Australian Politics RPS fic
This was something I'd pretty much promised to do for nixwilliams a while ago. I finally found what I'd started, cleaned it up and finished it. Um.
Title: Bathroom Break
Pairing: Maxine McKew/Julia Gillard
Rating: PG
Word Count: 730
I actually feel like I need a disclaimer: No offence meant to the people mentioned in this work of complete and utter fiction.
A/N: Nothing really happens except for my take on certain personalities and an unresearched version of a Labor party conference set after the 2007 election. Also, first proper femmeslash attempt, woo!
Maxine was the giant-killer, the heroine, the unexpected, livewire success. The night she'd taken down John Howard was the night every Labor member wanted to raise her above their shoulders and shout at the sky. She was the extra triumph in a night of victory.
But her lips, well. Julia had always liked her lips.
It had been a stupid thing that started years ago, a short while into the first time Maxine hosted the 7.30 Report for Kerry O'Brien when Kerry was on leave. Julia had appreciated the change, got used to the sharp, quick woman who grilled people in interviews. It had been a letdown, a small deflation inside Julia, when Kerry returned.
Something warped after that. Julia couldn't miss the 7.30 Report any more, on the off chance that Kerry wouldn't be there and that Maxine would.
Maxine, of the impossibly objective style, of the dark eyes, of the mouth that formed words just. So.
Stupid.
***
Having an affair with a colleague was bad, or at least, it usually ended badly. Julia was pretty certain, though, that having a crush on a colleague was worse. It could lead to all kinds of awkward interactions, or to something that would be beyond embarrassing if noticed.
Take, for instance, what she was doing now. Sitting in amongst exultant Labor MPs (euphoric after the victory and so chuffed to be there, to be the Government), trying to concentrate on her coffee and Kevin's words ("Well, this is a novel experience") while unable to stop looking at Maxine McKew.
Stephen Smith asked her why her eyes were glassy. Julia said it was because she was tired; she hadn't slept for the excitement. He smiled- in his own funny, tight way- and agreed.
Julia glanced back at Maxine. With a jolt she realised that Maxine was staring back at her, coffee cup not quite hiding the quirk of her lips.
Hurriedly averting her eyes, Julia gazed at the floor for a moment, gathering herself. She realised that her teeth were unconsciously worrying at her bottom lip; she needed to get away before Stephen questioned her on that.
"Sorry, guys, bathroom break," Julia said, standing. "Obviously drunk too much this morning."
Kevin paused to roll his eyes at her good-naturedly; Craig Emerson made some teasing remark about weak bladders. The grin on Julia’s face dropped away as soon as she left the room.
She'd thrown water in her face and was standing alone in the ladies', clutching the sink edges and trying to get it together, when the door opened.
Maxine.
Julia came the closest she'd ever been to a heart attack.
"Are you okay?" Maxine asked, walking closer.
"I'm fine. A bit overwhelmed." Julia smiled as disarmingly as possible and wished Maxine would leave.
Maxine seemed to consider her answer. She stopped moving and leaned against the wall. "You don't have anything to say to me, do you? It's just that I was getting the impression back there that you did," she said, tilting her head slightly.
Julia pushed herself away from the sink and straightened up, smoothing her clothes as she did. "Well, I haven't had the opportunity to say congratulations yet. Not in person."
Maxine smiled like it was a personal joke. "Thank you very much."
"You were fantastic," Julia said without thinking.
"The times had changed. I was lucky," Maxine replied. She paused, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"So it was just congratulations?" she pressed.
"Would you like to be fanned with palm leaves and carried out on a chair by four slaves instead?" Julia chuckled.
Maxine laughed. "That wasn't what I meant!"
"I'm afraid you're going to have to tell me," Julia said.
Maxine stepped nearer, reaching out to touch Julia's arm but simply hovering above it. She stilled, checking Julia's reaction- breath caught, suspended- a shrewd assessment that couldn’t hide a hint of uncertainty.
"If it wasn't just congratulations- "
She tucked something into Julia's hand, a folded piece of paper, and then withdrew.
"Find me before I leave Canberra," Maxine finished softly, smiling as she exited the bathroom.
***
Craig asked her how her vacation to Niagara Falls was. Julia told him something along the lines of, "Bugger off."
She caught Maxine's eye as she sat down and had some difficulty in pushing down the laugh that bubbled up in her chest.
Title: Bathroom Break
Pairing: Maxine McKew/Julia Gillard
Rating: PG
Word Count: 730
I actually feel like I need a disclaimer: No offence meant to the people mentioned in this work of complete and utter fiction.
A/N: Nothing really happens except for my take on certain personalities and an unresearched version of a Labor party conference set after the 2007 election. Also, first proper femmeslash attempt, woo!
Maxine was the giant-killer, the heroine, the unexpected, livewire success. The night she'd taken down John Howard was the night every Labor member wanted to raise her above their shoulders and shout at the sky. She was the extra triumph in a night of victory.
But her lips, well. Julia had always liked her lips.
It had been a stupid thing that started years ago, a short while into the first time Maxine hosted the 7.30 Report for Kerry O'Brien when Kerry was on leave. Julia had appreciated the change, got used to the sharp, quick woman who grilled people in interviews. It had been a letdown, a small deflation inside Julia, when Kerry returned.
Something warped after that. Julia couldn't miss the 7.30 Report any more, on the off chance that Kerry wouldn't be there and that Maxine would.
Maxine, of the impossibly objective style, of the dark eyes, of the mouth that formed words just. So.
Stupid.
***
Having an affair with a colleague was bad, or at least, it usually ended badly. Julia was pretty certain, though, that having a crush on a colleague was worse. It could lead to all kinds of awkward interactions, or to something that would be beyond embarrassing if noticed.
Take, for instance, what she was doing now. Sitting in amongst exultant Labor MPs (euphoric after the victory and so chuffed to be there, to be the Government), trying to concentrate on her coffee and Kevin's words ("Well, this is a novel experience") while unable to stop looking at Maxine McKew.
Stephen Smith asked her why her eyes were glassy. Julia said it was because she was tired; she hadn't slept for the excitement. He smiled- in his own funny, tight way- and agreed.
Julia glanced back at Maxine. With a jolt she realised that Maxine was staring back at her, coffee cup not quite hiding the quirk of her lips.
Hurriedly averting her eyes, Julia gazed at the floor for a moment, gathering herself. She realised that her teeth were unconsciously worrying at her bottom lip; she needed to get away before Stephen questioned her on that.
"Sorry, guys, bathroom break," Julia said, standing. "Obviously drunk too much this morning."
Kevin paused to roll his eyes at her good-naturedly; Craig Emerson made some teasing remark about weak bladders. The grin on Julia’s face dropped away as soon as she left the room.
She'd thrown water in her face and was standing alone in the ladies', clutching the sink edges and trying to get it together, when the door opened.
Maxine.
Julia came the closest she'd ever been to a heart attack.
"Are you okay?" Maxine asked, walking closer.
"I'm fine. A bit overwhelmed." Julia smiled as disarmingly as possible and wished Maxine would leave.
Maxine seemed to consider her answer. She stopped moving and leaned against the wall. "You don't have anything to say to me, do you? It's just that I was getting the impression back there that you did," she said, tilting her head slightly.
Julia pushed herself away from the sink and straightened up, smoothing her clothes as she did. "Well, I haven't had the opportunity to say congratulations yet. Not in person."
Maxine smiled like it was a personal joke. "Thank you very much."
"You were fantastic," Julia said without thinking.
"The times had changed. I was lucky," Maxine replied. She paused, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"So it was just congratulations?" she pressed.
"Would you like to be fanned with palm leaves and carried out on a chair by four slaves instead?" Julia chuckled.
Maxine laughed. "That wasn't what I meant!"
"I'm afraid you're going to have to tell me," Julia said.
Maxine stepped nearer, reaching out to touch Julia's arm but simply hovering above it. She stilled, checking Julia's reaction- breath caught, suspended- a shrewd assessment that couldn’t hide a hint of uncertainty.
"If it wasn't just congratulations- "
She tucked something into Julia's hand, a folded piece of paper, and then withdrew.
"Find me before I leave Canberra," Maxine finished softly, smiling as she exited the bathroom.
***
Craig asked her how her vacation to Niagara Falls was. Julia told him something along the lines of, "Bugger off."
She caught Maxine's eye as she sat down and had some difficulty in pushing down the laugh that bubbled up in her chest.