Title: Work
Author: coloredshadows
Rating: PG
Fandom: George-Michael/Maeby, Arrested Development
Summary: Though her grades proved otherwise, Maeby wasn't an idiot.
A/N: This one is set mid-Season Two, when George Michael was dating Ann.


Maeby didn't know what it was about her cousin that endeared her so much, but she tried not to think about it. She tried not to notice the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking. She tried not to notice how cute he looked when he ate, or how adorably neurotic he became when trying to solve a math equation. She tried not to feel insanely jealous every time she saw him with Bland.

It never worked.

Though her grades proved otherwise, Maeby wasn't an idiot. She was well aware of the crush George-Michael had on her last year. She hadn't thought much of it, either. Sure, his handsome face combined with his willingness to always be at her beck and call meant Maeby would almost definitely enjoy every second she spent with him, but she never took it beyond that. He was a prop, one she knew she could manipulate in order to gain the best advantage possible. He was always there; eager to help her with whatever she needed help with, prepared to do whatever he needed to. That didn't stop him from passing moral judgments on her from time to time, judgments that Maeby did not always appreciate, but knowing that there was at least one person in her twisted family who cared about her gave her a nice feeling of ease. The extent to which he cared about her was inconsequential.

Maeby couldn't help but notice the surge of jealousy that welled in the pit of her stomach the first time she watched her cousin flirt with Bland. And the time after that. And the time after that. She tried to convince herself that it was because with George-Michael not around to give her the only attention she ever received from her family, who would? Her unhappiness with George-Michael's newfound happiness had nothing to do with their relationship, no, it was about the effect George-Michael had on her other relationships. If she lost George-Michael, she had nobody.

Maeby sighed and leant back in her chair, shifting her weight back and forth so the chair would rock. She wondered to herself what George-Michael even saw in Bland, and couldn't help but feel both disgusted and insulted at the realization that he had picked her over her. It didn't make any sense. Unless she had been wrong all along and misinterpreted his natural awkwardness for puppy love, he was supposed to have been crushing on Maeby. They had a good thing going. Maeby couldn't help but resent both Ann for messing that up, and George-Michael for letting her.

Her office door swung open, and Maeby swiftly stopped swinging on her chair and sat up straight. Jeff walked over and dropped a reasonably thick script on her desk. "Check this one out. It's a remake of some French erotica film. Give it a glance through and tell me…" Jeff paused for a moment, before continuing on, "tell me if you think we can get away with this."

Maeby studied Jeff's amused face before looking down at the paper that lay before her. Her eyes widened as she read the title, letting the information sink in. She silently began flicking through the pages, her suspicion confirmed. "Oh my god," she said softly to herself.

"Well?" Jeff asked in anticipation. Maeby looked up sharply, forgetting momentarily where she was.

"Oh, nothing," Maeby covered, handing Jeff back the script. "I've just seen the original already, that's all."

"And?" Jeff prompted. "Do you think we can get away with it?"

Maeby pondered the option carefully. Thinking of her own cousin, she looked up to Jeff and smiled knowingly.

"I think we can make it work."