Marinette has always had a certain affinity for fall.
Ever since she's been a child, the caramel-colored sunlight bathing everything and the chill yet sparkly vibe that the earth gave off has attracted her and persuaded her to choose autumn as her favorite season.
Her feelings haven't changed as she grew up; being Ladybug gives her a chance to enjoy early morning sunrise, and she basks in the feeling of being coated with peachy sunrises every chance she gets.
Today in particular; the sun is a nectar color and it casts red highlights in her hair.
Her kwami Tikki leans out of her classy red purse. "Don't you love mornings like these?" Tikki sighs blissfully.
"I was just thinking that," Marinette agrees.
She arrives at the front door and Tikki darts in, unlocking the door and causing it to swing open slightly.
The door creaks as Marinette pushes it all the way open and steps inside. She's surprised by how nice the place looks; she had been prepared to do some cleaning, but the building seems to be in working condition.
She peers into what used to be Mme. Garcia's classroom. The auburn light of the 7 o'clock sun filters through dust-caked windows, washing the room in grey.
She flicks the lights on and grabs a broom from the closet, dancing as she clears the room tile-by-tile of dust. She hums a familiar tune as she sweeps, one she's heard on the radio.
One hour elapses of shoving books into bookcases, arranging desks, and generally making the classroom look spiffy, and just as her newly hung ladybug clock chimes 8, a man saunters in the door. Tikki gasps and dives into Marinette's purse.
His hair is a shining golden shade of blond, and he's wearing a black-and-green flannel jacket over a black shirt adorned with a simple kitty design. He's sporting a tie, patterned with little meowing cats. His jeans are faded grey, and he holds a coffee cup in one hand. The other just opened the door.
She wonders how his cat-framed glasses don't catch on his lustrous hair.
He notices Marinette and smiles. "Hey there! What's up?"
Marinette shrugs. "Just... decorating my classroom."
"Are you the new other teacher?" The man grins. "Welcome aboard! Your classroom looks great."
"Thanks," Marinette says, a little bewildered.
He turns the knob of M. Simon's old classroom. It looks drastically different, and it seems that whoever owns it likes cats just as much as M. Simon did. Many of the posters are cat-themed, as are a good number of supplies.
The coffee cup is set on the teacher's desk, a bag is flung next to it, and the man himself lands in the wheely chair. "Ahh, I missed this place."
"Is that... your classroom?" Marinette asks tentatively.
"You bet." He takes a swig from his coffee cup.
Marinette dares to venture inside, following his lead. She scans the classroom.
"I take it you're a cat lover," Marinette presumes.
YOU ARE READING
Cat's In The Cradle
FanfictionAn ML Teacher AU: Told in part by five-year-old Adrien and Marinette, and in part by adult Adrien and Marinette, the story follows them both as children becoming close friends, and as adults, becoming more than friends.
