Fic: I'm sorry
Fic: I'm sorry.
Rating: K+
Fandom: The Devil Wears Prada
Pairing: Andy/Miranda
Summary: Little obsessions, Starbucks and a pen can change somebody's mind.
Author Notes: Based on this postcard at www.postsecret.com TresCharmant was kind enough to beta read this fic for me.
I'm Sorry
Miranda has these little obsessions. Obsessions that, unless you know her really well, are practically imperceptible.
For example, whenever she is forced to walk with someone she chooses to walk on the right side. In the rare occasions when she eats cookies, she shapes them with her bites, which is extremely cute and something that she denies whenever I bring up the topic. She has only three computer files and each of them is well organized with like, a thousand files, which irritates me, because the times I've had the necessity to use her Mac all I see are three files named "Runway", "Family", and the last one that's named "Andrea", which by the way, was originally named "Andy", because I created it. Lastly, and the most 'obvious' of all, she starts to 'play' with the cardboard sleeve of her Starbucks once she's done with it.
"Stupid elevator," the extremely thin clacker in front of her in the stupid metal box turned to look at her. She hadn't even noticed that she had said it out loud. She sighed looking at her watch. Fifteen minutes late, Miranda would be incredibly happy. As soon as the doors opened, the woman rushed into the conference room.
"Andrea, exactly eighteen minutes late," said Miranda in a soft voice; to anyone who didn't know her, that was her 'boss-from-hell' voice, but Andy knew better.
"I'm sorry, I had a little personal problem." She said and, like in every other Wednesday meeting, she left an extremely hot Starbucks in front of the editor-in-chief. Her boss looked at her intently, as if trying to find out what the problem was, but Andy smiled letting her know everything was all right.
"Hi there, Six," Nigel said quietly while she took a sit next to him. "What happened?" he asked while looking at Miranda pursing her lips because of Jocelyn's last suggestion.
"Cassidy was a little sick, so I left her with a pot of homemade chicken soup." She said taking out her notebook and trying to pay attention.
"Stepmother of the year," he mocked her lightly. She turned to say something ironic, but he was smiling. "I got the photo shoot" he added pointing the file in his hands.
"…And this editorial meeting would be way more productive if I didn't have to be a kindergarten teacher and ask Nigel and Andrea to behave and do their jobs." Miranda said suddenly, making both employees blush furiously. "So… Any ideas?" Miranda tried again. Andy gulped and handed everyone a file.
"This is the In Memoriam piece about Yves Saint Laurent's influence in fashion and especially in Runway," Miranda looked at her intently, "and this," she said, distributing a second set of files, "is the feature in which I deconstructed the life of the models, making it parallel between the popular beliefs and the life of none other than Adriana Lima and Jason Shaw, with their help, their insights, and an interview with both of them." Miranda stiffened, "Nigel," he stood up and gave the participants the last file, "is giving you the photo shoot that was just delivered by the art department." Andy concluded and sat down, looking at her boss.
To everyone in the room, Miranda appeared to be examining the files that she was given, but Andy noticed her stiffness; she looked reluctant and that was not normal. Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice saying: "That's all." Everyone scurried out of the room as if it was suddenly on fire. Miranda stood silently from her chair and left the room without as much as a glance to either one of her employees. Nigel turned his head to a confused-looking Andy with a raised eyebrow.
"What was that?" he asked. Andy looked lost and he sighed. "She's jealous."
"Huh?" was all she managed to say. Nigel shook his head.
"Sometimes I wonder how you can be so eloquent and write so brilliantly, when you conversational skills leave so much to be desired." He pushed her so she looked directly at him. "Four words for you: Adriana Lima, Jason Shaw"
"C'mon Nige, she can't be serious." Nigel raised his eyebrow. "Fuck," she muttered under her breath as she stood up clumsily from her chair. Nigel watched her leave the room and turned his attention to the flawless Jason Shaw photo shoot.
"You can't go in there," Emily said without even looking at her.
"Like hell I can't," Andy entered the office and heard Emily's far away voice frantically calling after her. Miranda was looking through the window. It was the first time since Andy had met her that she saw the woman in her office doing something else other than work.
"Miranda… I…" her wife turned around with her Starbucks in one hand and the files Andy had given during the earlier meeting in the other.
"What Andrea?" she looked tired and it worried Andy. Andy tried to approach the woman, but Miranda stiffened and dropped the files on her desk with one smooth throw. "Interesting. Did you have fun?"
"Miranda, this is work. You should know that better than anyone," Andy approached her, but Miranda didn't move nor did she look at her. As Andy hugged her, she felt Miranda's body stiffen even more, but she made no attempt to let go of her wife's body, instead the younger woman placed her head on the crook of her wife's neck breathing the soothing scent of her love's perfume. When Miranda didn't stir, Andy raised her head, cupping Miranda's chin with her fingers so she'd look at her. "I love you and you know it," she said, touching her lips with her wife's and kissing her softly. Miranda didn't respond, but she made no effort to move Andy away.
Andy tried to open her mouth with her tongue like she'd done so many times before, but Miranda wasn't having any of it. She sighed and drew back. "I don't understand you," she whispered, sensing how Miranda's energy had changed and then repeated with a tint of hurt in her voice, "I don't understand you… But I love you." She walked to the door and opened it. Before exiting, Andy turned around and saw Miranda playing with the cardboard sleeve of her Starbucks cup. "I left a message for you, in your coffee," Miranda suddenly looked at her and raised an eyebrow, but before Miranda could say anything Andy had left her alone.
Miranda took the already empty cup and looked at it. She saw how part of the "Careful, the beverage you're about to enjoy is extremely hot" message was crossed out and now read "you're extremely hot." She then moved the cardboard to see a message with tiny letters written by Andy. Miranda put on her glasses and read, "Cass is ok, she's feeling better. I love you; it hurts not being able to touch you while we are at the office." A sigh escaped as Miranda sat down, she felt silly. For now she couldn't afford to feel guilty, she couldn't afford thinking about her Andrea while meeting with that sad excuse of a man, Irv Ravitz, but she made a mental note than she'd talk to Andy as soon as she got home.
When Miranda got home, she found Caroline sound asleep. She kissed her daughter's forehead and watched her for a few minutes before heading to Cassidy's room. Cassidy's light was still on and Miranda could hear soft whispers coming from the room. Andy was on Cassidy's bed, and turned around as Cassidy smiled at her mother who stood in the doorway. Both said hi before Andy turned to Cassidy and said it was late. She gave the girl a goodnight kiss, smiling at the teenager before leaving the girl's room.
"What happened?" Cassidy asked, looking intently at her mother.
"Nothing for you to be worried about, Bobbsey." She answered kissing her forehead.
"She's been weird since she got home. Take care of her mom, we don't want to lose her."
"I know sweetheart, I will make it right. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, mom," Cassidy said as Miranda turned off the light.
When Miranda reached their bedroom, she saw Andy on the far left side of the bed facing the window, pretending to be asleep. She moved quietly to the bathroom, stopping in front of the mirror to take off her make-up. Once her face was scrubbed clean, she put on her pyjamas and turned off the lights. She slid carefully into the bed, facing Andrea's back.
"Andrea," she said softly, touching her wife's back.
"What?" Andy said.
"Turn around, please" Miranda said with that voice that Andy couldn't resist, the voice that she used only at home. Andy turned around and Miranda said "You too, me too, me too." She reached for Andy and kissed her sweetly. Andy reciprocated just as softly while pressing her body against her wife's hugging her. She was married to Miranda Priestly so she wasn't expecting an 'I'm sorry', but she got the best answers to her messages, and because of that she smiled against Miranda's lips as she felt Miranda's soft hands caressing her naked skin.
~Fin~