Adrien was late. Not 'out of control, call out the police' late, just late enough that he felt horrendous about it. Even though he hadn't had any lessons that morning he'd decided to go visit the local library and check out their anime comics. Four hours later and here he was rushing to get to Marinette's.

Since moving into his dorm, and had become 'Mr Independent', he had given up the privilege of having his own driver on hand. A big mistake at times like this.

He ran up the staircase praying to the forces above that he didn't smell like a wet dog by the time he reached Marinette's apartment, slowing to a walk once he was on her level and giving his armpit a quick sniff - not too bad. He found Marinette's door and tentatively knocked ... once, twice, three times. Oh, God! Was that too eager? Do people knock three times? Maybe he should have stopped at two? Marinette was funny though so perhaps he should have knocked a little tune? It was going so wrong already.

He began to panic as he stood waiting for Marinette to open up. His weight shifted from foot to foot and he could feel the tremor in his hands, he was a nervous wreck and didn't understand why?

He'd purchased a special bottle of wine on his way to her place, something for them to drink alongside their M&M's. He'd even asked the woman at the store which would be best, after all this was the first time he was buying a bottle himself, and he wanted it to be right. Usually he'd receive wine as a gift from a client, or his father would give him one to whatever social event he was attending. Though this bottle wasn't a thousand euros, it still had really good reviews from the lady in the shop.

He went to step away before turning back and reaching again. She wouldn't ignore him for being a little late, would she? After all, Marinette wasn't like that. At least he didn't think she was. Though from the messages they'd exchanged after she'd finished her shift yesterday, his little tip wasn't overly appreciated. Instead she'd berated him and told him the money would go on their night out together, and there wasn't a chance in hell of her spending it on herself. Who was he to argue with such a head strong lady?

A loud bang shattered the silence in the hallway and he realised it had come from the other side of the door, Adrien winced at the squeal that preceded it, that must have hurt. He stepped up to the door only for it to open with enough force it could have been thrown off the hinges. He was impressed that someone of her size held such strength.

"Hi," her smile was forced, and by the looks of it she was in the middle of something. Her hair was thrown up in a messy bun, strands trying their hardest to escape, and something (which he thought might be guacamole) was spread up her face. She looked crazy and adorable at the same time.

"Hey yourself, you've got something Marinette," he watched her eyes open as he stretched forward, his thumb brushing over her chin and coming into contact with the green blob, "right there." He pulled his thumb away and twisted it, allowing her to see what he'd just scraped off her face.

Her cheeks flamed a wonderful red and he couldn't help but laugh. She was undeniably the cutest girl he'd ever met and he wondered if he played it right she would be open to dating him. They'd known each other for a fair few weeks now, and she seemed to like speaking to him, they texted multiple times a day, so maybe, if he could find the courage he could ask her out.

She stretched forward holding a napkin she'd extracted from her pocket, before wiping the green gunk from his finger and directing him into her apartment.

"This is for you." He handed over the bottle of wine and she made an impressed sound.

"This is posh! Can't say I've ever had it, but I can say I've always wanted to try." She took the bottle out of his hands and then waved him to follow her through into the 'room'. She had a studio apartment which was probably only two thirds of the size of his bedroom back at the mansion. The kitchenette was to the left with a small breakfast bar against the wall, complete with two high stool seats, then there was a bed and a couch squeezed into the tiny living space. She had a television, a sewing desk, and a gaming console in front of the sofa, and many, many, many strings of fairy lights hanging over her bed. It was like walking into Narnia.

There were also two doors which he guessed led to the bathroom and closet.

"This is very ..." he didn't know how to complete that sentence. This is very nice? This is very cluttered? This is very small? "This is very you." He wanted to pat himself on the back, that was a good answer even if he said so himself.

"Just say it," she laughed, "I know you want to. It's very cluttered, but that's me."

He laughed along with her. "Well, it looks lovely, especially the fairy lights, it's like being in a Christmas Tree."

She snorted, moving her way to her kitchenette and pulling out two glasses. "You want some of this wine? I've placed the M&M's in different bowls and they're on the coffee table. Feel free to help yourself."

He moved towards the sofa and sat down, only then realising how small it was and how much space he took up on the cushions. Once Marinette had joined him this was going to be extremely close. Too close for comfort really. This wasn't a date, she wasn't his girlfriend, he needed to make sure there were clear boundaries. They were just friends and although he could most certainly see her as more, that wouldn't happen if he was there crushing her up against the side of the sofa, especially as the sweaty smell from his excursion up the staircase suddenly seemed to be intensifying.

He shuffled over, moving as close to the arm rest as possible, and that's when it happened.

Adrien would never come right out and say that he had bad luck, but time and time again the world disagreed with him, and today was one of those days. The sofa was obviously cheap, maybe an IKEA 'under one hundred euro' affair, because as his weight fully placed itself on the side, the sofa tipped.

In slow motion Adrien watched the opposite end launch into the sky as his butt hit the armrest which continued down to the floor, and the fairy lights shook before tumbling down on top of his head. The only blessing was that the M&M's remained firmly in their bowls and on the top of the table.

A buzzing rang in his ears, and he knew it was the sound of his blood rushing past. That was quite an adrenaline kick.

He looked up and noticed Marinette morphing from a suppressed smile to a full on belly laugh, causing her to put the full wine glasses back on the counter so she could hold her stomach.

"Adrien!" She howled, looking at her friend on the floor now decorated like a young pageant girl.

He watched her laugh, his own following shortly as he looked around the room. The sofa still had one end in the air and he was tangled in a web of electrics, whilst being firmly placed on the ground.

"How the hell am I going to get up?"

They looked at each other, turned their heads to the sofa in the sky and then burst out laughing again. Oh dear Lord!

"I think, if I move under it ..." Marinette walked over and stretched up in the air only to be a good foot away from touching the sofa. "I can't reach it!" They started to laugh again, Adrien wiping the tears from under his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Marinette." He said through breathes. He really needed to try and control himself.

"Don't worry about it," she pulled her sweater over the heel of her hand and wiped it under her eyes. "Okay, this is what we're going to do. You're going to stand up really slowly, controlling the sofa with your butt, and I'll catch it as it falls back down. Okay?"

Adrien nodded, then snorted, then coughed and then snorted again. If he was trying to woo her he was failing big time. "You ready?" He asked, her nod and snort agreement for him to move.

Her arms were stretched above her head, and Adrien slowly pushed himself to standing, grateful for the hours and hours spent in the gym and working on his quads and glutes.

"Keep going, I've got it."

He turned his head to Marinette and found that was the biggest mistake he could have made. Her jumper had rode up leaving a slither of bare skin on show as she stretched on her tippy toes to hold the sofa. His end was currently being weighed down by his squat which unfortunately went bye bye as soon as he saw a tiny piece of bare Marinette.

The sofa began to speed up, Adrien launching himself at Marinette to protect her from the impending hit. Grabbing her around the waist and pulling her into his body, the sofa slammed down onto the floor with such force a boat load of M&M's jumped ship from their bowls.

He cradled her head into his chest, his other hand supporting her lower back, both breathing deeply and hearts beating erratically.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, not wanting to let go of her just yet.

"I am, but I'm not too sure about my sofa." He let go of her and turned to look at the offending object only to see the side which had hit the floor had completely collapsed. "Oh well," she said softly, "at least I have a funny story about it." She giggled.

"I'm so sorry Marinette, please let me fix it, or at least buy you a new one."

"Don't be silly," she waved him off and headed back to the counter to grab their wine glasses. "Fixing it will give me something to do this weekend. I like fixing things, it gives me a chance to be creative." He still couldn't help but cringe. "But -" she continued, "you can put my fairy lights back up please. That way we can sit on my bed and watch a movie."

"Sit on your bed?" he squeaked, moving over to the lights and picking them up, trying to figure out where to place them. As he viewed the different areas of the wall he spotted the little hooks he was sure they were slung over.

"Why not? You can see the television from there and it's comfortable. Well that is unless you want to break in my bed as well." Her face suddenly turned red, and it took him a few moments to place what she said.

"Break ... in ... your ..."

"No, no, no, no, no! No! I didn't, I mean, I don't know ... not yet anyway. I mean not ever, well maybe not never ever, but for now no!"

He raised one eyebrow, marvelling at the flush on her face again. God she was pretty when she was embarrassed.

"Well," he said, hooking the lights back up into place. "At least it's never ever ... that would be a bummer if it was." He finished putting the lights up and dropped her a wink.

"M&M's." She shouted, putting the wine glasses on a bedside table before going to grab the treats, her legs twisted around each other and almost sent her spiralling to the ground. "And - um - Spider-Man!" She continued moving to grab everything she needed before bouncing up onto the bed and moving over so he could settle next to her. Her smell was divine and he could feel the warmth coming from her small frame, just wishing he could encompass it and hug her into his body.

"I can't wait." He smiled, grabbing his first ever peanut M&M and popping it into his mouth.