ADRIEN
Adrien settled into the cafe's booth and picked up a menu. It had been another date gone wrong. He'd met the lovely Marissa during his latest photoshoot and asked her out, his fourth date this month, only for it to be another dead end. He knew why they were dead ends but he refused to admit it. There was no chance in hell that he was going to admit out loud the reason why he couldn't get into a relationship.
He looked through the cafe's menu and went with a safe option, black coffee, two sugars, and then pulled out his phone. Perhaps he should do what Nino said and get onto Tinder. He was rapidly going through the women he knew and also causing himself a label of womaniser. He wasn't a womaniser at all though. He just knew what he wanted and the women he dated were not them.
A notification came through that Nino was on his way. Adrien had to call his best friend after running out of his last date's house, one shoe on and coat in arms. As soon as she tried to kiss him, he was off … out like a shot. He didn't kiss on first dates, or second, or third or fourth as a matter of fact. Adrien Agreste was a 'no kiss' zone, which you wouldn't believe if you read all the 'kiss and tell' stories about him in the tabloids. His lips would be peeling off if he kissed as often as they'd said.
He pulled up his social media account to find himself tagged in a post. Another post where the woman had implied it was more than a first date. He quickly untagged himself and prayed none of his friends had seen it, one friend in particular.
"You know, it would be simpler if you just didn't date." Plagg's voice ran through Adrien's head again. He knew his little buddy was right, however his father was beginning to think Adrien had serious issues. A twenty year old who had never had a serious relationship, there must be something wrong obviously. It's not like Adrien was carrying an eternal flame for someone so out of his league he'd been benched for the rest of eternity. They just weren't her.
As if by magic, Adrien's phone lit up with a face of sheer sunshine.
There she was the one girl that could send his stomach into turmoil just from something as simple as a phone call, but the strange thing was Marinette never called him.
He looked down at the screen and blinked. Her face was most certainly there. The most beautiful face in the world pouting back at him. Suddenly, his screen turned to black and he cursed himself. Fumbling around to turn his phone back on he pulled up his favourite's list and hit her name.
Calling M'Lady
He tapped one finger on the table impatiently as he waited for her to answer his call. It was ringing through which was always a good sign.
"Adrien? Is Nino with you?" Her voice came out hurriedly, no greetings or 'how do you do's, just straight to the point.
"He's just on his way, why?"
"I need you to ask him to come to my apartment."
"O-kay." Adrien's eyebrows creased, why Nino? Why not him?
"It's kind of … urgent." She continued.
He wanted to ask why when another thought crossed his mind. He spit the words out to what he was thinking, he knew he sounded pathetic and childish but at this moment he didn't care.
"How did you know Nino was with me?" He said.
"I rang Alya first, but she was at work so Nino was my second point of call." Ouch! That hurt more than he thought it would. He could understand Alya, they were bff's but Nino before him? That one truly stabbed him in the heart.
"Nothing I can help you with then?"
"Well, you were on a date so I didn't want to interfere." And there it was the reason he was number three on her list now. Adrien Agreste the serial dater.
"As you can probably guess, M'Lady, it didn't go too well."
"I'm sorry, Chaton. They don't know what they're missing out on." He was so tempted to ask her if she knew what she was missing out on, but he held his tongue instead. This is not what she wanted. She would never talk about it, always shutting him off if he tried.
"So, is there anything I can help you out with?" Maybe he could steer her into a conversation and maybe they could talk, maybe, just maybe, she would listen to his feelings for a change.
He'd tried since the reveal but she'd keep backing away. He wasn't sure if she was just trying to spare his feelings or if it was something more. As friends they were close, closer than ever but there was still a wall there to be knocked down, and he wished he had the sledge hammer to do it. Just one chance to speak to her without her running away and he was quite sure he could move on. He just needed her to listen.
"Can you just get Nino to swing by mine on his way from dropping you wherever it is you're going?"
"Marinette, what's wrong? You know if you don't tell me a certain cat will be paying you a visit."
He heard a huff and a puff from the other side of the phone, and some kind of struggle? What the hell was going on?
"Fine," she said. "I've got myself into some kind of predicament."
"If someone's hurt you, I swear to God -" his anger began to boil. Nobody better be hurting his Lady.
"Kitty, no honestly I'm fine, I've just …" he heard her sigh again but decided to keep quiet and pray she filled him in on the issue. "I've kind of handcuffed myself to the headboard."
Now there was something he wasn't expecting.
"Excuse me," he heard her sigh, once again, down the phone.
"You heard me. It's embarrassing enough that Nino's going to see it, let alone you knowing about it too." Adrien had to suppress a laugh. Now this was one for the book.
"Why don't you get one of our little buddies to help you out?"
"Did you forget what night it was?"
Adrien scrunched his nose up to think. It was Saturday, he knew that much.
"You have, haven't you?" Marinette chuckled. "They're trying to get in contact with Nooroo. The kwami's are out of action for the next four hours and I've already been stuck here two."
Adrien burst out laughing, joining in with her soft melody.
"You're amazing, Bugaboo." Her laugh abruptly stopped, and Adrien kicked himself for making the situation uncomfortable again. "So I'll get Nino to come by yours after he's dropped me home then."
"Not going to another woman's?"
"Only if it's your place." He kicked himself. He shouldn't have said that. They were bantering and now he's gone and said that.
"Where are you at the moment?" She asked.
"Leon's cafe," he replied, face still wincing.
"Get me a slice of cookie and cream cheesecake and I'll think about letting you in." Her voice was a tone he'd never heard before and it sent a shiver down his spine.
"If that's the deal then sure. We'll be with you soon."
"Sure."
He ended the call and signalled to the waiter, praying to God they had some cheesecake left.
MARINETTE
Marinette was known for her role as Ladybug, which meant she made smart decisions, and could use anything to get out of situations which had put her in a pickle. So how she had ended up handcuffed to her headboard, with no means to escape was beyond her?
She had arrived home from Rose and Juleka's bachelorette party earlier that morning and had spent a good portion of it trying to relieve the banging headache she'd brought home as a souvenir. She would like to say it was a free gift, but her bank account from the night before sorely disagreed. As part of the fun, each girl had received a gift bag linked to some of the girl's favourite items, and there they were, staring at her in all their pink, fluffy glory.
A pair of cheap imitation handcuffs.
After playing with them in her lounge for a while, Marinette decided she wanted to be a little experimental. So, as you do, she decided to find something to handcuff herself too and the easiest option seemed to be her headboard. Now, she didn't do it for any other means than experimentation. There was no other reason she would need to test this out. She hadn't had a boyfriend since she was fourteen and as far as everyone was concerned she had declared herself a spinster. All she needed now was a nice selection of cats and she would be happy, or maybe just one cat. A big human type one.
Anyhow, this is how she ended up having to phone Alya to come and help. Unfortunately for Marinette though, after the laughter had died down, Alya mentioned that she had been called into the television station where she was currently doing her internship, meaning she would need to call someone else. Her first thought was Adrien after all he was always the one who saved her, but this was far too embarrassing for that, so her next thought was Nino but he wasn't answering his phone.
Alya
Hey M, I forgot, Nino agreed to pick someone up.
A pick up? There was only one thing, or one person that Nino would pick up and that would be … no … it can't! That would be beyond embarrassing.
Marinette
Who? Alya
I think you know who ;) Have fun 3
Marinette tried to call Nino again, hopefully she can persuade him to drop Adrien home and then come and help her, but after six failed attempts there was only one thing left to do, call the devil himself.
Another hour went past after she had called Adrien and finally, finally she heard voices outside her door. Thank God finally someone had come to save her.
"I hope you've got clothes on, dudette, we're coming in."
We're? No way Leon's got cheesecake remaining this time of night. She thought it was a sure thing that Adrien wouldn't be turning up alongside his best friend. Woe is her life.
She heard the key in the door and the handle click, luckily her apartment was the size of a small childs shoebox and she could shout to them where she was.
"I'm in the bedroom, fully clothed." She shouted back, hearing the door slam.
"That's a shame," the voice reaching her ears was like velvety chocolate, delectable but no good for you. Adrien Agreste was here, in her apartment and she was handcuffed to her headboard because she thought it would be an interesting idea. Double woe.
Suddenly a shadow blocked the light from the hallway as a giant man stood in the doorway.
"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in." Marinette attempted to sass her partner who was currently smirking as he lent against the frame. She could not and would not let him have the upperhand, though at the moment she only had one hand per se.
"This cat is here to save your backside." Adrien responded, only to be joined by Nino holding his phone up and in the direction of Marinette.
"I think you'll find this time it's turtle power to the rescue, guys."
"Are you taking pictures?" Marinette said, exasperated and eyes wide open.
"Alya wants evidence that you did this. It's been a while since we've had a good old Marinette catastrophe."
The raven haired girl huffed and went to cross her arms, remembering last minute the situation she was in and stopped before she made an even bigger fool of herself.
"Can someone get the key please?"
"Where is it?" Nino asked.
"On my coffee table."
Nino stalked off in search of the object of desire, as Adrien moved to perch on the edge of the bed next to his own object of desire.
"Go ahead, laugh it up, make a joke, do whatever that pretty little head of yours is thinking."
"I don't know if you'd want to hear what's going on in here," he said, tapping his head, "but it's nice to know you think I'm pretty." He dropped her a wink causing her to roll her eyes.
"Did that flirting not work with your date?" Her voice came out snappy. A lot snappier than she wanted it to, didn't want to snap at all. What Adrien did was nothing to her, she shouldn't be so caught up with it.
Adrien looked her over and she cowered back. She felt like fresh meat on display at a farmers market. She caught his eye and the two sat there staring at each other, challenging each other in a battle of looks, unknowing to who was going to speak first.
"I've got the - woah! The tension in here - phew!" Nino waved his hands around and she noticed the metal key hanging from one finger.
"Pass me the key, Nino," Adrien held a hand out towards his friend.
Marinette opened her mouth ready to protest, there was no way her freedom should be in his hands.
"Nino, no!" She protested, only for Adrien to take a hand and cover her mouth.
"Nino, yes."
She continued to mumble as Nino looked between the two. She locked the palm of Adrien's hand causing him to retreat it back to his lap.
"Did you - did you just … lick me?"
Adrien smirked back at her as he wiped his hand on her bed covers.
"I'm not getting involved in this." Nino tossed the key onto the bed causing both Adrien and Marinette to dive for it. Luckily, for Adrien, he grabbed it first with a triumphant noise, bouncing off the bed and away from Marinette.
The front door slammed, and Adrien grinned. She knew at that moment she was stuck. Stuck here until Adrien let her go, and for some reason, she knew it would come with a consequence.
ADRIEN
Seeing her handcuffed to her headboard did many crazy things to his body, but that wasn't what he wanted out of the night. This was his chance. Finally, he had a chance to talk to her without her running away. To discuss what they were, and what they possibly could be. He'd been waiting and wishing since the reveal, and tonight he wasn't leaving until he knew where he stood with her.
"Now, Bug, we can do this the easy way or the hard way," Adrien said, swinging the key in between his fingers.
"Adrien, please, not tonight."
"Not tonight? Then when Marinette? It's been months and you're just avoiding talking about it. I need to know."
"What do you need to know, Adrien? If I can be another notch on your bedpost?"
Ouch! Now that hurt.
"I haven't done anything apart from go out on dates because I'm trying to get over you. So we can either sit and discuss it like adults or I'm taking that handcuff off your bed and attaching myself to you until you grow up."
"Grow up! You're telling me to grow up!" Her voice was harsh and louder than she wanted it to be.
"Who's the one stuck on their bed, bugaboo?"
She turned her head away from him, and he moved closer.
"So tell me, Marinette, are we doing this the easy way or the hard way? I'm not playing. Worst comes to worst, I'll be walking you down the aisle on your wedding day because you were being too stubborn to talk to me. Then I'll make sure I stop the wedding because you shouldn't be marrying him." Placed the key into the lock of the handcuff attached to the headboard and unlocked it, releasing her arm from above her head.
"You'll be the groom, so that won't work." Her eyes widened as she slammed her free hand to her mouth, a grin spreading across Adrien's face.
"Now we're getting somewhere, Bugaboo," he said. "So tell me, how am I going to be the groom if you won't let me take you out on a date? And if you continuously avoid one on one time with me out of the suit?"
"Aren't you going to undo my side?"
"Nope, call it collateral."
Marinette growled at Adrien as he began to mess with the handcuff, placing it around his own wrist.
"This suits me better than the snake miraculous, don't you think?" His grin only riled her up more, he could tell from the blush in her cheeks and the anger radiating in her eyes. Oh man, was he in trouble. Calling all of his courage, he sat back straight and in control of his emotions. He would not whimper away this evening. Nope! No way!
"Fine, if you must know I'm scared you'll take my heart and break it." He froze on the spot.
"What?"
"Come on Adrien, you and I both know I'm a walking mess. I mean, look, I handcuffed myself to my bed, I am not the sort of girl Adrien Agreste should be associated with."
"Marinette, I've never heard you talk out your ass more than what you are at this moment in time -"
MARINETTE
She'd been avoiding this conversation for months, but looking at him now, hearing him devote himself to her in her normal civilian form, she broke. She spilled out the insecurity of why they were not together. Dupain-Cheng's do not date Agrestes.
"I'm right though Adrien, every time we've been seen out together people have commented on 'ooo it's the bakery girl', the girl who can't even remember to wear clothing to go to the cinema."
"Marinette -" he tried to stop her, but, too late, she was on a roll.
"Twitter had #whospjgirl? trending for four days in France. I mean, come on Adrien, who wants to be linked to that. I don't want to be linked to that and it's me!"
"Marinette, you're Ladybug, who cares! You're bigger than this! You didn't mind when they commented on you falling off the stage at fashion week, and that was so much worse."
"Thanks for reminding me." She huffed, looking away.
She felt a tug on her arm and suddenly she was lying awkwardly on the bed, chest to chest next to Adrien.
"You only seem to care when the impact has something to do with me, and I'm going to tell you here and now as clearly as possible, I do not and will not give a monkey's uncle about what the press and social media say. I am head over heels for you M, and I have been seen the first day I met you. I know you're struggling with understanding me, hell, I'm struggling to understand me, but the only thing clear in my heart and soul is my love for you." He joined his hand with her handcuffed one, bringing them both to his lips and placing a soft and gentle kiss on the back.
She felt the release of the handcuff before she saw it, the freedom allowing her to pounce upon her prey and kiss him senseless. What Adrien didn't know, though, was, as usual, Marinette had a plan.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng, aka Ladybug, always won!
"How about we go and get some cheesecake and I can ask you out properly?" He pulled away from her lips and gazed into her sweet bluebell eyes.
"How many slices did you get?" She asked.
"Leon only had one left, I was very lucky for a change."
"Unfortunately, mon minou, you're not quite that lucky!"
With a quick movement, she snapped the handcuff shut around his wrist and hooked the other end to the headboard at the back of her bed.
"Ha - har!" She chanted out in delight.
"Ha-har," he replied sarcastically, pressing something on the handcuffs.
Marinette watched them spring open.
"There's a latch? Are you freaking kidding me?" She squealed, starting her escape from the bedroom.
"First one to the kitchen gets the cake." She yelled, attempting to leave the room.
She had made it about three steps before Adrien was on her and slinging her back onto the bed.
"That was dirty what you just did, M'Lady, especially as I was so kind to come and save you." He landed on top of her pinning her to the bed.
"Actually that was Nino," she sassed, a wide bright smile on her face.
"Only because you were too stubborn to call me. It's time for me to take my revenge."
"Revenge, eh? Sounds mysterious!" Marinette started giggling as Adrien began to express exactly just what that revenge was, both of them extremely satisfied with the end result.
When Marinette secretly surfaced from her room over an hour later in search of contraband her mood quickly plummeted. Sitting there, fast asleep, in the cheesecake box was none other than a black ball of destructive fur, and a red sweet toothed hunger monster. As she stood there staring, mouth agape, she hadn't realised she'd been joined by a second human.
"Don't worry M'Lady, you'll get your own back in the morning when you tell Plagg it was vegan."
Life had never been so sweet, even without the added extra of cookies and cream cheesecake.