The Cat Bell Curse

👣Chapter 2🐾

{+}{+}{+}

   Adrien was soaked to the bone when he found a cardboard box to take shelter in. He sat in the box as it continued to pour rain joined by thunder every so often.

   He felt like a walking jinx, once living in an empty home and now a stray on the streets, literally. Anything he did, any mistake he caused always seemed to disappoint people.

   He was never good enough, a lesson learned long ago because he had his flaws. In his father's eyes, Adrien was a walking flaw and not the perfect model boy that he wanted.

   Now look where he was at, cursed to be a cat forever unless he found love, something he wasn't even remotely knowing of. All's he saw in love was weakness and pain. So why would that Tikki witch want him to search for it?

   So he can make another mistake to prove just how pathetic he was? What a sick joke she played on him. He wasn't laughing. He was soaked and sitting in a cardboard box with a slightly bleeding tail.

   If only his luck would change, ironically he was the symbol of it, black cat and all. He was supposed to be unlucky just like he has been his whole life.

   The rain began to lighten a little so Adrien decided to leave his depressing thoughts and continue forward. It wasn't long before it started to pour again much to his irritation.
Green eyes glared at the storm above before bowing his head in defeat.

   Adrien's cat ears twitched and head perked up at the sound of footsteps coming from behind. The streets were pretty much empty except for a couple cars cruising by. He wondered who in their right mind would be out in the weather.

   The rain came to a halt and replaced by the sound of marbles dropping on the floor. Adrien turned and saw a girl with an umbrella watching him below.

   "You poor, kitty. What are you doing out in this kind of weather? Are you lost?" The girl questioned, noticing his collar. She bent down and examined the bell, probably searching for an address of some sort. Adrien could only sarcastically meow to reply but it didn't seem to faze the girl at all.

   "Come on. I'll take you home and dry you off. We can get you some food and water while we're at it," the bluenette said, picking up the cat. Adrien hadn't realized how hungry he was until she mentioned food.

   Now that he thought about it, he missed breakfast and lunch, almost dinner time. He was indeed hungry especially when his stomach growled a little. He would have flushed in embarrassment if it weren't for the fact that he was a cat.

   The girl hummed in thought as she walked down the sidewalk. Adrien raised an eyebrow, wondering what this girl was thinking.

   "Is it okay if I call you Chat Noir? Chat for short," The girl asked. This perked the boy's interest a bit hearing the name.

   Chat Noir was a fictional character on one of his favorite anime shows, Miraculous Ladybug.
Does this girl happen to watch it or something to think up such a name? It was a mystery to him but didn't complain much, not that he had a choice in the matter.

   "Sure, it isn't to bad a name, I guess. There could be worser, not that I have a choice," Adrien sighed, thinking of worser names that she could of thought of. Yet, all the bluenette could hear was his meows.

   "I'm just going to assume that's a yes," she answered, entering a bakery. Cozy, warm air filled with the sweetest smells he's ever sniffed hit his nose. Was he in heaven? There was no way he was leaving without a taste of one of those golden croissants in the display box.

   He actually almost drooled on the girl's sleeve.

   "Marinette, where on Earth have you been?" a Chinese lady questioned the girl, now dubbed Marinette.

   "Sorry, mama. I wasn't expecting the storm to pick up, and my phone battery died on the way here," Marinette apologized, sheepishly scratching the back of her neck with her free hand. Marinette's mother sighed, shaking her head at her forgetful daughter.

   That's when she noticed a small guest in Marinette's arms.

   "Where did you get a cat from?" The woman asked, raising an eyebrow.

   "I found him in the pouring rain. Can I keep him until we find his owners? I don't want him to be stuck in a shelter or pound. I'll even take care of him," Marinette begged.

   "It's fine as long as you keep the cat in the house and not the bakery. Please don't get too attached to it either...I know-"

   "Mama, it'll be okay," Marinette quickly cutting in, smiling at her mother. Adrien felt the girl's hold on him tighten with uncomfortableness. The woman grimaced before nodding and letting her daughter go. Marinette climbed the stairs up to the apartment building above.

It surprised Adrien how small the apartment was when walking in. The kitchen and living room were practically the same room. It would need a second floor to compare to his own room's size. Yet, there was something that felt weirdly nice about it. Warm. Welcoming. Not intimidating or cold.

"Let's see if I can find you some food," Marinette said, placing him on the floor. The cat perked up with joy at the mention of food and trotted behind the bluenette to the fridge.

Marinette opened the fridge and dug through the contents until sliding out a container. She popped the lib open and placed it in the microwave, starting it. Then she grabbed a bowl and filled it with water before setting it in front of Adrien.

The boy drank a couple laps of water before a plate of steaming chicken was placed next to it. He greedily devoured it until his stomach was satisfyingly full.

"You must have been really hungry," Marinette noted, reaching out to pet him on the head. Adrien glared at the girl and almost waved his claws to shoo her away. Marinette obliged, retreating her hand.

   He wasn't in the mood for her pity or sentimental pets. He hated pitied looks from his father's assistant, Natalie and his bodyguard, the Gorilla (nickname given for his ape like looks). Adrien has been taught to not be weak and sentimental.

   Yet, he was in such a vulnerable state that it made him want to rip someone's throat out, preferably that witch! If it weren't for her wicked tricks then he wouldn't be here feeling so powerless.

Marinette took the empty plate putting it into the sink before picking Adrien up again. He was about to protest when she trotted up the stairs and opened a trap door. His first thought when, what looked to be her room, was cotton candy throwing up. Her whole room was pink except for the brown wooden floors.

Adrien groaned in disgust. He hated the color pink with a passion. It was too girly and soft of a shade of the dominant red. He'd rather be seen naked than wear such a diminishing color.

"If you didn't know yet, this is my room," Marinette said, setting Adrien down and snapping him out of his negative thoughts to be replaced with sarcastic ones. He sat down, green eyes rolled unimpressed by the girl and her room.

"This is going to be a total nightmare," he mumbled under his breath. The bluenette only heard him "meow" then smiled brightly.

"Do you like it?" She asked. Adrien wanted to tell this girl how much he despised it and her but it was no use to try. She would take it as a whole different answer.

Marinette kelt down to try and pet his head again but the human-minded cat avoided the hand. With narrowed eyes, he crawled under the chaise to be far from her reach as possible.

Disappointment slightly filled her blue orbs but evaporated into a small, understanding smile. She stood, heading over to the desk and sat down working on something. Adrien figured she was working on homework or something and laid down to take a cat nap.

"I need to figure out how to change back before she decides to play dress up with me," he thought, bitterly before drifting off into a deep sleep.

{+}{+}{+}