Marinette didn't know why Chat Blanc wasn't fond of Adrien.

She first thought it was the blond thing since he showed a similar animosity towards Chloe, though milder in a sense that her cat was dangerously growling at the mayor's daughter whenever he sees her. But when she found out that Rose could pet him just fine, she realized that it wasn't the case.

She also realized that Chat Blanc didn't like Adrien's face either.

There was a time wherein one of the model's posters fell off due to loose tacks, the feline immediately shredded it mercilessly with his sharp claws - and probably peed on it if she arrived late.

Not to mention his persistent scratches on the roll-up schedule, he would bump her desk's foot with an aim to crash Adrien's framed picture on the floor. So far he only broke two.

"Well, I guess we know how to potty train Chat Blanc." Tikki taunted. "By making an Adrien-themed litter box!"

Her charger looked at her like she just told her to kill herself.

Later on that day, Marinette realized that using a Chat Noir-themed litter box was effective as well.

(When she told her partner about it, he only gave two thumbs-up as a seal of approval. Weird Kitty.)

Which led her back to the initial assumption that Chat Blanc didn't like blonds.

"Well, Chat Noir is a cat. And cats hate to share affections."

"But Chat Noir is a human in a cat suit." the pig-tailed girl reasoned. "And Adrien is a human in perfection."

"Maybe Chat Blanc sensed them as his potential rival?"

She snorted indignantly. "Oh puh-lease. For Adrien, yes. But Chat Noir?"

The red kwami only pursed a grin.

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"Hey, LB?"

"Hmm?" the spotted heroine glanced at her partner after she unclasped her yo-yo. "What is it, Chaton?"

"Is it true that pets can sense their Master's emotion? Like, if their Master didn't like something or someone perhaps, they would react indifferently, right?"

"I believe so, yes. I mean, my pet hates cucumber as much as I hate them on my salad."

"I see." Chat Noir sighed with deflated faux ears.

"Are you alright, Kitty?" she asked. "You're not so energetic tonight."

Her partner shook his head, and even though he flashed her a smile, his emerald eyes weren't.

"I'm fine, My Lady," he answered, unable to hide his crestfallen expression. "It's just...it's something related to my civilian life. Nothing to worry about."

As much as Ladybug hate not knowing it, but they have rules to uphold. "If you say so, Kitty."

"Why don't we split our way - you on the right while I'll handle the left?"

"Sounds good to me."

Before she could cast her yo-yo and jump to the next building, she swore she heard him muttered 'She still hates me.'

Their patrol ended without him telling her what was it all about.

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"Hi, Marinette."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAA!" the pig-tailed girl shrieked and about to grab the hand on her shoulder when she realized a familiar face. "A - A - A - A - Adrien?!"

He winced at her reaction. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"I - I - I - It's okay! No worries!" she squeaked, flailing her arms in the air. "Ju - ju - ju - ju - jumpy I am! I mean, I am jumpy! Jumpy 'coz I'm clumsy! Clumsy and jumpy!"

If she didn't avert her eyes out of nervousness, she might've seen the dismay on his green orbs.

"I see." he chuckled then rubbed his nape. "I was wondering if...if..."

Several thoughts entered her mind. Is he going to ask me for a date? Or maybe he doesn't want to befriend me anymore? Or probably something related to class? Oh my God, do we have an assignment?! Wait, he's not a type of person who misses something like that. Oh shit, what if we really have an assignment and he wants to ask if I have one? But I don't remember if we have an assignment today! My God, what if we have a test?! What if he's going to ask me -

"Marinette?"

"Yes!" she yelped as she straightened her back.

"I was asking about Chat Blanc. Is he available today?"

Her shoulders obscurely dropped.

Of course, it's not about me.

"Of course!" she chirped with a cracked smile. "Want to grab a lunch with me today?

"I'd love to."

If she didn't cast her eyes to the ground, she might've seen the happiness that marred on his face.

That wasn't the last time Adrien approached her for lunch.

He asked her similarly the next day, and the day that followed until it became a routine for them to hang out together with Chat Blanc.

At first, he would bring a mouse toy, then a ball of yarn the next day. Several cat toys were being brought to lure Chat Blanc's out from his personal space, but all the efforts were futile.

Even a large pouch of catnip.

But Adrien was an optimistic guy, and it was something that Marinette couldn't help but admired.

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"I think one of my friends is a bit obsessed with my cat."

Ladybug didn't know whether to laugh or feel offended the way Chat Noir jaw slacked comically with saucer-like eyes in slits.

"Of course it's not you, silly." she scoffed. "I'm referring to my civilian's self-cat. Don't worry, you're still my biggest dark secret."

Her partner flashed his toothy grin. "Oh, so your friend likes this second Copycat?"

The heroine frowned. She corrected him numerous times about his monikers towards her pet, but at the same time, she couldn't tell him that she named her cat Chat Blanc because, reasons.

"I don't know what's wrong with him – my cat, I mean. And my friend was doing everything to win his favor. Like today, I caught him reading piles of books about cats in the library. Then another friend of ours told me that he had binge-watching several cat videos online even before I got a pet."

"Maybe he's just a cat-lover?" he offered.

"To the point that he starts talking with cat puns?"

She was tempted to haul her yo-yo and threw it straight in his face.

"Be careful with that friend of yours, My Lady," he smirked devilishly. "He might be a potential rival to win your cat's affection."

It peeved her more when his Cheshire grin grew.

"You never know, we could be best of friends!"

That night she began to ponder about Adrien's possible reaction if he learned that she was Ladybug and that she has another Chat.

Maybe Adrien and Chat Noir will be ended up together.

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It was a typical sight in Francoise Dupont's entrance gate to witness a depressing moment between a certain white feline and a famous model every after school.

"Poor sunshine child. He's been so patient with him all this time." Alya commented as they watched how Chat Blanc gave an annoying hiss when Adrien approached his post again. "And I can tell that he's at his wit's end."

"Chat has never been like that to anyone." Marinette sighed when the blond offered her pet a cube of Camembert.

"Maybe Chat's a possessive type?"

The pig-tailed girl elbowed her best friend. Hard.

"This is not the first time my bro got shunned by someone upon meeting him for the first time," Nino muttered when the cat pawed the cheese. "Like Master, like Pet, I guess?"

"I am holding a bottle of orange juice here, Nino. Don't make me waste this drink by pouring it to your head, and I'm going to make sure your precious cap will not be spared."

The DJ took a few steps away from the girl.

The brunette snorted while the two winced when Chat Blanc flung the Camembert unceremoniously to the ground, much to the blond's horror.

"Who in the right's mind will feed a cat with a cheese?" Alya shook her head casually. "Okay, let's go to that pitiful being and - "

Everyone was taken aback when Adrien suddenly erupted with a scream. "YOUR CAT-TITUDE IS SO CLAW-FUL IT'S NOT A-MEW-SING ANY-MEOW!"

While Marinette sputtered and choked her drink, their two bespectacled friends guffawed.

And to add a salt to the injury, the cat responded by lifting his leg to lick his balls.

"That's it. Chat Blanc doesn't hate my bro." Nino bit his fist to contain his laughs. "Chat Blanc loathes my bro."