The Devil Wears Prada: Science of Fashion Part 4
Title: Science of Fashion (4/?)
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
4
Holding the smaller hand in her own, Andy enjoyed the feel of the soft smooth skin under her fingers and was delighted how well Miranda´s hand fit in her own. Shaking her head at that thought, Andy narrowed her eyes at the older woman. She pursed her lips and met the editor´s cool blue eyes, a challenge clearly written in them.
Sighing dramatically at the proposal, Andy knew she was outmanoeuvred.
“Deal!” Andy agreed grudgingly. “You drive a hard bargain, woman.”
“They don´t call me the Dragon Lady for naught.” Miranda smirked.
“Who does?”
“What?” Miranda raised a surprised eyebrow.
“Who calls you the Dragon Lady?” Andy asked. Curiousity was lacing her voice, catching Miranda by surprise.
“Take your pick”, Miranda sighed, “the press, talentless designers, my employees, nearly all the people who know me in my capacity as editor in chief.”
Contemplating Miranda´s words Andy thought it rather unfair. But even she had to admit that it was still the way women and men were considered in general. She herself had had her share of unpleasant encounters with people who thought a woman´s place was her home.
“And what do your friends call you?”
“Which ones?” Miranda snorted, thinking of all the so called friends who only sought her friendship in hope to gain something for themselves.
“The honest ones, like Anna and Carl.”
“Miranda.”
Smiling at the older woman and the indignant look on her face, Andy was glad to witness another part of Miranda.
Struggling to her feet, Andy held her free hand out to Miranda to help her up. Taking the offered hand, Miranda gracefully rose from the bench, gazing expectantly at the professor.
“Well, come on Miranda, it´s getting chilly and I´m rather hungry. Let´s find out what delicious treats Anna has to offer.”
The editor was laughing as she followed Andy into the house. How she had missed the easy banter with someone who didn´t want something from her. When was the last time she had experienced that? Probably never, at least not with another grown up. Her children were a different matter.
As soon as the following week after the dinner party at the Richardson’s Andy set her plan, to get her fellow female scientists in Runway, in motion. It was as Miranda had predicted, she needed all her charm and skills to convince them. Although she tried her best, Andy couldn´t convince all of them. She had to grovel, bribe, call in every favour to get them to agree.
In the end a total number of fifteen agreed to a photoshoot and interviews for the fashion magazine. With an exhausted sigh Andy leaned back in her seat after her mission was accomplished and her last colleague had agreed. All she had to do now was contacting Miranda to set a date for the group picture.
Dialling the number of Miranda´s office Andy felt a smile creep unto her face, she felt rather proud of herself. Getting a bunch of scientists to agree on something was harder than pulling teeth. The next hurdle would be to get them to the photoshoot but she was getting ahead of herself. When the phone was answered by a familiar accent Andy´s smile got even wider.
“Miranda Priestly´s office, what can I do for you?” Emily´s snobbish voice was driffting through the phone.
“Professor Sachs, here. Emily right?”
“Yes, professor. How can I be of assistance?” Emily asked, losing all her attitude, very much like the first time when she had met the professor. Hearing `real´ English for a change was such a wonderful thing.
“Please, call me Andy! I would like to speak to Miranda.”
“I´m sorry, Andy. She is in a meeting, can she call you back?”
“I´m afraid I have lectures in half an hour for the rest of the day. Maybe I could talk to her afterwards. But will you please tell her that I called?”
“Certainly.”
“Thank you, Emily. It was nice talking to you, speaking of you being British, I mean.”
“I do so know what you mean”, Emily laughed, causing the second Emily to nearly fall off her chair. A laughing Emily was something that has never been heard of in the hallways of Runway. It was as if Miranda just had turned nice or something, equally impossible.
“I know exactly what you mean. I will tell her you call.”
“Thanks. Take care, Emily!”
“You too!”
Ending her call, Emily looked into the flustered face of the second assistant. The woman seemed as if she had seen a ghost.
“What?” Emily hissed annoyed.
“N-Nothing.” The girl stuttered.
“Didn´t think so. Anyway shouldn´t you be on your way to Calvin Klein for the skirts Miranda wanted?”
Without another word the frightened girl shot out of her seat, grabbed her bag and flew out of the office, leaving a selfsatisfied Emily behind.
Weary and tired after a seemingly endless afternoon of lectures Andy slowly walked to her office. Her left leg was killing her and her backpack seemed to weigh a ton. Fumbling with her keys to enter her office she was surprised when she found it unlocked. Had her secretary forgotten to lock it after getting some papers? That would have been strange because the woman was the epitome of correctness.
Andy opened the door and nearly doubled over from shock when she saw it already occupied by the one person she had at least suspected to find there.
Sitting in her overcrowded little space on a visitor chair, looking as regal and put together as can be was Miranda Priestly, patiently waiting for Andy to find her decorum.
“Hello, Miranda.” Andy choked out.
“Good evening, Andrea. Mrs Moran was so kind to let me in.” Miranda was wearing a black skirt, white blouse, a black blazer and black pumps. Her silver hair was glizzening in the light of Andy´s office. Dressed like this the older woman looked even sexier, if that was possible.
Feeling suddenly very self-concious at the beautiful sight before her, Andy made a beeline for her desk to put her notes away and getting of her feet.
“What can I do for you, Miranda?” Andy asked with tiredness lacing her voice.
“Emily informed me that you tried to talk to me. I was stuck in a meeting with the board. You had lectures to give. So what is it you wanted to talk about?”
“You didn´t have to come. I could have called you tomorrow.” Andy countered.
“True. But I needed a change of scenery.”
“Oh. Yes, well. I wanted to tell you that fifteen of my colleagues agreed to do the interviews and the photoshoot.”
“Very well”, Miranda smiled at the pride in Andrea´s voice. “When would it be convenient for them to do the shoot.”
“I believe it´s better if you set a date, otherwise it´s never going to happen”, Andy snorted, knowing her colleague´s ability to dodge out.
“Good. I think we are going to do it on campus. This shouldn´t be a problem, Harrison will be exstatic about the publicity.” Miranda informed Andy nonchalantly.
“You call the vice-president by his first name?” Andy was a bit flustered now, knowing the man´s love for formality.
“Of course, Andrea.” Miranda waved if off with her hand.
Rising from her chair Miranda gazed at the tired face of the biologist. She had seen how Andrea had tried to cover the pronounced limp when she had entered the office but Miranda´s keen eyes had noticed it nevertheless. All of sudden Miranda felt protective of the younger woman, not wanting her to feel any unnecessary pain.
“Come on, I give you a lift.” Miranda offered softly.
“No, it´s all right. I don´t want to inconvenience you.”
“You are tired and my car is waiting.”
“But...” Andy tried to object.
“Humour me.”
“All right. Thank you.”
Together they slowly descended the stairs and Andy followed Miranda out of the building to her car, all the while cursing her injuries for her slow walk. Miranda hadn´t seemed to mind though. Andy wondered why the other woman even bothered. Roy opened the back door for them and helped Andy to get in. When Miranda asked for Andy´s address the younger woman gave it to Roy and the car pulled from the curb.
It was a short ride to Andy´s flat, both women were lost in thoughts contemplating each other and the feelings the other evoked in them.
Roy stopped the car and got out waiting for Andy to open the door when she was ready.
“Thank you, Miranda.”
“You are welcome. I will contact you when everything is arranged for the shoot.”
“All right. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Opening the car door, Andy let Roy help her out and without a glance back she walked over to her house and shut the door behind her.
All the while Miranda was watching her every step making sure she got in safely. When the door closed behind Andrea, Miranda sighed softly and asked Roy to drive her home. Wondering again what it was about the biologist that kept her fascinated.
TBC