thinking back to their first encounter with a small laugh. "Okay, maybe I was a little scared when I thought you were breaking into Alya's apartment, but that's unrelated so it doesn't count."
"You were more than a little scared." Adrien said as his lips slowly upturned into a grin. "You threw a cookie jar at my head." He started laughing and reached for her hand, taking it with a bright smile. "At least I know you won't hesitate to protect yourself."
"I don't think I need to protect myself from you." Marinette squeezed his hand gently as they stepped up to the front desk. "All these cats though.."
"Don't worry. It'll be fine." Adrien promised before locking into a conversation with the lady at the front desk. She motioned for them to walk through a door to her left and Adrien led the way, holding the door open for Marinette before following after her. A volunteer met them behind the door and led them down a long hallway, stopping at a see-through room with a cat painting on the door. Marinette peered inside, eyeing the furballs spread around the small room.
"These are kittens under six months." The rescue volunteer spoke, motioning to the door. "If you don't find what you're looking for here, we have our adults across the hall. Just let me know." The volunteer stepped to the side and Adrien opened the door, stepping in ahead of Marinette who followed hesitantly. Almost as soon as the door shut, Adrien was on the floor surrounded by kittens.
"Come on. Sit!"
"What if they scratch me?"
"The shelter keeps their nails clipped. They shouldn't be able to hurt you. At the worst it'll be a little scratch."
"Does that hurt them?" Marinette questioned as she slowly sank to the floor next to him.
"Clipping their nails?" Adrien picked up a kitten and pet it gently. "It doesn't hurt. It's just like clipping your fingernails. Just shortens them and make them a little less sharp. What do you think about this one? According to his tag he's a boy." Adrien held up the all black kitten and Marinette hummed.
"He looks a lot like Plagg."
"Yeah, scarily similar to when Plagg was a kitten." Adrien agreed as the kitten tried to playfully bite at his hand. "Similar personality too. He's feisty."
Marinette suddenly felt something cold and wet on her leg and startled, turning to look at the creature beside her.
The tiny kitten moved its nose from Marinette's leg to look up at her, letting out a quiet 'meow' as it tried to crawl into her lap.
"Uh- Adrien!" Marinette whimpered, holding her breath as it managed to crawl over her leg and into her lap, curling up against her stomach as it meowed at her again.
"It's okay!" Adrien assured, setting the kitten he'd been holding to the side and scooting closer to her. "She's just getting comfy." Adrien reached out to pet the kitten as Marinette leaned away from it, eyes closed in fear. "Here. I've got her." Adrien picked up the kitten and Marinette let out a deep breath.
"That was terrifying."
"You've been very brave." Adrien joked, holding the kitten close. "She could have eaten you."
"Not funny." Marinette scowled as Adrien set the kitten back onto the floor.
"It's okay, Marinette. They're just babies. They aren't going to-" Adrien stopped as the kitten he'd been holding padded back over to Marinette and tried to climb into her lap again. "Here." Adrien picked up the kitten and moved it away, only for it to come right back to her and meow loudly as it tried to climb back over her leg. "Well, you've been chosen."
"I can't be chosen! My apartment doesn't accept pets!"
"Guess she's coming home with me then." Adrien laughed, scooping up the kitten and bringing it close to his face for a snuggle. "She's three months old and her name is..hmm. Fitting."
"What is it?"
"The shelter gave Plagg his name. I always thought it was weird, I'd never heard of the name before, but it fit him so I kept it. Her name is strange too."
"What's her name?"
"Tikki."
