Chapter 2: Plans that never end well

"He really called you "milady"?" Lexa giggled and fell onto the large couch facing the window with an amazing view over London. Thank God for the penthouse they were currently staying in. Her head finding it's way into Anne's lap quickly.

"I'm serious! God, I don't think I've met such an uptight and self-absorbed man in my life." Anne ran her fingers through Lexa's short spiky hair. "From anyone else it would sound like an endearment of a sort, but from him it was like an insult. Like he was telling me I should know my place and behave like the nobody that I am."

Lexa smiled as the flex of Anne's fingers in her hair. "Aren't you reading too much into this, honey?" she kicked her Dolce Gabbana pumps off her feet and stretched languidly. "It's just some guy… Since when do you care?"

"I don't know. There was something about him. Like… royal. Like it was in his blood or something." Anne shrugged, "Which made it even more annoying of course."

"I hope you didn't spit in his coffee of anything?" Lexa smirked at her. "You can't get fired just yet."

"I know, I know. The mark came in as well by the way."

"God, Anne, why didn't you start with that one?" Lexa sat up, folding her legs under her like a child. "Did you manage?"

Anne pursed her lips. "He paid cash."

Lexa settled back down immediately. "Shit. So no credit card data." Silence took over the room. "Saracen is not going to be happy."

"He is never happy."

"True." Lexa sighed and winced. "Especially since I didn't achieve anything either. Except for the fact that my feet are killing me."

"Shit indeed." Anne winced at the idea of how this evening would turn out when Saracen found out about the fruitless day they had. "What happened?"

"I should have never worn those fucking shoes, but they called to me. It was like love at first sight and you should never believe in love because it will screw you over like those fucking shoes. That's what happened." Lexa smiled, but Anne's serious stare cut her off. "I tried, Anne. But they said the whole floor belonged to Pinon International and they weren't subletting. Fucking Saracen juts had to boast having an office on the 27th floor and it's exactly 27th floor we can't ever have! I tried everything and I mean EVERYTHING." she huffed, getting up and going to the kitchen. "Fuck, the fridge is empty and I'm starving!" She shouted from the kitchen and came back into the room, looking upset.

"Shall we go out?" Anne suggested, "I could grab an iPad and we could work on some ideas so that we can say something to Saracen when he begins to rip us to shreds."

Lexa winced at her words: "Well at least yours wasn't your fault." She took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Ok, yeah, you're right. But lets go out in style!"

Anne rolled her eyes - Lexa was way too used to the luxurious living they'd been enjoying for the last year. But she had such hope on her face it was hard to refuse her. "What do you have in mind?"

"Chiltern of course. And then maybe Tramp?"

"I hate Tramp." Anne frowned, getting up herself and stretching her sore back. "Fuck, being a barista is so taxing. It's always fool of presumptuous rich fools with no wit and no charm." she continued, heading for her bedroom. "I'd rather go to Box, it's full of rebels."

"Presumptuous rich rebels," Lexa teased her as Anne disappeared behind the door.

Anne's head popped back. "Presumptuous, but much more fuckable." She countered.

"True." Lexa said into space and headed to her own room to change, dialling Anne's number on her iPhone. "I'm wearing the silver Herve Leger. You've been warned!" She said into the phone when the brunette picked up.

"I'm wearing the red Balmain." Anne sounded smug over the phone.

"The slutty one with an open back?"

"That's the one."

"Bitch."

Ten minutes later Lexa emerged from her room clad in the grey dress with silver stripes that clung to her slim body like second skin. On her arm hung a black coat.

Anne was already waiting for her, the red dress as slutty as Lexa remembered, her long hair falling down her shoulders in lazy waves.

"Here." Lexa looked her up and down proudly. "I think my Maison Coat will look great with this dress. Put it on."

Anne did and the black oversized coat looked amazing, coming in stark contrast with a flowing daring dress underneath. "And here's a trick," Lexa winked at her and opened a zipper at the back of a coat from the ground up to the middle of her back, exposing the red skirt and a patch of bare skin underneath.

"Looks amazing, feels chilly." Anne checked herself in the mirror. "I can manage. I got you a coat as well, take a look on the couch." Lexa beamed and rushed to the couch. There a light silver oversize coat with a beautiful feather pattern was waiting for her.

"Oh my God, Anne, it is exquisite!" She hugged the coat to her chest. "I've never seen it before! Is it new?"

"It's yours." Anne smiled, sitting down on the couch and bending gracefully to put her black studded pumps on.

Lexa felt her cheeks redden. "You shouldn't have…"

"Oh, I had to! I was in such a mood after making coffee all day I just had to treat myself to a stroll in Harvey Nichols. And I saw this and I though of that dress of yours you always threaten me with so…"

Lexa's voice caught up in her throat. "Thank you, Anne, I…"

"Hey, don't make too much of it." Anne smiled lightly, but they both knew it wasn't meant to be nonchalant, it only meant to end this moment to avoid having them both burst into tears. Even in the luxury penthouse at the Ritz, dressed up in designer clothes and heading out to one of the best restaurants in town the small, uncalculated acts of kindness still felt so good it hurt even through all the layers of lies and armour they were constantly wearing.

Growing up in an orphanage would do that to you.

A/N: I have some extras on my tumblr - the photos of their outfits and photos of Lexa - check it out on sweetlycasualdragon if you wish (#an irrevocable affair extras)