(no subject)
Miranda in the Garden of Good and Evil, (Parts 12 & 13)
author Coco // i_heart_cuddy
rating R
disclaimer I don't own The Devil Wears Prada or the characters herein. I make no profit off of this and there is no infringement intended.
pairing Miranda/Andy (eventually)
summary Fantasy. Miranda Priestly, the Ice Queen, the Dragon Lady, is a force to be reckoned with, an indelible force of nature, a mythical halfbreed.
author's note I'm pretending Nate doesn't exist, as most femmeslashers do, I suppose.
Emily walked behind Christian through the airport typing wildly on her full qwerty cell phone. He turned around and scowled at her, “who are you texting?”
“None of your bloody business.”
“Look, if we’re going to work together you need to start leveling with me.” Christian set his arms across his chest.
“We’re not working together. I said I’d help you.” She pressed a few more buttons and put her cell phone away. “But we’re hardly working together.”
“What’s your stake in all this?”
“I need to find Miranda, you need to find Andy. You need my knowledge of Miranda and I need your mind-bending abilities.”
“How did you know about me?”
“Miranda told me.” Emily lied. Christian watched her, unsure about whether to believe her or not. “I’m her first assistant and I’ve helped her clean up a lot of messes in regards to her being an angel and so naturally when she had to run off with Andy she told me that it was you she was running from and that you’re a demon.”
“She just told you, did she?”
“Yes.” Emily dared him to disbelieve her.
“What do you want Miranda for?”
“None of your bloody business.”
Andy and Miranda sat in their private compartment on the train as it rattled over the uneven terrain. Andy sat with a tray of food on her lap which she ate at Miranda’s behest. Her appetite hadn’t completely returned, stress made her stomach churn, but the foods that Miranda had amassed for her were too good to let stress get the better of her.
Miranda was reading a newspaper and Priestly slept at her feet. Andy looked out the window at the passing countryside. “So, we’re taking the train across the channel?”
“Under the channel.” Miranda looked up and smiled, “there were ideas for a tunnel connecting Britain to France as early as 1802 and it was only started in 1988 and opened in 1994. When I think of all the times I crossed the channel by boat…”
Andy smiled adoringly at Miranda’s enthusiasm. “We’re going to Calais?”
“Coquelles is actually where it comes out but I want to go to Calais.” Miranda said, “the food there is fantastic.”
“Oh, so that’s why you skipped lunch.” Andy grinned.
Emily and Christian walked into the thirteenth hotel in London. Christian tiredly presented the picture of Andy, “have you seen this woman? She’s travelling with another woman who may have white hair.”
“Um,” the receptionist readjusted her glasses, “there was an older woman with white hair who checked herself and a shier looking woman in for a few days. You know, it’s an odd thing because after that I didn’t see the white haired woman again, the shier one left with a brunette who looked about 20.”
“Did they say where they were going?”
“Fraid not.” The receptionist offered them an apologetic smile.
“Thanks.” Christian couldn’t hide his annoyance. He looked to Emily as they left the room, “where to now?”
“France.” Emily said, “probably not Paris, that’s too easy. Perhaps Cannes, she has a special fondness for Cannes.”
Christian sighed impatiently, “why Cannes? Why not Paris?”
“That is far too predictable.” Emily replied haughtily and flipped her hair back over her shoulder, putting on her Fendi sunglasses as they stepped out into the street. The day was overcast but Emily felt naked without her sunglasses. “She has used Cannes as a photo shoot location a grand total of five times. For Miranda that is a big deal.”
Christian growled, “how long is it going to take to get to Cannes?”
“By what method of transportation?” Emily rolled her eyes, “you really are big girl’s blouse, aren’t you? By plane maybe three hours, non stop, by car 14 hours and by train I have no idea.”
“To the airport then.”
“No.” Emily protested, “I want to spend the night here. We were just on a plane for six hours.”
“I’ll go without you.” He shrugged, starting to walk down the street, “that’s not a problem for me at all. If you’re right, I’ll find them there.”
Emily crossed her arms across her chest, “and if I’m wrong, you’re fucked.”
He sighed and walked back towards the hotel that they’d just exited, “fine.”
“And I want my own room.”
Part Thirteen
Miranda and Andy were seated in a corner booth at a quaint little restaurant in Calais. Andy stared in amazement as waiters walked by with plates piled high with delectable fancies.
“Miranda,” Andy bit her lip, “I don’t really understand the menu. I took Spanish in college.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fluent.” Miranda said from behind her menu. “What would you like?”
“Swordfish.”
“Nay, swordfish has too much mercury. How about lobster?” Miranda looked at her over the top of the menu.
Andy grinned, “lobster sounds great. It’s not too expensive?”
Miranda rolled her eyes, “Andrea, I have told you every day since we’ve been in Europe that price isn’t an issue.”
The waiter approached, “bonjour Mesdames, bienvenu, qu’est-ce qu’on veux aujourd’hui ?”
“Nous voulons deux langoustines.” Miranda looked down the menu again, “des légumes du jour. La fille aura un jus d’orange et je voudrais un verre de Chablis la Chablisienne.”
“Excellente, Madame.” The waiter smiled and departed.
“I ordered you an orange juice.” Miranda announced.
“I figured, I did hear orange in there and I heard Chablis and I must admit that I’m a little jealous.” Andy smiled.
“When we return to New York and after you have given birth and finished nursing I will buy you a case of French wine.”
“That could be more than a year from now,” Andy mused, “you don’t think you’ll be sick of me before then?”
“Doubtfully.” Miranda smirked, breaking off a piece of bread and slipping it to Priestly under the table.
“You said I choose where we go next?”
Miranda nodded, “I think we should keep on the move and I think having no particular rhyme or reason to the travelling would be the best plan of action.” She said then added, “so you can pick everywhere you’ve ever heard of.”
“Well, I’d really love to see Paris, is that okay?”
“I think that sounds lovely, Andrea.” Miranda smiled, “we could take the train after we eat, it’s only an hour’s travel. We could spend the evening there and then find someplace to sleep.”
Emily sat on the bed in her hotel room. Christian had gone out for food and she had begged out of it. She dialed the familiar number on her cell phone and waited. “It’s Emily. I’m in London. It’s Miranda, it’s definitely Miranda.”
She stood up and went into the bathroom, she turned the water on to create background noise in an attempt to drown her conversation out from prying ears. She listened, “no, she didn’t reveal herself to me, of course. But Christian is definitely the demon and he’s looking for her.”
There was silence in the room as she listened. “It’s definitely Miranda, it all makes sense. I am very sure of this. You trained me well.”
Emily turned the shower on too, “I’m in London. She was here, we found a receptionist who remembered seeing them.” She waited, “we’re leaving tomorrow, can you get it here tonight or by morning?”
Emily chewed on her manicured thumbnail. “No, I understand that.” She waited, “yeah, we’re travelling to Cannes next. I’ll keep him there as long as I need to to get the package.”
Emily slipped her shoe off and stuck her foot under the stream of the shower. “I don’t know what he thinks. Hell, I don’t even know if he thinks. Hell could scarcely have spat out a wetter, thicker demon. He’s a complete moron and I have him wrapped around my little finger.”
There was a longer pause, “no, I think I can slip away from him to get it. Where will you have it delivered to?” Pause, “yeah, that sounds good. Box 1013, I’ve got it.”
She closed the phone, shut off all the water and went back out into the room. There was a knock on the door. “Hey Charlton, open the door.”
Emily rolled her eyes, tucked her phone back into her suitcase. She opened the door, “what do you want?”
“Let’s table the hostility for a bit, I brought you some dinner.” He held up a paper bag with grease spots and in his other hand he held a bottle of wine. “And a little bubbly.”
She shrugged and held back a sigh, letting him into the room. “I think technically only Champagne counts as bubbly.”
“Why?”
“Because it bubbles.” Emily muttered as she cleared a spot on the table in the corner of the room, “what did you get?”
“Fish and chips.” He declared with a grin, “I’ve always wanted to have legitimate English fish and chips, figured you’d remember them from your childhood and the like.”
Emily popped one of the fries into her mouth. “I remember them from my childhood obesity.” Emily ate another one, “I admit, they are a bit of a weakness.”
“So the great and powerful Emily Charlton admits to having a weakness.” He grinned.
“I maintain,” she said with a mouthful of french fry, “if you’re hitting on me I will mace you.”
Andy watched the skyline with amazement as Miranda led the way through the streets. Priestly kept up easily, pulling up the rear, sandwiching Andy between the two of them, like a very protective sandwich. Andy was not worried at that moment as she looked up at the monuments in the most romantic, beautiful city on Earth.
Miranda stopped and Andy ran into her. Miranda grunted and furrowed her brow, turning to look at Andy who looked away in embarrassment, though secretly she smiled. At least some things never change. She could swear she wasn’t Miranda until she was blue in the face but some things never changed.
Priestly looked alert and anxious.
“At ease, dog.” Miranda said, “I stopped because I wanted Andrea to see something.”
“What’s that?” Andy smiled.
Miranda stepped behind her, took her shoulders in her hands familiarly and pointed her in the correct direction, “there’s the Eiffel tower.” Andy’s eyes lit up, “at night it glistens, they covered it in lights.”
“It’s breathtaking.” Andy said softly.
Miranda set her chin on Andy’s shoulder. “We’ve a bit of walking to do before we get there but I wanted you to see it in the daylight first.”
“It’s even more magnificent than I thought it would be.” Andy smiled, she turned around and threw her arms around Miranda’s neck, “thank you for bringing me here. I know that it wasn’t the best circumstances that brought us here but I’m still happy.”
“You really are the epitome of enthusiasm, aren’t you?” Miranda smiled.
“Perhaps after a bit more living I’ll be a little bit less enthusiastic, cynical even.”
“I hope not. I’d sooner sacrifice myself than see your light go out.” Miranda sighed.
“Miranda, you’ve gone soft on me.” Andy smiled and pushed Miranda’s hair behind her ears. “You know, I think I kind of like it.”
“Only kind of?”
“A lot more than kind of.” Andy breathed, wanting nothing more than to kiss Miranda, but respecting Miranda’s request of time to think. She swore to herself she’d let Miranda decide when to kiss.
Their lips were scarcely an inch apart but Miranda was steadfastly resisting, she still had her reservations. Andrea was so green and Miranda felt so jaded but clearly the girl didn’t understand what a romance meant to her. That all others must perish, that she alone must survive for all of time. As much as she loved her life, she sometimes felt that allowing her to live on Earth was the cruelest thing that God could have done for her.
She honestly wanted nothing more than to embrace Andrea, to protect her goodness, to fan the flame that kept the light in her heart. She wanted to kiss her and hold her, she wanted to love her. Briefly, she thought she may already love her, but she tried to hush the notion.
Miranda set her forehead against Andrea’s. “Shall we continue on?”
“I’d like nothing more.” Andy whispered. She understood what Miranda had meant but didn’t want to let the opportunity slip by that she wanted to continue on with their dance as well.
By the time they reached the tower dusk was just ending and the sunlight had disappeared completely. The lights on the tower were beautiful, casting the artificial light down upon the few people that were around.
Miranda stood back with Priestly and watched Andy stare fascinatedly up at the tower. Miranda watched the twinkling lights dance across Andy’s eager face. Miranda crossed her arms across her chest and cast her eyes downward.
Soft music started to play somewhere nearby and Andy’s face brightened. “Miranda, dance with me.”
Miranda offered an apologetic smile, “I have two left feet, I’m afraid.”
“I’ll lead,” Andy smiled, holding out her arms to Miranda, “please? Indulge me?”
Miranda rolled her eyes playfully, trying to bite back her amused smile. She reached out and took her hand. Andy pulled her to her and Miranda yelped a laugh and blushed as Andy grinned and held her close.
Miranda’s arms wrapped around her neck. “Where’d you learn to dance?”
“I’m just kind of winging it actually, is it any good?” Andy grinned even more widely.
“Actually yes,” Miranda indulged Andy, letting her spin her and pulling her back against her warm body. “Better than most of my husbands for sure.”
“I’d like the opportunity to really put that theory to the test.” Andy whispered. “I know I said I’d let you think on it and I’m not pressuring you, I just wanted to make sure you were reminded of my position on the matter.”
“I’m well aware of your position on the matter, Andrea.” Miranda stifled a smile. “The initial conversation was only yesterday. I am rather old but I’m not senile.”
“Didn’t mean to suggest that you were.” Andy spun her again, “this music is beautiful, isn’t it? What’s your favorite music, Miranda?”
The first thing that sprung to her mind was ABBA but that was hardly an answer befitting a woman, an angel, like Miranda. She blushed and said, “Mozart.”
Andy grinned unabashedly, “you’re lying.” Andy gave Miranda a squeeze, “I won’t prod you for the real answer though. I’ll just admit that I’ve always loved the Beastie Boys.”
Miranda laughed a little, “I’ve tried to avoid popular music but the girls do make it difficult. They’re blasting their music all afternoon and they’re constantly plugged in to their iPods, they sleep with the silly things on.”
“I used to sleep with my tapes on.” Andy shrugged a little, and then said, batting her eyelashes, “I’m a little cold.”
Miranda suppressed a grin as she tightened her hold on Andy, “you’re shameless, simply shameless. Cheeky American girl.”
Andy leaned her cheek against Miranda’s, “ah yes, we modern American girls are extremely lascivious.”
Miranda smiled and sighed contentedly, “lascivious, are you?”
“Extremely.”
“I think this is the most straightforwardly I’ve ever been propositioned.” Miranda whispered.
“Then no one else has done it right,” she smiled as she nuzzled Miranda’s ear.
Miranda sighed contentedly again and ran her fingers through Andy’s hair and gently massaged her scalp. She pulled her cheek away from Andy’s and looked into her eyes. “Do you know what this means, Andrea?”
“Sure I do.”
“I don’t think you really do.” Miranda looked sad and pensive for a moment, “there’s no turning back. Not for me. I’ve told you that I don’t think I can take any more heartbreak. I am not mortal.”
“I know that. I know that I’m going to grow old and die and you could look like this forever if you wanted to.” Andy smiled a little, “I know that whatever decisions you make you will have to live with for a very long time.”
“Yes…” Miranda thought for a moment.
“I know that you want this as badly as I do.”
Miranda sighed. The girl spoke the truth, perhaps it was an understatement, perhaps she wanted it even more than Andrea herself.
“And I think that then begs the question of which heartbreak would be worst: taking a chance on me, being disgustingly happy and then having to say goodbye to me on my deathbed or spending the rest of your endless days regretting that you never took the risk and then being just as sad when you say goodbye to me on my deathbed?”
Miranda took in a breath sharply. “You are wise beyond your years.”
“Working for you has aged me considerably.” Andy nodded cheekily.
“I do believe that I am completely out of arguments.” Miranda smiled a little, “I bow to the shrewder deal maker.”
“Yes, we can get around the bowing later,” Andy ran her fingers along Miranda’s jawline and cupped her cheek. “For now, let’s start with a kiss.”
“A kiss.” Miranda smiled.
“I can hardly think of a more romantic place than here under the Eiffel tower, can you?” Andy stroked Miranda’s high cheekbone with her thumb.
Miranda shook her head. She glanced down to her lips and took a deep breath. She had thought so long about the feel of Andrea’s full lips pressed firmly and intimately into hers, she had fantasized about the feel of the girl’s supple skin underneath her sensitive fingertips. Now, as she was faced with reality, she felt school girlishly self-conscious.
Miranda slipped her fingers into Andy’s hair and tilted her head back gently. She leaned down towards her and ran her nose along Andy’s jawline and across her cheek. Andy let out a soft breath of anticipation. Her eyes fluttered shut and her lips parted invitingly for Miranda.
Miranda ran her thumb over Andy’s bottom lip before leaning in and pressing her lips to Andy’s.
Andy used her hold on Miranda’s hips to hold her body tightly against her own, their hipbones pressing hard into each other’s, their stomachs grazing and their breasts pushed together.
Miranda moaned softly into the kiss, allowing herself to get lost in the moment, to become intoxicated by the way Andy felt and tasted. She was surrendering to the touch and sensations that coursed through her as Andy took the lead in the kiss.
After a few long moments they broke apart reluctantly, needing to breathe. Andy leaned her forehead against Miranda’s and ran her hands up her back, sporting an ear to ear grin.
Miranda blushed at Andy’s expression and closed her eyes. She groaned softly, pulling her closer again and taking Andy’s bottom lip into her mouth. When she released it, she admitted breathlessly, “I think it’s been far too long since I’ve given into passion.”
“Well,” Andy clung to Miranda, capturing her lips again. “We’ll fix that.”
♥
author Coco // i_heart_cuddy
rating R
disclaimer I don't own The Devil Wears Prada or the characters herein. I make no profit off of this and there is no infringement intended.
pairing Miranda/Andy (eventually)
summary Fantasy. Miranda Priestly, the Ice Queen, the Dragon Lady, is a force to be reckoned with, an indelible force of nature, a mythical halfbreed.
author's note I'm pretending Nate doesn't exist, as most femmeslashers do, I suppose.
Emily walked behind Christian through the airport typing wildly on her full qwerty cell phone. He turned around and scowled at her, “who are you texting?”
“None of your bloody business.”
“Look, if we’re going to work together you need to start leveling with me.” Christian set his arms across his chest.
“We’re not working together. I said I’d help you.” She pressed a few more buttons and put her cell phone away. “But we’re hardly working together.”
“What’s your stake in all this?”
“I need to find Miranda, you need to find Andy. You need my knowledge of Miranda and I need your mind-bending abilities.”
“How did you know about me?”
“Miranda told me.” Emily lied. Christian watched her, unsure about whether to believe her or not. “I’m her first assistant and I’ve helped her clean up a lot of messes in regards to her being an angel and so naturally when she had to run off with Andy she told me that it was you she was running from and that you’re a demon.”
“She just told you, did she?”
“Yes.” Emily dared him to disbelieve her.
“What do you want Miranda for?”
“None of your bloody business.”
Andy and Miranda sat in their private compartment on the train as it rattled over the uneven terrain. Andy sat with a tray of food on her lap which she ate at Miranda’s behest. Her appetite hadn’t completely returned, stress made her stomach churn, but the foods that Miranda had amassed for her were too good to let stress get the better of her.
Miranda was reading a newspaper and Priestly slept at her feet. Andy looked out the window at the passing countryside. “So, we’re taking the train across the channel?”
“Under the channel.” Miranda looked up and smiled, “there were ideas for a tunnel connecting Britain to France as early as 1802 and it was only started in 1988 and opened in 1994. When I think of all the times I crossed the channel by boat…”
Andy smiled adoringly at Miranda’s enthusiasm. “We’re going to Calais?”
“Coquelles is actually where it comes out but I want to go to Calais.” Miranda said, “the food there is fantastic.”
“Oh, so that’s why you skipped lunch.” Andy grinned.
Emily and Christian walked into the thirteenth hotel in London. Christian tiredly presented the picture of Andy, “have you seen this woman? She’s travelling with another woman who may have white hair.”
“Um,” the receptionist readjusted her glasses, “there was an older woman with white hair who checked herself and a shier looking woman in for a few days. You know, it’s an odd thing because after that I didn’t see the white haired woman again, the shier one left with a brunette who looked about 20.”
“Did they say where they were going?”
“Fraid not.” The receptionist offered them an apologetic smile.
“Thanks.” Christian couldn’t hide his annoyance. He looked to Emily as they left the room, “where to now?”
“France.” Emily said, “probably not Paris, that’s too easy. Perhaps Cannes, she has a special fondness for Cannes.”
Christian sighed impatiently, “why Cannes? Why not Paris?”
“That is far too predictable.” Emily replied haughtily and flipped her hair back over her shoulder, putting on her Fendi sunglasses as they stepped out into the street. The day was overcast but Emily felt naked without her sunglasses. “She has used Cannes as a photo shoot location a grand total of five times. For Miranda that is a big deal.”
Christian growled, “how long is it going to take to get to Cannes?”
“By what method of transportation?” Emily rolled her eyes, “you really are big girl’s blouse, aren’t you? By plane maybe three hours, non stop, by car 14 hours and by train I have no idea.”
“To the airport then.”
“No.” Emily protested, “I want to spend the night here. We were just on a plane for six hours.”
“I’ll go without you.” He shrugged, starting to walk down the street, “that’s not a problem for me at all. If you’re right, I’ll find them there.”
Emily crossed her arms across her chest, “and if I’m wrong, you’re fucked.”
He sighed and walked back towards the hotel that they’d just exited, “fine.”
“And I want my own room.”
Part Thirteen
Miranda and Andy were seated in a corner booth at a quaint little restaurant in Calais. Andy stared in amazement as waiters walked by with plates piled high with delectable fancies.
“Miranda,” Andy bit her lip, “I don’t really understand the menu. I took Spanish in college.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fluent.” Miranda said from behind her menu. “What would you like?”
“Swordfish.”
“Nay, swordfish has too much mercury. How about lobster?” Miranda looked at her over the top of the menu.
Andy grinned, “lobster sounds great. It’s not too expensive?”
Miranda rolled her eyes, “Andrea, I have told you every day since we’ve been in Europe that price isn’t an issue.”
The waiter approached, “bonjour Mesdames, bienvenu, qu’est-ce qu’on veux aujourd’hui ?”
“Nous voulons deux langoustines.” Miranda looked down the menu again, “des légumes du jour. La fille aura un jus d’orange et je voudrais un verre de Chablis la Chablisienne.”
“Excellente, Madame.” The waiter smiled and departed.
“I ordered you an orange juice.” Miranda announced.
“I figured, I did hear orange in there and I heard Chablis and I must admit that I’m a little jealous.” Andy smiled.
“When we return to New York and after you have given birth and finished nursing I will buy you a case of French wine.”
“That could be more than a year from now,” Andy mused, “you don’t think you’ll be sick of me before then?”
“Doubtfully.” Miranda smirked, breaking off a piece of bread and slipping it to Priestly under the table.
“You said I choose where we go next?”
Miranda nodded, “I think we should keep on the move and I think having no particular rhyme or reason to the travelling would be the best plan of action.” She said then added, “so you can pick everywhere you’ve ever heard of.”
“Well, I’d really love to see Paris, is that okay?”
“I think that sounds lovely, Andrea.” Miranda smiled, “we could take the train after we eat, it’s only an hour’s travel. We could spend the evening there and then find someplace to sleep.”
Emily sat on the bed in her hotel room. Christian had gone out for food and she had begged out of it. She dialed the familiar number on her cell phone and waited. “It’s Emily. I’m in London. It’s Miranda, it’s definitely Miranda.”
She stood up and went into the bathroom, she turned the water on to create background noise in an attempt to drown her conversation out from prying ears. She listened, “no, she didn’t reveal herself to me, of course. But Christian is definitely the demon and he’s looking for her.”
There was silence in the room as she listened. “It’s definitely Miranda, it all makes sense. I am very sure of this. You trained me well.”
Emily turned the shower on too, “I’m in London. She was here, we found a receptionist who remembered seeing them.” She waited, “we’re leaving tomorrow, can you get it here tonight or by morning?”
Emily chewed on her manicured thumbnail. “No, I understand that.” She waited, “yeah, we’re travelling to Cannes next. I’ll keep him there as long as I need to to get the package.”
Emily slipped her shoe off and stuck her foot under the stream of the shower. “I don’t know what he thinks. Hell, I don’t even know if he thinks. Hell could scarcely have spat out a wetter, thicker demon. He’s a complete moron and I have him wrapped around my little finger.”
There was a longer pause, “no, I think I can slip away from him to get it. Where will you have it delivered to?” Pause, “yeah, that sounds good. Box 1013, I’ve got it.”
She closed the phone, shut off all the water and went back out into the room. There was a knock on the door. “Hey Charlton, open the door.”
Emily rolled her eyes, tucked her phone back into her suitcase. She opened the door, “what do you want?”
“Let’s table the hostility for a bit, I brought you some dinner.” He held up a paper bag with grease spots and in his other hand he held a bottle of wine. “And a little bubbly.”
She shrugged and held back a sigh, letting him into the room. “I think technically only Champagne counts as bubbly.”
“Why?”
“Because it bubbles.” Emily muttered as she cleared a spot on the table in the corner of the room, “what did you get?”
“Fish and chips.” He declared with a grin, “I’ve always wanted to have legitimate English fish and chips, figured you’d remember them from your childhood and the like.”
Emily popped one of the fries into her mouth. “I remember them from my childhood obesity.” Emily ate another one, “I admit, they are a bit of a weakness.”
“So the great and powerful Emily Charlton admits to having a weakness.” He grinned.
“I maintain,” she said with a mouthful of french fry, “if you’re hitting on me I will mace you.”
Andy watched the skyline with amazement as Miranda led the way through the streets. Priestly kept up easily, pulling up the rear, sandwiching Andy between the two of them, like a very protective sandwich. Andy was not worried at that moment as she looked up at the monuments in the most romantic, beautiful city on Earth.
Miranda stopped and Andy ran into her. Miranda grunted and furrowed her brow, turning to look at Andy who looked away in embarrassment, though secretly she smiled. At least some things never change. She could swear she wasn’t Miranda until she was blue in the face but some things never changed.
Priestly looked alert and anxious.
“At ease, dog.” Miranda said, “I stopped because I wanted Andrea to see something.”
“What’s that?” Andy smiled.
Miranda stepped behind her, took her shoulders in her hands familiarly and pointed her in the correct direction, “there’s the Eiffel tower.” Andy’s eyes lit up, “at night it glistens, they covered it in lights.”
“It’s breathtaking.” Andy said softly.
Miranda set her chin on Andy’s shoulder. “We’ve a bit of walking to do before we get there but I wanted you to see it in the daylight first.”
“It’s even more magnificent than I thought it would be.” Andy smiled, she turned around and threw her arms around Miranda’s neck, “thank you for bringing me here. I know that it wasn’t the best circumstances that brought us here but I’m still happy.”
“You really are the epitome of enthusiasm, aren’t you?” Miranda smiled.
“Perhaps after a bit more living I’ll be a little bit less enthusiastic, cynical even.”
“I hope not. I’d sooner sacrifice myself than see your light go out.” Miranda sighed.
“Miranda, you’ve gone soft on me.” Andy smiled and pushed Miranda’s hair behind her ears. “You know, I think I kind of like it.”
“Only kind of?”
“A lot more than kind of.” Andy breathed, wanting nothing more than to kiss Miranda, but respecting Miranda’s request of time to think. She swore to herself she’d let Miranda decide when to kiss.
Their lips were scarcely an inch apart but Miranda was steadfastly resisting, she still had her reservations. Andrea was so green and Miranda felt so jaded but clearly the girl didn’t understand what a romance meant to her. That all others must perish, that she alone must survive for all of time. As much as she loved her life, she sometimes felt that allowing her to live on Earth was the cruelest thing that God could have done for her.
She honestly wanted nothing more than to embrace Andrea, to protect her goodness, to fan the flame that kept the light in her heart. She wanted to kiss her and hold her, she wanted to love her. Briefly, she thought she may already love her, but she tried to hush the notion.
Miranda set her forehead against Andrea’s. “Shall we continue on?”
“I’d like nothing more.” Andy whispered. She understood what Miranda had meant but didn’t want to let the opportunity slip by that she wanted to continue on with their dance as well.
By the time they reached the tower dusk was just ending and the sunlight had disappeared completely. The lights on the tower were beautiful, casting the artificial light down upon the few people that were around.
Miranda stood back with Priestly and watched Andy stare fascinatedly up at the tower. Miranda watched the twinkling lights dance across Andy’s eager face. Miranda crossed her arms across her chest and cast her eyes downward.
Soft music started to play somewhere nearby and Andy’s face brightened. “Miranda, dance with me.”
Miranda offered an apologetic smile, “I have two left feet, I’m afraid.”
“I’ll lead,” Andy smiled, holding out her arms to Miranda, “please? Indulge me?”
Miranda rolled her eyes playfully, trying to bite back her amused smile. She reached out and took her hand. Andy pulled her to her and Miranda yelped a laugh and blushed as Andy grinned and held her close.
Miranda’s arms wrapped around her neck. “Where’d you learn to dance?”
“I’m just kind of winging it actually, is it any good?” Andy grinned even more widely.
“Actually yes,” Miranda indulged Andy, letting her spin her and pulling her back against her warm body. “Better than most of my husbands for sure.”
“I’d like the opportunity to really put that theory to the test.” Andy whispered. “I know I said I’d let you think on it and I’m not pressuring you, I just wanted to make sure you were reminded of my position on the matter.”
“I’m well aware of your position on the matter, Andrea.” Miranda stifled a smile. “The initial conversation was only yesterday. I am rather old but I’m not senile.”
“Didn’t mean to suggest that you were.” Andy spun her again, “this music is beautiful, isn’t it? What’s your favorite music, Miranda?”
The first thing that sprung to her mind was ABBA but that was hardly an answer befitting a woman, an angel, like Miranda. She blushed and said, “Mozart.”
Andy grinned unabashedly, “you’re lying.” Andy gave Miranda a squeeze, “I won’t prod you for the real answer though. I’ll just admit that I’ve always loved the Beastie Boys.”
Miranda laughed a little, “I’ve tried to avoid popular music but the girls do make it difficult. They’re blasting their music all afternoon and they’re constantly plugged in to their iPods, they sleep with the silly things on.”
“I used to sleep with my tapes on.” Andy shrugged a little, and then said, batting her eyelashes, “I’m a little cold.”
Miranda suppressed a grin as she tightened her hold on Andy, “you’re shameless, simply shameless. Cheeky American girl.”
Andy leaned her cheek against Miranda’s, “ah yes, we modern American girls are extremely lascivious.”
Miranda smiled and sighed contentedly, “lascivious, are you?”
“Extremely.”
“I think this is the most straightforwardly I’ve ever been propositioned.” Miranda whispered.
“Then no one else has done it right,” she smiled as she nuzzled Miranda’s ear.
Miranda sighed contentedly again and ran her fingers through Andy’s hair and gently massaged her scalp. She pulled her cheek away from Andy’s and looked into her eyes. “Do you know what this means, Andrea?”
“Sure I do.”
“I don’t think you really do.” Miranda looked sad and pensive for a moment, “there’s no turning back. Not for me. I’ve told you that I don’t think I can take any more heartbreak. I am not mortal.”
“I know that. I know that I’m going to grow old and die and you could look like this forever if you wanted to.” Andy smiled a little, “I know that whatever decisions you make you will have to live with for a very long time.”
“Yes…” Miranda thought for a moment.
“I know that you want this as badly as I do.”
Miranda sighed. The girl spoke the truth, perhaps it was an understatement, perhaps she wanted it even more than Andrea herself.
“And I think that then begs the question of which heartbreak would be worst: taking a chance on me, being disgustingly happy and then having to say goodbye to me on my deathbed or spending the rest of your endless days regretting that you never took the risk and then being just as sad when you say goodbye to me on my deathbed?”
Miranda took in a breath sharply. “You are wise beyond your years.”
“Working for you has aged me considerably.” Andy nodded cheekily.
“I do believe that I am completely out of arguments.” Miranda smiled a little, “I bow to the shrewder deal maker.”
“Yes, we can get around the bowing later,” Andy ran her fingers along Miranda’s jawline and cupped her cheek. “For now, let’s start with a kiss.”
“A kiss.” Miranda smiled.
“I can hardly think of a more romantic place than here under the Eiffel tower, can you?” Andy stroked Miranda’s high cheekbone with her thumb.
Miranda shook her head. She glanced down to her lips and took a deep breath. She had thought so long about the feel of Andrea’s full lips pressed firmly and intimately into hers, she had fantasized about the feel of the girl’s supple skin underneath her sensitive fingertips. Now, as she was faced with reality, she felt school girlishly self-conscious.
Miranda slipped her fingers into Andy’s hair and tilted her head back gently. She leaned down towards her and ran her nose along Andy’s jawline and across her cheek. Andy let out a soft breath of anticipation. Her eyes fluttered shut and her lips parted invitingly for Miranda.
Miranda ran her thumb over Andy’s bottom lip before leaning in and pressing her lips to Andy’s.
Andy used her hold on Miranda’s hips to hold her body tightly against her own, their hipbones pressing hard into each other’s, their stomachs grazing and their breasts pushed together.
Miranda moaned softly into the kiss, allowing herself to get lost in the moment, to become intoxicated by the way Andy felt and tasted. She was surrendering to the touch and sensations that coursed through her as Andy took the lead in the kiss.
After a few long moments they broke apart reluctantly, needing to breathe. Andy leaned her forehead against Miranda’s and ran her hands up her back, sporting an ear to ear grin.
Miranda blushed at Andy’s expression and closed her eyes. She groaned softly, pulling her closer again and taking Andy’s bottom lip into her mouth. When she released it, she admitted breathlessly, “I think it’s been far too long since I’ve given into passion.”
“Well,” Andy clung to Miranda, capturing her lips again. “We’ll fix that.”
♥