Amsterdam 1940 part 1
Rating: M
Pairing: andy/miranda
Prompt: Based on the drabble I wrote for the iTunes challenge. Based on Big Spender.
Summary: Amsterdam 1940, Andy works in a brothel when Miranda walks in.
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
A/N: unbeta'd, so all the mistakes are mine.
Amsterdam 1940
‘I’ll see you next time then,’ Mr. S said while putting his hat on his head.
Andy gave him a fake smile in return and nodded. Apparently content with this answer Mr. S nodded back and left. Andy sighed. It was in Mr. S’ favor that he paid so well, because otherwise Andy wouldn’t have bothered with him and passed him on to one of the cheaper girls, but she needed the money. It was not that he was rougher or was less sensitive than the others, but there was something about him that made Andy dislike him. Each time she thought back on his hands touching her she shivered. That was why she was very grateful he always came very late in the night and was therefore her last customer, which meant she could go home and shower him off her body instead of trying to wash him off with an old washcloth.
She grabbed her coat and shouted: ‘Bye Maria, I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Alright sweetie,’ Maria shouted back.
Maria de Vries was known for being the nicest brothel owner in Amsterdam. She took good care of her girls and made sure nothing terrible happened to them, which was quite exceptional in the 1940’s.
Andy left the building and headed for her small, yet comfortable apartment at the Herengracht. It was only a couple of blocks removed from her workplace, the part of town where there was always a red light on. When she entered her apartment her cat, Isis, walked towards her and began miauwing for attention.
‘Hey little Isis, I’ll take a shower first and then I’ll feed you, alright?’
The cat purred and then jumped in her basket. Andy jumped in the shower and scrubbed until her skin went red, but it didn’t work, she could still feel Mr. S’ hands on her body. She wished she could find on other job, but that was simply not possible with hardly any education. She always wanted to be journalist, but in these times that might not be wise. There was a tension in the air, created by Germany. They kept on breaking the Pact of Versailles and everybody knew it was just a matter of time before the Nazi’s where going to head west. When the water ran cold she got out and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t understand why men liked her so much, but then again that didn’t matter, because they did and that’s how she made a living. Tomorrow there would be another day. She sighed. Great.
At work she was a totally different person, there she was the attractive woman men saw. There she wanted to be loved, because she needed the money. There she was seductive.
The second the woman entered the room Andy knew she was wealthy and powerful. There was something about her posture, her white hair that betrayed her. It was a second later that Andy knew she wanted to please this woman, she had to. Her customers were usually men, but for that woman she would make an exception.
But she wouldn’t do it for nothing. Oh no, this was still her job, she still had to make a living and judging by the clothes of this mysterious white-haired woman, she could make Andy’s life a lot easier.
One of the cheaper girls tried to talk to this woman, but with one glare she was silenced. Then Andy got up and cleared her throat. Very slowly the woman’s head turned and her blue eyes pierced through Andy’s body and Andy knew she had her in the bag.
Only not in a way she thought she did.
‘I want to speak to the person in charge,’ the woman said to no one in particular, but she kept her eyes on Andy.
She spoke in a heavy accent, probably American. It was only then that Andy noticed the whole room had gone quiet and no one apparently dared to speak anymore.
‘Maria,’ Andy said after a couple of seconds that seemed to last forever.
A door opened and Maria entered the room.
‘Yes, Andy?’ she asked and raised her eyebrow when she noticed the white-haired woman.
‘This woman wants to speak with someone in charge,’ Andy said in a nonchalant voice.
The woman’s eyes shot fire, like she was offended by the words ‘this woman’, but she didn’t say anything. Maria sighed.
‘Alright, follow me.’
The woman followed Maria, walking like she was the queen.
After the door closed behind the mysterious woman Andy sank back down in the couch.
‘Geez, who was that?’ she asks Lily, one of her friends who also worked in the brothel.
Lily’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened.
‘You don’t know?!’
Andy was completely lost. How was she supposed to know some American woman who acted like she was the queen?
‘No, I don’t. Should I?’
Lily nodded furiously.
‘Uh yeah. That is Miranda Priestly, she is the Editor of Runway in America! She is here to start the Dutch Runway. I can’t believe you don’t know her. I wonder why she’s here.’
That makes at least two of us, Andy thought. Before she could even start to think of reasons why such a famous woman would be in an ordinary brothel in Amsterdam, Maria’s door opened.
‘Andy.’
Andy stood up.
‘Yes, Maria?’
Maria gestured with her head that Andy should approach.
‘She wants to talk to you. I’m sorry I had no choice.’
Andy gave her a weak smile.
‘That’s okay. I can handle myself,’ she replied, before entering Maria’s ‘office’.
The door shut behind her and suddenly she had the feeling that she was trapped in a dragon’s lair. Mrs. Priestly stood by the window, looking over the water. Quietly Andy sat down in one of the chair. It squeaked softly and at the sound Mrs. Priestly turned. Her blue eyes glared at Andy. She stood there for about a minute and then Andy cracked, she just had to talk.
‘I have no idea why I’m here, Mrs. Priestly, but…’
‘Call me Miranda,’ she snapped through Andy’s words. Andy shut her mouth and forgot what she wanted to say.
‘You don’t know?’ Miranda continued, ‘you don’t know why I want to speak with you?’
Andy shook her head. Miranda eyes narrowed, like she was trying to decide whether Andy was telling the truth or not. Then she turned back to the window.
‘One of your customers…is my husband. Apparently you know him as Mr. S.’ She chuckled, but she didn’t mean it. ‘Stephen was never that original.’ She turned her head back at Andy. ‘I demand that you stop…servicing him,’ she said coldly.
Andy had known that Mr. S, or Stephen, had been married, but most of her customers were, but never in this profession did she have to deal with jealous wives. As for giving up her best-paying customers, there was no way. He was a creep and she nearly hated the man, but he made sure she could live a life and have an apartment.
‘No,’ she said, ‘I won’t do that. You’ll have to tell him yourself. What is going on in your marriage is not my problem. I just want to earn a living.’
Andy got up and attempted to leave, but was stopped by Miranda’s voice.
‘You have no idea what is going on in my marriage,’ she whispered.
Andy was surprised. That, she had not expected.
‘No, I don’t,’ she replied,’ and I don’t want to know either. Now if there’s anything else, could you please get it over with. I have to work.’
Miranda opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but then she just shook her head and walked towards the door.
‘As a matter of fact, there’s one thing,’ she said.
Before Andy could say anything, she felt Miranda’s lips on her own. Just for a brief second their lips touched and inwardly Andy smiled. She really did have her in the bag. Then Miranda pulled back and simply said: ‘That’s all.’ After that she left, leaving Andy completely shocked behind. Completely dazed Andy walked back into the room.
part 2: http://surena-13.livejournal.com/4009.html
Pairing: andy/miranda
Prompt: Based on the drabble I wrote for the iTunes challenge. Based on Big Spender.
Summary: Amsterdam 1940, Andy works in a brothel when Miranda walks in.
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
A/N: unbeta'd, so all the mistakes are mine.
Amsterdam 1940
‘I’ll see you next time then,’ Mr. S said while putting his hat on his head.
Andy gave him a fake smile in return and nodded. Apparently content with this answer Mr. S nodded back and left. Andy sighed. It was in Mr. S’ favor that he paid so well, because otherwise Andy wouldn’t have bothered with him and passed him on to one of the cheaper girls, but she needed the money. It was not that he was rougher or was less sensitive than the others, but there was something about him that made Andy dislike him. Each time she thought back on his hands touching her she shivered. That was why she was very grateful he always came very late in the night and was therefore her last customer, which meant she could go home and shower him off her body instead of trying to wash him off with an old washcloth.
She grabbed her coat and shouted: ‘Bye Maria, I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Alright sweetie,’ Maria shouted back.
Maria de Vries was known for being the nicest brothel owner in Amsterdam. She took good care of her girls and made sure nothing terrible happened to them, which was quite exceptional in the 1940’s.
Andy left the building and headed for her small, yet comfortable apartment at the Herengracht. It was only a couple of blocks removed from her workplace, the part of town where there was always a red light on. When she entered her apartment her cat, Isis, walked towards her and began miauwing for attention.
‘Hey little Isis, I’ll take a shower first and then I’ll feed you, alright?’
The cat purred and then jumped in her basket. Andy jumped in the shower and scrubbed until her skin went red, but it didn’t work, she could still feel Mr. S’ hands on her body. She wished she could find on other job, but that was simply not possible with hardly any education. She always wanted to be journalist, but in these times that might not be wise. There was a tension in the air, created by Germany. They kept on breaking the Pact of Versailles and everybody knew it was just a matter of time before the Nazi’s where going to head west. When the water ran cold she got out and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t understand why men liked her so much, but then again that didn’t matter, because they did and that’s how she made a living. Tomorrow there would be another day. She sighed. Great.
At work she was a totally different person, there she was the attractive woman men saw. There she wanted to be loved, because she needed the money. There she was seductive.
The second the woman entered the room Andy knew she was wealthy and powerful. There was something about her posture, her white hair that betrayed her. It was a second later that Andy knew she wanted to please this woman, she had to. Her customers were usually men, but for that woman she would make an exception.
But she wouldn’t do it for nothing. Oh no, this was still her job, she still had to make a living and judging by the clothes of this mysterious white-haired woman, she could make Andy’s life a lot easier.
One of the cheaper girls tried to talk to this woman, but with one glare she was silenced. Then Andy got up and cleared her throat. Very slowly the woman’s head turned and her blue eyes pierced through Andy’s body and Andy knew she had her in the bag.
Only not in a way she thought she did.
‘I want to speak to the person in charge,’ the woman said to no one in particular, but she kept her eyes on Andy.
She spoke in a heavy accent, probably American. It was only then that Andy noticed the whole room had gone quiet and no one apparently dared to speak anymore.
‘Maria,’ Andy said after a couple of seconds that seemed to last forever.
A door opened and Maria entered the room.
‘Yes, Andy?’ she asked and raised her eyebrow when she noticed the white-haired woman.
‘This woman wants to speak with someone in charge,’ Andy said in a nonchalant voice.
The woman’s eyes shot fire, like she was offended by the words ‘this woman’, but she didn’t say anything. Maria sighed.
‘Alright, follow me.’
The woman followed Maria, walking like she was the queen.
After the door closed behind the mysterious woman Andy sank back down in the couch.
‘Geez, who was that?’ she asks Lily, one of her friends who also worked in the brothel.
Lily’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened.
‘You don’t know?!’
Andy was completely lost. How was she supposed to know some American woman who acted like she was the queen?
‘No, I don’t. Should I?’
Lily nodded furiously.
‘Uh yeah. That is Miranda Priestly, she is the Editor of Runway in America! She is here to start the Dutch Runway. I can’t believe you don’t know her. I wonder why she’s here.’
That makes at least two of us, Andy thought. Before she could even start to think of reasons why such a famous woman would be in an ordinary brothel in Amsterdam, Maria’s door opened.
‘Andy.’
Andy stood up.
‘Yes, Maria?’
Maria gestured with her head that Andy should approach.
‘She wants to talk to you. I’m sorry I had no choice.’
Andy gave her a weak smile.
‘That’s okay. I can handle myself,’ she replied, before entering Maria’s ‘office’.
The door shut behind her and suddenly she had the feeling that she was trapped in a dragon’s lair. Mrs. Priestly stood by the window, looking over the water. Quietly Andy sat down in one of the chair. It squeaked softly and at the sound Mrs. Priestly turned. Her blue eyes glared at Andy. She stood there for about a minute and then Andy cracked, she just had to talk.
‘I have no idea why I’m here, Mrs. Priestly, but…’
‘Call me Miranda,’ she snapped through Andy’s words. Andy shut her mouth and forgot what she wanted to say.
‘You don’t know?’ Miranda continued, ‘you don’t know why I want to speak with you?’
Andy shook her head. Miranda eyes narrowed, like she was trying to decide whether Andy was telling the truth or not. Then she turned back to the window.
‘One of your customers…is my husband. Apparently you know him as Mr. S.’ She chuckled, but she didn’t mean it. ‘Stephen was never that original.’ She turned her head back at Andy. ‘I demand that you stop…servicing him,’ she said coldly.
Andy had known that Mr. S, or Stephen, had been married, but most of her customers were, but never in this profession did she have to deal with jealous wives. As for giving up her best-paying customers, there was no way. He was a creep and she nearly hated the man, but he made sure she could live a life and have an apartment.
‘No,’ she said, ‘I won’t do that. You’ll have to tell him yourself. What is going on in your marriage is not my problem. I just want to earn a living.’
Andy got up and attempted to leave, but was stopped by Miranda’s voice.
‘You have no idea what is going on in my marriage,’ she whispered.
Andy was surprised. That, she had not expected.
‘No, I don’t,’ she replied,’ and I don’t want to know either. Now if there’s anything else, could you please get it over with. I have to work.’
Miranda opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but then she just shook her head and walked towards the door.
‘As a matter of fact, there’s one thing,’ she said.
Before Andy could say anything, she felt Miranda’s lips on her own. Just for a brief second their lips touched and inwardly Andy smiled. She really did have her in the bag. Then Miranda pulled back and simply said: ‘That’s all.’ After that she left, leaving Andy completely shocked behind. Completely dazed Andy walked back into the room.
part 2: http://surena-13.livejournal.com/4009.html