Author's Note: This is your NSFW warning :)
... ...
Em, you leave the office yet?
Hanna's message popped up followed by a string of emojis signifying her excitement.
It's almost 10! Tell Ali to let you go for the night.
Aria followed up in their group chat.
Tell my sister if you're not at the bar by 11 she's paying for our drinks. ALL OF THEM.
Spencer added with her own string of impatient emojis.
It was an exhausting week and Emily was just as excited to decompress. She sent a quick text back to the group, saying she would be leaving soon. It's not like she was tethered to her desk, and Alison wasn't asking her to stay. The Editor had given Emily permission to leave whenever she needed to, fully understanding the importance of their girl's night out. They were going bar hopping, Hanna's suggestion, to celebrate Emily's recent wins. From the Fleur Du Mal contract, which had the potential to become a lot more, to closing the sponsorship deal with the New York Liberty, and Alison trusting her enough to lead the follow up press conference announcing the big news and the overhaul of GLOW's sport's coverage. Dealing with the media went surprisingly smooth, they threw out questions and Emily threw back answers. Avery didn't seem happy about the abrupt change but she didn't complain and simply handed Emily the notes she'd prepared for herself.
Just a few weeks ago Emily felt cornered, she had no options and an uncertain future, but this week felt like a gateway to possibilities. Feelings of being overwhelmed crept up on her a few times but with Alison by her side, it felt like she could do anything. It was in the subtle gestures, Alison's hand on her back, expertly guiding her through unfamiliar rooms. The subtle nods she gave to let Emily know which names and faces were of importance. The introductions, which had once been nonexistent or as flippant as 'this is my assistant, Emily,' had now evolved into a concise 'Emily Fields'. They'd spent most of the past 48 hours together but were rarely alone, and so Emily wasn't in any rush to leave her side. Besides, she could tell something had been on Alison's mind ever since her secret meeting with Spencer.
Emily's phone gave a little buzz again but she turned it over on her desk, ignoring it, her attention was all on Alison. Blonde locks tumbled gracefully over the EIC's shoulders, framing her face as she remained immersed in the pages in front of her. Sneaking glances at Alison while she worked was something Emily always enjoyed, but this was different. Tonight, Alison seemed entirely absorbed in whatever she was working on. Emily couldn't look away when Alison slowly stretched her neck, unable to decide whether she wanted to stare at fluttering blue eyes or a now slightly exposed neck. When Alison's stretch ended in a wince, Emily stood, crossing the short distance between their desks and positioning herself just behind her boss' white leather chair.
"Are you leaving?" Alison closed the file she'd been reading and pushed it to the corner of her desk. Emily was able to catch a glimpse of its contents, 'Thomas Media Group'…the name meant nothing to her.
"Not yet," Emily rested her hands on Alison's shoulders, coaxing her back into the chair.
Alison complied with the silent request, relaxing under Emily's hands and into plush leather. A small sigh of contentment escaped Alison's lips, and Emily smiled, pulling the blonde's hair back. She carefully rolled Alison's head to one side and used her thumb to apply pressure up and down the column of her neck. She made several passes, looking for the spot that would relieve the stress.
"You're tense," Emily observed aloud, feeling the strained muscles only made her more curious as to why.
"I have a lot of work to catch up on. Most of these articles will need multiple rounds of editing, the June cover is severely behind schedule, The former Barney's CEO is trying to back out of an interview he's already agreed to, and I still haven't met with all of the journalists who could potentially head up the new sports content," Alison exhaled sharply when Emily applied more pressure but it was followed by a whimper that told Emily she was on the right track and sent a shiver of satisfaction through her.
Listening intently, Emily's hands slowed to a stop and her satisfied expression fell. A sudden wave of insecurity washed over her. She was immediately transported back to her first week when she'd overheard Alison easily lie to a woman about not being able to see her, and using work as an excuse, but it wasn't just that. Emily found herself thinking about Maya, how frequently her ex had lied, and yet she willingly turned a blind eye to it because she didn't want to confront what was wrong in their relationship.
"Emily," Alison called her name.
"Hmm?" Emily snapped out of her thoughts and started moving her hands again.
Alison huffed, her usual impatience, "I asked why you haven't called the founder of Fleur Du Mal back. She's called you three times."
"Oh," Emily responded quietly, doing her best to fight off the insecurities threatening to overwhelm her. She refocused on the massage, it had been a long time since she'd given one but it was coming back to her.
"Or the Special Project Manager from Marc Jacobs, Elizabeth at Calvin Klein, Lululemon, Piaget." Alison persisted, listing a barrage of people and companies that had taken an interest in Emily. "Have you forgotten how messages work? You're supposed to return them." Alison may have been deflecting but she was right.
"It's been an intense week. Like you said, lots of work to catch up on," Emily replied dully, continuing to relieve the tension in Alison's neck.
Alison's hand came up to cover Emily's, stopping her movements, and she nodded toward the desk. Emily took the hint and sat on the edge, crossing one leg over the other. It caused an already short dress to rise several inches. She watched blue eyes trail upwards from her platform high heels, across soft, toned legs, and up to the hem of the black Dolce & Gabbana corset mini dress she'd chosen for the night. When Alison's eyes finally met hers again, Emily quirked her brows playfully.
"I thought you were excited about everything that was happening. What changed?" Alison ran a hand up Emily's leg and rested it on her thigh, lightly stroking the skin with her thumb.
The gentle touch and concern in Alison's voice made Emily reconsider her answer, the EIC could see right through her and it's not like she didn't want to tell Alison the truth. She just didn't want to be the only one opening up, but maybe if she took the lead, Alison would follow.
"I am excited…but I'm also scared. I don't know what happens when I start returning those calls," Emily dropped her eyes to her lap where she wrung her hands nervously. "I can't be at shoots and be here at the same time, and I don't want to leave," Her voice shook and the last part was barely audible.
Before Emily could register what was happening, Alison was out of her chair and arms were slipping around her waist, pulling her as close as she could get. Emily melted into the embrace, her arms wrapping around Alison's neck.
"You don't have to go anywhere, Emily. Not unless you want to."
"But there's only so many hours in a day. I can't be on set for six hours and be here with you every day, it won't work," Emily confessed. The idea of leaving GLOW, leaving Alison, after just having arrived filled her with dread. "I don't want to leave you. You're the only reason I made it through this week, to begin with."
"Look at me," Alison grabbed her chin, forcing Emily's gaze up from her lap to intense blue eyes. "You will never have to choose between your career and me. Whatever happens next we'll figure out together." Alison's voice was sure and the confidence in her words calmed the swell of anxiety Emily was feeling.
Emily wasn't completely at ease but she wanted to believe Alison. Believe that things could be different this time around. Being held by the Editor, and how sure she seemed to be, brought Emily a sense of safety. She knew however that no partnership could survive hiding things and lies of omission.
"Does 'together' apply to whatever's in that folder?" Emily tossed a glance at the file Alison had abandoned on her desk. "If you can't tell me what's going on, I won't push, but I know it isn't about the June cover or a CEO who's giving you the runaround."
An almost indiscernible smile crossed Alison's lips, she dropped a kiss to Emily's forehead and released her chin. "I'll tell you about it, but not tonight. Tonight you're celebrating. You earned it."
Keeping her word, Emily didn't push the subject. Instead, she withdrew her hands from around Alison's neck and lowered them to roam across her shirt covered stomach. She uncrossed her legs and invited Alison to settle between them. Emily hadn't touched her boss since Monday when Alison drove her to Queens to see the first billboards, and being this close to her, finally alone, she thought they could pick up where they left off. If the hands that were working their way into her hair and under the hem of her dress were any indication, Alison felt the same way.
The grip on Emily's hair tightened and she was pulled into a kiss. Alison bit down on her bottom lip and Emily opened her mouth, allowing Alison to deepen the kiss. It was heated, rough, and literally took Emily's breath away. "But there was something else," Alison spoke as her lips traveled down Emily's neck. "Tiffany's is celebrating the reopening and redesign of their Flagship store. You'll be accompanying me to the event."
"I didn't know you were going to that. It's not on your schedule…I checked," Emily managed to say just as Alison's teeth grazed her collarbone. She shuddered and to her delight, Alison repeated the motion on the opposite side. Emily had actually triple checked Alison's schedule to ensure she wasn't attending.
"I wasn't initially, but Avery is convinced I need to be there," Alison explained. Emily fought the urge to roll her eyes and failed. Fucking, Avery. "What's wrong? Do we have our first scheduling conflict already?" Alison laughed lightly, the air tickling Emily's neck.
"Kind of…I'm already going."
"PigSkin?"
"CeCe," Emily quickly wrapped her legs around the blonde, knowing she would try to retreat. Sure enough, Alison tried to pull away but strong legs held her in place. "Wait, what if we all went together? As a group," Emily suggested, there was no way she could just drop CeCe but she wanted to go with Alison too.
Alison looked at Emily incredulously, "Are you insane?" Her tone and gaze conveyed the seriousness of the question. "No," she reiterated in case her stance wasn't clear. Trying once more to extricate herself from Emily's legs, "Let me go," she protested when her attempt failed.
"Then I guess I'm going with CeCe," Emily grabbed a fistful of Alison's shirt, tugging it out of her pants. She dipped her hands underneath, skimming across the warm skim of Alison's bare sides down to the waistband of her pants where she tugged suggestively. "Unless there's something I can do to change your mind." Emily brought her lips to Alison's neck, she trailed light kisses up the side until she was just below Alison's ear. "I'm not above begging." She whispered, pulling back just enough to look into challenging and lust filled blue eyes.
Alison's attempts to pull away stopped and Emily flicked her tongue across the column of her throat. She could see her boss swallow whatever sound was threatening to escape. Emily replaced her mouth with her hand, wrapping it around Alison's neck and bringing their lips together. She dictated the pace of the kiss and it was greedy, her tongue shoving past Alison's lips and invading her mouth. Emily's other hand made quick work of the buttons on Alison's pants and she slipped her fingers into them to find wet lace. Pulling the thin underwear aside, Emily dragged her knuckles through the blonde's folds and circled her clit. Heat pooled in her stomach feeling how soaked Alison was. Their kiss broke abruptly when Alison pulled back desperate for air.
"I'm not hearing any begging," Alison did her best to sound disinterested but her body betrayed her when Emily pushed two fingers into her without warning. The moan Alison let out was strangled and her nails dug into Emily's thighs.
The angle wasn't ideal but Emily made it work, her fingers slipping in and out of Alison as she became increasingly wet. "I really want to go to the store launch with you," she increased her pace while she used the palm of her hand to press against Alison's clit. "I already have a dress picked out, it's blue…it matches your eyes, you'll love it." Emily played into the woman's possessive streak, counting on the fact that Alison would be too focused on the third finger sliding into her to notice that the dress would of course match CeCe's eyes as well.
A small groan of satisfaction fell from Alison's lips between quiet moans. The sounds made Emily seek out her mouth again, she sucked on Alison's lip and squeezed the sides of her throat. Tight walls fluttered around Emily's fingers and it caused her own core to clench. Being choked wasn't something Emily anticipated Alison being into but it turned her on immensely to see and feel the effect it had on her.
"I'm not convinced," Alison husked into Emily's mouth.
Emily smirked inwardly, happy Alison wasn't giving up yet. She wanted to make the other woman unravel a bit more. Emily cut her pace in half, fucking Alison agonizingly slow and dragging her fingers across the soft spot that was making her legs weak. Removing the hand from Alison's neck, Emily snaked it around Alison's waist to hold her up. Alison's moans turned frustrated and she tangled a hand in Emily's hair, gripping it tightly to encourage her to stop the teasing.
"Will you take me to the Tiffany Unveiling?" Emily pressed kisses from the blonde's jaw down her throat. "Please," she added. Alison's grip on her fingers had gone from a warm hug to a vice grip and Emily knew she was close.
"Emily," Alison said in warning, which normally would have made Emily fold but under these conditions only excited her more.
"Pretty please," Emily bit the shell of Alison's ear, pushing her fingers deep inside her and rubbing them against her front wall. Alison let out a noise akin to a growl but nodded frantically. "Is that a yes?"
The sight of Alison biting her lip to keep from conceding made Emily work harder, pressing her thumb to Alison's slippery clit. "Yes! Fuck, we can go to Mars if you want, just-" Alison's exclamation was cut off by her orgasm crashing down on her. She bit hard on Emily's shoulder to keep from screaming and her body went rigid for a second before going limp.
When Alison was able to catch her breath, Emily removed her fingers. "Mars, huh?"
… …
As midnight approached, Emily arrived at the first bar. It was a dimly lit speakeasy in the East Village with live music and an ambiance that almost made up for the ridiculously overpriced drinks. As soon as Emily had found the other women, Hanna ordered her two shots so she could catch up. She downed the shots quickly and was looking over the cocktail menu, most of which started at 24. Her concerns about the bill were squashed when she remembered that Alison was covering all the drinks for the night, much to Spencer's pleasure.
The four of them sat at the end of the bar, Aria and Hanna recounting the recent showdown between Alison and Paige. Despite her best efforts to hide it, Spencer seemed a bit peeved hearing about her sister's behavior. Emily hadn't spoken to Paige since that day, she'd been ignoring texts and sending the occasional phone call to voicemail. She'd essentially gotten the 'ick' after watching the Analyst pick a fight and lose, and it was hard to shake.
Aria, plucking an olive from her martini, segued the conversation. "What does this mean for your dinner date, are you still going?"
Emily took a large sip of her drink and considered the question. "Uh...I don't know. If I'm honest, I'm starting to think I have enough on my plate."
Spencer's interest seemed peaked at that and Emily took note but didn't read into it too much. She knew the two women had a strained relationship. Hanna and Aria didn't appear disappointed, and all three seemed to be avoiding eye contact.
Studying their expressions, Emily asked, "Do none of you like Paige?"
Aria was the first to respond, her martini glass cradled in her hand. "She's always given me bad vibes," she admitted, offering an apologetic smile.
Hanna chimed in, "There are few people I like less."
Aria gave Hanna a quizzical look and Spencer chuckled, "It doesn't matter what we think but you should talk to Alison…soon," Spencer signaled for the bartender, smoothly ending the discussion.
The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and conversations unrelated to Paige or GLOW. It was one of those nights Emily wouldn't remember all the details of but she would remember laughing so hard she almost fell off a barstool. She'd remember the trivial and hilarious argument Hanna and Aria got into about whether or not all gummy bears taste the same. The debate was put to rest when Spencer insisted they stop at a convenience store on their way to their next stop. In the name of science, they all tasted a handful and found they do in fact, have different flavors. Emily's instincts were right, she got along amazingly with the group, and it felt as though they'd been friends for years. The night was turning out to be exactly what she needed after a long week.
Their sixth and final stop was a complete contrast to the first bar. It was loud, overly crowded, the floors were sticky, and couples were groping each other in the dark corners. Despite their insane size, each of them had decided to order their own Fishbowl drinks. The drinks were large, colorful, and very strong concoctions but the alcohol was barely noticable to taste. It was a terrible idea, they were all already drunk and if they managed to finish the Fishbowls they'd be completely wasted.
"Spence, why d'ya just call the car? You're soooo rich," Aria's words slurred as she swayed on her stool. She was easily the worst off of the group.
Spencer barely looked up, "And I want to stay rich." She said between sips of her oversized bluish green drink. "Em, use Alison's card to order us cars."
Emily laughed dryly, "Car… cars... plural? I already put all of our drinks on her card. Private car service home is a bit much," She looked at the half full Fishbowl in front of her and considered switching to water.
"I caught one!" Spencer gleefully exclaimed, having used her whacky straw to successfully lift a candy fish out of her drink bowl. Turning her attention back to Emily, "Call her and ask if it makes you feel better, she'll do just about anything for you."
"True!" Aria cosigned.
"Not true," Emily whined in protest as she fished around her own drink for candy.
"Oh, come on you can't be that blind. Whatever game the two of you have been playing has her completely hooked. Just call her…" As if a lightbulb went off in the middle of Hanna's drunken observation, her eyebrows shot up, "Are you afraid she'll spank you?" Hanna teased.
Emily couldn't do anything but hide behind her Fishbowl, the conversation making her ears hot.
"Ew, Han. I don't want to hear about that." Spencer covered her eyes and the rest of them looked at her slightly confused.
"Here, lemme help," Aria moved Spencer's hands from her eyes to her ears.
Grateful, Spencer drunkenly shouted "Thanks," her eyes still closed for whatever reason.
Laughter erupted from the bunch but that sealed it for Emily, there was no way they could be left to their own defenses. They would never make it home, and if they did, it would take so long and she was getting tired. Emily reached under the bar, retrieved her bag from the hook, and pulled out her phone. She hovered over Alison's contact but at the last second dialed a different number. Alison didn't need to see her wrecked, even though snuggling into the blonde's side and breathing in her shampoo as she fell asleep was suddenly all Emily wanted.
"Heyyy Toby," she said when a hoarse male voice on the other end answered the phone.
… …
The car was dimly lit, the only light an amber glow from the dashboard. Spencer sat in the backseat, trying to clear her head of her drunken fog. She shivered, the cool from the open window hitting her face was sobering. Toby had been quiet for most of the drive, not in a standoffish way, but because everyone had been too drunk to be introduced properly. Spencer wasn't drunk enough not to notice Emily's friend was over six feet, muscular, and had the prettiest blue eyes. He'd already dropped off Hanna and Aria, and now they were en route to Spencer's.
Emily was out cold in the passenger seat, oblivious to everything around her. If it weren't for the game of eye tag Spencer and Toby were playing in the rearview mirror, she would have been asleep too. Their little game ended when Toby glanced at Emily, something caught his eye, causing him to furrow his thick brows. Carefully he took one hand off the wheel, inspecting Emily's shoulder while also trying to keep an eye on the road.
"What the hell is this?" Toby spat out, his voice angry as he tried to nudge Emily awake. "Em, what is that? A bite mark?" he asked again.
Spencer looked between Emily's sleeping form and a now tense and obviously upset Toby. She wanted to suggest letting Emily rest and asking her about it in the morning but she didn't know Toby or the dynamic between the two.
"Em," Toby shook her again.
"Stooop it, Toby, am sleepy," Emily shrugged him off.
"Tell me who did that to you," His voice grew louder, harsher.
Spencer felt the beginnings of a headache. She winced and tried to sit up a little straighter in the backseat, her arms circling her body as the cold air continued to hit her.
"Could you not shout? It's giving me a headache," she mumbled.
She could see Toby, however, wouldn't let it go. He wanted answers, and he wanted them immediately. He ignored her completely continuing to yell at a sleeping Emily. "Was it Alison? Did she take advantage of you?"
Spencer's jaw nearly dropped at the insinuation, "What the hell are you implying?" she snapped at him. Before Toby could answer, she continued, "Emily had that mark when she showed up at the bar for your information. My sister's not some kind of deviant, whatever she and Emily did was consensual. You shouldn't throw around accusations like that."
"Sister," Toby squeezed the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white, "Of course you'd stick up for her. Being drunk isn't the only time people get taken advantage of," Toby countered. "She told me nothing was going on between the two of them…she lied," He shook his head disappointed.
"I wonder why," Spencer fumed sarcastically.
Toby's grip on the steering wheel loosened slightly, and he turned his attention back to the road. Spencer leaned back against the seat, a wave of exhaustion washing over her. She couldn't just let Toby accuse Alison of something like that, and surely Emily would understand her accidentally outing their office secret. Thought it wasn't much of a secret at all. The mixture of anger, the cold, and the alcohol's effects wearing off was a dangerous combination and only intensified her throbbing headache. With a sigh, she closed her eyes, and the rest of the ride was silent.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed but when the car slowed, pulling over in front of Spencer's home, Toby cleared his throat loudly. It was a sign for her to get out, which she did and she was halfway to her door before she turned around and walked up to the driver's side of the car.
"It's a bit hypocritical for you to be so pissed at Emily for lying to you," She leaned into the window, her voice low.
"What are you talking about?" Toby's annoyed, dismissive response irked her. She stared into hard crystal blue eyes until Toby spoke again, "I'm not a liar, especially not to Emily."
How easily the lie rolled off his tongue was both disappointing and impressive. Spencer smiled knowing she had him, "In that case, why haven't you told her about her beloved Maya?"
Shock and anger flashed across his features, "I d-don't know what you're talking about." He stammered trying to keep his cool. When nothing was said for a few moments and Spencer didn't falter he realized there was no point in keeping up the act. "How do you know…what exactly do you think you know?" He whispered in a low seething tone.
"I know where she is."