DISCONTINUED | Black Cat In A Box ☂ ML

05 ☂ Cat Cafe

05 ☂ Cat Cafe

UNREVISED

It was just after lunch when the fashion lecture finished, Marinette's stern lecturer bringing it to a close with the frightful reminder of her looming deadline. So Mari flew out of the university in an almost-blind panic, dragging Alya with her.

"A week! I have a week's time to get the design, dress and photoshoot done?!"

"Don't worry about it," Alya replied with a soothing arm wrapped around Mari's shoulders. "Let's go to Markl's now, and you can get started right away."

"Started..." Mari half-sobbed as Alya pulled her to a stop at a pedestrian crossing. But she couldn't fault her best friend in her suggestion. Markl was an old family friend, one who owned a small café close to Mari's apartment, and one let her work on her designs there, free of charge. He even had a special, private room set up just for her to use.

"I can get Nino to pick us up something from your bakery as well, if you want," Alya offered. "He was gonna meet me this afternoon, anyway."

"I don't think Markl will let us bring food into the café if we don't have any for him," She mused as they strolled along, coming within sight of a cozy coffee shop, nestled quietly in a graffiti covered alleyway. The big windows offered a clear view into the quaint store with only a couple of customers inside, which was complete with musky shelves stuffed with books leaning against every wall, private rooms, and cats.

As they chattered aimlessly, drawing closer, Mari felt herself immediately warm at the sight of the kittens in the window. Some lounged around on the warm sill, other, larger cats stalked around lazily with their tails in the air. They reminded her of Chat Noir, locked away alone at home, and a pang of guilt gripped her heart momentarily.

I'll be home soon, don't worry, mon chaton, she vowed. I'll just finish this design, pick up some actual cat food on the way home, and –

"Holy shit... Mari, are you seeing this?" Alya interrupted her thoughts with a quiet hiss under her breath, but barely paused as she shouldered open the jingling door. In one smooth motion she'd dropped her phone in her pocket and dragged Mari inside as well. Her glasses glinted in the light, and Mari followed her stare to the back of an obviously handsome man leaning against the counter, nodding as Markl spoke.

"Oh my god," Mari murmured. Though his back was to them, the bunched up muscles and broad shoulders were clearly evident underneath his tight, black shirt. His waist tapered down to slender hips, and even his foot crossed over the other lazily made Mari's throat dry up. Several speckled cats even acknowledged his godliness, twining around his legs with extra enthusiasm. But all she could see of his head was his messy blond curls, and she fought the urge to walk straight up to him and bury her hands in them.

"Just... act natural. Actually, no, that's no good for you. Just, I don't know, order like you usually do and – " Alya's orders were rapid, but Mari was having a hard time even moving to line up behind him.

At the sound of their approaching footsteps, the mystery man pushed of the counter and glanced over his shoulder. His eyes were such a vibrant green – almost glowing in the afternoon light streaming in as he idly gave Alya a onceover.

He certainly is beautiful, she realised with a small breath, drinking in his sculptured features with a raging thirst.

But as soon as his gaze reached Mari, every muscle in his body seemed to freeze up.

"Sir? Are you listening?" Markl, the owner of the café, fought to regain the man's attention. He was a friendly man with warm eyes and twany hair – an old friend of Papa's. But even as Markl was relaxed, his new friend seemed almost scared now as he held her blue gaze, and Marinette found herself panicking in response, even as Alya squeezed her elbow.

Why is he looking at me like that? Did I spill coffee on my shirt? Is there something on my face? Oh man, what've I done this –

"Like I said, we have a starting slot for you on Thursday, if you're interested," Markl repeated curiously, leaning from the opposite side of the counter to look between Mari and his seemingly new employee. "Do you know Marinette, Adrien?"

Mari felt her lips peel back in a wide smile, and what probably looked very awkward and very forced. I have never seen that man in my life.

"Uh – oh, no... no, I-I've never met her before," Adrien's voice sounded too smooth, too enticing to be used to stuttering. He spun on his heel suddenly, facing Markl as he made his retreat. "Anyway, uh, I'll think about it. Thanks, really, for the opportunity. I'm incredibly grateful."

With such final words, Adrien departed quickly, breezing past as Mari stepped out of his way. He refused to even meet her gaze, pretending to be preoccupied with the cats swarming around his feet. Then the bell jingled softly as he disappeared out the door, and probably, out of Mari's life.

An unnamed emotion made her chest constrict, even as Markl chuckled heartily, beckoning the two girls forward with a hand. "Now, that's the kinda boy you don't see everyday, eh, girls?"

"What's going on, Markl? Is he a new barista?" Alya rounded on the shopkeeper, jumping straight in for the kill. "What's his name again? Adrien? How old is he? Where does – "

Markl laughed louder this time, ringing up their regular order without confirmation. "Slowly, slowly, Miss Reporter. He came in looking for work, adamant about landing a parttime." The older man then leant against the glass cage of sweets, scratching his stubbly chin thoughtfully. "But with that exit, I doubt we'll see him again. 'Thanks for the opportunity', 'I'll think about it', bah! After I even made a spot for him, too."

"But he might still come back, right?" Mari couldn't stop herself from asking, and a wolfish grin crossed Alya's face.

"If you don't scare him away again," Markl joked, and Mari forced a laugh in response. She couldn't help but feel like she had done something to offend him. But I didn't do anything, did I?

Ah, what a strange man!

She was still frowning as they retreated to her special, reserved room (thank god for Markl's kindess), even as her favourite furry friend (not including Chat Noir), came padding out with an expectant blink of his brown eyes. "Hi, Théo..." Mari sat on her usual a worn, leather couch as he purred up a storm, stroking him indulgently as he rubbed all over her. "Do you know what's wrong with me, hey?"

"Enough of that!" Alya was smiling evilly as she pulled out her laptop, a knowing light twinkling in her eyes. "You, get to work and leave 'Adrien' to me!"

"Alya, I – "

"Nope! Get your butt into gear! You've got a week to get this done!"

Mari felt her blood freeze.

"Yes, ma'am!"

  ☂