Okay, this is my first attempt at an Italian Job fic, so please go easy on me. It mainly focuses on Left Ear. I really feel like I butchered his character in this chapter, and maybe some of the others as well. I watched the movie over and over again while writing to try and get them down as best I could. If it sucks please don't be afraid to tell me. Also, it was crucial to the story to give Left Ear an actual name, seeing as he will often be in positions where Left Ear just isn't going to cut it. I hope this first chapter isn't too crappy and that you enjoy it! Trust me when I say I had quite a hard time writing it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing! Though the Lord knows I wish I did! Okay, so I own the characters that were born within the warped zone that is my mind, but other than that, I own nothing!
She was sitting behind her desk; her bronze colored hair held in a high ponytail so that was out of her way. Even up it was long, falling to just past her shoulder blades. The black jacket she'd been wearing over a white button up blouse was thrown casually over the back of her chair. A knock on the door drew her eyes, orbs the color of honey, away from the file spread across her desk.
"Come in," she called as she glanced at the clock on her computer. It informed her that it was three in the afternoon, so her client was right on schedule.
The man that stepped into her office was handsome, she admitted to herself. He was a few inches taller than her, with short hair slicked back and dark eyes. His attire was a mix between casual and professional, and she wondered briefly if it was how he always dressed.
"Ah, Mr. Johnson is it?" she asked, extending her hand to him as she stood up.
He nodded and took her hand, giving it a firm shake. "Yes. You're Mrs. Holmes?"
"Ms. Holmes. And yes, I am." After pulling her hand out of his, she sat back down behind the desk. "How may I be of service?"
"I'm looking to have a library full of 1st Editions. I hear you can help to make that happen."
She smiled, folding her hands together as she rested her elbows on the table. She placed her chin on her folded hands. "Any particular 1st Editions you're interested in?"
"Not really, no."
She lifted her chin off her hands and nodded, grabbing the top, middle drawer of her desk. She removed a notepad and a pen from the drawer before closing it. He watched her scribbled something down on the notepad.
"Is that going to be a problem?" he asked, slightly worried.
She looked up at him and blinked before smiling. "Not at all. It'll actually make things easier. If you do think of any specific titles you would like, though, don't hesitate to let me know." She looked back down at the notepad, scribbled one or two more things, and then looked at him again. "You know this is going to get expensive fast?"
"I know. I'm prepared to pay whatever the total comes out to."
"Just to warn you, I'm not cheap. There will be a considerable amount added to the total of your books for my services."
"I'm aware of that fact, Ms. Holmes."
"Okay then, how large of a collection are you looking for?"
He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulling out a folded up piece of paper. "I had a friend of mine jot down the measurements."
"Great!" she said as she took the paper from him. Unfolding it, she studied its contents before smiling. "It looks like I've got my work cut out for me." She noticed him shift a bit uncomfortably in his chair. "Oh, don't worry. I love my job. It's going to be fun tracking down so many 1st Editions. I'll need a number that you can be reached at," she told him, handing over the pad so he could write his number down. "I'll get started right away. Hopefully I'll have something for you within the week."
"Thank you," he told her as he stood up and shook her hand again.
"It's not a problem, Mr. Johnson. I'm glad I can help."
He gave her a thankful smile before slipping out of the door. She watched as it shut behind him with a soft click. Then she turned toward her computer, getting started on hunting down any 1st Editions that were being sold or put up for auction.
----
"It's about time you showed up," Stella said with a laugh as she moved aside, allowing Left Ear to step into her and Charlie's large home. "Rob was starting to wonder what was keeping you."
"Just doing some shopping," he told her.
She shut the door and moved to walk ahead of him. "Rob and Lyle still think you're crazy for wanting a library full of 1st Editions. Of course, they think you're even more so because you have a whole room dedicated to your shoes. And a man who cleans them."
He chuckled as he followed her through the large home she and Charlie owned. "And Charlie?"
She stopped walking while motioning for him to do the same. "Charlie's glad you have more on your mind that getting women out of their clothes." She glanced around the corner, making sure the other three men were still outside before continuing. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can," he assured her.
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Do you think you'll ever get married?"
He blinked, the question surprising him. He almost asked her if he'd heard right, but he knew he had from the way she fidgeted nervously while awaiting his answer. "I've thought about it," he admitted. It was his turn to glance around the corner to make sure no one was within hearing distance. "If I ever meet the right woman, I more than likely will. Why?"
She gave him a small smile. "I think Charlie's worried he's going to end up as the only married man amongst a group of bachelors. I mean, Lord knows Rob is never going to settle down. He seems to despise monogamy with a heated passion. And while there may be hope for Lyle, Charlie doesn't see it happening any time soon."
Left Ear snorted. "Stella, I don't see it happening any time soon."
"But you can see it happening?" There was a hopeful tone in her voice that he understood. Lyle was like a younger brother to them all, Stella more so than the rest despite the fact that she hadn't known him nearly as long, and they wanted only the best for him.
"I can see it happening," he confirmed. "I think he just needs to find someone who likes him for him. The blasted supermodel he's with wouldn't have given him the time of day is he wasn't the real Napster. And you know she doesn't sleep with him unless he uses those speakers of his." He shook his head. "He definitely deserves better. I just wish he could see that."
Stella nodded and sighed. "We'd better get out there. They'll be wondering what's taking so long." She started to continue leading him through the house, but faltered for a brief moment. "Everything said in this hallway," she began.
"Remains in this hallway," he finished with a knowing smile.
She smiled back before turning to continue toward the back door, him following. She stepped through the open sliding door onto the back patio, shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun. Left Ear mimicked her actions, spotting his three closest friends lounging in lawn chairs out by the line of trees behind the house. There was a cooler in the middle of the chairs, one empty chair for him, and a smoking barbeque pit a few feet behind Charlie's chair. It was strategically placed so that the smoke rising from it was blown away from the lawn chairs inhabitants by a gentle breeze.
"Go on ahead," Stella said. "They're waiting for you."
"You're gonna stay in here by yourself?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
She smiled at him. "Don't worry about me. I'll come out in a bit."
He studied her for a moment longer before he heard someone calling him name. He turned to find that Charlie had spotted him, alerting Lyle and Handsome Rob to his presence when he yelled.
"Get your bloody arse over here, mate!" Rob called, motioning with the hand not holding his beer bottle.
"Yeah, come on!" Lyle added with a wide grin.
"How many beers has he had?" Left Ear asked Stella.
She laughed. "Not that many. He's taking it easy."
Left Ear nodded, not quite sure if he should believe her. "Alright. You sure you're going to be okay alone?"
"I'll be fine," she told him with a giggle, shoving his shoulder. "Go catch up!"
He grinned and nodded. "Okay, I'm going, I'm going. Wouldn't want to get decked."
She laughed as he turned and made his way over to the guys. They each took turns doing the handshake/one armed hug gesture as they greeted each other. He grabbed a beer from the cooler and took up residence in the empty chair that sat between Handsome Rob and Lyle.
"We were starting to think you'd blown us off," Charlie said with a chuckle. Rob and Lyle nodded in agreement.
"My meeting was on the other side of town. It took a while to get through the traffic." He took a drink of his beer before tilting his chin in Lyle's direction. "By the way, thanks for the measurements, man."
"No problem," Lyle grinned.
"This Holmes going to get you all those bloody 1st Editions you want?" Rob asked right before he took a swig from his bottle.
"She is. I'm hoping to hear from her in a week or so."
"Is she single?" Charlie asked hopefully. Left Ear arched an eyebrow as Rob and Lyle shared a groan. "What? I was just thinking, if she is single, the two of you might hit it off."
"He's been trying to set me up as well," Rob grumbled. "Not sure what his problem is."
"And he's been trying to get me to break up with Michelle," Lyle said, rolling his eyes. He sat his beer down beside his chair and used air quotes with his next words. "'Thinks I should become part of a more serious relationship'." He scoffed, picking his beer back up and taking a drink. "Like I want a serious relationship. I'm fine with things the way they are."
Left Ear wanted to tell Lyle that he wasn't fine with the younger man's current situation, but he bit his tongue. He didn't want to cause a rift to form between himself and his friend. He shot a glance at Charlie, trying to convey that he felt the same way about their highly intelligent friend. Charlie caught onto the look fast and nodded, allowing Left Ear to school his features into an amused expression before Lyle noticed the exchange.
"See?" Rob said, obviously not catching the exchange either. That surprised Left Ear, because Handsome Rob didn't usually miss things, making the explosives expert wonder just how much alcohol the British man had already consumed. "Lyle here's on the right track."
Lyle beamed at the older man. Left Ear fought the urge to shake his head. Charlie didn't bother. He actually did shake his head. "Seeing as we are not going to agree on this subject, can we agree to disagree and move on to something else?"
Lyle pursed his lips together for a minute before nodding. "Sounds good to me."
"I agree," Left Ear said.
"Same here," Rob said.
They soon fell into comfortable conversation, discussing past jobs that were successful. Lyle had a hard time keeping up when the other three men drifted onto the topic of sports. Luckily, Stella chose that moment to grace the guys with her presence. While her husband talked sports with Left Ear and Rob, she and Lyle held a small conversation of their own. They exchanged stories on how they met Charlie, and Lyle told her about the first time he'd ever met Left Ear and Rob.
When the food was ready, they gathered everything up and headed inside, opting to eat in the comfort of the dining room so they didn't have to fight bugs for their food. Sitting around Charlie and Stella's rather large table, they talked and laughed about all sorts of things.
"It's getting pretty late, Charlie," Rob said as Stella walked around the table to pick up everyone's plates. "We'd better get going."
"I don't think I can drive," Lyle mumbled. His eyes were slightly glazed over and every now and then, a mad giggle would pass through his lips.
Left Ear shook his head. "Looks like Napster's had a bit too much to drink."
Charlie laughed as Lyle's mad giggling increased at Left Ear's words. "It's alright. He'll crash here tonight. In fact, we have enough spare bedrooms that you can all crash here if you want."
Left Ear glanced down at his watch, his eyes widening slightly when he noticed it was well past midnight. "I think I'll take you up on that offer, man." He stood up, stretching and yawning. "Do you need any help, Stella?"
Stella smiled at Left Ear. "I got it. Besides, if I do need help, I'll just make Charlie do it."
Charlie groaned and Stella shot him a devious smirk before she disappeared into the kitchen. Rob shook his head and muttered, "That's why I'm never getting married."
"You ever have make up sex, Rob?" Rob arched an eyebrow at Charlie, who took it as a 'no'. "It's possibly the best sex you'll ever have. And to have it, you have to be in a monogamous relationship." Lyle was laughing hysterically now. "A serious, monogamous relationship."
Lyle's laughter immediately ceased as he turned to pout at Charlie. Left Ear chuckled as he made his way around the table to stand beside Lyle's chair. "Come on, Napster. Let's get you to bed."
"Yeah, okay," Lyle sighed as he let the other man help him up. He groaned and put a hand over his stomach. "I think I'm going to be sick."
"We'll stop by the bathroom on the way," Left Ear said. He looked up at Charlie.
"Oh! The bathroom's the second door on the right. There's a guest bedroom to the right of it and one directly across the hall," Charlie told him.
"Thanks, man," Left Ear said. Then he proceeded to lead the redhead toward the stairs.
Rob chuckled as he watched them disappear up the stairs. "He's going to have a killer hangover in the morning."
"I'll take him some pain killers and a glass of water in the morning. There's another spare bedroom directly across from the one beside the bathroom. Left Ear will probably give Lyle the one by the bathroom."
"Thanks, mate."
"Anytime, Rob."
Rob stood up and headed for the stairs, shaking his head and mumbling, "Bloody whipped," when Charlie headed into the kitchen to help Stella before turning in.
So that was the first chapter. Was it good? Did it suck? Let me know. Constructive criticism is welcome. Again, tell me whether or not I butchered the characters. I'll rewrite it if I have to!