A/N: Okay, an anthology wasn't the greatest idea. So! I'll post the one-shots separately. I thought I had enough creative energy to last at least 5 stories, but I suppose two is my limit! How sad Anyway, read and review, everbody!
Truth, Fabrication, and Pretense - Alvida x Kalifa Alternate Universe
The lights flared one after another, so fast there wasn't a single lapse without brilliance. The entire stage was blinded in the white flashing of cameras, and there wasn't a single ounce of doubt that every chair in the audience was filled. Alvida smiled as she squared her shoulders, holding her head high. At the signal, she glided up the steps and onto the runway, barely able to contain her excitement. But she kept her cool and tried her best to suppress a smile. There was no doubt that she would put on a good show tonight, after all, she was the prettiest model in the studio. She wanted to be on the cover of at least one major fashion magazine from tonight's show and she was determined. All she had to do was be herself. After all, she was already perfect, and there is nothing greater than that.
She executed one final graceful turn before her exit. Once off-stage, she flipped her silky dark hair over her shoulders and silently congratulated herself on yet another perfect show. That was her final outfit, and though she was proud of her performance, she wanted nothing more than to go home and kick back for the rest of the evening.
"What now, Kalifa?" Alvida said irritably once she caught sight of her blonde through her vanity mirror. Her hands did not still in its process of removing her make-up as Kalifa approached.
"Will you be attending the party after the show?" She replied solemnly, pushing up her glasses as she spoke.
"The least you could do is congratulate me," the brunette grumbled.
"I am your manager, not your die-hard fan."
"You get paid enough to do both. Hell, you could be--"
"That's sexual harassment."
Alvida rolled her eyes and straightened herself up, turning around so she could face her manager. "Of course it is. I should be saying the same to you. At least that'd be more realistic. And no, I'm not going to those stupid parties."
"It's a good chance to mingle with the higher-ups," Kalifa stated matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, not today. I'm going home." She went around and grabbed her jacket, aware of the fact that the blonde was still on her tail.
"In that case, you have two photo-shoots tomorrow, one in the morning and one in the afternoon."
"Yeah, just call me then." She placed a pair of sunglasses on her head and started toward the exit. All the way to her waiting car, she listened to her manager go on and on about upcoming events and new projects and such. Alvida tried hard to keep her temper in check as she listened to her droning, and desperately tried to think of a way to get out of it. She slipped into the leather backseat, enjoying all of her two seconds of utter silence before Kalifa slipped in beside her.
"That's enough for now."
"Ah, there is an upcoming movie that asked for you to play the lead. --"
"Kalifa," Alvida interrupted irritably. The blonde looked up from her scheduler and, out of habit, gently pushed her glasses up again. "Tell me, Kalifa, who is the most beautiful model in the industry?"
Kalifa sighed and, following the routine, said, "You are, Miss Alvida."
"That's right," the narcissistic woman replied calmly, pulling out a compact mirror. She examined herself and smiled, pleased with what she saw in her reflection. "I worked damn hard to get here. You try losing over a hundred pounds as quick as I did. A single bite of a rich chocolate cake could ruin me, not that you would understand."
"I don't see how that is relevant to what we were discussing."
"We live in a society that runs on an old-fashioned hierarchy, Kalifa, you of all people should know. That is the reason you are working under me. It can't be helped that I'm just that much prettier than you, can it? So putting all my hard work into consideration, I believe I should be obeyed when I ask for something as simple as some alone time. Please, you could've just told me what was happening tomorrow so I can enjoy some peace and quiet."
"Must I remind you again that I am your manager? If you wanted to relax, you would not have chosen this career path. Oh, and by the way," Kalifa paused in her speech to look down at her handheld, "You have a scheduled lunch with the director from your last movie, he wants to talk to you abo--"
"Kalifa!" The jet-haired woman growled, her patience dissipating altogether as she lunged at the other girl with the intent of grabbing her electronic device. Without a trace of emotion, Kalifa raised her arms to evade her attack. Alvida felt the slightest warmth gather at her cheeks when she looked up to see what she had grabbed instead.
"That's sexual harassment, Miss Alvida," the other woman said calmly. Alvida withdrew her hand and cleared her throat.
"I'm seriously considering firing you right now."
"Do as you wish, but you will regret it."
"Don't try me, Blondie."
X
One morning, two weeks later, the tall brunette had just got of the shower when her doorbell rang. She knew immediately who it was, which made her all the more excited. She had gotten up early on this occasion even though she had nothing planned for the day. Pulling on only a soft lavender bathrobe, she, as quickly and gracefully as she could, strode towards the door. After nimbly unlocking it, she flung it open to see her manager peering at her over a stack of magazines.
"About time you showed up! I've been waiting for ages."
Kalifa raised a brow at her once she was relieved from the heavy pile. "You just got out of the shower, so you couldn't possibly have waited long."
"Yeah, well, no one asked you so keep that annoying mouth of yours shut," she barked back as she carried the stack to the coffee table.
Alvida sat down on the closest armchair and immediately began to undo the knot on the strings that held the magazine tower together. Kalifa could only sigh and watch her as she took a seat on the loveseat a little ways away. She watched as the other woman fervently sifted through one magazine after another, her expression excited at first. As she wore down the pile, her brows furrowed and her frown deepened from a neutral expression to downright irritated.
"What the hell is this!" Alvida fumed, standing up abruptly. In her anger, she threw down the last magazine in her hand, knocking over the messy accumulation on the glass coffee table. Then she turned to her manager, the blonde's face was blank as she stared back at the distressed celebrity.
"You knew! Why the hell would you show me if you knew I wasn't on the cover?" she demanded, roughly seizing her by the collar.
"Now, now, Miss Alvida, this is sexual harassment," Kalifa returned coolly with a small smirk.
"One more time, Kalifa, and I'll show you some real sexual harassment!"
Alvida let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. With a groan, she shoved the blonde back onto the loveseat and fell heavily into her previous seat. "Anyway," Kalifa said, straightening out her clothes, "there's been a lot of competent newbies lately, you can't be blamed."
Infuriated, Alvida stood up abruptly again, raising a hand at the seated woman. "What's that supposed to mean?" she seethed, "Are you saying I can't compete with those jailbaits that haven't even gone through puberty?"
"I didn't say that, Miss Alvida, though it is true that you're not getting any younger."
Now even angrier, she collapsed into the smaller woman on the loveseat and grabbed her by the collar again. "Who's the prettiest woman on the face of this planet?" she demanded between clenched teeth.
"Please, Miss Alvida, relax."
"Who is the most beautiful woman on the face of this planet?" She repeated, pressing Kalifa against the couch.
"You are," replied Kalifa in resignation.
"Truthfully?"
"Probably not."
"Truthfully?"
"Probably not."
"You have one more chance before I hurt you, Kalifa," Alvida growled, pulling her upwards to meet her eyes. Still, the blonde's eyes did not waver a bit. She knew that all she had to do was give her what she wanted to hear, but what good would that achieve? There was no doubt that Alvida herself knew the truth as well, but she needed these simple comments to keep her self-esteem in tact. As high as it was, the possibility of it collapsing at any moment was high.
Kalifa drew a breath and finally said with an indifferent tone, "This is sexual harassment, Miss Alvida."
Her eyes narrowed with her temper nearly reaching boiling point. Without warning, she pulled her manager up and smothered her lips with her own. Kalifa's eyes widened and her cheeks automatically flared up. That was the last thing she expected the dark-haired celebrity to do. Her assertions about sexual harassment were empty threats, not suggestions! But she wasn't resisting. Contrary to what she said before, she had always been a fan of her. It was the very reason for her to have taken up this job in the first place even when she was offered other, higher-paying jobs. Considering what she had to put up with, her current wage wasn't even close to her desired amount. Though she never minded telling her she was the most beautiful woman in the world before, because she felt it was true, she couldn't bear to see her face when she realizes the truth herself.
"Stop, stop," Alvida said, her face contorting in confusion as she pulled away. Much to Kalifa's surprise, her anger had melted away, leaving only genuine perplexity. "Why aren't you resisting? This is sexual harassment! Sexual harassment! You're not supposed to…give in to me." Her body crumpled onto the smaller woman in resignation.
"God, what am I doing?" she murmured. "You should've resisted. It'd make life a lot easier, Kalifa."
"I didn't want to."
"Well, you should've anyway. You should know the rules by now," whispered Alvida before she turned her head to give the sensitive skin on Kalifa's white neck a small nip. The blonde tried hard not to let anything show on her face to disturb the cool demeanour, but, at this point, her head was spinning in circles.
"Now tell me, who is the most beautiful woman on Earth?" Alvida purred, now knowing full well how she was affecting her.
Taking a deep breath, Kalifa said, "You are, Miss Alvida. But only to me."