Day 2 - Cat Person

So Ladrien June is a thing. I've got two fics lying around for day 2 and 11. But if anyone wants to see another day done on the fly, I'll happily oblige~

"This is so stupid!" Ladybug roared. But her tiny body only expelled a noise to match her state, and an elderly woman sitting nearby cooed an aww.

Ladybug turned an unimpressed look upon the citizen. "Ma'am," she snipped. "I'm doing my level best to care for Paris and it's inhabitants, so if you could look away from my current predicament, I would be glad to—"

"Absolutely precious." The woman gathered herself, and walked closer. "Here kitty, kitty."

Ladybug's hackles rose and she bolted. Currently standing she couldn't summon a Lucky Charm, and who is going to notice the akuma anyway?! It was a cat! An honest to kwami cat, she witnessed, that became an akuma.

The butterfly went to it's collar, of course. So Marinette transformed, underestimating, and therefore not waiting to catch its powers before it scratched her hand. Changing her into a cat. And leapt atop a freaking skyscraper before she could pursue.

She spared the school a glance, lamenting her already shoddy attendance, before she went to the Boulangerie Patisserie. It's lunch and the least she could get was a snack. She may be a cat, but maneuvering secretly about her home shouldn't be too hard. And her parent's do love pets if she's caught. But it is still a food-service, who's to say they won't chase her out with a broom?

Marinette paced outside until the bell dinged, and she had no choice but to trail in on the customers heels for lack of hands to open the door.

"Welcome!" her parents chimed.

Marinette crept along the edge of the display case. Mostly invisible. Not many look down. Marinette's eyes traveled up. And up. Except her father. No question there, he looks down at everything, and she's never had a problem with his height before now.

Chat Noir. Channel Chat. Chat's the picture of stealth - she cringed to think of him preening over that thought - but how many times has he snuck up on akuma let alone her?

She crept to the next display, ducking between flour bags when the bell dinged again.

"Hello!" Alya waved a bag to the counter. "Marinette forgot this. Again."

Sabine sighed, a hand to her cheek. "Thank goodness she has you."

"Yeah well, she did lay on a promise to treat me today. Something about homemade dumplings?"

Sabine smiled. "Marinette's not here yet, but there's enough to share, trust me, she got a bit excited." She giggled. "Oh! Is Marinette still staying over at your home for that project?"

"She better."

Marinette gulped.

"Alright." Sabine smiled. "You can go up and wait for her with your friends."

Marinette peeked around the flour. Friends?

Nino and Alya darted up to the living area, while the last leisurely waltzed past, lingering by the pastries. Marinette readied herself to dash in after the last visitor, but they stopped. She stared at the feet by her nose, willing them to move.

"I didn't know you had a kitten," Adrien's words floated on a laugh.

She froze. Head turning straight up to his beautiful dazzling smile. Perfect hair... flawless skin... A trance fell over her just watching him.

Until her mom raised a concerned brow. "Our job doesn't allow pets."

Adrien's eyes widened on Marinette, smile faltering slightly. "O-oh. Sorry, must be something in my eye." He knelt down with all the finesse of a wave on the horizon and swept her around the middle, straight into his bag. It took her a minute. Sitting on Adrien's notebook, next to Adrien's pencils, in Adrien's bag to realize.

Adrien.

Kidnapped.

Her.

Kidnap- catnap? He took her! She curled her paws around the notebook's edge to keep in place with his steps. Every shred of self-restraint high tailing it as she tried and failed to keep her claws from leaving marks. Soon the bag ceased swaying, and she had no choice but to face the eight long claw marks defacing his property. She cupped her eyes. Jumping slightly when her tail curled at her hind leg. She's not ready for this! Whatever this is! Why would Adrien catnap her! He can't be in his right mind. Right. He'll let her down, apologizing, because Adrien's perfect and wouldn't take animals that aren't his. Marinette's not wearing a collar per se, but a reflection in the shop window showed a ribbon at her neck. That's enough to prove she's not a stray for him to take. Momentary lapse of sanity. Yes. Everyone's prone to those, and she's certainly no stranger.

A light pressure at her back through the bag assured her that, yes, he's is fully aware of what he's doing.

Adrien what in the world?! She wanted to hiss out of pure mortification.

"Are you sure Marinette won't mind?" Adrien asked.

Yes! She minds a mountain-ton!

"Nope," Alya's voice swooped. "Marinette cooks with her mind, not her stomach. Girl could feed an army with how hungry she thinks she is."

They chuckled. Marinette grimaced. Thank you, Alya.

"Ah, man, free meal!" Nino cheered. "These are chicken dumplings, right?" He asked around a mouthful. "Sweet!"

A few beeps later, followed by Marinette's automated voice via voicemail, Alya sighed. "Gone again." Then more chipper. "She's getting scraps if she doesn't get her butt home soon."

They're eating her food. Adrien's in her home, eating her cooking, and she's in his bag. Mariette let loose a dreamy sigh. Situation aside, it's perfect. Even if she's not there there, Adrien is.

"This is great!" Adrien praised.

The table clattered. "She'll be glad to hear that," Alya replied.

Thank you, Alya! Marinette felt a happy tear gathering.

The fabric of his bag rustled. And she watched with rapt attention as Adrien's hand snaked inside. Giving her a peek of the outside, and Adrien's jeans. A dizzying reveal that means she's sitting on his lap. His hand twitched and she jerked back to reality. Curious. He opened his hand to offer a chunk of dumpling.

Adrien's a saint! She wanted to cry. All too eagerly she bit at the piece, hesitating only when she had to chew. Because it wasn't chewing. It was messy chomping that sent bits of food falling from her mouth with every attempt. Given enough time she managed to lick the crumbs clean. Tongue hanging out, she gasped with a start. Adrien fed her- she- she's going to have a cat heart attack. Is it okay for a cat to get this flustered this often? Would she die?

Adrien offered another piece. As she ate it she resigned herself to believe, yes, she's lived a good life. Ladybug certainly assured her a good spot, because heaven is inside Adrien's bag, and death is a nice state to be in.

—

They talked about homework, local events, the Ladyblog. Her ears perked to hear Nino gushing over Chat Noir for saving his dude here. Marinette could feel Nino harshly patting Adrien's back. And Adrien thanked him, praising Chat himself as the hottest cat in town. Her eyes strained not to roll.

Two more helpings later Marinette was forced to swat Adrien's kindness away. Her stomach is only so big, apparently. Except he persisted, she pawed him, enough. He opened his hand to prove it's emptiness. Confused, she watched his hand hover over her head, holding her breath when she saw how big it was in comparison to her entire self. It landed between her ears. Then stroked down her back.

She reacted instantly. Craning her head, following his every touch longingly, and only craving more. Drunk on it all, she didn't catch her purr before it rumbled to its loudest.

"Adrien," Nino chuckled. "I know the food's great, but dang, bro."

"What?" Adrien asked. "Oh! That's- I'm not-!"

"His bag, Nino!" Alya accused.

"Wait, don't!"

"Ah-ha!" Nino ripped open the bag. Marinette blinked rapidly into the blinding light.

"Oh my gosh, Adrien!" Alya squealed, and cupped Marinette into her arms. "She's so cute! Her fur makes her look like a little Ladybug!"

Marinette knew her fur was spotted in places, but still, she felt giddy to know Alya would point it out.

"I wanna hold her next!" Nino begged.

Marinette wobbled out of Alya's hold and used her arms as leverage to leap onto her shoulder. From there Marinette went to the table, and flicked her tail at them. She's her own person, thank you very much.

Nino's giant hand tapped her head down anyway. "She's got mad Ladybug moves too! Dude, why didn't you tell us you got a kitten?"

Adrien sheepishly shrugged. "'Cause I didn't. She snuck into the Patisserie."

"Oh, man, then I want her!" Alya hugged her close. Adrien looked torn, jaw clenched shut, as if forcing himself back. Alya took a picture of them together. "The blog will love this!"

"Yeah, right. Even with this cat's crazy skills, your sisters will smother this little Ladybug into a fur pile."

"You've killed three goldfish in the past month!" She shot back.

"Listen..." Adrien cut in. Marinette stole their lapse in attention, and pounced into his chest. Adrien wrapped his arms around her and grinned. "I'll make sure she finds a good home, don't worry."

Alya tilted her head, amused. "Seems she's got her favorites all sorted anyway. Fine." She tapped her phone. "But break is almost over."

"Hey, Marinette's a no show." Nino said as he picked up the plates.

"Yeah," Alya groaned. "I swear, some days she's nowhere!" She pushed them out. "Let's go."

Marinette went back into Adrien's bag, no arguments this time.

—

"You're gonna force the kitten through school?" Nino asked.

Adrien sighed and extracted Marinette from his bag. "Guess not."

He set her onto the grass outside school.

"Maybe she's got a home to go back to, and she'll just," he shrugged. "go," Nino encouraged with a hand on Adrien's shoulder. "If not, you can do your rescue effort."

Marinette's ears folded back. Once Adrien got to the steps he gave her a little wave. She raised her paw in return, dread bubbling when his jaw dropped. In her panic she pawed the air, pretending to pounce nothing. When Marinette glanced back, he was gone, and she put her forehead to the concrete repeatedly to scold her stupidity.