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artificialqueens · 2 years

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Masters of the Scene, Chapter 11 (Bitney Parent Trap AU) - Veronica

A/N: Click here for prequels and previous chapters, or here if you’d rather read on AO3.

Chapter Summary: Bianca and Courtney finally sit Adore and Danny down and ask them why they pulled the whole switch extravaganza. They’re surprised by their answers, and reluctantly agree to some ‘family time’ as a result.

***

“So…” Bianca began, folding her hands.

“So, we really need you guys to tell us what’s going on,” Courtney said.

Adore took a deep breath. She and Danny were on the sofa in the living room, facing both of their mothers, who sat opposite them in armchairs. After what had been a totally great breakfast—especially once Fame left—Bianca and Courtney had informed the kids that they needed to have a family meeting. At first, Adore was a little excited, even that they were thinking of the four of them as “family” was a great sign. Until they actually all sat down, and their expressions went serious.

The whole thing felt a little bit like a police interrogation—Bad Cop Bianca leaning forward, her elbows on her knees, eyes narrowed, while Good Cop Courtney sat back thoughtfully in her chair, a hand under her chin.

“What is it that you hoped to gain from this little stunt?” Bianca added sternly.

“And why did you feel like you couldn’t just talk to us directly?” asked Courtney. Though her voice was softer than Bianca’s, it was just as serious—in some ways, that was even scarier.

Adore glanced over at Danny, who was biting his lip. She knew that he expected her to speak first, to take the lead, but as much as they’d discussed this, she wasn’t actually sure what she should say. She wasn’t used to being tongue-tied; she just cared so much about saying the right thing, the thing that would make them understand, that it was paralyzing. After a few excruciating seconds, she was about to just start babbling anyway when her brother surprised her.

“Di-did you know that last night was the first time we’ve seen you in the same room together?” he asked, swallowing hard. “At least, that either of us can remember?”

“I…” Courtney began, then faltered, looking slightly ashamed. “No. No, I didn’t…realize that.”

Adore could see in her eyes that she was starting to beat herself up. And if she knew Mama, she was doing the same thing behind her serious poker face.

“We’re not trying to make you feel bad,” Adore told them. “But we want to be a family.”

“Adore-” Bianca said, clearly gearing up for a whole lecture.

“I know what you’re gonna say,” Adore cut in, pleading, “But I just mean…sometimes. Can’t we sometimes all spend time together? Once in awhile?”

“Breakfast was great, right? So…you can do it,” said Danny, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. “We love you both, and we just want…”

He looked down, and Adore could see the tears shimmering in his eyes. She reached out and grabbed his hand, then looked back at her mothers, challenging, sitting up a little straighter.

“You asked us what we want. This is what we want,” she said adamantly. “More time together, more time with you. Both of you.”

Bianca and Courtney shared a glance, and Courtney gave an almost imperceptible nod.

“We can try. If that’s what you guys really want,” Bianca said.

“Yes! We’re not saying that you have to be best friends or anything, but…it would be really cool if we could have some holidays together,” said Adore.

“Maybe even take some family vacations?” Danny offered. “If we’re out of town, it would be neutral territory.”

“And we want more visits,” Adore cut in to add, feeling like this was the time to put everything out there. “With both of you. Longer ones. And some one on one time, but also more time for Danny and I to be together.”

“Listen, my loves. We can look at the visitation schedule, but we do live on opposite sides of the country,” said Courtney.

“We didn’t choose that,” Danny said, voice breaking, and Adore squeezed his hand. She could already see the waterworks spreading, as Courtney dabbed the edge of her eyes with her sleeve.

“We’ll do better, okay?” Bianca said. “And we can also be better about calling and FaceTiming. Maybe we can have a regular schedule.”

Courtney looked over at her with a grateful smile, and that’s when Adore saw the perfect opening.

“Mum, can you and Danny stay here for the week?” she asked, giving Courtney her best puppy eyes.

“I-I don’t know, honey. A week is a long time, and we both have work-”

“But you’re off until the end of the month,” Adore reminded her. “That’s what you said.”

“And Mama’s off too this week,” Danny supplied helpfully.

“It’s a real imposition, love-” Courtney began, but Bianca interrupted.

“Well-”

They exchanged another uncertain look. Adore could feel her heart in her throat, waiting for an answer. Things were already going so well. They were getting along, and seemed to be totally united, and if they could just have a few more days, Adore was certain that they’d start to remember just how much they loved each other. Her eyes moved from one to the other, just barely catching Bianca give a little shrug before they both turned back to the kids.

“Look, let’s just…see how it goes, okay?” Courtney asked.

“Yes!” Adore cried, jumping up and pumping her fist. She ran to them, throwing her arms around both of them, Danny close at her heels.

***

At first, Courtney was a ball of nerves. What business did she have pretending that she could act normal around Bianca? It had been hard enough the first day, the first morning, and she’d nearly crumbled on multiple occasions. The whole thing was a recipe for disaster. But, it was for the kids, so she forced herself past the anxiety that felt like it was eating her stomach from the inside.

Because they were so, so happy. And seeing the joy on their faces all day made any suffering worth it.

The strange part was that after awhile, it didn’t actually feel like suffering. That gnawing in her stomach subsided, the nervous twisting of any tissue or napkin that ended up in her hands. She even stopped biting the skin on her cuticles and just began to have a good time.

Turned out, the twins’ happiness was infectious. They played a giggly game of rock, paper, scissors to determine who would choose their activities for the day. And when Danny won, Adore didn’t even pout or roll her eyes—she just went along with his suggestion of the bowling alley with a spring in her step.

Bianca was a terrible bowler, and she knew it, but she was also highly competitive, and took every swing incredibly seriously. Soon, they were all having a hard time keeping a straight face every time she missed and let loose a string of curse words that made the family in the lane next to them toss angry, dirty looks over their shoulders.

After her fourth gutterball, and fourth hilariously angry diatribe, Adore called out, “Watch your fucking language, this is a family activity!”

“This is a stupid fucking family activity, who’s idea was this anyway?” Bianca grumbled, sitting down heavily in one of the hard plastic chairs.

Danny raised his hand, a cheerful smile on his face, proclaiming, “Mine.”

“Oh…right.” Bianca reached out for Danny, who slid closer and rested a head on her shoulder as Adore got up to take her turn.

“I think you’re really improving,” said Courtney. “That last swing almost knocked one down.”

“Ha ha ha, fuck you,” Bianca said, and Courtney couldn’t help bursting into giggles, especially when she saw the dimples appearing in Bianca’s cheek.

It was getting harder and harder to remember that they’d been estranged for so much longer than they’d been together.

After the game, the four of them squished into a booth in the adjacent diner for fries and grilled cheese.

“Enjoy this junk while you can,” Courtney warned. “Because I went shopping this morning, and tonight I’m gonna make everyone a delicious and healthy dinner. Seitan kebabs with beet slaw and roasted Brussels sprouts.”

Bianca laughed, shaking her head. “Are you planning to disguise this nutritious food in a pizza? Because that’s the only way Adore will eat it.”

Adore looked up from her phone, where she’d been furiously typing something, brow furrowed.

“I like Brussels sprouts,” she said.

“Since when?”

“Since I tried the way Mum makes them,” she said, going back to her phone.

Courtney looked at Bianca with a victorious smirk, biting down on a French fry.

“Well…alright then.”

“Danny’s not allowed to eat them though,” Adore said.

“Why not?” Danny asked.

“Because I don’t want you farting in my bed all night. So either skip the sprouts, or you can sleep on the couch.”

Danny huffed, crossing his arms, although Courtney could see the sparkle in his eyes.

“Listen, the couch is better than your room in the city,” Adore added.

“What’s wrong with his room in the city?” Courtney asked her, unable to suppress her curiosity.

“Nothing’s wrong with it,” Bianca said, the exact same time Adore explained, “It’s a closet.”

“It’s not a closet! And put down your phone, we’re supposed to be having family time,” Bianca reminded her, “that youdemanded.”

“I’m working on a thing, for the family,” Adore said, then turned to Danny. “Don’t you think it’s a closet? There’s no window.”

“Well, it’s small, but…it’s cozy,” Danny said unconvincingly.

“Cozy for a jail cell,” Adore replied with a chuckle.

Bianca’s cheeks were starting to darken with embarrassment. “Adore, knock it off. You’re gonna make Courtney think that I can’t take care of you guys-”

“It’s okay,” Courtney cut in. “I understand how real estate works in New York.”

“Right.” Bianca caught Courtney’s eye, shoulders relaxing.

“Um…Mama, did you tell Adore about the expansion? And the new stores you’re opening?” Danny asked.

“New stores?” Adore lifted her head. “Where?

Courtney slipped an arm around his shoulders, proud of him for seeing how uncomfortable Bianca was and helping to build her up.

“Well, yeah, we’re tripling production next year,” Bianca said, clearly thrilled but trying her best to appear casual, as if tripling production on a clothing line was just a normal part of business that happened all the time, “so the idea is to open stores in a couple of new cities, just as a kind of marketing thing.”

“Tripling?! Wait, is one of the new stores gonna be in LA?!” Adore asked, now excited.

“Could be,” Bianca nodded and took a sip of her Diet Coke, the picture of cool nonchalance once again.

Adore looked across the table at Courtney, asking, “Did you hear that? Isn’t that awesome?!”

“Yeah, I heard,” Courtney said, shooting Bianca a grin. “Pretty impressive.”

Bianca smiled back, then cleared her throat and asked, “So…what do you guys want to do tomorrow? Please, no more sports.”

“Is bowling really a sport?” Courtney wondered.

“Yeah, there’s a ball and I hate it,” Bianca replied.

“You’re just mad that you suck,” Adore laughed, stealing a fry from her plate.

“Exactly!”

“Don’t worry, Mama, we’re not planning on any more athletic activities,” Danny promised.

“Good. So…what do you think? Beach day, maybe?”

“Well…” Adore and Danny exchanged a conspiratorial look, and then Adore continued, “Me and Danny are actually planning something kinda special.”

“But it’s a surprise,” Danny added.

“A surprise?” Always a skeptic, Bianca’s eyebrow immediately shot up.

“Yeah, so it would be really helpful if you could like, stay out of the house all day,” said Adore.

“All day?!”

Courtney was wondering the same thing. What could they possibly be up to?

“Well like…12 to 6.”

“Maybe 11 to 6,” Danny corrected.

“Okay, yeah, 11 to 6,” said Adore, then turned to Courtney and added, “Also you should know that it’s gonna be a cheat day. A little bit of dairy and some seafood.”

“Oh god,” Bianca moaned, putting a hand to her forehead. “You’re cooking? You’re gonna burn down my house, aren’t you?”

Danny laughed and reached across the table to pat her hand. “You can trust us! We promise. But we do need you to leave.”

“Where are we supposed to go all day?” Courtney asked.

“Well…you could go to the beach like Mama just said.”

“Or! There’s a very nice spa less than a mile away.” He suddenly whipped a brochure out of his cargo shorts and unfolded it, showing it to Courtney. “See?”

“How long have you been planning this?”

“Awhile,” Adore said.

“Yeah guys, I don’t know about…ooh, they have shiatsu and hot stone massages.”

“See? You should treat yourself. You deserve it,” Danny encouraged.

“You guys…are such manipulative little monsters,” Bianca said, and off Adore’s shrug, added, “Good thing I love a spa day.”

She sat back with a grin, which faltered just slightly when Courtney caught her eye. Would they really be able to get through a day alone together? Courtney took a deep breath, resigning herself to the fact that she needed to at least try. After all, she wasn’t going to be the one who dashed her kids’ hopes.

***

“Goodnight, Mum,” Adore said, hugging Courtney tightly.

“Goodnight, my love. Sleep well.” Courtney kissed her on the top of her head.

On the other side of the bed, Bianca was saying goodnight to Danny, and Adore couldn’t help but revel in the warmth of this very basic scene—her brother at her side and both of her moms putting them to bed. She knew they were probably too old for this kind of thing, but for once, that didn’t stop her. She just sighed happily, leaning on Courtney’s shoulder and inhaling her scent.

“Can’t wait until you see what we have planned tomorrow,” Adore murmured, and Courtney giggled.

“I’m sure it’ll be marvelous,” she said, giving Adore one final kiss before releasing her.

Even just thinking about it, Adore’s stomach filled with nervous, excited butterflies. She thought the plan was pretty magical—but would her moms agree?

Courtney and Bianca both began to walk around the bed to say goodnight to the other twin, leading to a very cute moment of them awkwardly trying to get around each other without touching.

Adore snuck a sly glance at Danny, who was grinning like a loon, clearly delighted by the whole moment too. She looked back at Bianca, who was doing her typical thing when she tried to hide her nerves, running her fingers through her hair.

“Hi, Mama…”

“What are you smiling about?” Bianca asked, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Nothing. I’m just…happy to be with you.”

“Mmmhmm…” Bianca sat on the edge of her bed. “You gonna tell me what’s going on tomorrow?”

“No.”

“Is it gonna piss me off?”

“I hope not,” Adore said honestly, then added, “Actually, I think you’ll love it.”

“Hmm.”

“Because you love me, right?”

Bianca grinned, dimples deep in her cheeks as she pulled Adore in for a big hug. “With all my heart, pussycat.”

***

“So…what exactly are we looking for here?” Shangela asked, following Danny through the outlet mall. As requested, she’d picked him up at 9 am on the dot. When Bianca tried to ask her what was going on, all she said was that she was ‘just the driver,’ pulling away before Bianca could ask any more questions while Danny grinned mischievously, waving.

“Well…” Danny wasn’t exactly sure how much of the plan Adore had revealed to Shangela, but he knew that she was one of Bianca’s oldest friends, and someone he could trust. “We’re kind of trying to recreate…a night.”

“Uh huh…” Shangela raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for Danny to continue.

“Um…this date that they had. It was when they both came out. And we want to get clothes that are like…what they were both wearing.”

Shangela was silent for a few moments, then nodded. “Okay, so…who’s first?”

“Mum,” Danny said, smiling. “She was wearing a light pink dress.”

“Ah…what about this one?” Shangela asked, holding up a nearby dress, but Danny shook his head.

“It’s the wrong pink. See, the one she has here is lighter, and it’s…” Danny showed her his screen, zoomed in on a picture of Courtney. “It’s almost peach.”

“Okay. Pale peachy-pink it is,” Shangela said with a grin, turning to another rack.

“We just…really want it to be right,” Danny explained. “We want them to really remember that night.”

“I understand,” Shangela said simply. After a few moments, she cleared her throat and added, “You know…when they first split up, I didn’t really believe it.”

“You didn’t?”

“No.” She shook her head. “They just seemed so happy to me, so perfect for each other. And I know your mama, maybe better than anyone else…they really loved each other. I assumed it was just a fight, and they’d figure things out. For a long time, I assumed that they’d get back together. Hoped that they’d get back together.”

Danny was quiet, trying to collect his thoughts. On the one hand, it was so nice to know that Shangela recognized how special their relationship was, and knowing that she was rooting for them to get back together affirmed that he and Adore just might be on the right track after all. On the other hand…

“You’re using a lot of past tense,” he said softly.

Shangela turned back towards him, pulling him in for a hug before placing her hands on both of his shoulders.

“I’m glad that you guys have hope. I think it’s great. But…I just don’t want you to be too crushed if it doesn’t work out. Because it’s been a long time. And…you know…Mama’s engaged now.”

Danny nodded. She was right, of course. It was a longshot. They knew that already. He tried not to feel too deflated.

“Hey! What about this one?!” Shangie suddenly exclaimed, pulling another dress off the rack.

Danny looked at it—the perfect color, the right kind of fabric and even the right length. It could certainly work.

“Yes!” he cried, then looked up at Shangela with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

“No problem, kiddo.” Shangela said, slinging an arm around his shoulders. “Why don’t we get a couple of sizes and you can return the ones she doesn’t need?”

***

Courtney took a deep breath, trying to stop her hands from shaking as she tied her robe. What was wrong with her? Why was she suddenly so self-conscious? It was never like this before—if anything, her friends accuse her of being an exhibitionist. And as Willam said all the time, ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it.’

Of course, Willam was also the one who tried to convince her to get double-D tits back when she was contemplating surgeries.

“Come on! You’re going under the knife anyway, why not leave with a set of huge knockers? That’s what I’d do!”

“Well Bill, you and I are very different people.”

After considering all of her options, she opted out of any top surgery at all. Instead, she stuck with the boobs that grew on their own—after two years on HRT, she had a generous B cup, and that felt like plenty. Bianca certainly hadn’t ever complained.

It wasn’t self-consciousness, she realized, once she thought about it some more. It was the idea of being naked in the same room as Bianca—even turned away, facing the lockers. Even though they would be putting on robes to walk around. The intimacy of it freaked her out. Which was why she pretended to be answering some urgent text messages while Bianca changed, why she never once looked up at her. Why she’d waited until she’d left the changing room to take off her own clothes.

She headed towards the spa facilities. It was a huge place, and with any luck, they could keep a safe, comfortable distance from each other all day. But just her luck…as she turned the corner, Bianca was rising up out of the jacuzzi.

Courtney tried to look away quickly, but found herself unable to. The clingy white bikini had gone translucent in the water, and Courtney didn’t know how it was possible, but she was even sexier than she’d been back when they were together, luscious curves making Courtney’s vision blur. This was why she’d avoided seeing her change before…because that intense physical attraction that had been there before was back, so strong it nearly knocked her over. She could almost feel the wet fabric of Bianca’s bikini strings in her hands, pulling them until the bathing suit fell to the ground, pressing her against the cool marble walls.

It wasn’t until she’d paused to catch her breath, staring at the tile floor, that Courtney realized what she should have earlier.

Bianca was wearing a bathing suit. Everyone here was wearing a bathing suit.

Courtney felt like kicking herself. For years, she’d been going to a spa in Santa Monica, where nudity was basically a requirement, all members walking around without a stitch of clothing. But this wasn’t Santa Monica, this was the Hamptons. Of course ladies in the Hamptons would wear bathing suits in the spa. She was frankly surprised they weren’t in strings of pearls.

She backed out of the spa area, panicking. Normally, this would be a no-brainer—her usual underwear was black cotton panties and soft bras that could easily pass for a bathing suit. But of course, today she’d opted for a red lace thong and matching embroidered bra, both unmistakably lingerie. Why had she done that?

Who was she kidding, she knew why she did it—in case Bianca happened to catch a glimpse of her changing, that was why. In her haste to run back to the changing area, she nearly knocked over some poor girl attempting to restock the towels.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed. “I just, I realized that everyone wears bathing suits here and in my spa at home, we-”

“Do you need a suit from the gift shop?” the girl asked calmly, catching onto the situation right away like some kind of guardian angel.

“Yes! Omigod, yes, where-”

“I’ll bring a selection right away,” she said, checking the locker number on the key around Courtney’s wrist.

It only took Courtney a few minutes to change—she chose a paisley-print bikini that was more cute than sexy—but another five to stop her heart from hammering in her chest. By the time she made it back to the jacuzzi, Bianca was nowhere to be seen, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she sank into the water.

For the rest of the day, they managed to stay out of each other’s space, seeing each other only in passing in between getting scrubbed and buffed and soaked and rubbed. By the time Courtney had her final service, which was a 90 minute hot-stone massage, she was almost feeling relaxed. Afterwards, she lay on a chaise lounge in the quiet room, sipping some peppermint tea.

When she felt a hand on her shoulder, she nearly lept out of her seat.

“Sorry, sorry,” Bianca said, trying to keep her voice soft. “But we should probably shower and change. It’s almost 5:30, and I’m kind of freaking out about what the kids have gotten up to.”

“Yeah, of course,” Courtney said. “I can be ready in about 20 minutes, is that okay?”

“That’s perfect,” Bianca said, giving her a smile. “In fact, I’ll be generous and throw in an extra…7 minutes, if you want.”

“Wow. Thanks,” Courtney laughed, finishing the last of her tea, wondering why they’d avoided each other all day. But she also supposed it had been safer that way.

***

The ride home from the spa was quiet, both Bianca and Courtney feeling relaxed and maybe a bit afraid to break the peace. When Bianca pulled the car into the driveway, the first thing she saw was Danny, waiting outside the front door. He ran up to greet them, and then gave them solemn instructions to go directly upstairs to their rooms, where they were supposed to get ready and then await further instructions.

“No coming out until we say!” he insisted.

“You know this is my house, right?” Bianca asked, but went along with the plan, since at least there were no fire trucks or ambulances around yet.

“Your wardrobe for the night is on your bed.”

“Is the surprise a costume party?” Courtney asked, perking up.

“Mmm…no. But we do want you to wear what we put out for you. You can choose your own underwear.”

“Wow, thanks, how generous of you,” Bianca said drily.

“We’ll come get you when everything’s ready,” Danny said.

The outfit laid out on her bed was black pants—rather unseasonal for mid August, but she decided to be a good sport about it—with a pair of strappy black stilettos, a blue top that she didn’t recognize, and some chunky silver and black jewelry. She had to hand it to the kid; he wasn’t bad at styling. She got dressed and put on a simple face of makeup—just the essentials. She was finished and just beginning to get antsy when Adore knocked on her door, telling her it was time to come out.

When she saw Courtney, she knew immediately what they were up to. She was in a simple, pale pink silk dress, one strand of freshwater pearls around her neck. The memories came flooding back instantly. She looked at Courtney’s face, trying to see if she knew, too, but all she got was a small smile, no indication that she’d caught on.

Then, they followed Adore outside. The deck was covered in colorful Chinese lanterns and fairy lights, one little table set up, complete with a bucket of pink champagne and something under a cloche in the center. Courtney inhaled sharply, turning to look at Bianca with wide eyes, recognition clear as day all over her face, pink creeping into her cheeks.

“Did you know they were-”

“No.” Bianca shook her head.

“Please have a seat,” Adore said brightly, as Danny came out through the other doors, from the kitchen, holding a tray.

Courtney was hesitating, and Bianca resisted the urge to guide her forward with a hand on the small of her back. Instead, she took a deep breath and went to the table, pulling out her chair for her. Courtney sat down gingerly just as Danny placed two salad plates down in front of them.

“Your first course is an arugula and avocado salad,” he proclaimed.

“And,” Adore added, pulling a cloche from the center of the table to reveal a platter of raw oysters on ice. “Oysters with a chili ginger sauce, to share.”

“Guys-” Courtney began, looking like she would rather be boiled alive than spend one more second at the table.

“Enjoy!” Danny exclaimed, taking Adore’s hand and running back towards the kitchen.

Bianca looked from the oysters back up to Courtney’s face, which still seemed to be in a state of shock.

“I…”

“I know.” Bianca let out an incredulous chuckle, shaking her head. “It seems that the ulterior motive for this whole switch nonsense is, uh…becoming clearer.”

“Yeah.” Courtney swallowed. “I mean, I guess it makes sense…that they just want-”

“Right. We should just…go along with it, right? I mean they did…put a lot of effort into it.” She stuffed a bite of salad into her mouth, then looked back up at Courtney, trying to gauge her feelings.

“They did, but…so you don’t mind? Having our faces smashed together like Barbie dolls?” she asked. She was twisting a napkin in her hands, cheeks still red.

Bianca paused, taking a breath before saying, “We’ll be okay. It’s one night, right?”

Courtney nodded, green eyes locked with hers for a few moments, and Bianca swore she could feel her heart in her throat.

Then Courtney looked down again, shaking her head. “Oysters, though?”

Bianca began to laugh, deciding that this was the perfect time to crack open the alcohol. They were going to need it. She poured glasses of champagne for both of them, then lifted her own in a toast.

“To um…reliving a pretty great night.”

Courtney’s expression shifted slightly, and then Bianca found her own cheeks grow blazing hot.

“Not all of it, just, I mean…uh,” she stammered out, feeling like an idiot.

“Well that’s good…’cause I think we have our hands full with these two,” Courtney said, her face now wearing a cheeky grin. Apparently Bianca embarrassing herself had a soothing effect on her.

“Just fucking toast me,” Bianca groaned.

“Cheers.” Courtney clinked their glasses together, then took a very large swig of champagne.

“My point is…there’s worse nights they could’ve chosen. This one was….”

“I know.”

They exchanged a look, Courtney holding her gaze just a beat too long before awkwardly averting her eyes, picking up her fork. Bianca swallowed down another gulp of champagne, wondering if the rest of the night was going to make her feel as strange as she felt right then.

#rpdr fanfiction #courtney act #bianca del rio #bitney #adore delano #shangela laquifa wadley #bitney parent trap #lesbian au #trans character #kid fic #s6 #angst #fluff #masters of the scene #veronica

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artificialqueens · 2 years

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Galactica, Chapter 98 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Previously: Charlie offered Courtney a deal, work pressure increased for Violet, and Nicky got curious about Miss Fame’s disagreement with Bianca.

This Chapter: Sutan helps Violet relieve some stress (so to speak), Nicky investigates her workplace mystery.

***

Bianca hadn’t heard much from Courtney after her meeting with Charlie, but based on their deal behind the scenes, it had to have been good news. So when she got home, she poured a two glasses of rosé before finding Courtney in the den, figuring that they could toast to her success. She was curled up on the sofa, dogs in her lap, surrounded by papers, purple Sharpie in her hand.

“Hey…what are you up to?” Bianca asked, leaning against the door.

“Oh, hi!” Courtney looked up, surprised. Apparently she’d been concentrating so hard that she hadn’t even heard Bianca arrive. “I’m just trying to go through this contract from Charlie-”

“A contract, huh? So, that sounds like pretty good news…” Bianca walked toward Courtney on the sofa, holding out one of the wine glasses for her while setting a bunch of bags on the coffee table.

“Oh! Yeah!” A grin broke out across Courtney’s face and she put the papers on the table, as well, eyeing the bags as she capped her pen. When Bianca slid in beside her, she first pulled her close for a soft kiss, then accepted the wine glass, asking, “Are you proud?”

“So proud,” Bianca said, clinking their glasses together gently. “Are you proud?”

“I guess I am…I don’t know, it doesn’t really feel real yet,” she admitted, one eye still focused on the shopping bags. “But Olivia introduced me to a manager who said she can help me go through it on Friday…”

Bianca smirked to herself, knowing that she was probably dying with curiosity. Ever since the promo items from every designer started being delivered to Marie Claire for Fashion Week, Bianca had been coming home from work every day with presents, which were getting bigger and better the closer they got to February. She knew that Courtney was probably dying to dive in, but instead, she took a sip of her wine and continued to chat casually.

“Oh yeah? Who’s the manager?”

“Latrice Royale. Do you know her?” Courtney asked.

“Hell yeah! She’s a real good-time gal, you’ll love her,” Bianca said, settling in beside her with an arm around her shoulders. “But, um…you know I can help you with that kind of thing, right? Or send it to one of the attorneys who-”

“I know.” Courtney put a hand on Bianca’s arm, fingers stroking the soft fabric. “I just kind of…I feel like I need to figure it out myself.”

“Hmm…” Bianca supposed that it was smart of her to do that. And she couldn’t help but be a little impressed that Courtney was actually going through the contract, her notes and question marks scribbled in the margins. So many people she knew had been fucked over because they’d simply signed contracts without reading them.

Latrice was an excellent manager, so she knew that Courtney would be in good hands with her. It was a little unsettling, though, how quickly Courtney had managed to find someone else to help her, and she couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit uneasy.

“You’re not mad, are you?” Courtney looked up at her, brows knitted together. “I just figured that you’ve already done so much, and you have work, and Fashion Week is coming up, and-”

“Of course I’m not mad,” Bianca said quickly. And she wasn’t, not at all. She pressed a kiss to Courtney’s cheek. “I think it’s great that you’re doing all this yourself. But it doesn’t matter how busy I am. If you need me, I’ll be here for you.”

“I know. Thanks, B.” Courtney sighed, snuggling close against her. “So can I open those presents?”

“I knew you were eyeing up the bags!” she exclaimed, tickling Courtney’s ribs, making her squeal.

“Well, what is it!? Is it something sparkly?” she asked.

“Alright, magpie, open the fucking bags.”

Courtney giggled, snatching the bags off the table and pulling everything out: several pairs of earrings, a YSL metallic lavender mini-skirt, a red suede jacket from Guess, a pair of Sophia Webster slingback pumps with a watermelon motif, and a rhinestoned Judith Leiber clutch that looked like a bunch of asparagus. It was all very her, and the way she shrieked happily and gushed over each item made Bianca feel warm and fuzzy inside.

“It’s gonna look great with that patchwork denim skirt,” Bianca said, gesturing to the purse.

“Thank you, B. I love you so much,” Courtney said, climbing into her lap. “And you know, I do need you. Without you, I’d be…a fucking lost soul.”

Bianca would never have admitted how good she felt, hearing Courtney say that while clasped in her arms, murmuring against her. Instead, she took one finger and tilted Courtney’s chin towards her.

“Same, angel,” she whispered, before capturing her lips in a kiss. “Fucking lost…”

***

“Mmh,” Sutan hummed, pressing his lips against Violet’s throat, his hand closing around her breast, the lace of her bra against his palm. They were on top of the covers, a trail of clothes leading from the couch to the bedroom. Sutan had come home from work to find Violet sweet and waiting, his girlfriend filled to the brim with pent up energy, practically radiating a need for release.

Sutan shifted, moving Violet’s legs with his own, settling in when Violet pulled back, trying to look behind him.

“What?” Sutan glanced down, Violet’s black hair fanned out on the pillow, her neck pink from his teeth and lips.

“Are you wearing a single sock?”

“Shit,” Sutan moved back and up on his knee, one black sock still on his otherwise naked body. He had been so eager to respond to Violet’s call, had wanted to treat her so right that he had forgotten.

“Oh my god!” Violet giggled, pushing herself up on her elbow, reaching out, pink nails and pale hands against a tan thigh, “Let me-“

“I can do it,“ Sutan snatched Violet’s hand, pulling it up and away, lacing their fingers together, an emotion he refused to identify as embarrassment fizzling out in his stomach.

“Obviously,“ Violet rolled her eyes, warmth in her voice as she tried to tug her hand free. “Now let me-“

“No-“ Sutan pushed her back, pinning her against the bed by her shoulders, Violet’s eyes widening before a wicked grin spread on her lips, her hips bucking up and unsettling Sutan with a shout.

“Hey!” Sutan laughed, Violet jumping him, the two of them rolling around the bed, fighting for control, Violet truly challenging him.

Sutan couldn’t say exactly how it happened, but he had ended up on his back, Violet on his lap, her knees digging into his ribs, her hands firmly planted on his chest.

He had lost, and somehow, it didn’t matter.

“Hey,” Sutan smiled, looking up at Violet, her hair spilling over her shoulders. He could feel her against him, hot and ready through her panties, his cock rock hard and smashed against her thigh, Violet’s small breasts heaving in their bra.

“Hey…” Violet was flushed, her cheeks pink, and Sutan couldn’t help but reach out, fingers running up her arm until he could snatch the strap of her bra, Violet quickly getting it and reaching behind, unhooking it to drop it on the floor.

She was absolutely gorgeous, but he felt his stomach do a flip when he realized that he could see every single one of Violet’s ribs, the bone pressing against the skin, her hips starting to jut out too.

He knew his girlfriend had been dropping weight she really couldn’t afford to lose because of stress, but it was different to see it so clearly, the bedside lamp illuminating her body.

“I love you.” It spilled from him, the words the first thing, the only thing, that came to mind. It felt almost cowardly to say, like it wasn’t enough, like he was somehow, like he was supposed to save Violet, to do something, anything, but she simply smiled, leaning forward to press the sweetest kiss against his lips, her black hair a lavender scented curtain around them.

“I love you too,” Sutan could barely hear the words, Violet whispering them right before she kissed him again and pulled away, the wicked glimt back in her eyes. “Now take off that sock.”

“Ha!” Sutan snorted, flipping Violet over, his girlfriend laughing.

***

“Et voila,” Nicky said, handing over the folder to Ivy, which contained all the approved looks for next week’s Marie Claire shoot. She liked visiting Ivy and by extension Raja, the plants and the dark green giving it a much more relaxing vibe than Fame’s sparkling white.

“Thank you!” Ivy took the folder, a smile on her lips. “How’s your first week going?”

Nicky paused in the door and turned back around. She’d been prepared to hurry back to her own desk, but figured that lingering for a minute was okay. After all, Ivy seemed like a good person to get to know better, being friendly with other assistants often what saved your neck in a pinch.

“Well, I think,” she answered. “Miss Fame hasn’t said much, but she seems pleased.”

Fame hadn’t really acknowledged her existence or looked at her, the majority of her commands and requests going directly to Violet, but she was calling her Nicky when she was talking to her, Fame getting her name right apparently a big deal.

“Or… Well, at least not not pleased.”

“Mmh,” Ivy laughed, nodding her head. “Trust me, you’d know if she wasn’t pleased. It seems like you’re gonna be a perfect fit. And if there’s ever anything I can do, or help you with, please don’t be afraid to ask. I’ve been here for a long time.”

“Thank you,” Nicky said, then after a moment of hesitation, added, “There is one small thing…”

“Yes?”

“So…I see that Raja is handling the Marie Claire shoot,” Nicky said, gesturing to the folder she’d just delivered. “And Violet mentioned that Miss Fame and Bianca Del Rio are…um, not in direct communication at the moment. I was just wondering if you had any more information. You know, so that I can do my job better.”

She bit her lip, hoping she didn’t come off disrespectful. But she was anxious to know why Miss Fame’s very long term friendship was suffering. It wasn’t like Nicky, but after Violet’s admission, she had taken to social media, combing through both Bianca and Fame’s Instagram profiles. She couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary, Bianca posting her normal content of parties, clothes and a girl Nicky assumed she was dating, but neither her nor Fame had mentioned each other since before Christmas.

“So…” Ivy folded her hands and glanced around, then continued in a low voice, “I really shouldn’t be talking about this…but…it has to do with Miss Fame’s previous assistant.”

“Her assistant?” Nicky asked, brow furrowed. What could her assistant have to do with Bianca Del Rio?

“Look, I know you’re new here, so you probably don’t know yet who to go to for…information. And…I mean, you should just probably know not to talk to Roxy in reception about Courtney,” Ivy finished with a sly wink, so quick that Nicky almost missed it.

“Aha. Thank you for that advice,” Nicky said.

“Anytime.”

***

“Omigod,” Roxy whimpered, her fingers digging into the wood of her desk, looking like she was suffering from great physical distress, “The thing is, it’s so deliciously juicy and I wanna tell you so sooo bad but…”

Roxy took a slow, deep breath, seemed to be trying to center herself, then looked directly at Nicky, with a slight shake of her head.

“See, I promised that I would be good. Ugh, this sucks,” Roxy groaned, leaning back in her chair.

“Listen, I get it,” Nicky couldn’t really hide her smile, the coffees she’d just picked up warm in her hands. “I’m not trying to get gossip, I just want to understand-”

“Oh, I know. I get it.” Roxy gave her a mischievous grin, then snapped her fingers and said, “Pearl! Pearl was there when it all went down.”

Nicky nodded. She hadn’t met Pearl Liaison yet, but she already knew her reputation, Violet looking exasperated every time Pearl had called their office.

“She can fill you in. Plus, she’s super loyal to Miss Fame so she won’t tell you anything out of turn.” Roxy looked mighty proud of herself, a glint in her eyes.

“Thank you, Roxy.” Nicky smiled, “Have a great day!”

***

“Well well well, aren’t you a naughty thing,” Pearl grinned, spinning around in her chair. “Good to know that the inside matches the delightful outside.”

Nicky hadn’t known what to expect when Violet had sent her down to PR, warning her to keep it brief and professional, while remembering that Pearl was her superior, no matter how charming she seemed.

“Listen, I’d love to fill you in, especially since Violet probably left you high and dry. She never says anything about anything,” Pearl drawled, pulling some of her blonde hair over her shoulder and running her fingers through it, “but I’m unfortunately bound by ethics to keep my mouth shut. You know who isn’t, though? And who’d love to tell you the whole sordid tale? Bob Caldwell from design. Find him at lunch when Maxwell isn’t around, but be prepared to have something to trade. He loves a good bit of gossip from upstairs.”

***

“Merci!” Nicky sang, taking the receipt from the cashier and then turning around with her tray. She’d been dubious about the cafeteria food at first, but so far had found it to be surprisingly decent.

Nicky’s insistence on a real lunch break was, so far, the only thing that seemed like it might be a problem. Violet ate lunch at her desk nearly every day, answering emails while picking at a salad. The thought of it made Nicky pity her a bit. When she’d announced that a nice, filling lunch was essential for keeping her energy up and doing her best work, Violet’s mouth had immediately turned down in a frown, and it seemed like she’d wanted to argue about it.

However, one thing that Nicky appreciated about Violet was that she seemed to have some respect for her years of experience, and thus held her tongue, content to silently disapprove while Nicky gathered her purse. Nicky knew that Miss Fame was probably used to having someone glued to their desk all day, but this was one thing she wasn’t planning to compromise on.

She’d assimilated into American culture in almost every way since moving here three years ago, but giving up lunch? Not on her agenda.

She balanced the tray of grilled chicken, tomato soup and roasted vegetables as she scanned the cafeteria, wondering if there would be any familiar faces. When she spotted Bob Cadwall at a table in the corner, she nearly cried out with happiness—just the person she’d been dying to meet. Even better, the man who’d been sitting with him was getting up, giving him a quick kiss and leaving an empty place. Nicky strode over, ready to begin her mission.

“Hello… You’re Bob Caldwell, yes?”

“Yup!” Bob looked up, flashing a bright smile. “And you’re the new assistant, right?”

“Yes.” Nicky looked around conspiratorially, then lowered her voice. “I heard that you enjoy being kept…in the loop on the latest news…”

“I sure do!” Bob quickly pushed out the chair across from his seat with his foot. “Please sit. I’m all ears.”

“Well…” Nicky put her tray down, then delicately slid into the seat, voice still quiet. “I’m not sure I’m supposed to be telling anyone this…” She bit her lip demurely, grinning on the inside when Bob’s eyes widened.

“Listen, you should know that anything you tell me in confidence…” Bob mimed zipping his lips, then locking them and throwing the key over his shoulder. “Done.”

“Ah, good to know. But maybe…” Nicky took a deep breath. “Maybe you can clear something up for me first?”

“Sure, sure.” Bob nodded, eyes glittering. “What do you need?”

“I’ve been trying to figure out why Miss Fame and Bianca Del Rio are…on the outs, should we say? And what does that have to do with her old assistant? People seem to not want to talk about it, and I can’t find any trace of the girl in our office, but it’s really helpful in my job to know about touchy things. Do you know anything that might clarify the situation?”

“Oh yeah,” Bob replied with a chuckle. “Sit back and relax, because this shit is wild.”

Nicky nodded, relieved that she was finally going to get to the bottom of things.

“Okay, so, I guess it all started with Miss Fame’s last assistant, Courtney. Who was…I’m gonna be nice and just say a bit chaotic. Sweet, but totally in over her head. Always running around like she was on fire.”

“Ahh.” Well, that explained why the most recent job description stressed experience.

“A few weeks before the holiday break, she started getting all kinds of deliveries at the office from the Marie Claire runner. So Roxy did a little digging, and found out that they were all coming from BDR’s office.”

“What kind of deliveries?”

“Clothes, jewelry, lingerie…you name it.”

“Wow.” That was certainly bold of Bianca, sending gifts like that to the office. And any story that began with a torrid affair was bound to be good—not to mention explaining why so many of her coworkers were loathe to talk about it, with their puritanical American notions about sex.

“So then.” Bob put down the sandwich still in his hands and folded his hands, leaning across the table. “Bianca shows up to the Galactica holiday party, and guess who she’s brought as her date? Making out all over the red carpet?”

“Ohh...” Nicky’s eyes widened. It was one thing to have a discreet affair—Nicky wasn’t above that herself. But to have a public relationship with your friend’s assistant? No wonder Miss Fame wasn’t speaking to her.

“So of course, Miss Fame was pissed, but what could she do? She gritted her teeth and smiled through the night.”

“Of course.” Nicky had no doubt that Miss Fame would have handled the whole mess in a perfectly professional way.

“The next day, the fashion blogs and gossip sites had their pictures all over, but I think we all assumed it would blow over pretty quickly. And then…” Bob’s face broke out into a grin again. “Well, I don’t think anyone knew at the time, unless they were following Courtney on Instagram. But suddenly her feed was full of pictures of this glamorous vacation to Puerto Rico that Bianca took her on over the holiday break. And when they got back to town, she moved into Bianca’s apartment. And then, the worst part…when the company opened back up, she just…never showed up.”

“Bob Caldwell!” a voice snapped, and both Nicky and Bob looked up, guilty expressions all over their faces. A stunning woman stood above their table, foot tapping, brow creased with disapproval. Her face was even more beautiful than the picture in Nicky’s manual. “What kind of shit are you spreading now, sir?”

Bob’s face melted into the picture of innocence. “Nothing, Shangie! I swear, I was just telling absolutely true and verified facts…just to catch Nicky up on some things.”

“Mmhmm…”

“Have you met Nicky? Miss Fame’s new assistant?”

“Hi, Nicky. I’m Shangela. I work in operations.” She shifted her gaze to Nicky, brown eyes warm despite the air of annoyance that still surrounded her.

“Enchanté…” Nicky said, extending her hand. As she smiled up at Shangela, she saw her stern expression falter, just for a moment, a hint of a smile flickering in her eyes.

“Nice to meet you. I’m sure we’ll be talking again soon.”

“Looking forward to it,” Nicky said.

Shangela cleared her throat, releasing Nicky’s hand and shifting her attention back to Bob. “Behave yourself, Bob. I’m serious.”

“I always do!”

Shangela snorted, shaking her head. “Sure.”

She gave both of them a little wave and continued to the door, Nicky watching her go until Bob snapped her back to attention.

“Watch out for Shangie. She’s a Fame loyalist, through and through. Been with them from the beginning. She used to date Raja way back, but she stayed with the company even though their breakup was horrible. Like hiss at each other at meetings kinda terrible.”

“Oh.” Nicky tried not to let any emotion show on her face.

“Anyway. Back to my story…that first morning back, after the holidays? It was wild. Everyone was in a panic. Poor Roxy and Ivy had to deal with the whole situation ‘cause she was just…gone. Dropped off her computer or something but never actually showed her face. That’s why Violet’s back in Miss Fame’s office. It’s insane, actually, since she’s so valuable in design—she’s doing the finale dress for fashion week.”

“Oh my gosh…” Nicky felt terrible for Violet. To get such an illustrious promotion and then immediately get dragged back into your old position.

Bob leaned back, shrugging his shoulders. “Anyway, I don’t know what went on behind the scenes. I’m sure Fame and Bianca had it out at some point but…no way to know. It’ll be super interesting to see how they handle her invites and seating for fashion week.”

“Right…” As tense as things might be, having Bianca Del Rio absent from the show would be scandalous on a level that she was sure Miss Fame wouldn’t want.

“Can you imagine if she shows up with Courtney as her plus one?” Bob asked, eyes sparkling with delight.

“She wouldn’t dare!”

Bob shrugged his shoulders, still grinning, singing, “I guess we’ll see…” After a moment, he added. “Alright…that’s everything I know. Now your turn.”

“My turn?” Nicky raised one eyebrow.

“Yeah, you said you had news from upstairs. Time to spill.”

“Oh. Well…” Nicky gave a coy, only slightly apologetic smile. “I may have implied that, yes. Oops.”

“Oh, you sneaky bitch!” Bob burst into delighted giggles. “Alright, werk. But that’s only gonna work this one time! So I hope it was worth it!”

Nicky giggled along with him, thinking to herself that it very much was.

***

Fame reached out, picking up the piping hot coffee from the corner of her desk. She opened her laptop, ready to go through another batch of emails, when she heard the taps.

She looked up, only to see Violet standing in the door, her knuckles resting on the frame. She was holding a notebook against her chest, clearly waiting for permission to either enter or get lost.

“Don’t just stand there. It’s annoying.”

“Right,” Violet nodded, quickly stepping into the office and closing the door behind her. She was wearing a high necked sweater dress, the knit in a knotted pattern now that Fame could see it in the light. “I know you haven’t requested an update, but Nicky has been us for almost a week now-”

“Yes? I’m aware.” Fame raised an eyebrow in disbelief. She knew Violet had been stressed since Courtney had pulled her ridiculous stunt, but she’d never bothered her with such unnecessary details before. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Well,” Violet hesitated for a second, and then, she barreled on, “She shows great potential, she’s a quick learner, and I believe she’ll be up to speed soon, so I was hoping-”

“Hoping?” Fame tried to stay calm, she really did, but Violet wasn’t paid to hope. She was paid to do her job, and hope sounded a lot like betrayal, like Violet was planning a mutiny.

“Yes, to return to design, to work-”

Fame’s stomach instantly turned to ice, the nightmare she hadn’t expected coming to life in front of her, Violet continuing in an uncharacteristic display of obliviousness.

“I was thinking end of Monday, maybe Tuesday next week, but-”

“No.”

“Oh? Well, Wednesday would be good too-”

“I said no.” Fame stood up, her emotions overwhelming her. “I tried leaving it up to you to decide when training was finished last time, and that ended in pure catastrophe. You’ll be staying until after I return from Europe.”

Fame didn’t even know that she was going to make that decision, but it felt instantly right, calm washing over her at the thought of having Violet behind the wheel while she was away.

“But-” Violet swallowed, her fingers white from how tightly she gripped her notebook.

“But what?” Fame couldn’t remember Violet ever going directly against her, couldn’t recall the girl so blatantly dismissing a direct order. “Is there a problem??”

“What about my dress, the closing look?”

Ah. Right. Fame had momentarily forgotten. She sat back down. If it was anyone else, she might be concerned, but she knew that there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Violet would allow anything other than sheer perfection down her runway.

“I’m sure you’ll find a way,” she said, then waved her hand, gesturing for Violet to be on her way. “That’s all.”

***

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