Miranda Rising (6/?)
Miranda Rising (6/?)
Coco // i_heart_cuddy
rating R
pairing Miranda/Andy
disclaimer I don't own the Devil Wears Prada, I don't own Meryl Streep or Anne Hathaway and I make no money off of my exploits herein.
summary Sequel/Prequel to Devil May Care and Ghosts of My Girlfriend's Past, Present & Future. Settling into retirement, spending time with her wife and children, reconnecting with her sister, entertaining her dead ex-husband and translating ancient manuals of the occult are all parts of a normal day in Miranda Priestly's life as she delves into the question that has always haunted her: why me?
genre I guess maybe it's a crossover. It's a little bit Ghost Whisperer, a little bit Ghost Town and maybe a tiny bit X-Files. None of which I own or make any money off of. ♥
warnings abuse.
AN Title idea borrowed from HANNIBAL Rising, not Mercury Rising because it has to do with learning about how Miranda became who she is.
AN2 I'm going to be making up physics here. YE BE WARNED.
Character Cheat Sheet for this Universe
Miranda and Cassidy parted company after lunch, unfortunately, not on the best of notes. Miranda went to the book store and got an English-Latin dictionary and a book on learning Latin. Then around eleven, Miranda invaded Joanne's living room with her purchases, her iPad and the ancient texts.
Joanne had been expecting her and had set out her laptop and gathered together multiple books on German, French and Spanish that she accrued over a lifetime as a foreign language teacher at a public high school.
"Should we each take a book or should we work through the same one?" Miranda asked as she set her books on the table with Joanne's.
"I think Lucas was here last night." Joanne said as she set a cup of coffee on the table for Miranda.
Miranda shrugged, "doesn't surprise me. He's a very protective person and he wanted to make sure you were okay." Miranda flipped open one of the books, "so, I glanced through the books this morning-"
"I like his energy." Joanne smiled. "I've been reading a book about energies and auras because you told me that ghosts could make us feel a certain way. I like the way Lucas makes me feel."
Miranda slid her glasses up her nose, "I'm just going to pretend you didn't say that."
"Miranda, I haven't felt this way since about anyone since Henry died."
Miranda took her glasses back off and set them down on the table. "I don't think I should have to remind you that Lucas has been dead for almost two years."
"Is this a jealousy thing?" Joanne asked.
Miranda couldn't help but laugh. "No, it is nothing of the sort." Miranda shook her head, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "He's all yours, but just know that this isn't Ghost, there isn't a happy ending here. As long as you know that then you're free to have Lucas."
The sisters were silent for a few moments and Miranda finally put her glasses back on. Joanne spoke again, "you don't have to patronize me."
Miranda pushed one of the books in front of Joanne, "start tranlating or I'm leaving."
Joanne accepted the volume begrudingly. An hour later they took a break from their tomes. Joanne picked up Miranda's notebook to read over her progress. "Can I see your book?"
Miranda pushed it over to Joanne, "get it out of my sight."
"Liebchen, I think you're mixing up the nominative and the genitive cases. And the accusitive and the dative."
"Does it make a big difference?" Miranda asked with a groan.
"Unfortunately, yes." Joanne nodded, "because all the nouns are case-marked they can move freely around in the sentence, so the case is essential."
Joanne looked at the book that Miranda brought with her on Latin grammar. "Oh shoot, I think I'm mixing up the vocative and nominative. German only has four cases."
"English, French and Spanish don't have case markers so this is entirely foreign to me."
Joanne bit her lip, "you know what we could do... I don't know if you'd go for it, but..."
"You're worse than my girls. Just say it, beating around the bush won't change my answer to whatever you're going to ask."
"We could ask Sandra to come over and help. She teaches Latin and she'd be worlds better than either of us.at translating this."
Miranda stopped to consider the proposition. On the one hand Joanne had a point, someone who had a background in Latin would certainly translate circles around the sisters. Miranda and Joanne would have to learn the language first before they could hope to translate two whole books. On the other hand, letting another person in on the secret could be very dangerous. As usual, Miranda cared less about what people said about her for her own sake than about her daughters' or Andy's sake.
As if Joanne were listening to Miranda's inner dialogue, she added, "I think that Sandra worships you enough that she wouldn't say anything. And we don't have to tell her that the reason why we're translating it is because you can see ghosts. We could claim a purely academic interest."
Miranda still hesitated.
Joanne continued, "and we're both retired and have reputations for being kind of eccentric. Can you imagine shock on anyone's face if you told them you were translating ancient texts?"
Miranda shrugged, "I suppose you make some valid arguments..."
**
Paris, France 1972
Miranda had been back to work for nearly two weeks. Her body was still a little sore but she'd since picked up smoking and it seemed to help.
Alice had been abnormally quiet. Normally an exuberant extrovert, Alice had become broody and introspective. She gave curt one word answers to most of Miranda's questions and gave Miranda directions by pinning a piece of paper onto the garment she was supposed to work on.
Miranda had been patiently waiting for her to return to normal for over a week before she finally confronted her. Miranda stepped in front of her so that Alice couldn't reasonably distract herself and said, "why are you acting like this?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Alice pursed her lips.
"You're being a jerk."
"Excuse-me?" Alice demanded, wide-eyed.
"You won't talk to me or look at me and I don't think I'm asking for much but I deserve better than notes pinned to sweaters." Miranda held up one of the offending notes for emphasis.
"I'm not the one who asked you to crawl into bed with me." Alice snapped.
"Fine, I shouldn't have asked you to get into bed with me. I can't go back in time and take it back and I won't do it again, okay?" Miranda felt a new surge of annoyance.
"That's not what I was saying... just, god, forget it!"
Miranda rolled her eyes and cast Alice a scorching glare. She pulled her cigarette case out of the pocket in her pants and extracted one of the thin cigarettes.
"Don't smoke in here." Alice scolded.
"You do." Miranda said defiantly, putting the cigarette between her lips.
"I'm the boss." Alice snarled, "and I'm telling you to smoke outside." She pointed to the door.
Miranda glared daggers at her before turning and leaving the salon. Once outside she felt a few tears slide down her cheeks. She wiped at them distractedly as she walked, she hurried away from the salon, caring less about where she ended up than getting away from the salon and from Alice.
Finally, she stopped walking when she reached the Parc du Champs de Mars and took up roots on a bench that faced the view of the Eiffel tower. She sighed and touched her stomach out of habit and cursed herself for the slip.
She sat on the bench staring at the Eiffel tower looming in front of her. She let out a soft gasp of surprise when a rose appeared in her field of vision.
"Une belle fleur pour une belle, triste femme." A young man slid across the bench to sidle up next to Miranda. She stared at the proffered flower for a long time before he spoke again. "Parlez-vous le francais, cherie?"
"Tres peu." Miranda admitted, "je l'apprends. Je suis anglaise."
"Ah mon petit, de great country of Britain." His English was heavily accented but he smiled sweetly. "I should like to visit it some time if all ze girls dere are as pretty as you."
"Well, there's only one me."
"Zen sank goodness I chose you to give the flower, I chose wisely." He held it out closer.
"Boys are dangerous, I learned that the hard way."
He grinned, "cherie, I sink you will find zere is only one me as well and I, petite choue, am harmless. I am really razer nice once you know me. Zere are no strings on zis rose, it is only a rose."
Miranda hesitantly took the rose from him and turned it in her hand a few times.
"Was zat so painful?" He smiled. Miranda shook her head, "now, please allow me to buy you a cafe or a croissant or les deux."
"Oh, I see how this works. You hook me in with the rose and then it's coffee and then..."
"And zen I should like to give you ze moon if it should make you smile." Miranda rolled her eyes but when she looked over at him his smile was so infectious she couldn't help but smile back -- reservedly.
"Calm down, let's start with coffee and we'll talk about the moon later if need be."
The boy's name turned out to be Etienne and he worked at a restautant as a waiter and he settled Miranda into the corner with a cafe mocha and joined her at the table every ten minutes to dote on Miranda.
After his shift ended he walked her back through the bustling city streets until they reached the salon. They stood outside. Etienne smiled at Miranda, "may I take you for dinner tomorrow?"
"I don't know. My situation... it's complicated." Miranda hesitated.
"You are seeing someone already?" He asked, she shook her head. "Then there is someone you wish to see more of and aren't yet."
"Sort of." Miranda admitted, "mostly I just am afraid to get into anything right now... I just got out of something painful and I don't think I'm ready to get into anything right now." She said as cryptically as possible.
"But you will keep me in mind if you decide you're ready?" Etienne batted his eyelashes at Miranda. She nodded and waited until he walked away to open the door to the salon.
Alice's head snapped up. She stood and sauntered up to Miranda, "and where the hell have you been?"
"I went for a long walk." Miranda growled, "you made it pretty clear that you didn't want me around. Do you want me to find another job? Would that make you happy?"
"You have no idea what would make me happy. How dare you presume to." Alice's voice was low and threatening.
Miranda rolled her eyes and turned to leave again. Alice grabbed her forcefully by the arm, yanking her back. Miranda's nostrils flared, panic flashed across her face; she lashed out and slapped Alice. "Don't ever grab me like that! Not a thing in this world gives you the right to do that to me. Nothing."
Miranda's chest heaved, her breath heavy and every cell in her body on high alert. Alice, just realizing the gravity of her actions, watched Miranda nervously.
"Miranda, I am so sorry." Alice breathed.
"What the fuck is your problem?" Miranda demanded through fresh tears. "What did I do to you that was so bad?"
Alice searched Miranda's face; it mirrored the sadness and near panic in her own, though, undoubtedly, for different reasons entirely. Alice tried to speak but found that she was unable to produce anything.
Finally, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Miranda's. Her fingertips brushed Miranda's cheek gently as their lips moved together. Miranda buried her fingers in Alice's dark hair, pulling her close as she returned the kiss.
Alice started to pull them backwards toward the couch at the end of the room. They didn't make it two feet before Alice's heel got caught up in the throw rug and they tumbled to the floor. The kiss didn't miss a beat, Miranda straddled Alice's hips, grinding down against her. Alice moaned into Miranda's mouth, she ached for release, she ached for Miranda's touch.
Alice arched against Miranda, her hands snaking up Miranda's blouse. Miranda broke the kiss, sitting straight up, holding Alice's hands to her breasts, her eyes closed and her lips parted in a moan. Alice's fingers kneaded Miranda's firm breasts.
"God..." Miranda breathed, "yes..."
Alice pulled her down for another kiss and they toppled over. Miranda's hands sought out and fumbled with Alice's pants zipper. Panting, Alice reached down to still Miranda's movements. Miranda looked up, white hair falling into her face.
"We can't," Alice whispered. "Not here."
"You're right." Miranda nodded, she kissed Alice softly on the lips. "Come to my flat this evening at seven."
Alice nodded breathlessly.
Coco // i_heart_cuddy
rating R
pairing Miranda/Andy
disclaimer I don't own the Devil Wears Prada, I don't own Meryl Streep or Anne Hathaway and I make no money off of my exploits herein.
summary Sequel/Prequel to Devil May Care and Ghosts of My Girlfriend's Past, Present & Future. Settling into retirement, spending time with her wife and children, reconnecting with her sister, entertaining her dead ex-husband and translating ancient manuals of the occult are all parts of a normal day in Miranda Priestly's life as she delves into the question that has always haunted her: why me?
genre I guess maybe it's a crossover. It's a little bit Ghost Whisperer, a little bit Ghost Town and maybe a tiny bit X-Files. None of which I own or make any money off of. ♥
warnings abuse.
AN Title idea borrowed from HANNIBAL Rising, not Mercury Rising because it has to do with learning about how Miranda became who she is.
AN2 I'm going to be making up physics here. YE BE WARNED.
Character Cheat Sheet for this Universe
Miranda and Cassidy parted company after lunch, unfortunately, not on the best of notes. Miranda went to the book store and got an English-Latin dictionary and a book on learning Latin. Then around eleven, Miranda invaded Joanne's living room with her purchases, her iPad and the ancient texts.
Joanne had been expecting her and had set out her laptop and gathered together multiple books on German, French and Spanish that she accrued over a lifetime as a foreign language teacher at a public high school.
"Should we each take a book or should we work through the same one?" Miranda asked as she set her books on the table with Joanne's.
"I think Lucas was here last night." Joanne said as she set a cup of coffee on the table for Miranda.
Miranda shrugged, "doesn't surprise me. He's a very protective person and he wanted to make sure you were okay." Miranda flipped open one of the books, "so, I glanced through the books this morning-"
"I like his energy." Joanne smiled. "I've been reading a book about energies and auras because you told me that ghosts could make us feel a certain way. I like the way Lucas makes me feel."
Miranda slid her glasses up her nose, "I'm just going to pretend you didn't say that."
"Miranda, I haven't felt this way since about anyone since Henry died."
Miranda took her glasses back off and set them down on the table. "I don't think I should have to remind you that Lucas has been dead for almost two years."
"Is this a jealousy thing?" Joanne asked.
Miranda couldn't help but laugh. "No, it is nothing of the sort." Miranda shook her head, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "He's all yours, but just know that this isn't Ghost, there isn't a happy ending here. As long as you know that then you're free to have Lucas."
The sisters were silent for a few moments and Miranda finally put her glasses back on. Joanne spoke again, "you don't have to patronize me."
Miranda pushed one of the books in front of Joanne, "start tranlating or I'm leaving."
Joanne accepted the volume begrudingly. An hour later they took a break from their tomes. Joanne picked up Miranda's notebook to read over her progress. "Can I see your book?"
Miranda pushed it over to Joanne, "get it out of my sight."
"Liebchen, I think you're mixing up the nominative and the genitive cases. And the accusitive and the dative."
"Does it make a big difference?" Miranda asked with a groan.
"Unfortunately, yes." Joanne nodded, "because all the nouns are case-marked they can move freely around in the sentence, so the case is essential."
Joanne looked at the book that Miranda brought with her on Latin grammar. "Oh shoot, I think I'm mixing up the vocative and nominative. German only has four cases."
"English, French and Spanish don't have case markers so this is entirely foreign to me."
Joanne bit her lip, "you know what we could do... I don't know if you'd go for it, but..."
"You're worse than my girls. Just say it, beating around the bush won't change my answer to whatever you're going to ask."
"We could ask Sandra to come over and help. She teaches Latin and she'd be worlds better than either of us.at translating this."
Miranda stopped to consider the proposition. On the one hand Joanne had a point, someone who had a background in Latin would certainly translate circles around the sisters. Miranda and Joanne would have to learn the language first before they could hope to translate two whole books. On the other hand, letting another person in on the secret could be very dangerous. As usual, Miranda cared less about what people said about her for her own sake than about her daughters' or Andy's sake.
As if Joanne were listening to Miranda's inner dialogue, she added, "I think that Sandra worships you enough that she wouldn't say anything. And we don't have to tell her that the reason why we're translating it is because you can see ghosts. We could claim a purely academic interest."
Miranda still hesitated.
Joanne continued, "and we're both retired and have reputations for being kind of eccentric. Can you imagine shock on anyone's face if you told them you were translating ancient texts?"
Miranda shrugged, "I suppose you make some valid arguments..."
**
Paris, France 1972
Miranda had been back to work for nearly two weeks. Her body was still a little sore but she'd since picked up smoking and it seemed to help.
Alice had been abnormally quiet. Normally an exuberant extrovert, Alice had become broody and introspective. She gave curt one word answers to most of Miranda's questions and gave Miranda directions by pinning a piece of paper onto the garment she was supposed to work on.
Miranda had been patiently waiting for her to return to normal for over a week before she finally confronted her. Miranda stepped in front of her so that Alice couldn't reasonably distract herself and said, "why are you acting like this?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Alice pursed her lips.
"You're being a jerk."
"Excuse-me?" Alice demanded, wide-eyed.
"You won't talk to me or look at me and I don't think I'm asking for much but I deserve better than notes pinned to sweaters." Miranda held up one of the offending notes for emphasis.
"I'm not the one who asked you to crawl into bed with me." Alice snapped.
"Fine, I shouldn't have asked you to get into bed with me. I can't go back in time and take it back and I won't do it again, okay?" Miranda felt a new surge of annoyance.
"That's not what I was saying... just, god, forget it!"
Miranda rolled her eyes and cast Alice a scorching glare. She pulled her cigarette case out of the pocket in her pants and extracted one of the thin cigarettes.
"Don't smoke in here." Alice scolded.
"You do." Miranda said defiantly, putting the cigarette between her lips.
"I'm the boss." Alice snarled, "and I'm telling you to smoke outside." She pointed to the door.
Miranda glared daggers at her before turning and leaving the salon. Once outside she felt a few tears slide down her cheeks. She wiped at them distractedly as she walked, she hurried away from the salon, caring less about where she ended up than getting away from the salon and from Alice.
Finally, she stopped walking when she reached the Parc du Champs de Mars and took up roots on a bench that faced the view of the Eiffel tower. She sighed and touched her stomach out of habit and cursed herself for the slip.
She sat on the bench staring at the Eiffel tower looming in front of her. She let out a soft gasp of surprise when a rose appeared in her field of vision.
"Une belle fleur pour une belle, triste femme." A young man slid across the bench to sidle up next to Miranda. She stared at the proffered flower for a long time before he spoke again. "Parlez-vous le francais, cherie?"
"Tres peu." Miranda admitted, "je l'apprends. Je suis anglaise."
"Ah mon petit, de great country of Britain." His English was heavily accented but he smiled sweetly. "I should like to visit it some time if all ze girls dere are as pretty as you."
"Well, there's only one me."
"Zen sank goodness I chose you to give the flower, I chose wisely." He held it out closer.
"Boys are dangerous, I learned that the hard way."
He grinned, "cherie, I sink you will find zere is only one me as well and I, petite choue, am harmless. I am really razer nice once you know me. Zere are no strings on zis rose, it is only a rose."
Miranda hesitantly took the rose from him and turned it in her hand a few times.
"Was zat so painful?" He smiled. Miranda shook her head, "now, please allow me to buy you a cafe or a croissant or les deux."
"Oh, I see how this works. You hook me in with the rose and then it's coffee and then..."
"And zen I should like to give you ze moon if it should make you smile." Miranda rolled her eyes but when she looked over at him his smile was so infectious she couldn't help but smile back -- reservedly.
"Calm down, let's start with coffee and we'll talk about the moon later if need be."
The boy's name turned out to be Etienne and he worked at a restautant as a waiter and he settled Miranda into the corner with a cafe mocha and joined her at the table every ten minutes to dote on Miranda.
After his shift ended he walked her back through the bustling city streets until they reached the salon. They stood outside. Etienne smiled at Miranda, "may I take you for dinner tomorrow?"
"I don't know. My situation... it's complicated." Miranda hesitated.
"You are seeing someone already?" He asked, she shook her head. "Then there is someone you wish to see more of and aren't yet."
"Sort of." Miranda admitted, "mostly I just am afraid to get into anything right now... I just got out of something painful and I don't think I'm ready to get into anything right now." She said as cryptically as possible.
"But you will keep me in mind if you decide you're ready?" Etienne batted his eyelashes at Miranda. She nodded and waited until he walked away to open the door to the salon.
Alice's head snapped up. She stood and sauntered up to Miranda, "and where the hell have you been?"
"I went for a long walk." Miranda growled, "you made it pretty clear that you didn't want me around. Do you want me to find another job? Would that make you happy?"
"You have no idea what would make me happy. How dare you presume to." Alice's voice was low and threatening.
Miranda rolled her eyes and turned to leave again. Alice grabbed her forcefully by the arm, yanking her back. Miranda's nostrils flared, panic flashed across her face; she lashed out and slapped Alice. "Don't ever grab me like that! Not a thing in this world gives you the right to do that to me. Nothing."
Miranda's chest heaved, her breath heavy and every cell in her body on high alert. Alice, just realizing the gravity of her actions, watched Miranda nervously.
"Miranda, I am so sorry." Alice breathed.
"What the fuck is your problem?" Miranda demanded through fresh tears. "What did I do to you that was so bad?"
Alice searched Miranda's face; it mirrored the sadness and near panic in her own, though, undoubtedly, for different reasons entirely. Alice tried to speak but found that she was unable to produce anything.
Finally, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Miranda's. Her fingertips brushed Miranda's cheek gently as their lips moved together. Miranda buried her fingers in Alice's dark hair, pulling her close as she returned the kiss.
Alice started to pull them backwards toward the couch at the end of the room. They didn't make it two feet before Alice's heel got caught up in the throw rug and they tumbled to the floor. The kiss didn't miss a beat, Miranda straddled Alice's hips, grinding down against her. Alice moaned into Miranda's mouth, she ached for release, she ached for Miranda's touch.
Alice arched against Miranda, her hands snaking up Miranda's blouse. Miranda broke the kiss, sitting straight up, holding Alice's hands to her breasts, her eyes closed and her lips parted in a moan. Alice's fingers kneaded Miranda's firm breasts.
"God..." Miranda breathed, "yes..."
Alice pulled her down for another kiss and they toppled over. Miranda's hands sought out and fumbled with Alice's pants zipper. Panting, Alice reached down to still Miranda's movements. Miranda looked up, white hair falling into her face.
"We can't," Alice whispered. "Not here."
"You're right." Miranda nodded, she kissed Alice softly on the lips. "Come to my flat this evening at seven."
Alice nodded breathlessly.