ABCs of DWP - Day Four
Mar. 30th, 2009 01:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chainofcloversFandom: The Devil Wears Prada (film)
Pairing: Andy/Miranda, Miranda/OMC
Rating: PG to R
Prompts: Portrait, Queasy, Rumor, Storm, Tutor
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to The Devil Wears Prada.
A/N: I apologize for the lateness of these. The final set will be coming as soon as possible. The last few days have been lovely and busy, and there just wasn't an appropriate moment for me to say "If you'll excuse me, I have to go write some drabbles."
Also, while this set of drabbles is not in chronological order, each piece exists in the same "universe." This isn't the case for the other drabbles I've submitted for this challenge, but these five all include the same Miranda, the same Andy, and the same everyone else.
One more thing: the last one goes shamefully over 250 words. I figured I was already so late with these that I might as well ignore another rule while I was at it. Hopefully you won't find the extra words too self-indulgent.
Title: Specter
Rating: PG
Pairing: None
Prompt: Portrait
Word Count: 250
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
When Cassidy headed to Miranda’s study one evening, her latest charcoal drawing in hand, she didn’t necessarily expect to receive effusive praise. She did imagine her mother would smile a little, and at least say something. She certainly didn’t expect her to go gape-mouthed, the color draining from her cheeks.
Finally, Miranda spoke, voice barely audible. “Do you know who that is?”
Cassidy glanced at the face she’d rendered on thick paper. It had been difficult to capture the way the long dark hair fell in waves, and smiles were always tricky. The eyes had been easier; she’d a knack for them. “Yes, your old assistant. I found a photo, just lying on your desk. The angle was perfect, so I scanned it, I wasn’t trying to make you—”
“What were you doing in—” Miranda paused, visibly collecting herself. “It’s an excellent likeness, darling.”
Cassidy took the drawing to her room and set it on the floor near her bed, figuring she’d find it a hiding place after she got back from her friend’s sleepover.
The next morning, bleary-eyed and practically hollow with exhaustion and too much sugar, Cassidy stumbled into her bedroom. “Mom?” Miranda sat on the floor against the bed, tears streaming down her face. Cassidy didn’t need to see the other side of the paper in her hand to know what it was.
At a loss, Cassidy followed instinct. She knelt beside her mother, stretching out her arms. Miranda filled them, still clutching the portrait.
-----
Title: A Steady Path
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Miranda/OMC
Prompt: Queasy
Word Count: 250
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
Miranda nudged her husband awake. “John…I have to tell you something. Now.”
His eyes snapped open, immediately alert. He was still a little scared of her, though she wished it wasn’t so. “What is it?”
Miranda took in a shallow breath. Best to be blunt. “I’m pregnant.”
She caught the reverent way he said “Oh my God, Mir, that’s wonderful!” and was able to smile at the delight in his face before slipping back into her thoughts.
Her body was ready for this baby, and had been for months. No more stealing Nigel’s cigarettes the week before deadline, no more pills or lines of anything at parties, not even so much as a drop of wine with dinner or anywhere else.
She wanted it—the baby—very much, but she still had something to give up. A secret, a lovely problem that made sacrificing a high or a buzz seem easy by comparison. She couldn’t explain to John that she needed to think about women to fall asleep at night, to enjoy sex, to stay good at her job. Nothing had ever happened, or would happen: her reveries were strictly that. Still, she would have liked to embark on motherhood free from the embarrassing burden of fantasy. Free from wondering how it would feel to walk down the street hand in hand with another woman.
John tentatively stroked her stomach. He was very handsome, radiant with the news and early sunlight. She told herself her nausea was only morning sickness.
-----
Title: Some Circles
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Andy/Miranda
Prompt: Rumor
Word Count: 250
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
Andy studied Nigel as he made his way back to their table. He’d seemed a little distant all night, and now his expression was practically somber. Strange for a bar night, one of the few they’d managed to schedule since Andy had started at The Mirror.
“I heard a rumor,” he said quietly as he sat down on his stool, pushing a martini at Andy.
“Oh?” Andy sipped her drink. It was cool but it stung.
“About you—” He paused, then whispered “and Miranda.”
“Who told you?” She said the words too quickly, and, easy as that, she’d given it away.
He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. What matters is your—your safety! She can’t be satisfied, she’ll use you right up. You’re going to get…burned.”
Andy frowned at the way he struggled to choose words. “Nigel, stop being so dramatic. I know you’re mad at her but are you really that uncreative? You can’t decide if she’s the Ice Queen or the Dragon Lady, is that it? If she’s frigid or, like, a ravenous nympho? I didn’t think you bought into all that gossip column crap. It’s lazy writing.”
Nigel looked appropriately chagrined. “I don’t. I’m sorry. It’s just—this is so weird.”
“What’s weird?” Andy asked, intentionally dense. She wasn’t going to give Nigel an inch. The myth of the hot-and-cold-middle-aged-bitch was getting really tired. Besides, she satisfied Miranda just fine.
“Nothing.” He sighed. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Sure,” Andy said, torn between disappointment and relief.
-----
Title: The Exception
Rating: PG
Pairing: None
Prompt: Storm
Word Count: 238
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
In high school and college, afternoon thunderstorms frequently reminded Andy of her elementary school. All the classrooms had had enormous, dusty windows, and storms darkened the rooms so much that everything inside seemed yellow and dull and warm. Storms had never felt unsafe to her; the tumult outside lent the classroom a coziness.
Oddly enough, the same sensory memory struck her during the first thunderstorm she witnessed at Runway. With its high-powered light bulbs and pristine walls, the office wasn’t as affected as a dingy school by the loss of natural light. Still, the storm prompted a marked change in atmosphere. Everyone around her was busy, but for once, the only visible frenzy was outdoors, in the form of thunderclaps and streaks of spindly lightning flashing in every window.
“Emily…”
Andy rushed from her desk to see what Miranda wanted. She took mental notes on a litany of demands: for a meeting to be rescheduled, for the immediate arrival of coffee, for an improved compilation of some haphazardly collected financial data.
“That’s all,” Miranda said. When Andy was almost to the door, a majestic clap of thunder sounded, so loud she jumped.
She almost jumped a second time when she heard Miranda say her name. “Andrea.” The word was soft in the wake of the thunder, and when Andy turned around she saw a slight, lovely smile tease the corners of Miranda’s lips. “I don’t need any coffee.”
-----
Title: Thank God You’re Up Now
Rating: R
Pairing: Andy/Miranda
Prompt: Tutor
Word Count: 319
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
A/N: The title of this one comes from the Elvis Perkins song “While You Were Sleeping.”
Miranda loved Andrea, and she loved clothes, and any idiot could see that clothes loved Andrea too. Quite understandably, Miranda wanted all the feelings to be mutual.
She knew Andrea loved her: she said “I love you” all the time, more often than Miranda had ever heard a person say it, and that wasn’t all. Andrea never complained when Miranda kept them both up late the night before an early morning, reading Valerie Steele articles out loud in bed, trying to prove to Andrea that fashion and serious academia could—and did, very effectively—co-exist. In fact, Andrea came up with some rather smart things to say about those articles, and was almost never too tired from the intellectual exertion to have sex, which, pleasantly, served to further reinforce Miranda’s belief that she really did love her very much.
She could tell Andrea liked clothes perfectly well. She had favorite fabrics and prints, understood how to dress her body, was gracious about Miranda’s gifts. But was it love? Not exactly. It was clear that Andrea would never find herself drunk with awe over a particularly lovely skirt.
This was somewhat disappointing to Miranda, until the day she stepped into the bedroom sans make-up, hair wet from the shower, wearing her grey bathrobe, with a hanger in each hand. “What should I wear?” she asked, and Andrea leapt up from the bed.
“Wear this,” she groaned, running her hands over the collar of the robe. “Or maybe this,” she added, pulling the robe open and pushing it down Miranda’s shoulders. As Andrea kissed her neck and pressed warm fingers to her breasts, Miranda lost her grip on the hangers, and couldn’t quite muster any worry about whether or not the dresses they carried would get wrinkled on the floor. They were a little drunk on each other, and it occurred to Miranda that they’d chosen the right things to love.
Pairing: Andy/Miranda, Miranda/OMC
Rating: PG to R
Prompts: Portrait, Queasy, Rumor, Storm, Tutor
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to The Devil Wears Prada.
A/N: I apologize for the lateness of these. The final set will be coming as soon as possible. The last few days have been lovely and busy, and there just wasn't an appropriate moment for me to say "If you'll excuse me, I have to go write some drabbles."
Also, while this set of drabbles is not in chronological order, each piece exists in the same "universe." This isn't the case for the other drabbles I've submitted for this challenge, but these five all include the same Miranda, the same Andy, and the same everyone else.
One more thing: the last one goes shamefully over 250 words. I figured I was already so late with these that I might as well ignore another rule while I was at it. Hopefully you won't find the extra words too self-indulgent.
Title: Specter
Rating: PG
Pairing: None
Prompt: Portrait
Word Count: 250
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
When Cassidy headed to Miranda’s study one evening, her latest charcoal drawing in hand, she didn’t necessarily expect to receive effusive praise. She did imagine her mother would smile a little, and at least say something. She certainly didn’t expect her to go gape-mouthed, the color draining from her cheeks.
Finally, Miranda spoke, voice barely audible. “Do you know who that is?”
Cassidy glanced at the face she’d rendered on thick paper. It had been difficult to capture the way the long dark hair fell in waves, and smiles were always tricky. The eyes had been easier; she’d a knack for them. “Yes, your old assistant. I found a photo, just lying on your desk. The angle was perfect, so I scanned it, I wasn’t trying to make you—”
“What were you doing in—” Miranda paused, visibly collecting herself. “It’s an excellent likeness, darling.”
Cassidy took the drawing to her room and set it on the floor near her bed, figuring she’d find it a hiding place after she got back from her friend’s sleepover.
The next morning, bleary-eyed and practically hollow with exhaustion and too much sugar, Cassidy stumbled into her bedroom. “Mom?” Miranda sat on the floor against the bed, tears streaming down her face. Cassidy didn’t need to see the other side of the paper in her hand to know what it was.
At a loss, Cassidy followed instinct. She knelt beside her mother, stretching out her arms. Miranda filled them, still clutching the portrait.
-----
Title: A Steady Path
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Miranda/OMC
Prompt: Queasy
Word Count: 250
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
Miranda nudged her husband awake. “John…I have to tell you something. Now.”
His eyes snapped open, immediately alert. He was still a little scared of her, though she wished it wasn’t so. “What is it?”
Miranda took in a shallow breath. Best to be blunt. “I’m pregnant.”
She caught the reverent way he said “Oh my God, Mir, that’s wonderful!” and was able to smile at the delight in his face before slipping back into her thoughts.
Her body was ready for this baby, and had been for months. No more stealing Nigel’s cigarettes the week before deadline, no more pills or lines of anything at parties, not even so much as a drop of wine with dinner or anywhere else.
She wanted it—the baby—very much, but she still had something to give up. A secret, a lovely problem that made sacrificing a high or a buzz seem easy by comparison. She couldn’t explain to John that she needed to think about women to fall asleep at night, to enjoy sex, to stay good at her job. Nothing had ever happened, or would happen: her reveries were strictly that. Still, she would have liked to embark on motherhood free from the embarrassing burden of fantasy. Free from wondering how it would feel to walk down the street hand in hand with another woman.
John tentatively stroked her stomach. He was very handsome, radiant with the news and early sunlight. She told herself her nausea was only morning sickness.
-----
Title: Some Circles
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Andy/Miranda
Prompt: Rumor
Word Count: 250
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
Andy studied Nigel as he made his way back to their table. He’d seemed a little distant all night, and now his expression was practically somber. Strange for a bar night, one of the few they’d managed to schedule since Andy had started at The Mirror.
“I heard a rumor,” he said quietly as he sat down on his stool, pushing a martini at Andy.
“Oh?” Andy sipped her drink. It was cool but it stung.
“About you—” He paused, then whispered “and Miranda.”
“Who told you?” She said the words too quickly, and, easy as that, she’d given it away.
He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. What matters is your—your safety! She can’t be satisfied, she’ll use you right up. You’re going to get…burned.”
Andy frowned at the way he struggled to choose words. “Nigel, stop being so dramatic. I know you’re mad at her but are you really that uncreative? You can’t decide if she’s the Ice Queen or the Dragon Lady, is that it? If she’s frigid or, like, a ravenous nympho? I didn’t think you bought into all that gossip column crap. It’s lazy writing.”
Nigel looked appropriately chagrined. “I don’t. I’m sorry. It’s just—this is so weird.”
“What’s weird?” Andy asked, intentionally dense. She wasn’t going to give Nigel an inch. The myth of the hot-and-cold-middle-aged-bitch was getting really tired. Besides, she satisfied Miranda just fine.
“Nothing.” He sighed. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Sure,” Andy said, torn between disappointment and relief.
-----
Title: The Exception
Rating: PG
Pairing: None
Prompt: Storm
Word Count: 238
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
In high school and college, afternoon thunderstorms frequently reminded Andy of her elementary school. All the classrooms had had enormous, dusty windows, and storms darkened the rooms so much that everything inside seemed yellow and dull and warm. Storms had never felt unsafe to her; the tumult outside lent the classroom a coziness.
Oddly enough, the same sensory memory struck her during the first thunderstorm she witnessed at Runway. With its high-powered light bulbs and pristine walls, the office wasn’t as affected as a dingy school by the loss of natural light. Still, the storm prompted a marked change in atmosphere. Everyone around her was busy, but for once, the only visible frenzy was outdoors, in the form of thunderclaps and streaks of spindly lightning flashing in every window.
“Emily…”
Andy rushed from her desk to see what Miranda wanted. She took mental notes on a litany of demands: for a meeting to be rescheduled, for the immediate arrival of coffee, for an improved compilation of some haphazardly collected financial data.
“That’s all,” Miranda said. When Andy was almost to the door, a majestic clap of thunder sounded, so loud she jumped.
She almost jumped a second time when she heard Miranda say her name. “Andrea.” The word was soft in the wake of the thunder, and when Andy turned around she saw a slight, lovely smile tease the corners of Miranda’s lips. “I don’t need any coffee.”
-----
Title: Thank God You’re Up Now
Rating: R
Pairing: Andy/Miranda
Prompt: Tutor
Word Count: 319
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership.
A/N: The title of this one comes from the Elvis Perkins song “While You Were Sleeping.”
Miranda loved Andrea, and she loved clothes, and any idiot could see that clothes loved Andrea too. Quite understandably, Miranda wanted all the feelings to be mutual.
She knew Andrea loved her: she said “I love you” all the time, more often than Miranda had ever heard a person say it, and that wasn’t all. Andrea never complained when Miranda kept them both up late the night before an early morning, reading Valerie Steele articles out loud in bed, trying to prove to Andrea that fashion and serious academia could—and did, very effectively—co-exist. In fact, Andrea came up with some rather smart things to say about those articles, and was almost never too tired from the intellectual exertion to have sex, which, pleasantly, served to further reinforce Miranda’s belief that she really did love her very much.
She could tell Andrea liked clothes perfectly well. She had favorite fabrics and prints, understood how to dress her body, was gracious about Miranda’s gifts. But was it love? Not exactly. It was clear that Andrea would never find herself drunk with awe over a particularly lovely skirt.
This was somewhat disappointing to Miranda, until the day she stepped into the bedroom sans make-up, hair wet from the shower, wearing her grey bathrobe, with a hanger in each hand. “What should I wear?” she asked, and Andrea leapt up from the bed.
“Wear this,” she groaned, running her hands over the collar of the robe. “Or maybe this,” she added, pulling the robe open and pushing it down Miranda’s shoulders. As Andrea kissed her neck and pressed warm fingers to her breasts, Miranda lost her grip on the hangers, and couldn’t quite muster any worry about whether or not the dresses they carried would get wrinkled on the floor. They were a little drunk on each other, and it occurred to Miranda that they’d chosen the right things to love.
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Date: 2009-03-30 06:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-30 12:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-30 01:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-30 10:30 am (UTC)They were my favourites but I loved them all, who cares if the last one was more than 250 words lol! Indulgence is good :D
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Date: 2009-03-30 12:49 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-03-30 08:26 pm (UTC)My fav line was in Storm - "I dont need any coffee"
But Tutor was just beautiful! Well done :)
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Date: 2009-03-30 09:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-30 08:31 pm (UTC)Thank you for these.
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Date: 2010-02-16 04:09 am (UTC)Have you thought about expanding this? Make this Miranda fall for Andy and decide to act on it?
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Date: 2010-02-17 01:13 am (UTC)I haven't thought about expanding the drabble beyond what I've already written. However, I do see this set of 5 drabbles as part of the same universe. Chronologically, they go like this: Queasy, Storm, Specter, Rumor, Tutor. So, this Miranda *does* fall for Andy and decide to act on it--years after her pregnancy. :)
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Date: 2010-02-17 05:31 am (UTC)