Marinette wasn't sure about cats and their antics of following their Masters around - both inside and outside the house.

She remembered how Chat Blanc cried outside her bathroom door when she locked it once, and another when she closed the shower curtain to take a bath. Not to mention that he was tagging along whenever she goes to school, the cat would even accompany her in delivering pastries.

If not for him, she might've died from an accident last month.

But then, his behavior was not always welcomed.

"No." the designer gave her mewling pet a beady eye. "You are not allowed inside a fabric shop, kitty. You might be sued for stealing some yarns there."

Chat Blanc meowed while ribboning himself around his Master's legs.

"Don't you dare give me that pleading look. It's not working."

He meowed again.

Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose. "Maman! Help me!"

Sabine poked her head from the kitchen and observed her daughter who was having a meltdown on their porch.

"Sorry, dear. I don't have the heart to put him in a cage." the Chinese woman said.

"But Maman, I can't bring him along with me." the pig-tailed girl whined. "Can you just lock him for a few minutes until I get out of here? Please?"

"You know it will end up badly, right?"

When Marinette once caged her pet and have her parents release him an hour after she left the premise, Chat Blanc immediately went out of the house and didn't return before dinner.

Tom had to contact the city pound for the missing cat; even Sabine had to ask their neighbors about Chat Blanc. That time, Marinette was with Alya, Nino, and Adrien for a movie night when she received a call from her frantic mother.

If not for her alter-ego, she will never find her cat hanging helplessly on a tree branch.

"Listen here, buddy." the girl knelt down and petted his head. "I'm going to a bazaar for a fabric warehouse sale. There's a lot of people there and it's going to be bloody. You might be crushed, or worse be catnapped by some humans. I will not be able to save you, mon chaton."

Chat Blanc meowed in response.

"Okay kitty, I don't speak cat languages, but let me tell you again - no."

Tom emerged from the stairs then chuckled at his daughter's dilemma.

"Let me pick him up, sweetie." the baker plucked the feline on the floor. "Say 'bye-bye' now to your Human."

"Please watch him, Papa." Marinette sighed as she kissed her father's cheek then another to her pet. "Hope the cherry pink linen is still in-stock."

"I'm sure it will. Be here before dinner, okay?"

"Will try."

Marinette tried not to wince when Chat Blanc cried as she closed the door and left. Once she rode the bus, she opened her pouch discreetly and met her kwami's sorry eyes.

"I feel bad for Chat, but we have to leave him for his own safety." Tikki soothed her. "We can bring him some cat toys and treats as an apology."

"You know Chat's logic - he would choose a cardboard than a €25 cat bed to sleep in." she chuckled.

It was early Sunday morning yet the plaza was already brimming with people. Some of the booths were not open yet while others were already re-stocking their displays.

Before she could go to the first booth, a shadow immediately landed behind her and spoke "Fancy meeting you here, Purr-incess."

Marinette groaned.

"What are you doing here, Chat Noir?"

The black-clad superhero twirled his staff before latching it on his back. "Well, a birdie told me that you're on a shopping spree today, and as your valiant Knight, I find it unacceptable that a Princess like you don't have a company."

"Valiant knight." the designer scoffed. "More like a phony stalker."

Chat Noir pouted indignantly.

"I'm fine, Kitty. You don't have to tag along. I'll be looking around here for some cheap fabrics, and probably buying lots of it depending on my budget."

"Then it's better if I'll go with you! That way, you'll have someone who can carry your things." he quipped then flexed his arms shamelessly. "Don't you trust these wonder-fur guns?"

Marinette felt another headache coming.

How she wished she has a bigger cage to lock another cat.

"Don't you have anything to do today?" she placed her hands on her hips. "Play games, have fun with your friends? Or patrol maybe? I don't mean to be rude Chat, but you're a renowned person in Paris. I don't want to intimidate some shops here because you're with me. Besides, I can manage myself."

"I'll make sure to step few meters behind you."

"Haggle is a boring activity, Chat."

"Haggle is a learning experience, Princess."

"Kitty no."

"Kitty yes."

The designer began to massage her temples. She tried not to make a scene and kick the stupid mangy cat in the rear. She knew how persistent her Chaton with or without his infamous Kitty Eyes™, and the only possibility she could do to throw him off her trails was to transform into Ladybug.

But that would also mean bazaar shopping as Ladybug.

With an exasperated sigh, she poked his chest with her index. "I'm not going to bail you out if you were caught stealing a yarn."

Chat Noir beamed up then nodded rapidly.

Entering on their first booth, the owner immediately recognized the hero.

"I'm sorry Madame, but I'm a cosplayer." he lied, making the woman's excitement vanished. "We're also looking for some polyester spandex with the same quality as my costume."

"That's a good costume you have there, young lad. Did you make it?" one of the onlookers asked after they left for their third shop.

"Ah, no. I bought it from Amazon."

"Wow, I almost thought you're Chat Noir." another person commented. "Too bad your companion is not wearing a Ladybug costume."

Marinette tried not to snort as she rummaged some swatches.

She was glad Chat Noir didn't garner too much attention. She was able to enter from one booth to another without any hassles, and even though there were other sellers who were too stingy to give her some discounts, she remained impassive on their customer's service.

"That's an Alpine velvet, young lady. I will give it to you for only €7.35 per yard."

"Erm, isn't it quite expensive?"

"How many yards do you want? I can offer €6.35 if it's more than five yards."

"How about €6?"

"That's already below the market price, young lady."

"Oh. But one of the booths here offered me €6 a yard."

"Really? Maybe it's not an Alpine."

"It's an Alpine, Monsieur." the pigtailed designer clarified. "But they don't have a burgundy silk unlike here."

The man took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll give it to you for €6. How many yards of burgundy silk do you want?"

"Two, please."

"That's...€36.70 in total."

"€36.70?! I can buy a yard of these for only €18 in St. Peter's!"

"These are Dupioni."

"These are old stocks." she pressed on. "Why not €36 for two, Monsieur?"

The old man sighed again as he punched the numbers into the calculator.

"You're so claw-some, ma Purr-incesse. There's no way I can do your tricks of the trade." Chat Noir mused while sipping a fruit shake they bought from a food stand. The two were on a short break and currently sitting on a stone bench.

"Maman's better." Marinette finished her crepe then balled the wrapper. "She can get half a price of wheat flour even though there's a 20% discount on bulk orders. She can also get vegetables and meats in the market for a cheaper price. Not to mention her budgeting skills."

"This might sound like stereotyping, but Chinese are well known for their money expertise."

"You mean frugality." she threw the balled garbage in the trash can. "I'm an impulse buyer, Chat. I can't keep up with my savings, and sometimes I'm short on my allowance. I'm a disgrace to my genes."

"I assure you most French has that same problem."

They looked at each other and laughed at the notion.

"Do you always do this? I mean, roaming around in public with your suit but not admitting your identity?"

He chewed the end of his straw as if contemplating. "Let's just say I'm involved in an industry that requires a bit of acting."

"So you're an actor, huh?" the pigtailed girl chuckled then stood up. "Let's go to my last stop, Kitty."

Being a gentleman, Chat Noir insisted to carry all of her shopped items despite her reluctance.

She was planning to leave her things on an isolated corner first then transport it all as Ladybug, but her partner's appearance only stalled her plans.

"I never thought window shopping can be this interesting." the feline hero bemused. "In my experience, shopping means quantity. Yours is quality."

"Not all people are born with a silver spoon, Kitty," she remarked then stopped in front of a textile shop. "I think I'm good here."

"Here? But this is not your home."

"I need to buy some materials here before I go home."

"Then I'll go with you."

Marinette raised her brows then tapped the signage on the glass door.

'No Pets Allowed'

"Meanie!" he scowled at her humor.

"Really, Chat. I'm fine here." she patted his arm lightly. "As much as I enjoyed your company, I've been taking most of your time today. You must be tired carrying my belongings while walking for hours, and I bet you missed your today's cat naps. I don't want to be a nuisance on your free day."

She knew as Ladybug that Chat Noir rarely got any day-offs during weekends.

So why was he spending his entire Sunday with Marinette?

"I don't want to waste my time doing irrelevant things all by myself," he confessed glumly. "I'd rather waste it with you."

Her heart immediately dropped when she met his emerald eyes. "Oh, Chat."

"I don't have any commitments today, and no one's at home who can monitor my whereabouts. My best friend in real life was busy. Ladybug will be available later for night patrol. So basically, I'm all yours today."

"Silly Kitty." she shook her head. "Don't you dare complain to your partner that I abused your kindness today."

"Oh, ma Purr-incesse. My Lady might give you her utmost gratitude for putting up with her cat."

"Her cat, huh? I'll tell your owner to have you be trained you properly."

"You're acting more like my owner than LB, Princess."

Marinette entered the shop with an amused smile while Chat Noir decided to wait for her outside with her bundled fabrics.

It took her an hour to finish her transactions due to a long queue.

"Are you sure you can carry me and my belongings without plunging us to death?" she asked at his ridiculous suggestion.

"I am Chat Noir, defender of Paris. What else could go wrong?"

"Your bad luck." she deadpanned.

Fortunately, the superhero was able to pull it off without any injuries.

Unfortunately, Chat Blanc was waiting on the balcony during their landing.

Not only the white feline tried to scratch Chat Noir, he was sulking throughout the night and refused to respond his Master's call.

.

.

.

.

"Good evening, My Lady."

"Good evening, Chaton." Ladybug greeted. "You look so happy tonight."

Chat Noir shrugged his shoulders with a dopey grin. "I cat the best date with a claw-some girl today."

So he went on a date after he sends me home.

The spotted heroine abandoned the sharp pain that stabbed her chest. "O - oh? S - she must be amazing then."

"She's purr-fect!" he chirped giddily. "She's kind, compassionate and witty. Not to mention charming and cute. The bestest best fur-iend one could ever have!"

She didn't want to ask. Hell, it was too painful to ask, but she did.

"Who is she?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Ladybug choked her spit.