andrea sachs x emily charlton
synopsis: After dropping the book at Miranda's and making the worst decision of her life (going upstairs despite Emily's warnings), Andrea felt awful and decided to take her mind off things by going to the bar. Little did she know, however, that she would run into Emily, her colleague who seemed to hate her more than anything. But was that really such a bad thing?
no specific warning, a little bit of everything.
the rest is on my ao3!: jus7_xz
βnow itβs very important that you do exactly what iβm about to tell youβ Emily says as she stands up from her desk and walks to Andrea. miranda has given her the mission to bring her the book to her house, one of the most important things she can be asked for, and something you cannot fucked up. Until now, Emily was charged to do it, but it seems like Miranda is starting to get used to Andrea.
Andy carefully took notes as Emily listed the rules and how she must follow them to correctly deliver the book. What could possibly go wrong?
In fact, everything. She went upstairs, as silly as it sounds, it was the biggest mistake she could have made. And now she wondered the streets of New York, going over the situation in her mind. Was she going to be fired? Had she already been? should she even bother coming to work tomorrow?
She couldnβt just go back home like that. No, and she would have liked to talk to Nate about it, but he wouldnβt even see the problem. This major problem that would probably get her fired.
One drink, that was her final decision. One drink and then sheβll be able to think about something else and get back home. That sounded like a brilliant idea in her head. and if she died of an overdose tonight, itβll always be better than from miranda herself.
She found a bar near from where she was. The place didnβt look so bad, and it wasnβt crowded. She felt hot and overwhelmed but that was because of what she just did.
She found an empty chair and ordered a drink. Perhaps one would be enough. While waiting for her drink, she suddenly heard a voice behind her, a familiar tone she had heard almost everyday for months.
βAndrea?β the word came from behind her, and when she turned around she saw the familiar red hair woman. Emily. She might need two drinks actually.
βOh, hi Emily.β Andrea felt her cheeks flush. Just a few minutes ago she had completely messed up her job, even though Emily had clearly indicated her everything she needed.
Emily had probably noticed that something was odd with her; Andrea seemed more uncomfortable than usual. "Did you deliver the book?"
The book. Of course she was going to talk about the book. Telling her the truth was out of the questionβ she'd find out tomorrow. Andrea didn't need a premature reprimand. She just needed an evening of peace and quiet. And to think about something other than that fucking book.
βYes, of course!β Andrea finally replied. She took a moment, and her tone lacked conviction, but Emily didnβt ask any questions. βWhy is she here, anyway?β Andrea wondered. A bar was the last place she would have imagined seeing Emily. A fancy cafΓ© or a trendy bar, perhaps, but this was far from decent. At least, for Emily.
"So, um, what are you doing here?" Andrea asked. Emily looked around, perhaps hoping to spot someone, but Andrea couldn't make out who it was. βIs she on a date?β she wondered.
"That's none of your concern." Emily turned around, but didn't have time to go far: Andrea caught up with her and grabbed her arm. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Andrea, her hand still on her arm. Suddenly, as if Andrea had realized what she had done, or who she had grabbed, she gently released her, a little nervous.
βsorry, I was just wondering if youβd like something to drink? I mean, not if you have someone to go back to.β At those words, she knew she might have the answer to her earlier question. She wanted to know if Emily was seeing anyoneβ she barely knew anything about her. Emily hesitated for a moment before answering, but finally did, after giving Andrea a long, hard look.
"A drink, then." She slowly sat down next to her, looking a little out of place. The bartender brought Andy's drink, and Emily ordered one for herself.
Emily remained silent for a moment, without even looking at the woman beside her, as if simply being there was already a great step. When her drink arrived, she took only a sip. Finally, Andrea broke the silence.
"I didn't expect to see you here." Andrea would have been a good conversationalist if Emily hadn't been her conversation partner. She had to weigh each word before uttering it, just to be safe.
βWhy you wouldnβt come if you knew?β Finally, Emily turned to her. Andrea felt her body warm up, and maybe this time it wasnβt because of the book.
"N-no! This is just not the kind of place I imagined you would show up at," she said, examining Emily, but as always, there wasn't much to see.
She simply hummed, taking another sip of her drink. "You're right. I got lost and ended up in this hideous place. Though seeing you here doesn't surprise me."
Andrea had grown accustomed to his sarcasm and deadpan humor; she no longer took it personally, she even chuckled a little. Hearing her laugh, Emily gave a faint smile, which she immediately hid behind her glass.
βAnd what about you, Andrea? What are you doing in this filthy place?β Emily added, her tone unintentionally ironic this time. She even chuckled at her own jokes. For a moment, Andrea drifted into a reverieβ the taste of the alcohol, the warmth of the place, Emily calling by her name. She almost forgot that she was there because of the book.
βI was just in the area and thought Iβd grab a drink.β It was a good lie, and she surprised herself. Emily simply nodded. The atmosphere had changedβ Emily no longer seemed so defensive, nor so cold toward Andrea. βHas she already had a few drinks?β
βI was meeting someone,β Emily began, taking a sip of her drink, as if to give Andrea time to think. And it workedβ she started thinking about who her date might be that evening. βEmily does have dates, after allβ. βSo, imagine this barβ¦ it wasnβt my idea. Anyway, I came. I was about to leave when I saw you.β
Andrea looked at her for a moment. It's pleasant to listen to her when she's not making fun of her. And to admire her too, perhaps she already knew that.
"Things weren't good thenβ if you stayed with me. you must have been desperate."
βOh, that was bad. But I donβt mind staying with you a little longer.β At Emilyβs words, Andrea stopped abruptly, barely having taken a sip. Slowly setting down her glass, she wasnβt sure what to think. Just this morning, Emily had wanted to strangle Andrea for bringing her coffee that wasnβt hot enough. And now, she was speaking so freely, so honestly. Andy could finally see this side of Emily and understand that she wasnβt the Snow Queen reincarnated.
It was midnight when they decided to leave the bar. Andrea had received a few messages from Nate, but after she told him she'd be late because of work, he hadn't pressed the issue. All this time, Andy had mostly talked, and Emily had listened, sometimes agreeing with her. But this was the first time Andrea had heard Emily's voice for anything other than her complaints. And for that, she couldn't protest.
When they both stepped out of the building, the cool night air enveloped them. Emily clutched her jacket and was already looking for a taxi. Andrea watched silently as Emily raised her hand and a car pulled up. She didn't quite understand what was happening. Had they become friends? She imagined Emily wasn't the kind of friend you chat and play board games with. Yet, Andrea was enjoying the evening. The atmosphere was relaxed, and she didn't want to leave. But why? It wasn't the alcohol clouding her mindβ she knew what she was doing. And perhaps that was the problem.
"Andrea, are you coming?" A voice brought her back to reality. She realized the taxi was waiting and Emily had already opened the door. Of course, she had thought about going with Emily, but she doubted Emily would too.
βYes, yes, Iβll be right there,β Andrea called out, heading towards the car and squeezing in after Emily. She managed to give the driver her address, but her mind started spinning. And it wasnβt because of her drinks.
"It was great tonight." Emily's voice reached Andrea's ears, and when she turned her head, she realized they were only inches apart. Andy said nothingβ she just stared at her, speechless. Her legs were numb, and she was breathless.
When Emily tilted her head, as if wondering why she was suddenly so silent, Andrea realized that maybe she should say something. But no other sound came out than a simple "uh-uh".
βOh, great, Andreaβ¦β she thought. But in the end, maybe it wasnβt so bad, because Emily smiled. A subtle smile, and Andrea fell even quieter. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst. It almost did when Emily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. A second later, Emily moved slowly closer to her face, as if to see if Andrea would lean in, perhaps to test her. But god, from that distance, Andy couldnβt help but think about her lips and the sweet perfume she wore.
And slowly, she too moved closer, meeting Emily's soft lips and kissing her tenderly. Or was it Emily who was kissing her? She felt as if she were floating, but in a wonderful way. As if she had just eaten a slice of space cake in Amsterdam and the drug was making her see stars and unicorns. Or was that simply the sensation you get for kissing Emily Charlton?
But to Andrea's great disappointment, Emily slowly stepped back. Their eyes met, and Emily gave a faint smile. For a moment, Andrea was ready to close the distance, to kiss her, but Emily turned her face away. Andrea felt embarrassed. Yet, she was nowhere she didnβt want to be at that precise moment. She looked out the windowβ the streets of New York were still bustling in places.
She could think about anything at that momentβ the book and the job she risked losing in a few hours, or simply her boyfriend waiting for her in their bed. βWaitingβ was a bit of an exaggerationβ he was probably sleeping peacefully while she endured the psychological torture inflicted by her colleagues who hated her. Or perhaps she still does.
When the taxi pulled over, they were in front of Emily's apartment. Andrea was ready to let her go, to leave this dreamlike night behind her and later consider it a strange, feverish dream, but when Emily opened the door and called her, Andrea felt dizzy before joining her outside.
The street was quiet, deserted. The surrounding buildings bore no resemblance to Andrea's. She expected nothing less from Emily, whom she followed closely. She was really succeedingβ she couldn't believe it.
The climb up the stairs seemed endless. Silence reigned, far from the tranquility Andrea had hoped for. She felt so tense, so nervous. Was she mistaken? They kissed after all.
"Here we are." Emily's soft voice broke the silence, echoing in Andrea's head. She felt a little more confident nowβ hearing her voice was all she needed to be sure she wasn't making a big mistake. And she probably was though.
The jingling of keys echoed in the hallway before the door opened. Emily let her in first, then closed the door once they were both inside.
Andrea glanced around and couldn't deny it, this was totally Emily's style. A large, well-decorated apartment, tall windows offering a breathtaking view of New York, everything seemed to be in its place.
Emily placed her bag on the hall table. Despite everything, she seemed calm and confident. Was she, too, dying inside, like Andrea?
Emily approached her slowly and, as in the taxi, gradually closed the distance, without yet touching her lipsβ perhaps a way of testing Andrea. Perhaps she herself wasn't sure of what she was doing. But the gentleness of her gesture seemed to reassure Andrea, for she in turn closed the distance and kissed her.
One kiss, then another. Andrea dropped her bag to the ground as their kiss deepened. Emily's hands slipped under her jacket, encircling her waist, while Andrea placed hers on the back of her neck, pulling her close without ever breaking their embrace.
They were both completely absorbed in the moment. Their lips brushed against each other, their tongues met, their breaths quickened. Emily gently pressed Andrea against the counter, holding her still. But she was exactly where she wanted to be. Andrea's mind was elsewhere, absorbed by Emily's hand as she removed her jacket, and by her lips, soft and sweet. She hadn't expected them to be so delicious. Emily occupied her every thoughtβ she had almost forgotten about Nate.
Suddenly, everything seemed strange to her. Not that it was, but because it felt good, and it shouldn't have. What could have happened to them to make their relationship change so drastically? It was wrong, unfair, terribly unfair. And Andrea was taking a perverse pleasure in it. But she couldn't get her boyfriend out of her head, and all the messages she was probably receiving from him.
"Emily..." she managed to whisper, but her voice was weak. Almost as if she were begging her to continue. Deep down, she wanted to, but her good reason forced her to stop. "Emily, wait."
Hearing those few whispered words, Emily stopped abruptly, observing Andrea, who seemed so uncertain. And perhaps Emily knew why. "What's wrong?" She knew what was wrong, but she hoped that wasn't it. Her stomach was in knots, and she just wished Andrea wouldn't notice and would simply resume kissing her. But that would have been too perfect.
"I can't do that. I have a boyfriend." Andrea's words sounded hesitant. Tonight had been so perfect, yes, even the kiss, especially the kiss. She felt like she was making a huge mistake. But was the mistake kissing her or stopping her?
"And how is that my problem?" Andrea felt even worse. She wished she could go back, or return to the moment she had decided to enter the bar, or even to the moment she had dropped the book upstairs.
βNo, thatβs not it. Itβs just thatβ¦ I canβt go on like this.β Andrea was about to apologize, but Emily stepped aside, her coldness seeming to return.
"Well, maybe you should have thought of that before all this, shouldn't you?" She turned to face her, a few steps away from Andrea now, but once again, it felt like she was walking on ice as she spoke to Emily. She tried to apologize again, but only a breath escaped her lips.
Emily stared at her, waiting for her to leave. Andrea wanted to say something, but she knew it would only make things worse. She should never have come, she shouldn't have let her kiss her, she shouldn't have wanted it.
She couldn't look any more desperate than she already was, so she sighed in defeat and turned to leave the apartment. She felt Emily's gaze on her as she stepped out. It was too lateβ tonight was probably her only chance to finally earn Emily's compassion. Now, she probably hated her even more than before.
As she left the building, she already missed Emily's touch and warmth. How could someone as distant and sharp as Emily be so gentle? At least, for a while. Now, even the cold night air wasn't as icy as Emily. And all for what? When she got home, her boyfriend wouldn't even be waiting for her. She had hoped she hadn't thought of himβ she'd still be upstairs, kissing Emily. Everything was worse now.
She called a taxi and got in. The ride was heavy and silent, and Andrea could think of nothing but Emily. Had she ruined everything for good? Was there even the slightest chance they'd do it again? Tomorrow morning might be the worst day of her life. First, the bookβ Miranda and probably Emily would talk to her about it, and then, seeing her again. In any case, she probably wouldn't be working there tomorrow morning.
It was almost 2 a.m. when she finally arrived home. Exhausted and dizzy, she dropped her bag and jacket on the nearest chair and heard Nate approaching from behind. He had probably been sleeping, but he looked worried. It was true she'd gotten home quite late. He might have said something, but Andrea wasn't listening because she'd come over to kiss him. A little surprised by the sudden kiss, he didn't protest and returned it, though his was less passionate than Andrea's.
But she wasn't doing it for him, no, she was thinking of Emily. How could she have done otherwise, since she was everywhere, in her every thought? She kissed him, but perhaps she was kissing her. All night long, she wasn't with Nate, she was with Emily.
The next morning, when she woke up, she felt a little dizzy. She remembered that she hadn't spent the night with Emily, but with her actual boyfriend, and that only made things worse. She felt terrible because staying with her might not have changed much. Now she would have to face the consequences of her actions from the night before.
She hesitated before entering the building, but she had to go to work. After all, maybe she'd get lucky and receive some mercy. But as soon as she crossed the threshold, the first person to approach her was Emily. She was in a hurry, looking upset, and Andrea realized it wasn't just because of what had happened. She wasn't going to confront her about that here. It was about the book. When she grabbed Andrea's arm and led her into the small kitchen, Andy immediately began to justify herself. Why had she gone upstairs when she knew it was a stupid idea.
βYou went upstairs- you went upstairs, oh my god. Why didnβt you just climbed into bed with her and ask for a bed time story!?β Emily seemed more than distraught, and Andrea realized what a terrible mistake she had made. Not only for herself, but also for Emily and her dream of going to Paris with Miranda.
βSheβs gonna fire me?β asked Andrea. Hearing Emily's tone, she realized she was really at risk of losing her job.
"I don't know. She's not happy." Andy regretted everything. Why was she so naive, so clumsy? Why did she always make the wrong choices?
βAnd you?β she asked softly, not about the book this time, but about something else entirely. Emily seemed to understand what she was implying. But she said nothing. She simply looked at her sternlyβ perhaps there was something in her gaze, something that let Andrea know she too had thought of it. But no answer came from her lips, only blank stares, and the atmosphere between them grew heavy.
Then Miranda called Andrea, and she knew now that she wouldn't have time for that. She didn't know which was worse, Emily's situation or Miranda's.
Regardless, both were going to be a complete nightmare.
thanks for reading this, iβm sorry if itβs not perfect i wrote most of this in the middle of the night. i tried my best to correct everything
im not a writer, if some stuff sounds weird or off character or anything, my bad
please feel free to give me advices, and to tell me if you enjoyed it! there might be a part 2, if you liked this first part
i also might post it on ao3: jus7_xz
