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The town buzzed with excitement at the news.
“Have you heard?”
“I know!”
“She finally made the announcement.”
Everyone from the fish salesmen to the mayor knew what had happened. Everyone, except Adrien Agreste that is. He was completely and utterly lost.
“What is everyone talking about?” Adrien asked Nino, his best friend.
“You mean you don’t know?” Nino raised an eyebrow.
“Should I?”
Nino sighed before leading his friend to the town square.
“Nino! Adrien!”
Nino led them to the fountain, where a woman with red hair and glasses sat. At her side stood a large orange fox.
This must be the girl Nino is head over heels for. Adrien thought to himself. I don’t know anyone else that has a fox familiar.
“Have you heard?”
“I have, but it seems my friend here hasn’t.”
The red haired girl let out an offended gasp.
“How do you not know?”
“I guess I’m not very caught up on all the gossip.”
»»——⍟——««
The woman, who later introduced herself as Alya, explained that the witch who lived at the edge of the woods finally announced that she would accept a sutor. The only catch? She would only accept the person who could unlock her door.
“How are they supposed to do that?”
Alya’s smile only widened. “I was hoping you would ask that. There is a blue eyed black cat that lives around her cottage. The cat wears a red collar with a sparkly silver key attached.”
“So if they can catch the cat and get the key, they can unlock her door.” Adrien smiled.
Clever.
“Exactly. There seems to be a problem, however…”
Adrien and Nino leaned closer to Alya as she paused, eager to hear what she had to say next.
“In the few hours since the announcement was made no one has been able to even touch the cat.”
Adrien frowned. There was a solution to this, he knew there was. And he was ready to figure it out.
»»——⍟——««
He couldn’t figure it out. After months of trying only one person has gotten close to catching the cat. Felix Agreste had the cat in his arms, but it escaped before he could get the key.
“You should go try.” Nino said to Adrien one day. They were sitting on the outer wall of his house watching the sunrise.
“I don’t know. There are some extremely clever people in our village. Not even they could get the key. What makes you think I can?”
An innocent smile graced Nino’s face. “Just trust me.”
That afternoon after stopping at the bakery Adrien made his way towards the woods. There stood a simple cottage. Smoke puffed from the chimney and flowers bloomed on the bushes.
“This is nice.” Adrien said to himself.
Slowly, he looked around, but there was no cat in sight.
Adrien let out a huff and dropped onto the low wall by the gate of the cottage. He thought of his mother’s familiar cat. Reading a book always seemed to attract the wily beast when he was a child.
With a smile Adrien reached into his bag and pulled out a book. No better way to attract a cat than act as if you don’t care.
»»——⍟——««
Adrien must have leaned on that wall for hours before he tore his eyes away from the book. He jumped slightly with a yelp when his eyes landed on the creature before him.
Across the gate, on the other wall sat a blue eyed black cat with a red collar. Adrien smiled softly and sent an internal thank you to his mother.
“Hello.” Adrien said to the cat, softly. The cat simply tilted its head, as if it were confused.
“My name is Adrien. I live here in the village. I work with my father as a tailor.” He paused. How do you talk to something that can’t talk back?
“You’re very pretty.” He tried. He wasn’t lying. The cat’s fur looked almost blue in the evening sun.
The cat, though very slowly, stood up and took a few steps towards him. Adrien simply smiled and looked away, deciding to dig through his bag instead.
“I don’t know what you eat, but I went to a bakery for lunch and had some leftover macaroons.”
Adrien unwraps the small pink pastry. The cat’s slitted pupils immediately round out and suddenly the cat is at his side, munching on the food.
Adrien glances down. He could easily grab the key. It wouldn’t be that hard to just swipe it while the cat was distracted.
That’s not very fair though, is it?
Once the cat finished the macaroon it sat down, tail curled around its feet. It’s tongue darted out of its mouth to lick at its lips.
Adrien laughed and grabbed another wrapped up pastry. He got up from his spot on the wall and placed the pastry in his spot.
“There ya go.”
The cat watched with thoughtful eyes as Adrien made his way back towards the village.
»»——⍟——««
Thus a routine was born. Every other day Adrien would visit the Witch’s cottage and meet the cat. He would bring various types of foods and sweets for the small creature. After two weeks the cat let him touch her.
He had been leaning on the inside of the wall, tucked away from the intense sun in the grass, when the cat curled up on the side of his leg. Adrien lowered his book slightly to see the cat with her eyes half lidded, the silver key just within reach. The thought crossed his mind. But he simply kept reading.
The week after that the cat crawled in his lap while he was reading. She stared at the words as if trying to read along with him. With a small smile Adrien started to read out loud. The cat seemed to enjoy the story.
Occasionally Adrien would hear more gossip from Nino or Alya of another person failing to catch the cat.
“Have you come close to catching it yet?” Alya asked one day while they were out for lunch. They were waiting for her friend, Marinette.
“I haven’t tried.” He told them with a smile.
“What are you guys talking about?” The trio turned to see Marinette.
Adrien couldn’t help but stare. She was gorgeous.
The red sundress with black spots reminded Adrien of a ladybug. A red choker rested at the base of her neck.
“Just your cat.” Alya said with a wink.
Adrien could have sworn his jaw hit the floor.
This is the woman who everyone wants to marry?!
“Ah yes. Tikki. I love her to death but I wish she would spend more time inside.”
Marinette turned her attention towards Adrien. A light pink dusted her cheeks while a smile made its way onto her lips.
“Hey. I’m Marinette, nice to meet you.”
He was frozen. This woman was amazing!
He only regained his senses when a sharp elbow to his side reminded him that her hand was still being held out.
Adrien shook her hand with as much strength as he could muster. “Adrien.”
The smile she gave him almost made him melt on the stop.
“It’s so nice to be out and about. I’ve been cooped up for so long.”
The rest of the afternoon went swimmingly.
The four of them walked around the village and through the different shops. Adrien got over the initial shock of just how amazing Marinette is and had the time of his life with her. By sunset Alya and Nino decided to call it a night and made their way back to their house.
“Can I walk you home?” Adrien asked, holding out an arm.
“Merci, Adrien.”
The walk was comfortable. Adrien never wanted her to let go of his arm.
“Well here we are.”
“I had a wonderful time today. Even if that guy did try to propose to you.”
Marinette laughed and shook her head.
“I’ll see you again, I hope?” She asked opening her gate and walking to the other side.
“Anytime you want.” Adrien took her hand in his and brushed a kiss on her knuckles. “My Lady.”
»»——⍟——««
The next morning the Adrien was on his way to the toadstool circle to gather supplies for a spell when he saw her.
Tikki was sitting on a tree stump with her tail wrapped around her legs.
“Hello Tikki.” Adrien told the cat. “Are you having a good morning?” He tipped his pointed hat in an overexaggerated gesture.
The cat blinked her eyes slowly.
“Well, that’s good. Is there anything I can help you with?”
The cat nodded her head. Adrien took the hat off his head and sat in front of the cat.
“What is it?”
There was a glimmer in the cat’s eyes and she puffed out her chest, making the silver key catch the light.
“They key?” Adrien tilted his head to the side, much like she did on their first meeting.
Tikki nodded again.
“What do you want me to do with it?”
The cat huffed and let out a squeaky meow. She puffed out her chest again.
As though he was slapped in the head Adrien seemed to understand.
Tikki wanted him to take the key!
With hesitant motions he reached forward and took the key. The metal was cool in his palm.
In the blink of an eye and a flash of pink light Tikki was gone. In her place sat Marinette, wearing a simple pink dress and the red choker.
“Congrats. It seems we’re to be wed.”
“Marinette?” Adrien stumbled back.
“The one and only!”
“You’re a Feraformis?”
Marinette smirked and rolled her eyes. “You’re a silly kitty. Of course i am.”
A light bulb lit above Adrien’s head.
“That’s why no one was able to catch Tikki!”
“Exactly. I didn’t want to marry just anyone with a wand and some tuna. The person i wanted to marry had to be clever enough to realize you have to let a cat come to you, patient enough to wait as long as it took, and kind enough to wait for the right moment.”
“And you think that’s me?”
Marinette helped Adrien from the forest floor. She dusted off his green cloak with a smile. “I don’t think so Adrien. I know so.”
Adrien pulled Marinette into a hug, resting his chin on her head as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
“We should probably tell Alya and Nino about this shouldn’t we?”
Marinette winced but chuckled nonetheless.
“I guess so. Let’s go, I hear there’s a great bakery on the way.”