Under Lock and Key

Chapter 2: Sleepover

The young man cringed, before answering, "I expected as much, father. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

The call was disconnected, and Marinette stared at her friend, gaping. "Wow. That was ... something."

Adrien shrugged, smiling dismissively. "Don't mind him. He can be cold sometimes."

The  young woman nodded, trying to repress the feeling of wrongness pooling  in her stomach. Was that something Adrien had to go through on a daily  basis? Did anyone provide any warmth in his life at all?

Her  unpleasant thoughts were cut short by Nadja coming back to retrieve her  daughter and apologizing profusely to the imprisoned pair on Manon's  behalf. After assuring her many times that there was no harm done, and  that neither of them held a grudge, Adrien and Marinette decided to  start the awkward trek to the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

Sadly for  Marinette's nerves that were already skyrocketing, they soon figured  that the less awkward way of walking side by side was to hold hands. As  they walked, she tried to force her brain to focus on his words, and not  on the pleasant sensation of his warm hand firmly holding hers.

How many times had she dreamed of that precise moment?

Granted,  in her dreams he was holding her hand on his own accord, and not  because it made their predicament easier to bear, but it was close  enough.

Adrien was chatting cheerfully about everything and  nothing, and she listened politely, nodding and humming her answers, up  until she picked up on a particular sentence.

Eagerly, the blond  had smiled at her, "So, this is my first time spending the night at a  friend's. Is there anything I should know beforehand?"

Marinette stopped dead in her tracks, tugging on their joined hands, "What do mean? You never had a sleepover before?"

He  shook his head sheepishly. "I... I never had many friends, so all I know  about sleepovers is what they show in movies. And I mean, I'm not  against braiding your hair and painting your nails, but it might look a  bit messy."

The same unpleasant feeling she had felt upon hearing  the cold, impersonal tone his father had used to address his very own  son pooled in her stomach, and she gaped at him. "This ... this is  unacceptable. We must remedy this right now!"

Adrien laughed at  her horrified antics, and led the way toward her house, "Well then,  teach me how to sleepover properly, senpai."

At that moment, the  odd pair reached the bakery's door, and Marinette paused on the  threshold, taking a deep breath. "So, the thing is, girls and boys don't  usually do sleepovers together, it's considered inappropriate. My dad  might not be too thrilled with the idea, but don't worry too much, he's  basically a big teddy bear."

He nodded, looking at her a bit  warily. Marinette visibly braced herself and pushed the door open,  tugging him along. As soon as they were through the door, her mother  squealed happily, "Marinette! Adrien! What a pleasant surprise! Are you  staying for dinner, dear? A teenager like you needs to eat a lot to cope  with the growth spurts, I'd love you to try what we're having tonight.  Are you coming to play video ga-Are those handcuffs?"

Marinette  froze, holding both of their hands up with a sheepish smile, "Um... Manon  kinda played with valuable artifacts at the museum? And they can't cut  us free?"

To both teenagers' surprise, Sabine burst out laughing. "Oh gosh, Marinette, these kinds of things only ever happen to you," she managed to say in between laughs, "Tom, come and see what mess our lovely daughter has gotten into this time."