Agent Fox Mulder (i_want_2) wrote in multi_fiction, @ 2009-02-09 15:49:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | au, magnificent 7, rated: teen, slash |
Fic: Your Next Best Seller 1/1 The Magnificent Seven
Title: Your Next Best Seller.
Author: Lopaka Tanu
Disclaimer: I do not own Magnificent Seven.
Characters: Ezra, Vin.
Words: 1589
Prompt: Publishing House AU
Fandom: Magnificent Seven
Pairing: Ezra/Vin
Rating: General
Warnings: Language, Violence
Summary: Ezra's pushing his latest project.
Author's Note: Yes, it's real. For SFulton.
______________________________________
"'Passion Through the Night'? Sounds kinda squirrelly to me." Fingering the glossy cover of the book in front of him, Buck tried to make out the indistinct shapes. The artist, who had done the original, made it suggestive enough to entice, but too blurry to make anything out clearly.
Ezra sighed. Moving on, he set a copy down in front of Chris at the head of the table. "Your input on this matter is not required, Mr. Wilmington."
Turning his copy so that he could check the cover binding, Josiah held it aloft. "The material looks sturdy enough. How much are we expecting to pay for material?" He weighted the book on the ends of his fingers.
"The first gross will cover three printings." Ezra set the final copy down next to Nathan, carefully avoiding the other man's gaze. After last month's debacle, there was no love loss between them. It didn't really matter, all he had to get was Chris' approval. "We have a dozen buyers already interested in market distribution rights, all willing to pay the up front costs."
Not having touched his copy, Chris sat back in his chair. There was something about it that disturbed him. "How much have we already tied up in to this?"
"We?" At the man's nod, Ezra snorted. "Nothing, I assure you. Every cost has come from my own pocket on this one."
"I see." This came from Ezra's left. Pushing the book away, Nathan glared at him over the corner of the table. "Going to take this to another publisher if we don't agree?
"The thought had crossed my mind." In spite of him, Ezra refused to physically acknowledge Nathan existed. There would be snow holidays in hell before that happened.
Chris sniffed. Rubbing his fingers over his jaw, he glanced down at the book. "We'll have to think about it."
"I'm afraid that is not an option. It is a matter of now or never." At the expressions on his colleague's faces, Ezra held up his hands. "This is not my say. I have not secured the rights, yet. The author still has the option of walking away from the deal."
Nathan took this time to laugh. He finally had it. "You're an idiot! How much did you spend wooing this premadonna and you still haven't got her to sign shit?" Sitting back, Nathan slapped his hand against the chair's arm rest. "Unbelievable."
"You're sleeping with'er!" Having been silent the entire time, JD took this time to shock the rest of the board table. Of the other five men, only Buck and Josiah seemed surprised by his revelation. Nathan looked disgusted, and much to JD's amusement, Chris looked pissed.
For his part, Ezra looked unfazed by the entire thing. Cracking open the cover, he flipped the pages. "I assure you, JD, I have not laid one inappropriate hand upon the author. As proof, I suggest you check the dedications."
This time, it was Nathan who snorted.
Regaining his cool, Chris tugged his dress shirt down to expose his collar. The tie had long since disappeared. "Regardless of Ezra's actions, it seems we gotta decision to make. Show of hands, do we publish this trash or let it go?"
"While I do not find it entertaining, I would hardly call this tome trash." Josiah set the book down, holding up his other hand.
Buck refused to look up while he raised his hand. He was already fingering the cover himself.
Seeing this, Ezra could barely restrain a genial smile.
"You got my vote!" JD couldn't raise his hands, as they were busy turning pages in the book.
"Madness, that's all this is." Shaking his head, Nathan pushed the book further away from himself. His eyes kept darting to the cover. "It's poisoned fruit, we're only asking for lawsuits."
"Four in favor, one against. Guess we print." Reaching out, Chris picked up the heavy book. It was three pounds if it was an ounce. Out of sheer curiosity, he cracked the spine. He quickly fingered through to the dedication page. Seeing the inscription, he closed his eyes. "The Manhattan Madam is your..."
"Please, I have a reputation to uphold." Ezra gave his boss a reproving look. There were certain truths even he was loathed to admit.
At the far side of the table, JD was shaking so hard he nearly fell out of his chair.
"All right. Give the order to my assistant." Slamming the book closed, Chris pushed his chair back from the table. Without verbally dismissing them, he had declared the meeting over.
Nathan shoved off from the table. In his disgust, he shoved passed Chris, making himself the first one out.
Chris chose not to remark, merely shaking his head at the man's back. There were more important things to take care of.
Left at the table with the remaining three men, Ezra shared a pleasant moment with Josiah. The other man gave him a nod before rising.
After a few seconds, Buck was finally able to break himself from staring at the book. As much as it fascinated him, there were still a few accounts he had to handle before the end of the business day. Walking from his chair, he smacked the still near hysterical JD on the back of the head. "Come on, kid, we got ourselves a magazine to put to bed."
JD was still too busy laughing to do much more than follow. At the door, he stopped long enough to glance back at Ezra. Seeing the other man's nonplussed expression sent him back in to peals of laughter. Eventually, Buck grabbed him by the jacket and tugged him through the door.
The last person in the room, Ezra checked his pocket watch. He mentally counted down the last ten seconds.
Right on time, a head poked through the open doorway. Curls cascading around his face as he glanced about, Vin smiled when he spotted Ezra. He came completely in to the room, a pad of paper and PDA in one hand.
The sight of the other man caused Ezra to break out in to a bright smile. There were perks that actually made the job worth the effort of putting up with his colleagues. Seeing Vin was one of those. "Hello."
"Hi, Ezra." Walking up to the table, Vin stopped at the chair Nathan had exited. While he sat down, he pulled a pencil from behind his ear. It slid seamlessly through his hair. "Chris said you gotta new account for us I should look at?"
"That I do." Ezra reached down beside him. The briefcase was metal, but light weight, so it barely made a sound when he set it down on the board room table. There were so many other interesting places he would rather have been running his fingers, but the locks on the case were priority.
Opened, he turned the case so Vin could have access. "The client is rather reluctant to trust these documents with anyone other than my person. Perhaps you should examine them closely in a more secure environment." He turned his face to the side in an attempt at being uninterested, but his eyes tracked Vin's every movement.
Vin made quick work of sorting through the files. "I'm not takin work home and we're not leavin early." Vin spoke while he opened his PDA. Using the tips of his fingers, he began to manually copy the text from the documents.
"Have I ever informed you of my opinion towards your deplorable work ethic?" Seeing the man work sent a mad shiver up Ezra's spine. "If I must suffer for your attention to duty, at least lend me the use of your masterful hand."
That actually caused Vin to miss a series of numbers. While he erased the string of text, he looked up at Ezra. The man's innocent look had him scowling in return. "I'm inviting your mother to dinner Saturday."
Ezra shivered for an entirely different reason this time. "You are the most contemptible, loathsome creature to ever slime your way across this planet."
"May be Friday, that way she can stay the whole weekend." With that, Vin finished copying his information. He closed the PDA and put the documents back in their folders. "You can inform your mother that her book will be on the shelves by the end of next month."
"Oh joy." Sitting back in his chair, he watched the other man smirk. He had won this sparring round. There was truly no justice in the world. "See you at home, my dearest Vin."
"Until then." Rising from his chair, Vin inclined his head towards Ezra. Smirk turning in to a smile, he left the room.
"Bastard." But he was his Bastard. Shaking his head, Ezra turned his briefcase around and closed it. After snicking the locks shut, he reached in to his jacket pocket and pulled out a cellphone. The other end was picked up no sooner than he had hit speed dial. "It is a done deal. Distribution will be late next month."
"Good." His mother voice was saccharinely sweet as always. "Give my best to your kept one." She hung up before he could retort.
With a groan, Ezra put the phone back in to his pocket. A heavy weight seemed to have been lifted from his shoulders. Sitting back in his chair, he let his head lull slightly to the side.
What on Earth had ever inspired him to become part of the publishing business?
THE END................................