It was Monday when Marinette first introduced Chat Blanc to her friends.
"Oh my God, Marinette! He's so cute!" Alya gushed as she looked at her best friend's phone screen.
"I know right? Check this one." the pig-tailed girl announced proudly, swiping the screen to a different image. "Isn't he a charmer with a bell collar?"
"Chat's so adorable!" Rose squealed. "And you got him so chubby in less than a day!"
She shrugged her shoulders. "He's quite a glutton, but I still love him ridiculously. Want to see a video clip?"
Everybody awed when the kitten pawed and stumbled himself around the blue yarn.
"Chat must be lucky to live in a bakery." Alix chuckled. "And I bet he'll be flabby in a few weeks tops."
"And cuddlier," Juleka added.
"And stinker." Chloe snorted as she passed the hallway. "That's Chat the Stray, right?"
"He's domesticated now." the brunette harrumphed, then glanced at her fuming friend. "Don't mind her, Marinette. I bet Chat might piss her designer pants once he sees her."
The mayor's daughter didn't like to lose the argument.
"You never know he might have cooties." the blondie snickered.
"Chat doesn't have cooties!"
The girls were too preoccupied defending Chat to notice a certain model standing in the doorway with an abashed face.
"Hey, dude. Are you okay?" Nino shook his best friend's shoulder. "You looked like you've swallowed a bag of needles."
"Ma - Marinette. Di - di - did she just confessed...that she's...with Chat..." Adrien gulped with beet-red cheeks. "And they - they're fat-shaming Chat...and if he has cooties...?"
This earned a crooked brow. "You haven't heard about Marinette's Chat?"
He hasn't.
But after he saw an image of a white ball of fluff, Adrien couldn't help but awed by it.
"You rescued him just two days ago?" the model beamed, seeing the girl in a different light again. "You're so amazing, Marinette!"
"I - I'm not amazing! You're amazing! I mean not that you're not amazing, but I - I'm not! And I - I'm..."
The boy simply chuckled at her flustered mess as she clutched her phone like a lifeline. It saddens him how they were friends for almost a year yet she would cower at his mere presence. Too bad his sheltered life didn't teach him how not to intimidate a girl.
He was about to ask her again but got interrupted when their teacher entered their room and began her roll call.
The topic was dropped until lunchtime.
"C'mon, let's eat at Mari's!" Alya announced as she dragged the two boys. "I can't wait to meet Chat Blanc - oh, don't worry Girl, we're not staying in your room."
"Bu-but Chat's not a - allowed inside the bakery." the pig-tailed girl chewed her lower lip. "Pa - part of the a - agreement."
She informed them about the rules and regulations imposed by her parents in order for her to keep Chat Blanc, as well the required time period for her to train him properly. Say, potty training.
"I see." her friend massaged her temples then gave an exasperated sigh. "I bet your room was currently full of things you don't want us to see."
"Alya!"
The brunette only laughed much to her best friend's embarrassment.
"I'm curious though," Adrien asked as they continued walking. "Why, of all names, you choose Chat Blanc?"
Marinette tried to hide her flustered face but failed. "Be-because...White Cat?"
"Hmm. Point taken."
As the friends were about to head outside, they spotted a familiar feline sitting on the school gate fence as Mr. Haprèle tried to shoo it away.
Marinette gasped upon recognition. "Chat?!"
Chat Blanc ears perked up at the voice then launched himself to meet his Master's arms.
"Is that your pet, Miss Dupain-Cheng?" the school assistant asked the confounded girl.
"Ye-yes, Mr. Haprèle," she answered apologetically. "Did - did he do something wrong?"
The man shook his head, bemused. "Ah, no. Actually, that little fellow remotely stayed there for almost half an hour. If not for that bell collar, I might've presumed he's a stray and called Animal Control."
She paled as she inspected the mewling kitten, wondering how in the world he was able to follow her.
Did he escape from my hatch after I left?
She made a mental note to invest for a new padlock.
"Is that your kitten, Mari?" her bespectacled friend halted his tracks, followed by the other two.
She nodded with a wry smile. "Guys, meet Chat Blanc."
The kitten's green orbs blinked at the trio.
"Oh my gosh! The picture didn't do any justice on his cuteness!" Alya squealed as she petted the cat's head which earned a mirthful purr. "Don't tell me he's here to fetch you home?"
The owner's face went into crimson. "So - something like that...?"
"Are you sure he's a Chat and not a Chien?" Nino joked, scratching the pelt gently. "Because I'm sure no felines can go and track their Master's scent all the way from here."
"C'mon. He's just doing his job like a loyal Knight to protect his Lady." Adrien scoffed, trying to touch the animal's white fur.
It must be his enhanced reflexes or probably his heightened instinct that he moved his hand away before the cat swiped it with his sharp claws.
"Chat!" Marinette squeaked. Her mortification grew when the feline hissed.
"Whoa, dude! You okay?" the DJ patted his bewildered friend who couldn't believe he almost lost his hand. "Looks like Chat is ready to pounce you!"
"I -I - I'm so sorry, Adrien! I don't know what's wrong with him!" the pig-tailed girl stepped back while clutching her pet. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry - "
"It's alright, Marinette. I'm fine." the blond waved his hand, trying to dismiss the feral glares he was getting from the animal. "I understand that Chat Blanc was still not used in interacting with strangers."
"Bu - bu - bu - bu - but..."
"He's not hostile to me, dude," Nino muttered, and quite relieved that the cat finally relaxed at his ministration.
Alya stepped in front of them then sniffed Adrien's shirt. "It must be your smell."
"My what now?"
"I'm not telling you that you're stinky, Sunny Boy. I'm referring to your perfume." the brunette tried not to burst out laughing at his reaction. "And don't give me that scornful look. There are animals that are very sensitive to scents, and sometimes it would give them some mixed signals. That's why Papa always reprimands his co-workers to avoid using scented bath soaps or apply perfumes when cleaning the cages. You never know what kind of distraction it may bring."
Adrien wasn't sure if the cat caught a whiff of Camembert to earn such animosity.
"Hmm, no words, Agreste?" she crossed her arms much to his horror. "Are you seriously doubting the daughter of a zookeeper?"
"No! Not like that, I'm - I'm... "
"Anyways!" Marinette blurted out when she sensed a brewing trouble. "Ca - ca -ca - can we just have our lunch in the park instead?"
Her friends complied.
They swore they heard Chat Blanc's displeased huff there.
Luckily, the park wasn't crowded that they were able to find an ideal spot to eat.
Adrien decided to stay on the bench as he mused at his friends' interaction with the newest member of the group.
"Come here, kitty kitty."
"Aren't you a good boy, mon minou?"
"I got some treats for you, chaton."
"Oh my freaking God, Mari! Look at Chat!"
They all laughed when the kitten waddled towards a group of pigeons, probably to make a friend when one of the birds got pawed accidentally that it pecked the poor feline's snout. He yowled, then ran with a bullet speed away to leap at his Master's lap for comfort.
"What a darling kitty." the pig-tailed girl soothed.
"It's okay, dude." Nino nudged the blond who was watching the interaction. "I know you're a cat-lover and all, but then again, love can be unrequited."
He was proven correct when the pigeon that Chat Blanc offended with flew towards him and triggered his allergy.
.
.
.
.
"You know that feeling when you thought someone's calling you, only to found out that they were referring this other person, who happens to share your name?" Chat Noir muttered then glanced at his partner. "It's kind of...irritating, right?"
"I feel you." Ladybug nodded while staring at the skyline above the building's roof deck.
The superheroes were having a short break after covering half of their patrol routes.
"I've experienced a similar case before." the bug heroine began. "I was on my way home when someone yelled that I forgot my tablet. Of course, I immediately rushed towards this stranger and asked for it, then he was looking at me like I'm crazy. Then there's this other girl who came - "
"Who happens to share the same name as you!" the feline hero guffawed. "That's so awkward!"
She chortled at the memory. "I know, right? Not only your name can be victimized but also your nickname!"
"Tell me about it." he grimaced at the thought. "I have this classmate of mine who was using my monikers to call her pet."
He was taken aback when Ladybug suddenly rolled on her sides laughing like she would pop a rib.
"Hey, that's claw-ful, my Lady!" he pouted with crossed arms.
"Hahahahaha! What the heck, Chat! Oh, my...haha...I can't...I can't breathe..."
His pout deepens when she teared up.
"Don't tell me..." she wheezed out with watery eyes. "That you're imagining this classmate of yours calling you like her cat?"
His flustered mess betrayed him.
"I'm so hating you right meow!" the hero miffed when her raucous laughter doubled over.
It took her few minutes to regain her senses, much to his chagrin.
"Aww, my Kitty wants some love." the spotted heroine cooed. "Come over here, you mangy cat."
He sat beside her with a grumble as she scooted over for space then rested his head on her shoulder. He took a deep breath, savoring the moment of pure bliss.
Her red-gloved hands began to weave his golden strands. "You cats have this overbearing attitude - "
"You mean cat - titude, Buginette."
"Shut up, will you?" she chided at his smirk then continued. "Anyways, that kind of personality might be endearing, but sometimes it can be irritating."
"Oh, don't worry My Lady. I'll make sure I'm not at the receiving end."
"It's not you I'm referring to, but an actual cat."
He jostled, then sat ramrod straight. "Don't tell me you have a pet, LB?"
She nodded.
Wow. He just learned something new.
With an arm draped on his forehead and a hand clenched on his chest, he bemoaned. "How dare you cheat on me, My Lady! Two-timer! User! I call for a divorce!"
She rolled her eyes. "I know you'll throw a temper tantrum once I told you about him."
"Him?! That cheap lowlife scoundrel..."
Ladybug lightly kicked his shin.
"How could you do this to me, replacing me with someone else?" Chat Noir sniffed, then suddenly dropped his gaze like he just realized something. "Unless..."
His Cheshire grin only gave some churns on her stomach and the way he flashed his toothy grin daunted her that her mask failed to hide her pinkish bloom, and more when he winked.
"You took him as my substitute."
It irked her how smug her partner was, wiggling his brows like his ego got stoked.
"I know, Bugaboo. I know. You don't need to hide how smitten you are with my claw - someness."
Flexing his biceps was the last nail in the coffin.
Shaking her head indignantly, she rose up then sauntered towards his way.
"Let me tell you, mon Minou." she purred, flicking his bell with her index. "I don't see the reason for naming my pet Chat Noir if I already got him for myself."
The blush on his face could rival the redness of her Miraculous suit.
"Besides..." this time she batted her lashes then bit her lip. "You're irreplaceable."
She swore his knees buckled there, especially when she gave him a wink.
"Race you to the Eiffel, Kitty!"