The Devil Wears Prada: Science of Fashion Part 11
Title: Science of Fashion (11/?)
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
11
“Are you in love with Andrea?”
Here it was, the big pink elephant in the middle of her kitchen at 11p.m. on an ordinary Wednesday. Opening her mouth to deny what she herself had more or less realised earlier, Miranda was stopped by Maria’s hand.
“No. Before you answer, think about it! Really think about it.”
And think she did, sipping her tea Miranda stared into space letting pass by all the times she had interacted with Andrea. Every time they had met she had felt a tug towards the younger woman. In Andrea’s presence she could be herself, her worst and her best. Andrea accepted her for what she was. Her touch was warm and comforting. Tonight she had felt so special being treated like a queen by her very own gentlewoman. Tonight she had been all woman in Andrea´s presence, not a trace of the editor or the fashion icon, just Miranda the woman. If she was completely honest she had to admit that she so very much wanted to kiss Andrea’s mouth, not just her cheek when they said good night. So, yes, she was in love with Andrea.
“How can that be?” Miranda asked with a surprised but also lost expression.
“It just took the right person”, Maria merely stated.
“For what?” Miranda asked confused.
“For you to fall in love.”
The fact that Miranda wasn’t denying it said a lot about her former relationships as well as this one.
“What am I going to do now?” The editor asked with the same lost expression as before.
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know”, Miranda answered astonished at her own indecision. She really didn’t know. Something like that had never happened before. She always knew what she wanted, right now she was at her wits´ end. Because under no circumstances did she want to lose the friendship. Pushing Andrea away by just being herself was no option. And what about Andrea´s feelings for her? Was this feeling mutual? What if Andrea didn´t feel the same?
“You will find out”, Maria patted her hand before she got up to leave for tonight. “Good night, Miranda.”
Still wrecking her brain about her course of action, Miranda climbed the stairs to her bedroom, only to fall into a fitful sleep full of pictures of a certain brown eyed biologist.
Across town Andy was fighting a war with herself. It was late but she needed to talk to someone. Pauline was probably already asleep. Throwing caution to the wind she rang her friend´s bell until a cranky voice answered over the communication system.
“Who is this idiot?”
“It’s me Pauline, Andy. Please, I need to talk to you.” Andy sounded every bit as desperate as she felt.
“Andy? Come on up!”
Pauline was waiting at her door, with sleep tousled hair and arms crossed over her chest, she looked quite adorable.
“Well?” Pauline asked without preamble.
“I did something really stupid.”
“Like what? Beating somebody up with your cane?”
“No. Worse.” Andy sighed on her way into the apartment. “I jumped Miranda Priestly.”
This caused Pauline to pause while closing the door. Looking over her shoulder at her friend, not quite sure if she had heard correctly. Given Andy’s defeated posture on her couch she probably did hear correctly. Shaking her head, Pauline sat down next to Andy and nudged her with her knee forcing Andy to look at her.
“All right, what’s that nonsense of jumping Miranda?”
“I did”, Andy insisted stubbornly.
“Okay. Start at the beginning!” Pauline sighed. Knowing her friend like she did, Andy had probably done something chivalrous and was now thinking the worst because she treated a woman like she was the most precious and delicate flower in the world. That would be so like Andy.
“Right”, Andy took a deep breath to gather her bearings. “There were all these fashion shows, gatherings, luncheons and meetings with people from the fashion industry. It was a revelation to watch Miranda in her element. She truly reigned over those people.”
“That was to expect”, Pauline reminded her friend.
“It was. What I couldn’t stand though at the end of the day were the insincere compliments, sucking up and name calling behind Miranda’s back. She looked exhausted and I thought she might enjoy a change of scenery. Some place quiet and nice, without having to watch out if somebody was trying to stab her in the back.”
“That’s when the jumping occurred?” Pauline provided helpfully.
“So to speak”, Andy admitted embarrassed.
Groaning at her best friend’s reluctance to spill the beans Pauline grew impatient.
“Spit it out for heaven’s sake! What did you do that’s so terrible?”
“I arranged a candlelight dinner at the Museum of Natural History.” Andy whispered.
“And that’s where the jumping took place?” Pauline asked confused.
“That was the jumping.” Andy shouted through clenched teeth at Pauline’s denseness.
“Sorry. You just lost me.” The physicist looked uncomprehending.
With a frustrated sigh Andy was combing her hand through her hair, while pacing in front of the couch. Why couldn’t Pauline understand? She had arranged for a nice dinner and now Miranda must think she was hitting on her, trying to seduce her or worse. What was not to understand?
“Okay. Stop it!” Pauline ordered with authority in her voice. “Sit!”
Waiting for Andy to take a seat in one of the chairs across from her before she got to the bottom of this affair.
“Good. Now, let’s do it this way. I ask and you simply answer either with yes or no. Okay?”
“Okay.” Andy agreed.
“You arranged dinner?”
“Yes.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“At the museum?”
“Yes.”
“With candles?”
“Yes.”
“For just the two of you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you kiss her?”
“No.” That sounded quite scandalised. Well, she should have known, not on the first date.
“Did you try to kiss her?”
“No!” Even more outrageous. First date, first date, remember Pauline!
“Did she kiss you?”
Opening her mouth and closing it again, Andy wasn’t sure how to answer that one correctly.
Now we are getting somewhere.
“Well?”
“All right. Yes.”
“Where?”
“On the cheek. The right one. Twice.”
Woohoo, way to go Miranda!
“Did you like it?”
“Yes.” Blushing is good.
“Did you kiss her back?”
“No!” Of course not. Stupid, Pauline! This is Andy we are talking about. No kissing, not without permission.
“What did you do?”
“Hold her hand, quite a lot actually.”
“Did she protest, seem uncomfortable or reluctant?”
“No.” Thought as much. Andy, my friend, you are too damn noble for your own good. Do you even realise you just had your first date with that woman?
“Then why don’t you accept it as what it was? A wonderful evening with a beautiful woman who obviously enjoyed herself tremendously and graciously accepted that special gift for what it was.”
“Because she must think I did it to seduce her or something.” Andy insisted.
“Did she give you any reason she thought that?”
“No.”
“See! Let it go, Andy! Just wait and see what will come of it. Just be open for what she is willing to give.”
“I told you, I don’t want more than she could give”, Andy reminded Pauline.
“I know and I believe you. But nothing happened, what are you so damn worried about?”
“I wanted to do the right thing. I don´t want her to think I did it because I expect something from her. A favour of any kind like all the others. I did it because she needed a break from all the superficiality. I did it because...”
“Because you are in love with her?” Pauline asked, gently covering Andy´s hand with her own.
All Andy could do was nod her head.
“I am, I never thought... after the accident...” Andy whispered.
“Oh, Andy”, Pauline hugged her friend gently, “I know and that´s why you have to tell her the truth. About the accident and everything else.”
“I know.” Andy sighed with a heavy heart, wiping away an errand tear.
Holding on to the slightly distraught woman, Pauline was happy that Andy had finally admitted her feelings for the editor. Telling Miranda though was something else. All in good time. The first step had been made, in fact a major step for Andy.
Andy stayed only a little while longer, telling the details of her dinner and after sensing Pauline’s need to go back to sleep, Andy said good night and left her friend for her own apartment to catch a few hours of rest before she had to get up for her department meeting. For endless hours of discussions and arguments without much results.
Unfortunately the meeting seemed to go on forever. People kept droning on endlessly about the most insignificant matters. Andy sighed and stole a glance at her wristwatch for the umpteenth time in the last few hours. Not that she had to be anywhere it was just annoying as hell.
“All right, let’s have a lunch break. We meet again at two p.m.”, Carl Richardson adjourned the meeting for the time being.
Everybody breathed a sigh of relieve, glad for the break and something to eat after a strenuous morning.
Returning to her office Andy was greeted by a large bouquet of flowers on her secretary’s desk.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you have a secret admirer, Kate”, Andy gently teased.
“I don’t”, Kate admitted, “but you do, although it’s not so secret.”
“Oh?”
“Card is between the roses.” Kate clarified with a smirk.
Putting down her notes on the desk Andy peered between the flowers and carefully retracted a small envelope with her name written on it.
Even without opening Andy recognised the perfume clinging to it immediately. There was only one woman who wore this particular scent. A smile was grazing her lips when she took out the card.
Maybe Pauline was right after all?
I enjoyed myself very much last evening.
Thank you, for such a wonderful experience.
The company was even more wonderful.
I am looking forward to the reception.
M.
Andy’s eyes grew even bigger after having read the card. Pauline has been right. To what extend had to be found out. But Miranda obviously wasn’t in the slightest angry at her.
“Fashion Week went well so far, I take it?” Mrs Moran asked all the while typing on her keyboard.
“Yes, quite so.”
“Enjoyable?”
“Yes.” Andy thought of how she had watched Miranda in her element, completely at home in front of the catwalk and backstage, taking command the moment she entered the room.
“Care for some lunch?” Mrs Moran wanted to know when nothing more was forthcoming.
“That would be nice, please. Sandwiches and some water.”
Retiring to her office, Andy took the time to catch up on e-mails while she waited for her lunch. When she couldn’t concentrate she gave up and returned to what was occupying her mind since this morning. The reception Friday evening.
What should she wear? How should she behave around Miranda? What did the older woman expect of her? What was happening between them? She couldn’t come up with a single answer, just more questions.
All through her lunch break her brain was running in circles, even during the afternoon session of their meeting she kept returning to those same questions. Telling Miranda about the accident and everything else as Pauline had said was another point that kept popping up in her head. Just one step after the other. Be there and be open for whatever Miranda has to offer was the best advice she had to give herself.
On her way home from the meeting Andy finally found the courage and the time to call Miranda and thank her for the flowers. Scrolling through her phone book Andy was going to press the call button when a searing pain shot through her leg, causing her to gasp in surprise and pain. As soon as it came it was over, just an unpleasant reminder to go to a check up. Finally hitting the call button she didn’t have to wait too long to hear Miranda’s voice.
“Yes?” The editor sounded annoyed and tired.
“Hello, Miranda!”
“Andrea, what a pleasant surprise.”
“I meant to thank you for the beautiful flowers. Thank you, but you didn’t have to.”
“On the contrary, Andrea”, Miranda said with a sudden shyness, “you made me feel very special and for that I wanted to thank you.”
“You are welcome and you deserved it”, Andy closed her eyes, afraid she had gone too far again.
“Thank you. You are still going to come to the reception?”
“Yes.”
“Roy will get you at 8 p.m..”
“That’s not necessary”, Andy protested half-heartily.
“I insist.”
“All right. Until Friday. Bye!”
“Good-bye, Andrea!”
Although there were still some minor fashion shows Friday morning, Miranda had insisted that they weren’t that important. They were actually some kind of run-throughs on a larger scale for the fashion magazines. Which gave Andy time to work from home. She had to finish a few articles for science magazines and some papers needed to be graded.
Every time she got up from behind her desk to look for a book or paper her annoying reminder of visiting her doctor about a check up was back. At lunch time she finally gave in and took some painkillers forcing the pain back so it became just a dull throb. Still there but bearable, even ignorable for the remainder of the day.
Evening dress was required for the reception and Andy opted for black, her grey one was suitable for afternoon events or cocktail parties but today definitely called for black.
Wearing her hair open again, Andy gave herself a last once over in the mirror before she went downstairs to meet Roy.
When she stepped through the front door Miranda’s town car was driving around the corner. Stopping in front of his passenger, Roy got out of the car to open the door for Andy. Seeing the look of disappointment when she peered into the empty back seat he hastened to explain Miranda’s absence.
“She is already there. She has a suite booked for tonight. She always does. You know, something about the dress.”
“I see.”
The Ritz-Plaza was bustling with people arriving at the reception but it was fairly easy for Andy to spot Emily among the crowd. The British woman was waiting for her to get her through the people without any delay.
Emily spotted the car and made her way towards them. Roy opened the door for Andy who heard a distinct intake of breath when she exited the car. Emily’s eyes were big as saucers and her mouth was opening and closing like that of a fish out of water.
“What?”
“You...this...why”, Emily sputtered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
“What?”
“Why are you not wearing a dress?” The redhead finally blurted.
Rolling her eyes at her friend, Andy didn’t want to explain but for Emily’s sake she did. Afraid the other woman might have a stroke. Miranda was right, Emily did need to relax.
“Because my dear, I haven’t worn a dress since I was three and I am not going to change that, not even for Miranda.”
“As odd as the woman is behaving these past few weeks, she might even think you look handsome.” Emily huffed.
“Wait a minute”, Andy stopped Emily’s ascent with a hurt expression, “you don’t think I look good. I thought I did.”
Pausing to give her friend a closer look, Emily had to admit that Andy indeed looked quite handsome. The outfit suited her, she looked very elegant. Miranda was going to love it, not so much the clothes itself, more the whole package.
Realisation suddenly hit Emily squarely between the eyes right there on the steps of the Ritz-Plaza. Miranda fucking Priestly was going to love Andrea’s outfit because she was in love with Andrea Sachs. By the way her friend was behaving around the fashion queen Emily suspected it was mutual. Only one way to find out for sure, observe Andy when the Dragon Lady made her entrance.
“Emily?” Andy stirred Emily from her musings.
“Huh?”
“She is going to hate it, isn’t she”, now Andy sounded insecure. Very unbecoming for the biologist.
“No”, Emily put a reassuring hand on Andy’s arm, “she is going to love it. Daring and fitting, just the combination she admires.”
“Let’s go.” Andy’s happy smile turned suddenly into a grimace of pain as another flash of painshot through her leg. Cursing herself for her own stupidity for not taking another pill, she gripped her cane tighter.
“You all right?” Emily was worried.
“Yeah”, swallowing hard as the pain receded again Andy followed her friend into the building.
The ball room was already overflowing with all the important people from the fashion industry and everyone who was associated with it. Designers, editors, writers, photographers, movie stars and all kinds of public figures who loved to bask in the light of those really influential and significant.
Leaving her scarf and coat at the wardrobe Andy scanned the crowed for Miranda but was disappointed when she couldn’t find the silver haired woman among those mingling.
“She is not here, yet.” Emily helpfully supplied.
“Where is she?”
“Waiting just a few more moments to make her grand entrance. People wait for Miranda Priestly, not the other way round.”
“They do?” Andy wondered why every time Miranda came to talk to her she had been waiting patiently in her office then.
“Yes. She is the queen of the fashion world and she helps them to remember it.” Emily explained with pride in her voice.
“That makes you what? Her first lady-in-waiting?” Andy joked.
“It’s not funny.” Emily hissed.
“Sorry, Em. I didn’t mean to hurt you. It was a stupid thing to say”, Andy apologised sincerely. “I know you admire her a great deal and now I understand better why.”
“Well, accepted”, Emily sniffed indignantly.
“And despite all your name calling you do like her as we both know”, Andy reminded her.
“If you tell anybody...”, Emily narrowed her gaze threateningly.
“I know”, Andy held up her hand to forestall further words, “You are going to kill me.”
Miranda stood on the landing, only a few more steps separated her from the waiting crowd. The nervous apprehension she felt was very unusual for her, a feeling completely foreign to her and yet, she couldn´t, no matter how hard she tried, remember when it was the last time she had felt that way, if ever. Miranda put the guilt on her awareness of her feelings for Andrea. Neither of her ex-husbands had ever evoked such a heightened sense of anticipation in her. Not Gregory and certainly not Stephen. Only years of practice helped her to establish a calm outer facade. Looking into the body length mirror on the landing Miranda thought Valentino had outdone himself with her dress. She only hoped Andrea would think the same. She risked a peek around the corner, where at the bottom of the stairs, Emily and Andrea were waiting for her. At the first glance at the biologist Miranda was surprised to find that Andrea wasn´t wearing a dress. But after a closer look she had to admit it was the right decision.
Andrea wore a man´s outfit but in Miranda´s point of view no man could do it more justice. Admiring the younger woman´s boldness Miranda found she quite liked what she saw. Simple black trousers, a grey vest and a white smoking shirt with the first few buttons unbuttoned under a one button row black frock coat. In addition to polished black shoes and an equally black cane with a silver handle completed the woman´s outfit. Andrea´s beautiful rich dark brown hair flowed freely down her neck and only the slightest hint of make-up gave the woman an absolutely dashing look.
They sure would make a magnificent couple, Miranda thought with a sigh of longing. With a toss of her head she slowly descended the stairs and smiled when she heard Emily´s annunciation of her arrival.
“Here she comes”, Emily breathed in awe.
Turning at Emily’s words Andy was rendered completely speechless and awestruck as Miranda descended the stairs in her black dress. Her shoulders were bare, no necklace distracted from the beautiful ivory neck and cleavage. The bodice of the dress clung to her figure like a glove, falling down to her feet, accentuating the woman´s curves perfectly. Small pearls in her ears where the only jewellery to enhance the perfection that was Miranda Priestly.
Stepping out from behind her friend, Andy took a step towards the stairs and held out her left hand for Miranda to take while taking the last two stairs. Touched at the gesture Miranda took the offered hand and let Andrea guide her down. Their eyes were never leaving each other. Miranda wanted this moment to prolong, just the two of them.
“Emily get me a glass of champagne!” Miranda softly ordered.
“Yes, Miranda.” Emily hurried off, leaving them to their own world.
“Good evening, Andrea”, the editor husked as she kissed Andrea on the cheek in welcome. “You look very handsome.”
“Good evening, Miranda.” She was actually blushing at the compliment. “Thank you. You on the other hand look absolutely breathtaking.”
“Why thank you, Andrea.” Miranda smiled an honest smile. “You are very fetching, Professor.”
“Thanks, I wasn’t sure after Emily was so shocked that I didn’t wear a dress.” Andy admitted, blushing even harder.
“Nonsense”, Miranda waved off the objection, taking a step closer to Andrea she put her hands gently on the labels of the frock coat, “you look every inch the gentlewoman you are.”
Covering one of Miranda’s hands where it burned through the fabric of her jacket with her own left, Andy gazed into those bottomless pools of blue, feeling herself fall into their depths when suddenly Emily returned with the champagne and the spell was broken.
Sighing at her assistant’s appearance Miranda let reluctantly go of Andrea, taking the champagne and excusing herself as Irv Ravitz was coming their way.
If Andy’s expression as Miranda had descended the stairs and her helping the editor down the stairs had not been enough to convince the redhead that something was definitely going on between her friend and her boss. The display she had barged in right now was the last clue. Good for them! Andy could handle Miranda, she had been witness to that. Miranda also seemed softer around Andy, which in return made for a better atmosphere at the office and the life for those who worked for her easier. So who was she to deny them their happiness?
“Well, well, are you the new Miranda-girl?” A slurred voice sounded behind them, causing Emily to groan in disgust.
Both women turned and found a dark blonde man, with a supposedly handsome face staring at them. He was scrutinising Andy from head to toe, taking in her appearance narrowing his eyes at her cane and her barely visibly scar under her make-up.
Pointing a finger at her, still holding on to the empty whisky glass in his hand, making clear he had come to a conclusion.
“Silly me, you are none of her little minions.”
“Pray tell, how did you reach that conclusion?” Andy asked with sarcasm.
“Look, you jerk ...” Emily tried to interfere, but was stopped by Andy’s hand on her forearm.
“No, Emily. Let Mr ...?”
“Thompson”, he provided with a slur.
“Let Mr Thompson tell us why I’m not a Miranda-girl as he so eloquently put it.”
“Well, you are... and at the same time you are not. See, she wouldn’t... because... “, Christian Thompson stammered without being able to form a coherend sentence.
“Please, tell me Mr Thompson, what is your profession?”
“I work at the New Yorker, still. If that bitch hadn’t fucked me over in Paris I would...”
“And you are what at the New Yorker”, Andy interrupted his spiteful ramblings, “the errand-boy?”
“I’m a writer you fucking arrogant cri...”
“Christian Thompson”, Miranda’s voice was dripping with venom. “Still bitter about Paris?”
“You...”, Thompson was staring at Miranda with hate distorting his face.
“I recommend you stop right here and leave the premises immediately, otherwise I will have these gentlemen escort you from the building”, Miranda said in her soft low voice which was even more dangerous than if she had raised it at the man.
“Fuck you!”
Watching the man storm off with security at his heels, Miranda turned to Andrea worried about any insult.
“Are you all right, Andrea?”
“I’m fine. He doesn’t belong to your fan club I presume?” Andy asked with a grin.
“No.” The editor chuckled relieved.
“I really do hope he is a more eloquent writer than he is a speaker.”
“For the New Yorker’s sake I hope so as well.”
“Do you mind if we sit down for a moment?” Andy asked, feeling her leg starting to throb unpleasantly again.
“Not at all”, Miranda led her to some chairs and sat down next to Andrea.
Observing the younger woman from the corner of her eyes, as she tried to get comfortable in her chair, Miranda thought that maybe now was a good opportunity to talk to Andrea about what was going on between them.
Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves Miranda opened her mouth to speak only to be beaten to it by a man’s exuberant voice, causing the editor to close her eyes in frustration cursing his miserable timing.
“Miranda, there you are. I have been looking for you”, a very handsome man in his late fifties with greying temples and a trim figure was approaching them.
“Jefferson, what a pleasure”, Miranda greeted the man with a pleasant smile. A real smile which caused Andy to wonder who this man was. So far she had only seen fake smiles from the older woman that evening when directed at other people than her. This was different though.
“I would like to speak to you, Miranda.”
“Do you mind, Andrea?” Miranda apologetically asked while she got up from her seat, hoping to get rid of him as fast as possible.
“No, not at all”, Andy got up as well.
“Thank you”, Jefferson took Miranda’s arm leading her to a quiet corner at the other side of the ballroom.
The talk with Jefferson Carlyle had taken longer than Miranda had anticipated. She had to dance with him a few times, on his insistence that it was easier to speak that way. When she returned to the place where she had left Andrea, the younger woman was gone. Emily was sitting in her chair waiting for her boss to deliver Andy’s message.
“Where is Andrea?”
“She left. She told me to give you her regards but her leg was troubling her more than she thought.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?” Miranda was hurt.
“She didn’t want you to worry.” That was what Andy had told her though she suspected, no she knew, there was another reason why Andy had left so suddenly.
“Miranda...”
“That’s all, Emily”, the editor brushed her off and glided away.
“Idiots, both of you”, the English woman muttered at the retreating back of her boss.
TBC