A/N: So I got a flash of a scene and wrote it out... turned into a little shortie thing that I was going to hold for a while. But as it turns out today is the lovely XVnot15's Birthday, so I'm going to post it today in honor of the birthday girl. Hope you have a Happy Birthday, XV, and feel better soon!
The Usual
by Gin
There were whispers traveling through the halls of Runway at blinding speed. She was in pure Dragon mode today. Everyone knew who the "she" was... nothing could appease her. People would literally dive into storage closets to stay out of her sight. No one wanted to lose their jobs today.
Emily was nearly at her wits end. The new girl, Andrea, was a total fashion nightmare. She had lasted several weeks, but she still didn't seem to know the first thing about creating a decent outfit. Emily wondered if today would finally be the last day for the huge girl. With Miranda on a rampage, not even Andrea's wide eyed, corn fed,Midwest naivete would save her from the Dragon's wrath. Emily smirked at that thought and sat primly in her seat. Good. Voices coming down the hall prompted her to pull up a spreadsheet and look busy, as Miranda and Nigel walked through the reception area into Miranda's office.
Moments later Andrea practically ran into the office, barely keeping the coffees in her hand from spilling out of their lids. Slowing her steps, she took the coffees into Miranda's office. The door between the area she shared with Emily and Miranda's office was open, so Andy simply walked in and set the drinks on Miranda's desk. She had been so focused on not spilling the coffee and getting it there while still center of the sun hot that she hadn't been paying attention to the conversation she'd walked into. That's why she was caught flat-footed when Nigel told Miranda that everyone was wondering why she was crankier than usual today. Andy retreated quickly, but not quickly enough.
"Emily." Brilliant blue eyes narrowed and turned to the new Emily, who stopped mid-step in the doorway. "Am I being crankier than usual?"
Emily, the real one, offered only a shake of her head at Andrea's pleading eyes but watched avidly from her desk. Having heard both Nigel's statement and Miranda's question, Emily eagerly awaited Andy's response and the firestorm that was sure to follow. From her point of view there was no correct answer to that question.
Andy turned to face their irate boss. Her mind racing for the correct response. Truth was all she had to fall back on and so she smiled and responded politely.
"No Miranda, not any more than usual."
Nigel cringed. The sound Emily made was a cross between a gasp and a stifled laugh. But it was Miranda's reaction that fascinated Andy. Miranda's lips twitched, and then she smiled, really smiled. But that wasn't the best part. A split second after she smiled she laughed, laughed a full blown, from the belly, laugh. Raising her eyebrows, she indicated Andrea and her response to Nigel. "You see? Not more than usual!" She chuckled again and reached for her coffee, waving dismissal at Andrea as she did so. "That's all."
Andy smiled and nodded, then turned and made her way back to her desk. The incredulous look Emily was shooting her way didn't even phase her The sound of Miranda's laugh had imprinted itself on her brain. It was an amazing sound and Andy vowed to herself that she would try to hear it more often. Cranky Miranda was difficult to put up with, but Laughing Miranda... Laughing Miranda was definitely worth the effort.
End.