{buffyverse} gossip & drinks
Title: Gossip & Drinks
Author: Aaronlisa
Fandom: Angel / Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing/Characters: Harmony/Eve, with mentions of Cordelia, Angel and Spike
Rating: FR13
Disclaimer: Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Joss Whedon and company.
Prompts: Written for Round 112 at femslash_minis for kwritten who wanted to see the pairing along with coffee stains, paper cuts and Wolfram & Hart office gossip without any fluff or non/dubcon.
Notes: Set Season Five ATS just before Angel & company take over Wolfram & Hart.
Summary: Harmony's first day after her promotion is her worse day on the job. And then she meets Eve.
Word Count: 1427
There's a coffee stain on the report that was due ten minutes ago, a run in her nylons and Harmony's pretty sure that she sucks at this job. She knows what the office gossip is all saying: she only got this job because she used to sleep with Angel back in Sunnydale. She sighs as she pushes her limp blond hair out of her face. She's started her new job before her new boss has started and already she's ready to give up. At least in Sunnydale she could pretend that she was a bad ass vampire. In LA, she's at the bottom of the food chain.
"It gets better."
Harmony looks up and smiles at the girl standing in front of her. However her smile feels more like she's just bearing her fangs as she realizes rather too late that her face has shifted into her vamp face. The girl laughs and the sound puts Harmony at ease.
"I'm Eve and you must be Harmony," Eve says as she hold out a hand.
Harmony takes and nods at her. "Will you be working with me?"
She really hopes that's the case, this job is too much for her. (When she was a human, she always thought she'd be a cheerleader and then maybe an actress before she married rich. She never once envisioned herself being just a girl in the typing pool and then promoted because of her connection to a vampire.)
Eve smiles at her and shakes her head in denial.
"Yes and no," Eve says. "I'm the big guy's new liaison with the Senior Partners."
"Oh," Harmony replies. She should have known she'd be on her own.
"So I heard that you knew Angel back in the day."
Harmony blushes. "Not in that way."
Eve laughs again. "The gossip around this place is pretty bad, isn't it?"
She wishes that the ground would just swallow her up whole, even if that won't get her out of her contract with Wolfram and Hart.
"Look to be honest, I barely knew him. I knew of him but he and I ran in different circles."
She looks away and picks up the documents that are now quite overdue. She drops them with an exclamation.
"Ouch!" Harmony exhales. "A stupid paper cut, can this day get any worse?"
She might be a vampire but she's found that paper cuts hurt just as bad as they do whether you're alive or not.
"You okay?" Eve asks.
"I'm fine, just it's been a bad first day in this department."
"It'll get better and you know being a familiar face and all will help to make Angel and his friends feel more at home here."
Harmony looks at Eve and wonders if the girl thinks that she's stupid. She might not be as bright as say Cordelia but Harmony's pretty sure that Angel is going to take one look at her and suspect something. From what Spike had told her, he seems the type who's suspicious of everything. However Harmony keeps her mouth shut.
"Look, I am sure you have a lot of work to do and I shouldn't be keeping you from that," Eve says. "Did you want to meet for drinks later tonight. I have a feeling that we'll be working closely together."
"Sure," Harmony says.
* * *
Her day only gets worse by the time dusk has fallen. Angel and his gang still haven't shown up and she's convinced that's the only reason why she wasn't fired. Everything else has gone wrong. By the time Eve shows up at her desk again, Harmony wishes that she could quit (or maybe just be run through by the Slayer's stake.)
"You look like you could use that drink," Eve says. "Come on, grab your purse, I know this great little place."
Harmony only agrees because maybe if Eve likes her, she'll get to keep her job and her life.
The pair of them wind up in this little dive bar that's full of their kind: demons, vampires and humans who work with the other two. Eve orders them two Cosmos and a shot of blood for Harmony, who smiles gratefully at the other girl.
"So how long have you been with Wolfram and Hart?" Harmony asks.
Despite her attempts, she's found absolutely nothing out about Eve. Either the gossips are annoyed with her for her sudden promotion or Eve is brand new to the job.
"This is my first day with the firm," Eve replies. "Although I've worked with Senior Partners before."
Eve won't say anything else about it and Harmony kind of respects her for it. Especially when Eve doesn't pry into her life before or post Wolfram and Hart. They stick with neutral topics: the food in LA, the nightlife, how hard it is to make it in the acting world (although Harmony's kind of limited as to what roles she can take) and the like. Before Harmony knows it's she's drunk off of the Cosmos and the blood while Eve seems completely sober.
"My head is spinning," Harmony says.
"I'll get you home in one piece," Eve tells her. "I should have warned you that the blood packs a punch."
"What was in it?" Harmony asks as Eve guides her into the taxi.
"Some blood of some race of magical half-breeds, my vampire friends tell me it's quite lovely."
In the back seat of the taxi, Harmony's tongue feels loose. And she thinks that Eve was rather clever to get her drunk to get her to spill her secrets. But she feels that she owes it to Angel (if only for Cordelia) to keep her lips tightly sealed. After all, she barely knows Eve. Before she can think, Harmony's lurching towards Eve and placing a messy kiss on the girl's lips. (In her mind, she can hear Cordelia criticizing her technique or lack of it.)
Eve gently pushes her away.
"I'm flattered and all but I am kind of seeing someone."
Harmony blushes in embarrassment. (Story of her life - Cordy always had a boyfriend when Harmony thought it'd be appropriate to kiss her. Not that Harmony's gay or anything, she's not quite sure what she is but she definitely has a type: bossy, in charge types.)
"Sorry it must be the alcohol and the blood," Harmony mumbles.
It has nothing to do with the fact that Eve is sitting there like she's some sort of queen and looking all hot with her humanity and do-not-touch attitude.
"If things were different, I'd be very interested," Eve says.
Harmony can tell it's a lie. She's not that drunk.
"It's okay, really," Harmony says. "Just the alcohol and I'm in between boyfriends myself."
Eve keeps going on and Harmony kind wishes she'd shut up. When they finally get to Harmony's apartment building, Eve insists on taking her upstairs. Harmony's not quite sure if she likes the feel of Eve's arm around her waist or if she resents it. She might be at the bottom of the vampire food chain but the buzz from the alcohol's wearing off now. She's just tired from a long day followed by a longer night, that's why she's stumbling every now and then.
When they get to Harmony's door (which Eve knows), they pause awkwardly in front of it.
"You know if I wasn't with someone else right now, I'd demand that you take me in there and kiss me properly."
Harmony can tell it's not a lie. She can smell the honesty on the other girl. It's kind of embarrassing because she's sobering up now and she can see that Eve is nothing like Cordelia Chase or even Spike. The girl has a facade thrown up that's so pathetic. She's just a little girl dressing up like her mother. But Harmony knows they need to have a good working relationship with one another.
She cups Eve's chin in her hand gently and presses a chaste kiss against Eve's lips.
"It's a shame because I'd love to do that," Harmony says. "But you're taken and I'm not that kind of girl."
Harmony turns away and opens her door. She hears the click-clack of Eve's high heels down the stairs.
"And you're not either," Harmony whispers.
When she gets into her apartment, she leans against the door and misses Cordelia and all of the missed chances that she had with her. She's going to do her best to make Angel proud of her because it's the least she can do for her friend's memory.
((END))
Author: Aaronlisa
Fandom: Angel / Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing/Characters: Harmony/Eve, with mentions of Cordelia, Angel and Spike
Rating: FR13
Disclaimer: Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Joss Whedon and company.
Prompts: Written for Round 112 at femslash_minis for kwritten who wanted to see the pairing along with coffee stains, paper cuts and Wolfram & Hart office gossip without any fluff or non/dubcon.
Notes: Set Season Five ATS just before Angel & company take over Wolfram & Hart.
Summary: Harmony's first day after her promotion is her worse day on the job. And then she meets Eve.
Word Count: 1427
There's a coffee stain on the report that was due ten minutes ago, a run in her nylons and Harmony's pretty sure that she sucks at this job. She knows what the office gossip is all saying: she only got this job because she used to sleep with Angel back in Sunnydale. She sighs as she pushes her limp blond hair out of her face. She's started her new job before her new boss has started and already she's ready to give up. At least in Sunnydale she could pretend that she was a bad ass vampire. In LA, she's at the bottom of the food chain.
"It gets better."
Harmony looks up and smiles at the girl standing in front of her. However her smile feels more like she's just bearing her fangs as she realizes rather too late that her face has shifted into her vamp face. The girl laughs and the sound puts Harmony at ease.
"I'm Eve and you must be Harmony," Eve says as she hold out a hand.
Harmony takes and nods at her. "Will you be working with me?"
She really hopes that's the case, this job is too much for her. (When she was a human, she always thought she'd be a cheerleader and then maybe an actress before she married rich. She never once envisioned herself being just a girl in the typing pool and then promoted because of her connection to a vampire.)
Eve smiles at her and shakes her head in denial.
"Yes and no," Eve says. "I'm the big guy's new liaison with the Senior Partners."
"Oh," Harmony replies. She should have known she'd be on her own.
"So I heard that you knew Angel back in the day."
Harmony blushes. "Not in that way."
Eve laughs again. "The gossip around this place is pretty bad, isn't it?"
She wishes that the ground would just swallow her up whole, even if that won't get her out of her contract with Wolfram and Hart.
"Look to be honest, I barely knew him. I knew of him but he and I ran in different circles."
She looks away and picks up the documents that are now quite overdue. She drops them with an exclamation.
"Ouch!" Harmony exhales. "A stupid paper cut, can this day get any worse?"
She might be a vampire but she's found that paper cuts hurt just as bad as they do whether you're alive or not.
"You okay?" Eve asks.
"I'm fine, just it's been a bad first day in this department."
"It'll get better and you know being a familiar face and all will help to make Angel and his friends feel more at home here."
Harmony looks at Eve and wonders if the girl thinks that she's stupid. She might not be as bright as say Cordelia but Harmony's pretty sure that Angel is going to take one look at her and suspect something. From what Spike had told her, he seems the type who's suspicious of everything. However Harmony keeps her mouth shut.
"Look, I am sure you have a lot of work to do and I shouldn't be keeping you from that," Eve says. "Did you want to meet for drinks later tonight. I have a feeling that we'll be working closely together."
"Sure," Harmony says.
* * *
Her day only gets worse by the time dusk has fallen. Angel and his gang still haven't shown up and she's convinced that's the only reason why she wasn't fired. Everything else has gone wrong. By the time Eve shows up at her desk again, Harmony wishes that she could quit (or maybe just be run through by the Slayer's stake.)
"You look like you could use that drink," Eve says. "Come on, grab your purse, I know this great little place."
Harmony only agrees because maybe if Eve likes her, she'll get to keep her job and her life.
The pair of them wind up in this little dive bar that's full of their kind: demons, vampires and humans who work with the other two. Eve orders them two Cosmos and a shot of blood for Harmony, who smiles gratefully at the other girl.
"So how long have you been with Wolfram and Hart?" Harmony asks.
Despite her attempts, she's found absolutely nothing out about Eve. Either the gossips are annoyed with her for her sudden promotion or Eve is brand new to the job.
"This is my first day with the firm," Eve replies. "Although I've worked with Senior Partners before."
Eve won't say anything else about it and Harmony kind of respects her for it. Especially when Eve doesn't pry into her life before or post Wolfram and Hart. They stick with neutral topics: the food in LA, the nightlife, how hard it is to make it in the acting world (although Harmony's kind of limited as to what roles she can take) and the like. Before Harmony knows it's she's drunk off of the Cosmos and the blood while Eve seems completely sober.
"My head is spinning," Harmony says.
"I'll get you home in one piece," Eve tells her. "I should have warned you that the blood packs a punch."
"What was in it?" Harmony asks as Eve guides her into the taxi.
"Some blood of some race of magical half-breeds, my vampire friends tell me it's quite lovely."
In the back seat of the taxi, Harmony's tongue feels loose. And she thinks that Eve was rather clever to get her drunk to get her to spill her secrets. But she feels that she owes it to Angel (if only for Cordelia) to keep her lips tightly sealed. After all, she barely knows Eve. Before she can think, Harmony's lurching towards Eve and placing a messy kiss on the girl's lips. (In her mind, she can hear Cordelia criticizing her technique or lack of it.)
Eve gently pushes her away.
"I'm flattered and all but I am kind of seeing someone."
Harmony blushes in embarrassment. (Story of her life - Cordy always had a boyfriend when Harmony thought it'd be appropriate to kiss her. Not that Harmony's gay or anything, she's not quite sure what she is but she definitely has a type: bossy, in charge types.)
"Sorry it must be the alcohol and the blood," Harmony mumbles.
It has nothing to do with the fact that Eve is sitting there like she's some sort of queen and looking all hot with her humanity and do-not-touch attitude.
"If things were different, I'd be very interested," Eve says.
Harmony can tell it's a lie. She's not that drunk.
"It's okay, really," Harmony says. "Just the alcohol and I'm in between boyfriends myself."
Eve keeps going on and Harmony kind wishes she'd shut up. When they finally get to Harmony's apartment building, Eve insists on taking her upstairs. Harmony's not quite sure if she likes the feel of Eve's arm around her waist or if she resents it. She might be at the bottom of the vampire food chain but the buzz from the alcohol's wearing off now. She's just tired from a long day followed by a longer night, that's why she's stumbling every now and then.
When they get to Harmony's door (which Eve knows), they pause awkwardly in front of it.
"You know if I wasn't with someone else right now, I'd demand that you take me in there and kiss me properly."
Harmony can tell it's not a lie. She can smell the honesty on the other girl. It's kind of embarrassing because she's sobering up now and she can see that Eve is nothing like Cordelia Chase or even Spike. The girl has a facade thrown up that's so pathetic. She's just a little girl dressing up like her mother. But Harmony knows they need to have a good working relationship with one another.
She cups Eve's chin in her hand gently and presses a chaste kiss against Eve's lips.
"It's a shame because I'd love to do that," Harmony says. "But you're taken and I'm not that kind of girl."
Harmony turns away and opens her door. She hears the click-clack of Eve's high heels down the stairs.
"And you're not either," Harmony whispers.
When she gets into her apartment, she leans against the door and misses Cordelia and all of the missed chances that she had with her. She's going to do her best to make Angel proud of her because it's the least she can do for her friend's memory.
((END))