FicWad

A/N - A little, well not so little, one-shot I've been working on for a while. R & R and more importantly; Enjoy!

On another note...yes this has been posted before. Ficwad was playing up though and the fic wasn't recognised on my account, meaning that I couldn't edit it or reply to reviews. Thank you to GwenMerlon (thank you for the review, it was amazing! I am thinking of doing another piece to it, perhaps following the Laurie and Faith?), Tibby (For being the first reviewer, thank you!) and whatkatydid (for being awesome! And giving me the heads up on reposting, Cheers me dear!).



Handcuffed

"I cannot believe you guys!" I said shaking my head as I looked my 2 friends up and down. They were a sight to behold that was for sure.

Faith was wearing a tiny nurse's uniform, fishnets, platform heels and had a stethoscope around her neck. Her short dark hair was swept back by a little white nurse's hat and she was carrying a tiny handbag embellished with a first aid kit style cross.

Laurie on the other hand was wearing a dark blue police uniform; obviously though it had been slightly modified. A short navy skirt and top, indecently high spiky black shoes, and a rather ominous looking pair of fluffy pink handcuffs which she was swinging around her fingers as she tottered along the street.

"Us?" Laurie said looking at me pointedly, "What about you?!"

I suppose she did have a point. My own attire was similarly themed. It was Laurie's birthday and she had decided to have a themed bar crawl; the theme was 'Your Job'.

Now that's just fine and dandy if your job is something like a nurse or policewoman; both are easy to make clubby and sexy. However it becomes abit harder if you're a farrier; like me. Yes, I shoe horses for a living, its sweaty, smelly, dirty and damn hard work. I love my job with a passion but even I have to admit it isn't the most glamorous career, or indeed the sexiest.

However I had tried my hardest to "Make sexy" as Faith likes to say. I was wearing a pair of my full length chaps with a short pair of shorts underneath. Laurie had tried to convince me to wear a pair of frilly knickers, a la Christina Aguilera, but no frigging way am I baring my arse to a club full of people. A thin white strappy top and black bra, and kick ass boots completed my outfit. Doesn't sound like much but I had to admit, when I looked in the mirror I was surprised. I guess you don't always need to dress up to make an impact.

"Woohoo!" Faith whooped as we skipped the long line of people waiting to get into the club. Faith had "Connections"; the bouncer was quite fond of her and usually managed to pull a few strings. Ignoring the angry glares and muttered curses I followed Faith and Laurie as they tottered through the door.

The club was absolutely jam packed. I guess I should have expected it; after all it was a Friday night in London. It was just so busy though, oddly so; maybe there was an act playing that I didn't know about?

I walked forwards with difficulty, squeezing myself in between gaps in the pulsating mass and swerving around wobbly drunks carrying beer. It was hot already, my bare arms were sticking to the people I past and everyone seemed to glisten with perspiration.

I finally made it to a small table; there were no chairs so I perched on the edge, my legs dangling off the floor.

I felt a hand on my arm and turned; Faith and Laurie were standing in front of me readjusting their outfits, which seemed to have become more obscene after squeezing through the crowd. Faith leaned in to me as Laurie tugged her small skirt down.

"What are you having?" She yelled pointing to the bar; pulling back she adjusted her skimpy top hastily to stop herself falling out of it.

"Malibu and lemonade please" I yelled back. She nodded and grabbed Laurie dragging her to the bar with her.

As Laurie's pink fluffy handcuffs got swallowed up by the throng I felt a familiar feeling of unease settle over me. I'm not very good in clubs, I get claustrophobic. I'm more of a bar or Pub kind of girl but it was Laurie's birthday so I thought I'd make the effort.

Crossing my legs carefully, so as not to fall off the table I looked around the club with interest. The place really was huge; there was a large dance floor behind me and a bar in front. To the sides were 2 corridors which apparently led off to 2 more dance areas playing different types of music.

I watched for a while the true myriad of people passing before me. The crowd really was immense. My ears perked up as I caught the end of a passing conversation.

"......just so excited.......seeing them live.....love them......secret gig...."

Ah so there was a reason for the hoards of people, they were here for a show. I wondered briefly who the act might be but got distracted by Faith and Laurie approaching, drinks in hand.

"Some guy got the drinks for us!" Faith said proudly, "He said I deserved them for managing to pull off this outfit!"

I threw my head back and laughed out loud, it was just like Faith to be proud that she got ogled at!

Laurie dragged me up from the table and handed me my drink. I took it quickly off of her as she wobbled dangerously on her killer heels.

"It's so crowded!" Faith yelled in my ear. I nodded in return and downed my drink in one. The sweet coconut taste of the Malibu warmed my throat, giving me an instant calm. I needed it that's for sure; the crowd seemed to be growing, the club now bursting at the seems.

Looking back at Laurie and Faith I noticed them huddled together suspiciously. I gave Laurie an enquiring glance and she guiltily held up her hands in a look of mock innocence.

I narrowed my eyes at them both; they looked like they were plotting something. However before I could interrogate them about it they both took a firm hold of my arms and dragged me back through the crowds to the dance floor.

X

Half an hour later after our 3rd or 4th visit to the bar I found myself more intoxicated than I would've liked. I hadn't been out drinking in a while and was starting to feel giggly and flirty.

I headed over to the bar to get a glass of water to slow my drinking down abit. Laurie followed me leaving Faith with a large group of men who seemed mesmerised by her uniform, or rather lack of uniform.

Reaching the bar I turned to ask Laurie what she wanted but found she had disappeared. Looking around left and right I searched for her bright blonde hair but couldn't see her anywhere. After getting myself a bottle of water I went to walk away but found myself yanked back sharply, a burning pain in my wrist.

"What the Hell?" I said loudly as I looked down. My wrist was somehow attached to the bar, giving it a yank I hissed as a pressure tightened around my arm. Back stepping I reached the bar and groaned as realisation hit me.

God damn Laurie and her bloody handcuffs; I should have known that this would happen.

Encircling my wrist was one half of the fluffy pink handcuffs, the other half was attached firmly to a pole that circled the edge of the bar.

"LAURIE!" I yelled randomly into the crowds, "YOU GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"

I yanked furiously on the cuff, muttering loud curses under my breath. Considering the fact that Laurie probably bought the damn things at a cheap porn shop they were surprisingly sturdy and seemed to be pretty firmly attached to the pole.

"LAURIE?!" I yelled out again now furious, "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

A guy standing next to me at the bar turned and looked at me strangely, his wide blue eyes peeking apprehensively out from underneath a large trucker hat.

"What?" I snapped rudely, "Never seen someone handcuffed to a bar before?"

I didn't give him chance to reply instead turned the other way and continued to search for Faith and Laurie. After a few minutes I sighed in defeat and turned back to the bar. Waving the bar tender over with my free hand I ordered a shot of sambucca and downed it in one.

I found out very quickly that being handcuffed to a bar wasn't the most pleasant of experiences. One, people shove you out of the way to try and squeeze past you thus yanking my arm out of its socket. Two, bars contain alcohol which I found myself resorting to in an attempt to better deal with the situation my lovely friends had put me in.

So by the time Laurie actually came back to me, which I might add was about half an hour after she left me attached to the bar, I was suitably smashed.

"Steph?" she said cautiously walking up to me with a glass of wine in her hands.

"You GOD DAMN......." I went to point threateningly at her but trailed off harmlessly as once again I was yanked back. I fell drunkenly against the bar knocking over the woman next to me's drink.

"Shit I'm sorry," I said sobering up slightly. She narrowed her eyes at me darkly and turned away.

"Steph I know you're pissed off but hear me out." Laurie said as she edged closer.

"Just get these bloody things off of me damn it." I growled at her.

The crowds around the bar had gotten thicker, if that were possible and I felt like an idiot standing rigidly in one spot taking up much needed space. Laurie walked slowly towards me, wobbling slightly as she dodged the steady flow of people leaving and approaching the bar.

"I would've come back sooner but Faith had a minor bra related disaster..." She said far too loudly, sloshing her wine around dramatically.

"I don't care." I said grumpily, "Just uncuff me now."

"She right about gave some young bloke a heart attack. Flashed her boobs in his face in the middle of a rather elaborate dance move. Poor guy."

I stared at her in disbelief as she continued to ramble on, stopping only to consume more wine.

She finally reached me but instead of unlocking the cuffs stood by the side of me and proceeded to order another drink from the bar. Leaning over she flashed her ample cleavage and a winning smile, to which 3 barmen appeared out of nowhere ready to do her bidding.

If I could have I would have leant on the bar with my head in my hands.

"Come on Laurie," I pleaded, "Just get them off me will you?"

"O all right." She said turning to face me once more.

Her eyes were heavy with alcohol and her face was tinged red with the now stifling heat of the club. And here I was thinking I was pretty wasted. She teetered to one side as she routed around down her top clearly trying to find the key to the cuffs. I held out my free hand to steady her, gripping gently onto her slightly clammy arm.

With a flourish she produced the key, grinning manically.

"Alright close your eyes." She said bouncing up and down on the spot.

"You're kidding right?" I asked sharply as I let go of her bouncing form.

"Close your eyes!" She whined, making a sad face.

"O for fucks sake fine." I snapped shutting my eyes tightly with a scowl.

God knows what we both looked like. A whorey police woman and a farrier paying silly buggers at the bar was sure to catch a few peoples attention.

Feeling movement on the cuff I smiled and opened my eyes ready to say thanks when I found myself shoved forward with some force.

Letting out a yelp I fell into the person next to me, who reached out his hands to grab me so that we didn't both topple over. The crowd seemed to consume us as we both staggered to maintain balance and it wasn't until my back hit something solid again that we managed to stand upright, both of us panting heavily.

Hearing a familiar cackling laugh I looked up furious, trying to locate Laurie. Surveying the crowds I saw her platinum blonde head bobbing up and down in the middle of the dance floor. What the hell was she playing at?

Turning back to the poor guy Laurie had shoved me into I began apologising profusely.

"I am so sorry," I said mortified, "My friend, I don't know what's gotten into her...well too much vodka by the looks of it...but still it was no excuse. I really am sorry."

The guy before me looked up and I felt my eyes widen. It was the guy from the bar, the one I'd snapped at...and he was cute, really cute. I don't know what happened to the hat he had been wearing before but it was gone now and it sure as hell made a difference.

Wide crystal blue eyes stared back at me, slightly obstructed by soft red, blonde hair that flopped innocently over his forehead. Large side burns framed his slightly pale face and my old Mr Darcy fetish sparked back to life with a bang.

Apparently I had been staring as he raised a hand up to his face self consciously. This would have been a perfectly normal nervous gesture had my hand not been dragged up with his, a familiar pressure on my wrist once again present.

"What the...?" He began confused.

"O no..." I trailed off. This was not good.

He moved his arm up in between us and I groaned as I saw the familiar pink cuffs encircling not only my wrist but his aswel. Laurie is a dead woman when I find her, police woman or not I'm going to kill her.

His face was scrunched up in confusion as he studied the fluffy pink monstrosity on his arm and I shifted uncomfortably from one leg to the other trying to think of something to say.

"Err..." I said flustered as he looked at me with an expectant expression, "Well this is interesting."

I got the sudden urge to laugh hysterically. It really wasn't that funny. Infact it wasn't funny at all. I'm handcuffed to a complete stranger, we're attached to each other, we're linked, we're connected by a fluffy pink prison...whatever way I looked at it, it still wasn't funny.

"I don't suppose you've got the key by any chance?" He questioned quietly in a soft American accent.

Seeing the look on my face he sighed.

"I guess not."

"I am so sorry." I repeated for the umpteenth time. This was probably the most embarrassing experience of my life.

"It's alright," He said kindly, the flashing strobe lights flickering across his face, "Well I mean it will be alright if we manage to get them off in the next half an hour...if not you may be coming on stage with me."

I looked up sharply. Stage? What?

"Huh?" I said nervously, my hand automatically going for my mouth so that I could indulge my own nervous habit of chewing my nails. Unfortunately I'd forgotten we were attached and so yanked the guy's hand up with me almost smacking myself in the face.

He looked at me as if I were insane and I cautiously lowered both our hands shamefaced.

"I'm.....stage.....soon...."

I leaned in to try and hear what he just said but the music had gotten suddenly louder and I shook my head in confusion at him. He seemed to understand my uncertainty as suddenly I found myself being yanked through the crowds of people towards the back of the club.

Past the bar and dance floor there was a small blacked out door that I hadn't noticed previously. Half following, half being dragged I found myself pulled through the door and along a corridor. The sudden silence was eerie and it felt as if I had gone slightly deaf. Opening another door, I followed and was hit with a sudden barrage of voices.

"Hey Patrick, we thought you'd got lost."

"Did you get the...who is that?"

I moved out from behind Patrick, apparently that was his name, and looked red faced out at the 3 men sitting around the room I'd just entered. They were all sat on a couple of sofa's in the corner of the room; one strumming a guitar with a pair of headphones on, his curly brown hair flopping up and down as his head bobbed. The other 2 were both looking at me with curious expressions on their faces.

Patrick walked into the centre of the room and held up his arm. I gave a muffled yelp of protest as my now sore wrist was yanked up into the air.

"I have a slight problem." Patrick stated looking pointedly at the offending cuffs.

"You aren't the only one with the problem!" I snapped defensively.

The shorter of the 2 men stood up and walked over to us a wide smirk on his face.

"This has to he the most awesome thing I have ever seen!" He said bursting into peels of laughter.

The other guy who was watching from the sofa shock his head, his lip piercing glinting as the light hit it.

"It's not funny," Patrick said looking over at the now mortified expression on my face, "Remember that we're going on stage in less than half an hour. I don't think I'll be able to play guitar very well with another person attached to my arm."

"O God," I said as realisation hit, "You're the band that's playing here tonight?"

I don't like big public events, going to a club is bad enough but having to stand up on stage like a pillock, handcuffed to someone whose supposed to be putting on a show for the masses...o god I'd die.

"Yeah we are," The laughing fool from earlier said walking closer to me, "You don't know who we are?"

What did that have to do with anything?

"No I don't." I said looking backwards and forwards between them all waiting for recognition to spark.

"But I thought that's why you handcuffed yourself to Trick?" He said obviously confused. He wasn't the only one.

"Why would I knowingly handcuff myself to someone in a band?" I questioned.

He looked pointedly at me and I finally got what he meant.

Walking up to him angrily, dragging Patrick behind me I pointed at him threateningly with my free hand.

"I don't know how you get woman, but I certainly do not find my men by handcuffing myself to them like some desperate little tramp, hoping they've got a bdsm fetish." I snapped furiously.

He backed away from me quickly and legged it through the door, muttering something about women and pms. Feeling a hand on my shoulder I turned and found myself face to face with Patrick once more.

"I know you didn't do it on purpose," He said rubbing my arm soothingly. I relaxed immediately, a warm tingling feeling sparking up my arm and through my body at the gentle contact. Lets just say its been a while.

His beautiful blue eyes were watching me intensely and I tried purposefully not to meet them but failed as he led me over to the now free sofa and sat me down.

"I'm really sorry," I said again and he nodded.

"I know you are."

Looking up our eyes locked and this time it was Patrick who broke the gaze and looked down at his feet shyly. I'm not very good with signals, not human ones anyway. I could tell you the exact moment a horse was about to leg it, just by a tensing of their head or a flare of their nostrils but when it comes to humans I get abit fuzzy. Humans have a tendency to say one thing and mean another; to do things and not mean them. Patrick confused me, this whole situation confused me.

"Where's the key?" A voice said interrupting my thoughts. Looking up I saw that the tattooed, pierced guy on the sofa had been the one asking me the question.

"My friend Laurie's got it." I said with a sigh, "She came dressed as a policewoman, complete with cuffs."

"A policewoman? Well that shouldn't be too hard to find." He said getting up from the sofa and stretching, "I'll have a look, see if I can find her."

"Thanks Andy." Patrick said gratefully.

Andy walked out of the room and gave Patrick a look which I couldn't decipher. Patrick went red and suddenly appeared to find the wall behind me extremely interesting. Seriously I think I need some sort of guide to reading men, was it a 'be careful incase she gets the whip out next' look? or a 'she's cute so don't blow it' look?

Although to be fair I wouldn't describe myself as cute. Patrick was cute, with his soft fluffy looking hair and baby blue eyes. I suppose I'm more rustic. Dark skin, dark eyes, dark hair with wiry muscles from lugging horse's feet around all day. I paint such a flattering picture of myself right?

The soft muted sounds of music were the background accompaniment to our discomfort; the curly haired guy in the corner still none the wiser to mine and Patrick's predicament.

This was probably one of the most awkward moments I'd ever experienced.

I turned to look at Patrick and he turned away quickly almost as if he'd been looking at me. Okay now I really am confused. Wanting desperately to break the silence I thought of something, anything to say.

"So what sort of music do you play?" I asked trying to sound normal.

Patrick looked up at me with a wide smile, his eyes lighting up.

"You know Pete would find it really weird that you don't know who we are." He said still smiling.

"I don't listen to much modern music," I said with a shrug, "My parent were pretty old when they had me so I'm more into old 60's and 70's music. Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Nat King Cole that sort of thing."

"A lot of the music I write is inspired by the old style of writing music; you can't beat it." He said enthusiastically, "But the band's pretty punk pop I guess."

"I guess you must be pretty big then if the crowds anything to go by..." God I'm such an idiot, I bet they're huge and I don't even know what the band's called. I really need to stop listening to Radio 2 and Saga whilst I work; I'm 21 not 50.

Patrick looked down, red faced again with a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, we're doing okay." He said softly.

Another odd silence; not so much awkward as mildly uncomfortable. Patrick shifted next to me, our joined hands brushing together sending more warm tingles up my arm.

"I just realised that we haven't really introduced ourselves," Patrick said suddenly, "I'm Patrick Stump."

I smiled at the odd introduction.

"Stephanie Lupin." I said holding out my hand.

What happened next was possibly the most awkward handshake ever. It involved me holding out my free hand and Patrick going to shake it with the hand attached to mine. Locking eyes again as we shook hands, I saw the glimmer of laughter in his eyes and grinned at him relieved that he could find the funny side in the situation.

I started laughing first, shortly followed by Patrick. Our laughter echoed around the room as we collapsed back on the sofa in fits of hysterical giggles.

"What the hell man?" Came a startled voice from the corner of the room.

The guy who had been strumming away on his guitar had finally noticed our presence and was now watching the both of us with a bemused expression on his face.

Patrick and I were still gasping from our laughing fit and I clung onto him as I tried to force down the hysterics. We were both avoiding looking at each other or down at our entwined hands, knowing that it would only set us off again. As our breathing finally slowed down and the gasps turning into heavy breathing, Patrick turned his attention to the still confused looking bloke watching us.

"Joe this is Stephanie, Stephanie this is Joe our guitarist." Patrick said gesturing between us.

I nodded at him and saw Joe exchange a look with Patrick not dissimilar to the one Andy had given him earlier.

"Stephanie and I are stuck together." Patrick explained whilst shooting Joe a dark glare, his cheeks tinged red once more.

I held up our linked hands this time with a deep sigh. Joe's eyes widened and his face broke out into a grin.

"No way," He snorted loudly as he stood up, guitar in hand. He was eying the cuffs encircling our wrists with an odd fascination and walked slowly over to Patrick with a glint in his eyes.

"I'm gunna go warm up," He announced. Patrick nodded, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Just before he left he leant down and whispered something in Patrick's ear. I couldn't hear what was being said, but I saw Patrick's reaction; his eyes widened and he looked down at the cuffs oddly before flicking his gaze back to Joe. Joe winked at him and sauntered out the door with a smirk on his face.

It was all very unnerving.

I was suddenly very aware of the fact that we were alone. We were also very close to each other; our laughing fit had inadvertently squashed us together, we sat side by side, our legs pressed firmly together with our linked hands resting gently on Patrick's jean clad leg.

"Sooo..." I began but never got the chance to finish as Patrick suddenly pulled me to him and brought our lips forcefully together. Suffice to say it took me a little by surprise, I mean I didn't even know if he liked me or just thought I was a nutcase; apparently he quite liked me.

Our teeth clashed together awkwardly and Patrick sat back sharply, his face bright red and stuttering out apologies.

"I...sorry...I..."

Screw reading body language. Ignoring his stammering I reached up with my free hand and grabbed the back of his neck. Yanking him back to me our lips crashed together once more, this time with more finesse and less teenage incompetence.

Mouths moved together feverishly, the shyness suddenly gone. Our tongues tangled together battling for dominance, a battle which Patrick surprisingly won. His free hand was gently cupping my face, whilst I moved my own to twist into his hair, finding out that it really was as soft as it looked.

The hands that were linked by the cuffs were now gently entwined, our fingers laced as we both moved closer together. Another bold move on Patrick's part as I suddenly found myself pulled round to straddle him, my startled yelp swallowed up by our kiss.

Eventually the need for oxygen won out and we pulled apart reluctantly. Both breathing heavily, I rested my forehead against his looking deep into his eyes.

His eyes darted reluctantly away from mine and he groaned as he flicked his gaze over to the clock on the wall.

"It's nearly time for your performance," I gasped as Patrick's free hand moved down my side and up under the thin material of my top.

"Right about now I'm willing to forget all about it." He said as his warm fingers grazed up my side sending shivers up my spine. I began kissing gently down his neck, loving the small sounds of pleasure he made as I nibbled on his pulse points.

"You are sooooo under arrest!"

We both jumped as the door to the room shot open and 2 forms practically fell through. I would have sprung off Patrick's lap but he held me firmly in place muttering for me to 'give him a second'. Grinning I looked down and ran a teasing hand over his evident erection. Letting out a sharp breath he grabbed my hand and pulled it away quickly.

Hearing a not so discreet cough, Patrick and I finally moved back to our original positions on the sofa, side by side. Andy was standing by the door with Laurie resting heavily on his arm.

"We have a slight problem." He stated turning to glare at the woman next to him and firmly remove her wandering hands from his person.

"Key's all gone....key's gone gone gone gone...!" Laurie sang drunkenly as she swayed side to side.

"What?!" I said looked back at Patrick, feeling myself begin to panic. There's no way I'm getting up on stage.

"Apparently the key was in her bra and now it's...well it's not." Andy said propping Laurie up against the wall shrugging sympathetically.

"O god..." I moaned, "This is not happening."

"Urgh....sick....now..." Laurie moaned holding her hand over her mouth and looking slightly green. Andy sighed and grabbed hold of her dragging her back out of the door.

"Maybe the owners got a saw?" He yelled out as he left the room and the door clicked shut behind him.

"I don't think we'll be needing a saw," Patrick stated calmly as he lifted up his hand.

Pushing the band of fluff aside, I watched in amazement as he pushed something and his side of the cuff clicked open. Taking it off his wrist he looked at my confused expression slightly shamefaced.

Lifting up my hand I marvelled at the sudden freeness I now felt. Patrick took a hold of my hand and repeated the procedure on the cuff, opening it with a soft click and sliding it gently off my arm.

I didn't know whether to be angry or not.

"You knew how to get them off?" I questioned, my eyebrows knitting together in a frown, "I thought we were stuck like this."

He looked suddenly guilty, his eyes once more down at the ground.

"Joe told me how to open them," He admitted, "But I just...I knew you'd leave and well...I wanted to get to know you..."

His face had gone bright red and he was wringing his hands together anxiously. I felt myself smile, how could I be mad when he only did it to get closer to me? It was a gesture that my inner romantic couldn't ignore and I pulled him back to me, our lips meeting in a gentle kiss, tongues moving languidly against one another savouring the sensation. I felt him smile into the kiss as he realised that I wasn't angry with him for his minor deception.

With a groan he pulled away and stood up, bringing me up with him.

"I really have to go now or the guys will kill me." He said apologetically.

Grabbing a guitar he slung it over his shoulder, making my inner groupie swoon and took hold of my hand.

"O," He said with a raised eyebrow, "Keep an eye on those cuffs, you never know we might want them later..."

I looked at him in shock; where had the shy boy from before gone? Looking at his wicked grin I decided that actually I really didn't care, if acting all dominant made him look that sexy.

Grabbing the cuffs quickly from the sofa I twirled them around my fingers, grabbed hold of his hand once more and followed him out of the door with a grin.

You never know, perhaps I would use them later...but I'll tell you one thing for sure; I'm sure as hell not going to be the one cuffed to the bed...