Pairing: Miranda/Andrea

Synopsis: A sweet movie night at the townhouse that brings up some essential questions...

** This story is betaread by the amazing subcutaneous and eyepatchesnadpipes! Thank you so much, girls! **

The real issue of The September issue

by desperatemayie

Miranda gazed at her older daughter one last time for three and a half minutes before shutting off the lights. As she left the room, she couldn't help but smile playfully as she reminisced the lovely dinner the four girls just had. So, Caroline is having her first crush - a popular football player with chestnut brown hair and emerald green eyes from fourth grade. It was such a ridiculous cliché from a teenage movie that Miranda found it totally adorable. She always knew Caroline would be the one of her Bobbseys' to be attracted to older, richer, wildly attractive young men who sadly unmistakably turn out to be total assholes. Cassidy, on the other hand, only had nice words to say about Elliott, a blonde curly haired boy with big black glasses and whose only professional ambition was to become the greatest quidditch player of all time. When Andy asked them how they knew these boys were the right ones for them, the redheads' irises brightened as they answered in unison that the second they see them, they feel their stomach bolting with joy just like Areo bubbles bursting their mint flavour exquisitely.

Miranda's amused grin grew bigger at that quote. Her right hand landed on the maroon hardwood banister then found its path to her bottom lip as she contemplated the personification of her Areo bubbles and flipped through the choices of newly released movies on Netflix. Her sternum was indeed having a candy party just by looking at the bit of dark brown hair peeking up just above the couch.

At least three evenings per month, they were allowing themselves to stop working their butts off for Runway and just be a normal couple. Tonight, it was Andrea's turn to pick the movie and the junk treat. Every time, the first assistant choose the same one; cerulean blue dolphins. Although that colour brought back bittersweet memory of humiliation to Andy's mind, she found it cute that she and Miranda can say they have their own ''couple's candy''. Besides, this colour, in an S&M kind of way, set off their whole burning desires for each other.

"What did you pick, darling?" Miranda asked her love as she sat on the huge couch, slipping an arm around Andy's shoulders and pecking her forehead lovingly.

Andy chewed her lips nervously, light fear showing all through her cat-like eyes. Miranda discerned it immediately and rolled her eyes "Oh no, Not an Alexander Payne again! Andrea, I know you love independent films and I love the fact you do. But…him? I just don't get his humour…"

Andrea ignored the last statement her girlfriend made and started the speech she had prepared while the most fantastic mother she ever knew kissed her twins goodnight. "It's you who always says that it's important to take a closer look at our competitors.''

"Our competitors?"

"I want to see The September Issue." The brunette declared. At that precise moment, she could feel the tender gaze of Miranda turn into the cold, classic, exasperated one typical of the fashion maven.

"You've got to be kidding me, Andrea. You really want me to pay and spend my precious free time watching a complaisant documentary about the most overestimated editor of an average fashion magazine and, mostly, about a person that I completely despise on a personal level as well?"

"But you buy every issue of Vogue!"

"I am certainly not paying for them, my dear. Anna always gave them to me in advance as a false attempt to provoke me." Miranda's angry pout turned into a soft one when she saw the innocent doe expression in the eyes of her lover. ''Besides, I thought it was our couple's movie night. So we aren't even supposed to talk about fashion or engineering some gimmicks for crushing our rivals. "

"But... because of you, I learned to appreciate fashion, not solely for work. As a journalist, it intrigues me. I want to know how a fashion documentary is made. You can't blame me for that…" Andrea slowly ran her index and middle fingers through the silver hair. Seeing Miranda's angry pout lightening, she added, "Besides, I'll let you complain through the whole thing…"

Miranda rolled her eyes one last time before giving in. "Fine. Let's order it. But I am warning you; don't get your hopes too high. You'll surely be disappointed. She's not even the tiniest bit close to the visionary I am. She took my leftovers, Andrea. At my beginnings, I hired Leon Talley for the art designer post. I hate to admit it now but he was great, until he decided that some fake, Japanese drapes could have been fooled for fashionable robes! I don't understand why he's famous now. It's sadly inexplicable how he continues to plagiarize and readers still think he's out-doing art in every issue." She tilted her head and lifted her right hand in the air, snapping her fingers, just like when she demanded Starbucks from Emily.

Andrea laughed and looked at her love in awe. She grabbed her lifted hand and give a generous kiss on her palm. "I love you." she chuckled again as she ordered the documentary.

Miranda brought Andy's head onto her chest and kissed her hair. "I love you too. " She whispered before looking at the screen and sighing.

Oddly enough, Miranda wasn't making a lot of reproaches. Yes, she did pass some non objective remarks in the beginning, but she shut her mouth quite rapidly. Andy only half-noticed. She was very into the documentary. She was screaming, jumping, frowning, laughing, and cheering just as if she were watching an action movie. Miranda couldn't take her eyes away from the screen either. But not because of Anna Wintour. Well, yes, it was because of her but not because of her supposed genius. She had to concede that the way the two women were working was kind of similar. Just the walls color alone and how they managed their office were approximately the same.

But what was shocking Miranda the most was Andy's groupie gaze toward the woman on the screen. She appreciated that Andrea's interest for fashion was developing, but what if her previous assistant wasn't so incompetent and she had never met Andy? What if Anna's first assistant contacted human resources and they had had referred Andy to her? What if she had never met her at all? Would the same history between she and Andrea have happened, but with Anna instead? Even if it wasn't in her character to let her mind travel into the existential- questions land, Miranda Priestly'' the sweet lover'' couldn't help but freak out silently over silly things that Miranda Priestly ''the boss'' kept tossing away. She totally refused to believe Andrea was with her for career advancement. After all, Miranda found her a job at the New York Mirror and Andy refused. Her dream job. Just for her. For not only seeing her during the nights. No, Andy Sachs would have never done that if she wasn't in love with the Ice Queen.

Andrea laughed hysterically at the none too subtle comment Anna just made about Miranda. "Oh my God, baby, did you hear that! She does not have any right or proof to make such a…'' The brunette frowned as she looked up to her lover and saw how pale and petrified she had become. Miranda's concerned eyes influenced Andy's face to turn to that same emotion. "What's wrong, baby? Are you really mad at me for the film…"

Miranda swallowed and slowly placed her hand on top of Andy's. "Don't worry, I'm not. Actually, it's not quite as dreadful as I thought it would be. I'm just very exhausted. "

"That's all." Andy mocked her like she did every time she knew Miranda wasn't telling her the truth.

"Andrea Sachs, you know how I hate it when you do that! I am telling you I am tired. Go back to watching this stupidity!" Miranda used her usual frigid boss tone.

Andy slowly pull away from Miranda's embrace before reaching for the remote control to pause Anna's bitchy, unnecessary speech. "What is it?" She asked so softly that Miranda couldn't resist.

" I…I…I'm just having some… questions about our relationship but I'd prefer not to tell you about it. It will harm you for no reason. "

"Miranda, we agree to tell each other everything, even if it's childish or selfish or period-related!"

Miranda swallowed when Andy subconsciously reminded her that she hadn't had her period for quite some time. "But it will hurt you and you won't be able to get it. I don't even know why I have those thoughts." Her voice cracked slightly at the end.

"What thoughts?"

"What if…you had been hired by Anna or any other editor in chief instead of me? Would we have been together anyway? I mean, I am not talking about destiny but imagine that you were Anna's first assistant and you met me at some random fashion event. Would you even have been attracted to me? I know I am getting older and I certainly am not the most beautiful woman you'll ever meet. But you are. And you'll meet other young girls who would fall for you like I did and I won't be able to blame them or you if you fall for them as well. I am just extremely lucky to have you in my personal life, Andrea. I know I am reputed for always having everything I want but I am pretty aware you could get tired of me any time soon and I…want you to know that, I won't ruin your life if you decide to leave me. "

Andrea looked at her with a blank expression, unable to say a single word.

"You told me to share my vulnerable thoughts so there it is!"

"But this isn't vulnerability, it's insanity!"

Miranda blinked. "Do you know how hard it is for me to open my heart about my fears and anxiety. Could you have a little more respect!"

Andy interrupted her with a tender, yet desperate kiss. "I will never ever get tired of you. The past seven months have been the happiest of my life. I don't care about girls my age. I only want you. No one ever made me feel like you do and I don't see how this can change. I don't care that you're older. Your skin is flawless, and so what if sometimes you have some wrinkles on your eyelids. I think it's adorable, and a part of who you are. And I love that we don't have the same past, that you can tell me more about fashion icons I would have loved to met and that I can explain to you the weird, exhilarating affects pop stars like Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj have on my 2012 style! I love that the first date movie you saw in a theatre was Dirty Dancing and mine was the sequel! I absolutely love that you give me tips about house cleaning and make up tutorials. I learn so much with you, and you make me feel so safe and good. And I know my freshness is exactly what you need to keep a good balance between work and family. I'm totally fine with that. And, you know what; it'll be that way forever because I don't think my Aero bubbles will fade any time soon!"

And just like that, the melting Ice Queen was in need of a passionate love making session…

Take that, Anna!

THE END