Just a quick two/threeshot that I had to get out of my head. Tag to 2x4, Age Before Beauty. Pyka, and each of their POV on that convo in the dressing room before Myka walked the runway.
Muchos gracias to my beta Procrastinadian :)
DISCLAIMER: Don't own it. If I did, Pete and Myka would just make out already and Jinxy wouldn't be dead.
Myka Bering was nervous. Very nervous. As in, puke up those "extra-five-pounds" nervous. She didn't look like a supermodel in this dress. She looked like she had as a freshman in high school; too-tall, gangly, and out of place. She tried to take a deep breath, but to her dismay it came in shaky and didn't bring any comfort. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing her nerves away. Unfortunately, this had the opposite effect. Her panic increased, and that niggling little voice in the back of her head refused to shut up.
You can't do this. Last time you were up on a stage it was fourth grade. And you couldn't even do it then. It whispered, it's voice dark and sneering. You threw up all over the first two rows.
No. She thought desperately. No. I can do this. I need to do this. People will get hurt If I don't do this.
Ha! Even those airhead, bitchy models know that you can't do this. You heard, right? The voice was openly mocking her, tearing apart what little confidence she may have had at her new appearance. You have to be able to tear out your soul. Your innermost part, out for all to see. You're so closed off that even your partner doesn't know half of what goes down inside your head.
Frantic to keep a hold on herself, Myka got angry. Now wait a minute, leave my relationship with Pete out of this-
Listen to yourself. "Leave Pete out of this!"It sneered. You know what's happening. It's Sam all over again. You're falling for him! Remember what happened last time you fell for your partner?
Of course I do! She snapped back.
Oh really?It was snickering softly, and the sound bounced around her skull. You remember that you couldn't manage not sleeping with him, never mind saving his life. You remember that?
Myka felt tears welling in her eyes. It's different with Pete! He's not Sam! Nothing's going to happen to him-
"Hey Myka, are you decent?"
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Under normal circumstances, Myka might have smirked.
"Can I come in? You know what? Screw it. I'm coming in."
She closed her eyes again, ready for the inevitable laughter that would come from her childish partner. She was tensed up, braced for it when….nothing.
"Woah."
Woah? I'm standing here like a fool in $6,000 couture, and all you can say is "Woah?"
She spun around. "Don't you dare laugh."
Myka was shocked at the intenseness of his gaze as he took in the silken plum dress.
"No…no. I'm so not laughing." His eyes raked up and down her frame once more, and she could feel her cheeks heating up beneath the layers of makeup.
Pete cleared his throat, his eyes darting away. "Listen, I don't want you to go out there. I'm having some wicked bad vibes, and whatever's done to the models, maybe it's done when they're walking the runway." He paused, his eyes flickering to her and away again. "So you know maybe it's-"
"Okay!"
Pete broke off mid-sentence, seemingly shocked at her interruption. "Okay? No fights? No arguments? No punching me in my soft spots?"
Myka laughed nervously, scoffing as she answered. "Well, like you said, it's dangerous…"
Pete wasn't being fooled. "Wait. No. No, no, no, no, no. You don't ever listen to me."
Myka opened her mouth, ready to give another excuse, but she cut it when she saw her partner's face. She looked down. "Okay. I can't." He looked at her in disbelief, so she hurried her explanation. "Cause I can't…stop an army, and I can't, you know…show people my soul."
Pete looked confused. Really confused. As in, more confused than usual (and that was saying something). "What-what are you talking about?"
Myka swallowed. "Look, some girls took fencing lessons," she paused, hating the trembling in her voice. "And read books, and became secret service agents. " She fingered the silken dress she was wearing. "And that- that out there, that is- that is not me."
Pete's expression switched from confused to exasperated. "Why not?"
Myka looked down, to the left, to the right, to the ceiling. Anywhere but her partner's eyes.
"Uhhh." She breathed. "Cause, you know…I'm not the pretty one."
Pete's expression grew more intense. "Who is the pretty one?"
Myka's eyes were glued to her $2000 shoes when she mumbled. "My sister."
Realization dawned in her partner's eyes. "Ahhhh…Tracy."
Myka looked up and braved meeting Pete's eyes. "Yeah. She was the cheerleader, and the homecoming queen…she was the one that all the boys were crazy about." She bit back the tears welling in her eyes. "She could do this."
Pete shook his head, and for a second Myka thought that he was agreeing, and her heart broke a little inside. Pete Lattimer, her own partner, didn't think she was good enough. But then he spoke.
"Alright. Turn around."
She was startled. "Why?"
He didn't meet her eyes. "Because if I'm going to say this to you, I can't say it with you looking at me."
"I'll…"Curiosity getting the better of her, she narrowed her eyes. "turn around."
She was looking at her reflection in the mirror, when she heard his chuckle. "I can't say it to the back of your head." Despite of herself, she laughed.
It was a moment before his voice sounded again. It was deep, deeper than normal, husky with emotion. Myka let it's soothing timbre wash over her, allowing her muscles to relax fractionally.
"Myka, you are a stunningly beautiful woman. The day I met you, I said "What? I'm not going to be able to work with her! I won't be able to stop staring at her!"" He laughed, but it sounded watery, like he was close to tears. "But then I got to know you," Myka braced for an insult to come, joking, lightening the mood of his serious words. "and I realized that you're even more beautiful than I could see." Her eyes both widened in shock and began to fill with tears. Pete continued. "And if that little teen fencer could see what a," He took a deep breath, and she mirrored it, her chest releasing the tension that it had built up in the last 15 minutes. "beautiful woman that she would become, she would know that it was her sister that should be jealous." He sniffled as he stopped talking.
Myka was shell shocked. Her womanizing, immature partner had just given one of the most romantic, kind speeches she had ever heard. And damn if her eyes weren't watering and her heart lurching, aching for more of his sweet words and soothing voice. Damn him. This can't happen again.
She heard the sound of her partner spinning back around. "Good to go?"
She wiped at the corner of her eye, and twirled quickly to face him, trying to hide the motion.
She infused her voice with a new found energy. "Oh I'm good to go."
And she marched away, towards the runway and the catty models, ready for whatever was in store for her out there.
And there ends chapter one. I'll upload the chapter two within the next hour.
Oh, and to those of you who read Adjusting, yes, I am working on it. Yes, I did break my promise to be back two weeks ago. And yes, as a 'sorry-I-have-issues-with-deadlines' present, the next chapter will be awesome. Thanks for all the love in the meantime guys :)
And, as always, review :)