The Devil Wears Prada: Science of Fashion Part 7a
Title: Science of Fashion (7a/?)
Author: vicar_dibley
Fandom: The Devil Wears Prada
Pairing: Andy/Miranda AU
Rating: G (for now)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from The Devil Wears Prada
Author's note: English isn't my first language, this hasn't been beta'd so forgive me. The mistakes (language wise and otherwise) are all mine. This is my first DWP fan fiction. Hope you like it:) Comments are welcome!
Summary: It’s an alternative universe, Andy is about 35 and Miranda is 50. In my story Andy is not cheery.
Science of Fashion
7a
Sitting in the back of her usual taxi Andy was going over some notes for today’s lecture and was unceremoniously ripped out of her concentration when she heard her driver give a cry of surprise.
“Holy Mother of God, Doc what are you guys doing? Starting the Mars mission from this campus?” Lynn shouted in the confinements of the car.
“Huh?” Andy looked up from her notes and with a perplexed expression she followed Lynn’s hand pointing at the turmoil going on on the lawn right in front of them.
Taking off her reading glasses Andy’s eyebrows rose to hairline level as she tried to figure out what this was all about. Then it hit her like a bolt of lightning. Of course, today was Friday, the day of the photo shoot for Runway. She had expected a few people and their equipment but this was ridiculous. The lawn was crowded like she had never seen it before. What where all these people doing here? This had to be a practical joke.
“I have not the slightest idea, Lynn.” Andy could honestly say. Pushing her papers back in her backpack she said good-bye to her driver.
“See you on Monday, same time, same station, Doc.” Lynn waved at her after she had turned the car and was driving off.
“Yeah, Monday”, Andy mumbled at her long time favourite taxi driver, taking in what was going on right before her very eyes.
When she spotted a certain British female who was barking into a mobile phone and gesturing wildly Andy couldn’t suppress the smile that was involuntarily forming on her face. Walking over to where the younger woman was standing Andy shook her head once again at the entourage on the lawn.
“Good morning, Emily!” Andy greeted her fellow British comrade.
“Andy”, Emily squeaked, “I mean Professor Sachs.”
“Please, Andy will do. Remember?” Andy smiled at the stressed woman.
“Yes, well, right.” Emily grinned at the biologist.
“Emily, tell me what is all this !”
“The photo shoot for the next issue, cover and everything. Miranda said you agreed. Didn’t you?”
“Yes I did, we did. But I wasn’t expecting something like this.”
“Only the best for Runway”, Emily smirked at the scientist’s flabbergasted expression.
“Speaking of Miranda, where is she?”
“Oh, she is waiting for you in your office.”
“Of course”, Andy smacked her forehead, “silly me, where else would she be?”
Mumbling to herself Andy walked off towards the biology department. She should have known something like that would occur but on the other hand how was she supposed to know. She had never cared for fashion magazines and how they did their photo shootings. Couldn’t be helped now, could it? Reaching her office Andy was relieved to find her trusted secretary behind her desk greeting her with a warm smile.
“Good morning, Kate!” Andy handed over her backpack to the older woman, gratefully accepting a cup of freshly brewed coffee in return.
“Good morning, dear!” Kate Moran smiled at the biologist.
“You are one in a million”, Andy grinned after taking her first sip.
“Glad you think so. You have a visitor.” Kate informed her with a serious face.
“I know. Did you offer her your special treat?” Andy asked lifting the cup to indicate what she meant.
“Of course, she looked as if she could use one”, the secretary gave Andy a conspiratory glance. “Now shoo, she doesn’t beg me as a patient one.”
“Yes, ma´am.” Andy saluted playfully, which earned her a smack to her upper arm.
Upon entering her office, Andy found Miranda in her usual visitor chair flipping through one of Andy’s biology journals and sipping her coffee. When she stumbled across a very colourful specimen Miranda took a closer look causing Andy to chuckle at the scrutinising glare.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Andy softly asked.
“Quite so, something to keep in mind”, Miranda turned and smiled at the biologist who was leaning against the door frame of her office.
“Good morning, Andrea!”
“Good morning, Miranda!” Walking over to Miranda Andy sat down in the other visitor chair next to the editor.
“I should have known you’d be here waiting for me.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you always do, when you come by. I shouldn’t have needed to ask Emily.”
“Indeed”, Miranda smirked.
“Yeah. Kate provided you with some much needed coffee, I see.” Andy nodded at the cup in Miranda’s hand.
“Fortunately. A very competent person, your secretary.”
“Kate is wonderful”, Andy agreed readily. “So, care to tell me what is this racket going on out there?”
“Why, Andrea, really! It is our photo shoot not some racket as you call it”, Miranda sniffed indignantly.
“Sorry”, Andy apologised, “I didn’t mean to ridicule your work. It’s just, well, there are so many people out there and the equipment. Was it really necessary to go to this length?”
“Andrea, I know you do not care for fashion or my magazine but trust me when I say there is a reason why Runway is the best of the best. I always demand the best and I get it. Fashion is not some nilly willy past time. It is a major industry with millions of dollars invested and gained every year. I am not called the Dragon Lady for naught, I know what I do. I am afraid you have to trust me on this.”
It was ridiculous really, she never explained herself to anybody other than her children. But here she was trying to make this woman understand who for all she know didn’t care in the slightest for fashion. Although, Miranda somehow firmly believed that Andrea would understand. Given the look on the younger woman’s face she did understand.
“I’m sorry, Miranda. I didn’t mean to mock or make fun of you. I just never really thought about what it means to work in your line of work.”
“That’s quite all right, Andrea. I could say the same about your work.” Miranda waved off the apology.
“Well, what do you say if we change that? I’ll show you the wonders of nature and you enlighten me on the finer points of dressing women?” Andy held out her hand for Miranda to seal the deal.
Looking into Andrea’s eyes Miranda saw a certain spark of mischief in them. But more than that what she found was honest curiosity and eagerness. It could be interesting. If it meant spending more time with Andrea who was she to deny herself the pleasure. Wait a minute did she just really think that? Shaking her head at her train of thoughts Miranda firmly grasped the offered hand and shook it good naturally.
“Deal!”
Laughing at Miranda’s readiness to accept her proposal Andy wondered what she had gotten herself into. Well, it could be worse, couldn’t it?
“Why do I suddenly feel as if I’m going to regret it?” Andy asked cautiously, seeing the gleam in Miranda’s eyes.
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Miranda said all innocence, still holding on to Andy’s hand not ready to let it go just yet, when the door burst open and an excited woman stormed in stopping short when she saw their hands holding on to each other.
“Andy, good grief girl, have you seen...” Pauline Langton rushed trough the door and stopped short when she saw Andy holding another woman’s hand and smiling goofily.
Rolling her eyes at her best friend’s behaviour Andy reluctantly let go of Miranda’s hand to introduce them.
“Miranda Priestly please meet Pauline Langton, professor for experimental physics and best friend. Pauline this is Miranda Priestly, fashion queen and editor of Runway.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mrs Priestly.” Pauline and Miranda shook hands.
“Likewise, Professor. Please call me Miranda!”
“Miranda, I am Pauline. So it is your doing after all, this ruckus out there?” Pauline asked with a big smile.
“I’m afraid so. But let me assure you it was absolutely necessary.”
“Hey”, Pauline was holding up her hands, “you are the boss in this one. Who if not you knows what it takes to publish a fashion magazine, right?”
Raising her left eyebrow in an appreciating manner Miranda genuinely smiled at the other woman.
“At least one person understands the hardships of my work.” Sniffing slightly Miranda smirked at Andrea to take off the sting.
“Oh, forget Andy, all she cares about is biology.” Pauline dismissively waved at her friend.
“Yeah, yeah now that you had fun on my expense get out and look out for the others, would you?”
“I have to disagree with your assessment Pauline, Andrea knows how to dress quite exceptionally”, Miranda defended the younger woman in a tone that broke no argument.
“Thank you”, Andy softly said feeling slightly embarrassed at the praise.
“Not at all. I was simply stating the truth.”
Looking from one woman to the other Pauline was wondering what was going on, something was. It couldn’t be, or could it? Shaking her head at this thought she waved good bye, promising to gather all participants down on the lawn.
“I like her”, was the first thing Miranda said when they were alone again.
“She is great.” Andy agreed, glad that the editor felt that way about her best friend.
“I should also leave. Staying any longer would mean calling for an ultimate disaster.” Miranda was getting to her feet and walking towards the door. When she was reaching for the knob Andy´s voice caused her to stop mid-motion.
“Miranda, wait!” Andy turned towards the older woman in her chair, unsure how she should proceed.
Looking expectantly at the biologist Miranda waited patiently for Andy to gather her courage to say what was on her mind.
“Yes?”
“About our deal...”
“Wriggling out of it already aren’t you? And here I thought you were an adventurer Professor.” Miranda couldn’t stop herself from teasing the younger woman.
“No, I mean I’m not. But knowing how demanding your job is I want you to know that you don’t have to do anything. I just thought that given your girls´ love for animals I could take all of you to the zoo and show you what is going on behind the scenes, so to speak. I know the manager, one of the vets and quite a few of the keepers. The girls could help with preparing the food, take a look at the nursery and...” Seeing a strange look on Miranda’s face Andy suddenly felt foolish for even suggesting such a thing and grew more insecure than before.
“Or, or I could take you to the Museum of Natural History where they could also get to the places no one else usually gets, like looking at all the things behind the exhibits and stuff. And I’m shutting up now.”
Miranda was still looking at her in such a strange way that Andy stopped talking rather abruptly startling the editor out of her trance like state.
“Why?” Miranda softly asked. It was plainly obvious that Andrea had put some thought into this. Miranda was touched because it was also quite clear that her efforts were focused on her girls and how she could give them an experience they wouldn’t forget anytime soon.
TBC in 7b