Head Over High Heels
A LietPol fanfic
Chapter 2: You're Beautiful, It's True
A/N (before this starts): I'm so stupid for labelling it as complete. I'm sorry to those who got confused. Also: Chapter title is from the James Blunt song, "You're Beautiful".
Dead silence on the other end. I waited anxiously for his answer as I heard papers being sorted out and leafed through quickly in the background.
"Ah, Mister Feliks!" his voice spoke again, and it sounded more relaxed than a while ago. A while ago, he sounded more business-y. "I'm afraid I have a meeting later, but I'm free tonight, so we can grab dinner. I mean, if you're okay with that?"
Dinner with Mister Laurinaitis? Damn, this was more than I bargained for. Can't say I'm complaining, though! In fact, I'm glad he suggested that. I smiled at the receiver when I heard it, then again, it's not like he could actually see me. "That would be awesome. Seven o'clock?"
"Yes, seven o'clock would be great. I'll see you tonight."
Wait, where were we even going?
"Meet me at the park, then? Or wherever we're going to eat?" I said hurriedly, before he hung up. I can't believe he forgot to tell me where! Smooth. He's probably had loooooads of experience before. It was laughable.
"Oh, sorry. Yeah, we could meet at the park and just pick a restaurant when we're there. I'll be looking forward to it. Bye!"
"B-bye!" We both hung up. I stared at my phone. Wait. He practically asked me out for dinner and not some random coffee break. I don't know if I should think about it more, really. Is it like a date now? What kind of date is this, anyway? Oh God, I'm starting to think about it too much!
But I felt some kind of fluttery feeling inside. I can't describe it. I feel like I'm glad he asked me out to dinner. He's cute and nice and all that, so I think he'd make a good date.
That night, I went to the nearby park. I wore a skirt with tights, semi-boots and a nice blouse. I also had a scarf. Don't tell anyone, but they're brand new. Don't tell anyone, especially mom and dad. My parents might be kind enough to lend me money from time to time, but they know how much I spend on clothes and if they find out that I bought more clothes recently... Well, let's just say it's bye-bye, MasterCard. Meet scissors and trashcan. Well, I barely even have money in my card anymore, but I still can't afford to lose it because that's how my parents send me money.
It was surprisingly cold for a September night. Usually, I just get cold around the neck, so I don't really mind wearing short sleeves in this temperature. I looked around for a bit and looked for Toris. When I concluded that he still might not be here, I sat for a while on a nearby bench. My phone rang as soon as I sat down. Creepy! Was there someone stalking me or something? Will I receive some kind of special mission now? Oh, sorry, I got sidetracked.
Toris? I was confused for a moment. Toris was calling me? I'm pretty sure I have his number, but he doesn't have mine. How did this even happen?
"Toris! Hey!" I greeted him cheerfully on the phone. I wasn't really that cheerful because I could feel the cold going through the scarf, and onto my neck. Brr. Stupid, thin scarf.
"Where are you?"
"I'm sitting on a bench. You know that huge angel fountain by the park? I'm in one of the benches near it."
I looked around. It was actually a nice view around here. The park has a lot of trees and flowering bushes and whatnot, so it's all very colourful during the day. I sometimes come here after work to unwind and relax; the scenery helps me calm down after a very nice day of bitching from Natalya. The only thing I don't really like about this park is how it has a lot of skateboarders. The skaters around here are assholes and they're annoying teenagers who trip you up and end up getting dust and dirt all over your (newly bought yet again) fabulous four-inch black stiletto pumps made out of suede. Not to mention scrapes on your knee. Bastards.
One thing people notice about me is that I dress like a girl. Of course, we all know that by now. In fact, I dress more flamboyantly than girls. But oh, dear Lord no, I am so not your stereotypical gay guy. Nuh-uh. I only have this strange, romantic attraction to clothes. No one could even tell I'm a boy at first glance. Maybe the only giveaways are my voice and my boobless chest. I could be a guy too, you know. I just prefer to be a gender troll. Heh.
Anyway, like I said, I sometimes dress like a pretty, made-up girl. Tonight, it's what Toris saw. "Feliks!" he waved to me from afar as soon as he spotted me. I smiled and stood up, slinging my bag back onto my shoulder. When he was close enough to take a good look at me, he gaped. "Wh-whoa. Feliks."
"Wh-what?" And all of a sudden I felt self-conscious. Please don't tell me he's got a problem with me cross-dressing. I mean, he didn't seem bothered by it at all before! Please let that just be a gape of admiration or something...
"You... You look beautiful in that." He cleared his throat. "In fact, you look very nice in girl's clothes." He smiled a bit, and I felt all of my worries evaporate. Good, he likes it. I'm just glad he does because I spent a good hour and a half looking for these clothes in my cabinet that stretches three galaxies wide.
"Oh, thanks." I smiled. "Now, where are we going?" I placed a hand on my hip, looking at him expectantly.
"W-well, it's up to you, really! What kind of food do you like to eat?"
"Hmm, I like to eat anything really!" I smiled at him, trying to make it easier for him. It didn't look like it, but I really like eating. I'm probably just one of those people who are lucky enough to not gain so much weight after a pig-out.
And so we ended up at this restaurant I have heard of but have never gone to because it looked too fancy. It was conveniently located nearby. Their specialty was Asian food, something I haven't had in a long time. Well, unless you count noodles ordered from the cheap Chinese restaurant from Chinatown. We sat down in silence, looking at our menus carefully. Why is everything here weirdly cooked? I mean, the Japanese food are raw, and Korea's kimchi turns me off and the Chinese stuff all look like the same ones I order from Ms. Chun-yan's shop! I mean, what's their deal? I frowned at the menu, thinking about what to choose. Toris looked quite undecided as well. "Hey Toris, what're you going to order?" I peered at him. He looked up, "Oh, I suppose I'll order this fish thing." I looked at the picture he was pointing at. We both couldn't pronounce the name so we both just referred to it as "fish thing".
I thought for a while. What do I get? I might like food a lot, but I'm no food expert! I tapped a manicured nail onto the tabletop. Hmm... Maybe tempura will do. Let's just pray that the rice will be decent enough for chopsticks.
We ate and chatted and all in all, it was a good date. He asked me things and I asked him back. Toris was a lively conversationalist, much to my surprise.
"So, how's work?" Toris asked me, when we had ran out of things to talk about. I knew that eventually, we'd get on the topic of work.
I paused mid-dimsum. My hand was holding a one of those white bun things. Baoji? Baozi was it? I don't know.
"Hm? It's been okay." I waved a hand casually. "I've already been assigned to do the winter collection for my little mannequin, Nattie. I'm starting early because the whole company knows how picky Nattie is with these kinds of shit. Oh, bless that Italian for telling me early. How about you, how's work?"
Toris nodded politely, having listened to my micro-speech about my model. He then laughed nervously. "Heh, well, work's doing okay, but the office's morale is dropping. The company I work for is losing money, and the rival company is taking our employees on the grounds that our CEO can't sustain his company well enough anymore with the large number of workers he has."
I gasped lightly. "That's terrible! How about you, will the other company take you?"
Toris shook his head. "They can't get me that easily. The CEO likes me a lot and has confided to me that I am a valued member of his team so he won't give me up that easily." He smiled weakly.
I was at a loss for words. "Where is this new office located?" I asked him out of interest. He frowned slightly, as if wondering why I even bothered to ask.
"They've put up a small office here but their largest office is in Moscow. Recently, the really good, valuable ones are being placed in the Moscow office." He paused to take a sip of his drink. "My brother... Works in Moscow right now. Says he's barely surviving because of the cold weather and low pay. Poor little Raivis isn't really used to being on his own yet." He smiled bitterly and I suddenly thought how awful it would be if Toris would be taken away by this other company as a new recruit. He would be shipped to Russia! And I'm here all the way in America. That'd be so uncool.
We didn't really talk much after that. He paid for the bill in full, even though I insisted that I take at least half. Then he took me home and left me on the doorstep to the flat I share with Lili, kissing me on my cheek before he went.
"I — um, see you again then, Toris." I smiled shyly, not knowing how to really react.
"I'll see you again soon as well, Feliks. Tonight was a nice date."
And then he left. My heart fluttered in my chest, and it also felt a pang of disappointment as I watched him leave, his grey, average car disappearing from the road I can see.
I sighed and went inside. Lili and Vash had gone to bed already since it was so quiet. I went to bed as well because you know, I was tired, but I awoke in the middle of the night to hear my phone ringing. Who the heck calls on such an ungodly hour?
"Hey...?"
"Feliks! Feliks! You gotta help me!" I heard a heavily accented Italian voice on the other line. Like, seriously, Feli? SERIOUSLY? This better be a life-or-death situation for you to interrupt my beauty sleep, dammit!
"What?" I said with my tone rather annoyed.
"Oh, it's terrible! It's a fashion crisis! Dio mio, you gotta help us! Me, Mei and Liz are already here and we need you too!"
Oh crap. It is a life-or-death crisis.
"Wait, why me?" I groaned sleepily onto the receiver. I started to get out of bed, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.
"No time for explanation! Just come here right now!" He said frantically before hanging up. I tried as best as I could to dress up quickly, and I ended up in jeans, a shirt and a scarf. I felt too underdressed and cold, but I was being pressured by Feli. Damn, what is it this time? This is the third emergency we've had this month.
I arrived in our large studio later, having walked all the way because I couldn't take the train anymore. Or the bus. And I couldn't find any taxis.
As soon as Feli saw me, he ran over and threw his arms around me. "Feliks! What took you so long? Oh my God, we need you right now, it's terrible and we're under time pressure and just, oh my God, help us!" he said rapidly like gunfire, his words barely comprehensible because they were strung together so closely.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down!" I instructed him. "What the hell happened?"
I saw my boss, looking highly irate and pissed off in general with a huge scowl on his face. "Mr. Vargas?" I addressed him. Lovino Vargas, the owner of this large designer label and company, these runway events that have so much publicity and have so much glamour, these models whom he has forged contracts with. Lovino Vargas, Feli's older brother who is highly successful and filthy rich, staring at me with such intensity, I was so sure he'd set my clothes on fire.
"Feliks. Glad you could come. Situation here is that apparently, the rival company, Bonnefoy's," he pauses to snarl at the mere mention of the rival, "has stolen our designs for the next runway. I saw it in their company preview, the one they keep airing in that large screen near the shops. I have no fucking idea how it leaked out and how he got hold of it. But for now..." He sighed wearily. "We he need to think of new designs and quick, because the event's in a week and we don't have enough time to plan, sew and rehearse."
"Yes, Mr. Vargas." I nodded nervously.
"Some of the designs he has gotten a hold of are yours so we need you to think up of new ones. Better. Bolder. One that screams, 'In your face, you fucking wine bastard!'"
I nodded again. Holy shit, how did this even happen? Not before long, we got to work under supervision of Mr. Vargas. The great thing (and sometimes, not so great thing) about him is that he always connects with his team. He has to know what's going on. He may not be the friendliest guy out there, but his determination and involvement to his line of work is something I haven't seen before.
We stayed up. We started at three in the morning, and we only had small breaks consisting of biscuits and coffee.
"Come up with anything good?" Angelique asked me. She was fairly younger than us with less experience but she was on the same rank as me, which highly impressed me. Cute girl, tanned with two low pigtails being held by two red ribbons.
I reluctantly showed her the design I made. Everyone already had contributed at least three, which were really nice. I only thought of one for the past two hours.
"Whoa." She took it from me, eyes widening. "This is awesome. So this is what was taken you so long?"
I nodded. I won't even elaborate on the design anymore, but let's just say chic black dress meets smoke meets Black Swan (which, if I may add, CREEPED THE FUCK OUT OF ME). I even added the wings.
Liz, Mei and Feli gathered around to take a look, and they were so amazed, their eyes would've probably fell off when they saw it. They were starting to make a commotion which was rousing Mr. Vargas awake. "What the hell's the noise about?" He said groggily.
"Lovi! Look at what Feliks made! This is going to be the highlight of the whole fashion show!" He squealed and shoved my drawing pad at my boss, who frowned and studied it with his sharp auburn eyes. "This is..."
"Amazing?" piped up Feli.
"Contemporary?" suggested Liz.
"Chic?" chimed Angelique.
"Fabulous?" said Mei.
"...the most extravagant design I have seen from these people. It's fucking brilliant and just, breath-taking, but how are we going to sew that up in just a week?" He frowned and I was stumped.
"We could help!" Feli said. He probably wanted this to go through more than I do.
Mr. Vargas raised an eyebrow. "Do all of you even know how to use a sewing machine effectively?"
Mei looked around. "Yeah, I think we're all capable of using one. We're going to do this, Mr. Vargas." She said with sudden determination. Wow, Mei too?
"Then it's settled. All of your designs and Feliks' will be included. Also, the designs that haven't been stolen." He then turned to me. "This better fucking blow them off their asses, Łukasiewicz. I'm proud of your design."
We were dismissed at around nine-thirty, after loads of brainstorming. I walked out of the studio to be greeted by the harshly blinding sunlight. I cringed, the light searing through my eyes. I walked, my head all tired and my face looking all haggard as I tried to think of where to eat. Breakfast, breakfast. Damn, I was hungry. Biscuits and coffee only did so much. My eyes were starting to droop because I needed some shut-eye so badly. I was even starting to get a migraine.
I walked around, and staggered a few steps around the corner, before letting exhaustion take over me completely. Leaning against the street post, I shut my eyes for a minute and blocked out everything around me. I could hear a familiar voice nearby, calling out to me. I tried to open my eyes, even just a squint, but I can't make out who that person was in front of me. Not before long, I slumped onto the hard pavement with a thud. I fainted. The person who was trying to talk to me a while ago was then shaking me awake, really panicked.
"Feliks!"
I groaned, my brows creased together in a frown. "Mmngh...?"
"Feliks, it's me, Toris! Wake up, you idiot! You're sleeping in the middle of the road!"
I didn't answer anymore. I was so exhausted that I just gave up then and there. I'm not even sure if I fainted or if I fell asleep.
Later, I awoke in a room. On a bed with nice, smooth bedsheets. My head on a nice pillow, not on cement.
"Feliks?" A man beside me, Toris, I figured out, spoke softly.
Author's Notes: Oh my God, guys! I am so, so sorry for neglecting this fanfic. I am so sorry for not updating. Many thanks to the people who reviewed on the first chapter. Anyway:
Mei - Taiwan
Angelique - Seychelles
Liz - Elizaveta - Hungary
I don't know when I'll update, but I don't want to abandon this story! I just have a few more things going on for me, yeah? Especially since I just published a new multi-chapter fic, Reasons Why I Love Alfred F. Jones. It's full of USUK drabbles from a human AU without much continuity.