Chapter 1

The first meeting

" Tikki Time to come in, girl! "

Adrien rolled over, groaning when he opened his eyes and saw the time. It was early, way too early for someone who had just gotten to bed a couple of hours ago after strenuous and tiresome photo shoot.

" Tikki, come on. "

The voice pierced through his sleepy fog and Adrien found himself smiling despite the fatigue. The voice belonged to his neighbor. Usually he get to REM sleep when she started her working hours.

The tall wooden fence separating their yards meant he'd never even seen her face, but he felt like he knew her from listening to her talk to her dog, Tikki. She loved that dog and spent a lot of time in her yard playing and talking to her. She talked to dog as though it can understand everything. Adrien didn't mean to eavesdrop, but girl's voice tended to carry through his always open windows.

He would hear her telling the dog about work ( she works in the office but she is budding fashion designer who wants to have her own brand one day ), her parents ( Tom and Sabine ), her friends ( her best friend is Alya ), her deceitful rival ( Lila Rossi ) and her new projects.

" Tikki? "

Adrien sat up at her voice again. She sounded worried. He knew that she didn't usually have to call for the dog so many times. He could hear her moving around in her yard, probably trying to find Tikki. He wondered if he should go out and offer to help. Although they didn't know each other, he know what it feels like to worry about your pet. He still remembered when his cat got scared of lawnmower and ran away. His pet came back two days later. And that was the worst two days in Adrien's life.

" Tikki, where are you? " This time her voice sound really worried.

Throwing back the cover on his bed, Adrien stood and looked around for the irish blue jeans he'd discarded before collapsing into his bed a few hours ago. Finding them crumpled in a corner of room he stepped into them. He was just about to throw on a shirt when he heard a scratching noise. Pausing with one hand in his shirt sleeve, he blinked and listened.

SCREEEEEE

There it was again.

Pulling the green t-shirt over his head, Adrien made his way to the back door. He opened it and promptly stepped back in surprise. Just like his owner, Adrien had never seen Tikki before.

The word "dog" always makes him think of big, strong and fast animal. All Earth dogs are descended from wild wolves. They're programmed right into their DNA to fight and protect their owners.

So, Adrien had been expecting something bigger.

Standing on his back patio was the smallest dog he'd ever seen. It couldn't be more than 9 inches tall. It was probably a king charles spaniel. It had rust-brown fur with few black patches and dark eyes and short tail. The dog's ears were perked up at him as were his eyes, just looking at him, intrigued.

Maybe this was a different dog? Adrien thought. Many people have dogs.

" Tikki? " He asked.

Nope, he decided when the little dog bounced up at the sound of her name, running over to Adrien and raised up on her hind legs, soft barking. Automatically he bent down and scooped the tiny pet into his arms. Tikki just sniffed his neck and cheeck before started licking his chin, obviously delighted to meet new person. Adrien smile and scratched Tikki behind her ears. He is a cat person but Tikki is so cute small dog. And he like her already.

" Come on, girl," Adrien told dog. " Let's go find your mom."

Adrien made his way over to the fence that separated the yards. It was still tightly closed.

" How did you get over here? " Adrien asked, looking down at the tiny dog in his arms. Tikki just stared up at him, tongue hanging out of her small mouth so it looked like the king charles spaniel was smiling.

" I don't think we'll ever know that. " Adrien said and unlatched the gate.

Stepping into his neighbor's yard, Adrien got his second surprise of the morning. He wasn't entirely sure what he'd been expecting, but a woman in a cute pajama wasn't it. She wears a white pajama tank top with black straps, a black edge on the top, and mauve polka dots. Her pajama bottoms are light pink, having a light pink drawstring and black, pink, and white flower design on the left side akin to her shirt's logo design.

" Um, hello, " He called out.

The girl straightened up, whipped around and Adrien could saw her face. She look like twenty-something years old just like him. She has a nice face with medium-length black hair with blue reflections that was tied back in two pigtails. Her sapphire blue eyes were wide with surprise and a probably little panic ( at least she have a stranger in her yard), her pink mouth open just little forming cute "o".

Adrien knew he was staring, but he couldn't help himself. After a moment he realized she was staring at him too.

" Hi, I think I found your dog," he told her finally, lifting Tikki in his arms just a little.

" Oh, thank God," she exclaimed, rushing over and scooping the tiny dog out of his arms. Tikki seemed happy to see her, peppering her face with swipes of her long pink tongue.

" Where did you go, Tikki? I was so worried." She asked dog, kissing her furry little face. The dog gave a little Yip as if pet was trying to answer her owner.

Bacause woman was standing closer to him, Adrien notice that she has a light freckles on both sides and the bridge of her nose.

" He was in my backyard, " Adrien interpreted for the dog.

" Your backyard?" she asked, confused.

"That's right, we didn't actually know each other." he thought

" I'm Adrien. Your next door neighbor, " he told her, sticking out his hand. " Nice to meet you. "

" I'm Marinette and this is Tikki," she said, putting her hand in his and she shifted the dog to her left hand.

" So, how Tikki got into your yard? " she asked with a small smile.

" I have no idea. I woke up when we you were looking for her and then I heard her scratching at my back door."

" I woke you up with my yelling? " She stammered out staring at her feet.

" Don't worry about it, " he reassured her with a soft smile.

" But is early and..."

" I've been meaning to wake up anyway. " He lied, " I'm glad I can help and the little lady wasn't lost. " He reached over to scratch under Tikki's chin and was rewarded with a lick to his hand.

" Me too. " Marinette's face lit up in a huge smile and Adrien knew, with absolute certainty, he wanted to see her smile at him like that for the rest of his life.

This moment was interrupted by a phone call. Marinette pulls out her phone and looked at screen.

She was silent for a long moment, Adrien could practically see her brain working.

" I'm late! " She shouted, " I'm late! I'm late! I'm late! "

" Marinette, is something wrong? " Adrien asked, and then almost facepalm. Stupid question Agrest, he scolded himself.

" Actually, I'm late for a meeting. So, Yes." Her brows furrowed," I'm sorry but I have to go now. Adrien, it was nice meeting you. Bye " Marinette turned and headed into her house.

" Bye Marinette. " He watched her go before turned toward his own house.

After closing the door behind him, Adrien leaned back against it for a moment. Right now neighborhood was so much more colorful and more attractive.

It was even more attractive when he found a chocolate chip cookie basket on his patio this night. There was also a note.

Thank you for found Tikki. Marinette xoxo