DISCONTINUED | Black Cat In A Box ☂ ML

01 ☂ For Free

01 ☂ For Free

UNREVISED

Marinette hurried through the streets of Paris with her head down low and her bag clutched to her hip. Though her trusty spotted umbrella was trying its hardest to shield her from the rain, the cold onslaught still found a way to drench her entire body. Her hair was plastered to her forehead, her clothes clung to her body and her gloved fingers felt like ice. But she was determined to make it home at least a little bit dry.

The weather forecast had been predicting big storms recently, but not so big that they lasted for three whole days! Marinette was, quite frankly, sick of it.

And so was her umbrella, apparently.

With a loud clang, her ladybug mate turned inside out in a particularly hard gust of wind, exposing her shivering form to the harsh elements.

"Shoot!" Mari cursed and fought against her newfound parachute, struggling to fold over on herself as she ran for nearby eaves hanging over an alley. She could just see her old artisan apartment block on the other side of the road, through the misty sheets falling relentlessly to the ground.

"So close but so far!" She cried, but her lamentation was wasted on empty streets, and the rain even started pelting down harder.

Damn it, she furrowed her brow and shot her umbrella a forlorn look. It reminded her of a squashed spider; all spindly legs and flapping fabric – trying its hardest but failing miserably. She felt exactly like the umbrella, and just couldn't believe her luck. University had been terrible all day; filled with clumsy mishaps, embarrassing stuttering after said clumsy mishap, and even worse tutorials with the victim of the clumsy mishap afterwards. She'd hoped to be at least a little better off at home, but...

But nothing! Marinette resolved herself with a clenched fist. Today won't be my day until I make it so!

She glanced back at the rain. Look, I'm already completely wet. If I run to the front door's steps fast enough, it probably won't make a difference.

Gathering her courage, Mari set her jaw, tucked her wrecked umbrella under her arm and leaned forward a bit to check the empty road. If nothing was coming, she'd make a run for it.

And, now –

"Meeerooow!"

Before she could dash into the rain, a pitiful cry startled her so much she nearly jumped three feet into the air. Casting a shocked stare to a water-logged cardboard box leaning against the brick wall, Mari pressed a hand to her heart and tried to calm its frantic beating.

The shrill scream came again, and Mari hurriedly pulled off her gloves as she bent beside the dirty package. Peeling its soggy flaps back, she was faced with two wide, green eyes as a cowering black cat meowed again, desperate for her attention. The sorry creature was wet, shivering and looked half-starved, and her heart nearly broke into a million pieces right then and there.

"Oh, you poor thing," she cooed, and quickly glanced around for any more cats. "You poor, poor thing!"

Though he seemed to be alone as he kept crying, a sodden piece of paper was hanging from the side of the box, that read: 'For Free (Black cats are bad luck though)'.

Marinette clucked her tongue angrily. How could someone so coldheartedly abandon their precious family! All because of a superstition!

The cat was still fixated on Mari, meowing and meowing and meowing. His teeth looked sharp, but she had a feeling that if he bit her, it would be better than being forced to die alone in the cold rain.

"Alright, come here, mon chaton," she decided instantly as she ripped off her gloves and tucked them into her purse. "Let's get you someplace warm."

Mari reached into the sagging box and he leapt straight into her hands, quickly extended his claws into her chest to pulling half of his body up onto her shoulder. Still meowing, she clutched him to her like a baby and picked up her discarded umbrella. The rain was still going strong, but she set her jaw and eyed the empty road again.

"Get ready, chaton, we're gonna get a little wet."

☂