Someone hurt you, didn’t they?
Who: Aurora and Maleficent What: Discussing dreams, mild flirting, drinks When: Recently Where: At work and an upscale bar
Maleficent’s dreams had been haunted by Aurora’s sweet voice, and her alluring face. The little beastie was a great deal of a problem and one she didn’t know what to do about. She was reluctant to bring it up with Loki - she didn’t need his mocking. She was the one that did the mocking. They mocked others. That was part of their friendship!
It was nearly ten PM. She’d stayed five hours overtime, but that wasn’t always unusual. Still, she decided, perhaps, she should go home. Even her sexratary had left long ago.
Aurora had completely lost track of time. When she hadn’t been busy, her mind had been mulling over the strange dream she’d had. It had felt like a snapshot of a life. Her life. Well, not her actual life, but the life of who she was in the dream world. Which was apparently an orphan who had slightly worse luck with...whoever had left her in the care of...three women very inept at childcare. She also wasn’t sure how exactly those women had been her dream self’s aunts. They hadn’t been exactly forthcoming about how they were related. If they were related at all, which was equally likely.
At the moment, she was thoughtfully eying pictures of “moors.” Apparently there were some in the world of her dream, but there had to be more to them than the ones in the real world.
"Are you still here?" Mara stood directly behind her, eyebrows raised. She rested her hands on Aurora's shoulders, raising her eyebrows at what she was researching. "Interesting. Do you think there are diamonds on Moors?"
Aurora startled slightly at the sound of Ms. Tamsin’s voice. The touch was surprising as well, though not bothersome. She flushed slightly, a little embarrassed to be caught off task. “Probably not,” she said. “Unless they were part of an undiscovered burial site.”
She glanced at the time display on her computer. TEN?! She’d really lost that much time in...dream world?
"Mm. Personal research while on the clock?" She squeezed Aurora's shoulder, then traced her thumb along a line where Aurora's skin met her shirt. Then she dropped her hand to her side before she could do something more inappropriate.
At least she sounded amused and not pissed.
The brush of a thumb against her skin was...more unexpected than the shoulder squeeze. And it was more...electric wasn’t quite the right word, but it was close. At the very least it was a little distracting. Aurora took a deep breath and closed that browser tab. “It won’t happen again, I promise.” Remembering the time, she added, “And I promise I’ll keep better track of the time, too. I was...a little distracted today.”
"You were. Do you wish to talk about it?" Maleficent knew she should let it drop. Let Aurora go home, and head home herself. She should feign anger, or sternness. Instead, though, she thought she should manipulate her.
“I had the strangest dream last night,” Aurora said. “Like I was living a different version of my childhood. This seems to be a fairly common thing on the network, but I still didn’t expect it to happen to me.”
"How wonderful." She wanted to touch her again. Particularly that lovely golden hair. She did that in the dreams, when Aurora was close. It was...distracting.
"Was it a good life, or a bad one?"
Aurora thought for a moment. “It was good. Not really ideal, but I seemed to be remarkably lucky, or have some sort of...guardian angel looking out for me. I almost fell off a cliff as a toddler, but a tree caught me and lifted me back to safety.” She really couldn’t explain it, but it had happened, and she’d felt it, even if it that same half-remembered feeling incidents from her own childhood had.
“I was being raised--if you could call it that--by three aunts, though I’m not sure how or if we were really related, and they knew even less about children than the nannies and housekeepers and babysitters I really had,” she said.
"How could a tree lift you to safety?" She tapped her finger against her lip, moving to Aurora's right side. She sat on the desk, crossing her legs as her skirt rode up on her hip. "They sound incompetent."
Oh how she hated those three and only wished the worse on them.
“I have no idea. There were a lot of things that didn’t exactly make sense. Things that seemed a little, well...like a fairy tale, almost.” Aurora paused and thought for a moment. “There was a bird--a crow or a raven, I think--that somehow knew more about feeding infants than my aunts did. I think that’s a large part of how I survived infancy.”
She smiled slightly. “And there was a shadow. A shadow with horns that seemed to watch over me. Not exactly what most people think of with guardian angels, but the function seems to have been the same.”
Maleficent tilted her head. "That's just preposterous. There are no such things as fairy godmothers." Er. "Or guardian angels. Certainly no one with horns."
Fairy godmother. That was probably nearer to what she’d actually had in the dream. Fairies could probably have horns. “It felt so real,” Aurora said. “Even if it was just a dream.”
“I’m sure all it was was a dream,” she replied, shaking her head, and humming a few notes of a familiar tune. “Have you eaten dinner yet?”
Aurora shook her head. "I haven't," she said.
Maleficent looked disapproving. She reached out, and brushed one finger against a stray lock of Aurora's hair. Maleficent, of course, was impeccable despite the extra hours. "You look a mess, and you haven't eaten. Come." She got up and walked out of the office.
Aurora blinked. She hadn't looked in a mirror for hours, admittedly. She quickly gathered her things and followed Ms. Tamsin out of the office. She wondered briefly if she was in for a sterner reprimanding.
"One does need to take proper care of themselves. You're no good to me if you keel over dead." It was almost like she'd find a way to raise her so she could kill her again. "Working this many hours is commendable and I wouldn't expect any less of you, however."
She turned and glanced over her shoulder, her eyes as sharp as her cheekbones.
A complement with a caveat. Aurora could live with that. “I promise to be better prepared if I do work this late again.” Boxed meal and perhaps an up-do. If she did it again. Or if she felt there was a ris she might do it again.
"Have you discovered anything of interest or use?" Maleficent stopped in front of her elevator, pressing the button and then stepping inside. "I am sure they won't mind if I use the stores in the cafe." She winked at Aurora.
Aurora couldn’t keep herself from grinning a little at the wink. They might mind a little but it was the boss borrowing it.
“Well,” she said. “There are a few things I’ve noticed that might be able to be improved upon.” She began listing areas she’d noticed might be able to be improved for greater efficiency while still taking only minimal costs, comparatively, to change.
Part of Maleficent wanted to use Aurora, and then toss her aside. She was already in that process, at least businesswise, but on a personal level, the little beastie was making her head spin. When Aurora was distracted, she twirled a finger, and the elevator was suddenly plunged into darkness. It jostled to a stop violently.
Aurora stumbled and fell against Ms. Tamsin, instinctively clinging to her in order to keep herself upright.
For a moment, it was as though Aurora was enveloped in a warm, safe cocoon, Maleficent's arms around her, and something else wrapped around them both. The latter faded quickly, but her arms were still tight and comforting. "Are you all right?"
She had the strangest sensation of something wrapping around her, almost like a cloak. But the sensation was only there for a moment and must have been her imagination. But Ms. Tamsin’s arms were strong and reassuring. And also warm. For a moment, she could only nod.
“I’m okay. Just...a little shaken up,” she said, realizing her nod may not have been obvious in now darkened elevator. And she didn’t let go just yet, either.
Maleficent couldn't decide if Aurora felt frail or strong, only that she was warm and her thoughts turned inappropriate. It was almost too dark to see Aurora's face, though she leaned in to get a better look.
She rubbed Aurora's back. "This is strange. Let me see if the call button works."
Aurora caught a faint glimmer of light as it caught Ms. Tamsin’s eyes. She had beautiful eyes. And being this close, she found that somehow her heart seemed to be beating a bit faster. Though that could have been left over from the rush of the elevator malfunction.
At the mention of the call button, she slowly detached herself and groped for a handrail to steady herself.
Maleficent slipped past Aurora, and pressed the call button, but it didn't respond. "Odd, that. Allright, beastie, you best work." She smacked her palm against the console, and miraculously, the elevator started.
"Well then!"
“That’s a relief!” Aurora took a deep breath. She hadn’t really relished the idea of being stuck in an elevator all night.
"I would have to have to call the fire department. That would be embarrassing, and expensive." She straightened her hair, putting about two feet between her and Aurora about the time that the door opened. The floor was empty of employees and barely lit, giving it a creepy feel.
Aurora took a deep breath. She stepped out of the elevator and glanced around. It looked very different without all the lights and the rest of the staff. This was yet another unique opportunity.
Mal swiped her card to let them into the cafe, and turned one of the lights on. She didn't want to make a mess, but there were pre-made sandwiches stored in cases, and she simply helped herself. It was nice being the queen boss. "What do you want, Aurora?"
Aurora looked at the options for a moment. “I’ll take one of the chicken salad sandwiches,” she said. Everything looked really good right now. Her stomach chose that moment to growl and embarrass her.
Maleficent picked one of those up, and a turkey sandwich for herself. She held out the chicken salad, then led Aurora over to a table. “Based on your research...which mine should we buy out?”
Aurora took the sandwich gratefully and followed Ms. Tamsin to the table. She thought for a moment, going over her research again in her head as she opened the sandwich. She then named the mine and went over the reasons for buying it over the other possibilities.
She barely tasted the sandwich as she nodded along, paying more attention to Aurora's lips and the way her eyes moved as she talked. The sound of her voice was pleasant, and Maleficent wondered if the curse had somehow affected the waking world. I fucked up, she thought.
Aurora continued for a little while, naming potential sites to keep an eye on for possible future endeavors, and the pros and cons that would likely arise with those. Finally, she finished and took a bite of her sandwich. She sighed contentedly. It was a really good sandwich, and it tasted even better given how hungry she was.
Maleficent fell silent, allowing Aurora to eat in peace. She Tapped her finger against her lip. "Aurora? May I ask you something?"
Aurora wiped her mouth with her napkin and nodded. “You may.”
“Describe this guardian of yours, from your dreams? What is your impression of him?”
“Well,” Aurora said. “To start with, I always imaged the figure to be female. I don’t know if there was something about the shadow that made me think that, or just that there weren’t really any men around the cottage ever. But I always felt safer know she was around, even if I don’t really remember if I ever saw her. I felt like we would have been friends. Or at least, I would have wanted us to be.”
"Well. Men are useless after all." Maleficent felt immensely guilty. She wanted to weave a spell, one that would ensure Aurora would forget this conversation. Or rather, forget what it was that Maleficent wanted to force Aurora to do. She rubbed her temple and sighed.
Aurora’s brow furrowed slightly. “Are you feeling okay?”
It would be easy. Maleficent could put Aurora under a spell and then...what? What exactly could she do to Aurora, while like that? The thought was disconcerting and disgusted her. There was no challenge in that, and on some level she knew it was wrong. Maleficent was willing to cross many lines but... She shook her head to rid it of the vision of Aurora's supple lips. "I'm fine. Thank you."
“Okay.” Aurora was fairly sure that wasn’t exactly the truth, but she decided to let the matter go. “Thanks for the sandwich.”
Maleficent felt relieved. But the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "Will you be safe going home this late?"
“I think so,” Aurora said. She paused for a moment, then smiled slightly. “But if it would make you feel better, I wouldn’t say no to a ride.”
Maleficent sighed again, wishing someone could rid her of these feelings. Her dreams, blast them, had been on repeat ever since Aurora had walked into her life. It had reawoken a sense of loneliness she'd long ago forgotten. "So be it."
Aurora grinned. “I promise I won’t make a habit of it.” At least she didn’t thinks she would.
"Best you don't." She stood, smoothing her skirt, and then walking out of the cafe without looking behind her. Pretending she didn't care was mildly irritating.
Aurora followed her, dropping off their trash on the way. She didn’t mind getting to spend the extra time with her boss. It was...nice, even if she wasn’t always sure what to expect.
"Have you been adjusting well to Orange county?" She didn't look back at Aurora while she spoke. "How is your...personal life? Are you fulfilled? Seeing anyone?" Plsbegay
“I have,” Aurora said. “It’s a lovely place. I’ve talked to a few people on the network who also go to UC Irvine, and I’m looking forward to seeing them around on campus once classes start. As for personal life…” It was a rather personal question, but she didn’t mind it. “I’m not seeing anyone right now. I guess I’ve kind of taken a break from dating during the transition from high school to college.”
"That is wise. Dating is complicated and only leads to mistakes." There was a great deal of history behind her words, but her tone hinted that questions were offlimits. At least for most people. "Hormones, I've found, are only a distraction, and love is a lie."
“Someone hurt you, didn’t they?” It sounded that way to Aurora, at least. Sure, some people had no interest at all in dating, but this didn’t sound like that. She hadn’t done a lot of dating herself, but she suspected it had gone a lot better than whatever Ms. Tamsin had gone through.
Maleficent's expression darkened. "I never said that!"
“It’s what it sounded like,” Aurora said, keeping her voice even. “But I won’t pry, because that’s personal, and you’re my boss and it’s not really my business. But you are beautiful, and anyone who would treat you badly in a relationship wouldn’t be worth your time.” That was probably saying too much. “I mean, it’s your life. I don’t...know that I’d agree with your views, but I haven’t dated much.”
She tilted her head, her jaw working as she felt so conflicted. "You're right. It's not worth my time and few people are." What did it say that she seemed to think Aurora was worth her time?
She felt really weary, though, and for once it was an effort to keep up her glamour, with how long she'd worked. She walked into the elevator and stared out the glass as the doors closed behind them. "You think I'm beautiful?"
Aurora followed Ms. Tamsin into the elevator and leaned against one of the walls, closing her eyes for a moment. She opened them at the other woman’s question. Maybe she shouldn’t have let that part out...but it was true. “Yes. I do.”
“Don’t think that will gain you a raise,” Mal said. Was she joking? Maybe she was joking, maybe she wasn’t. In actuality, she was confused and touched and confused at being touched. She knew she was beautiful, after all.
It was odd getting a compliment that wasn’t someone trying to get something.
"That's not why I said it. I said it because it's true." And it was, even if Aurora now felt a little strange about saying it. "But it was out of line, I think, so...that's another thing I'll try not to make a habit out of."
“I do not mind. Entirely.” It seemed like an eternity before the doors opened to reveal the garage. Maleficent led the way out. There was no chauffeur today, just a red corvette with the top down. She was glad for it - driving ought to distract her.
Red corvette. Somehow, Aurora thought that was definitely a fitting ride for her boss. She wasn’t really sure how to reply to Ms. Tamsin’s response, but it was good to know the other woman wasn’t mad at her over it.
“Lets go with our top down,” Maleficent said, sliding into the driver’s seat with all the elegance she possessed, and the sort of grin a wolf might give her prey. Okay. The grin was kind of distracting, and so Aurora just stood there for a moment before sliding into the passenger’s seat and putting on her seat belt.
She started the car, and moved the stick into gear before peeling out from the underground garage. Other than her wings, few things were as freeing - but it was probably too soon to reveal that. Truthfully, she was dreading the day Aurora started dreaming of such things. The day Aurora would be betrayed again.
She'd lose a valuable asset that day, she thought.
But for now, the wind was in her hair, and the CEO let loose with a laugh.
Aurora couldn’t help but grin when Ms. Tamsin laughed. And the ride was definitely exhilarating. This was...well, it wasn’t what most people did with their bosses, probably, but she liked it. She actually felt, well, kind of like an adult. A young one, still, sure, but she liked that feeling.
“Let your hair down,” Maleficent called out, reaching behind her head to undo her own hair, for maximum let down.
Aurora grinned again and pulled her hair from the the loose ponytail she’d had it in for most of the day. She shook her hair out, laughing as the breeze caught it.
The only reason Maleficent didn't hit another car was because she had the strength of will to not stare overly long at Aurora's golden curtain. She felt like she wanted to do something crazy - something she hadn't done in a very long time. If at all. Fun had died for Maleficent a long time ago.
Aurora was a bad influence.
Aurora had no idea she was a bad influence. But she did know she was enjoying the ride and the night air. She glanced over at Ms. Tamsin, grinning brightly.
“I should probably get you home, before you turn into a pumpkin,” Maleficent said, slipping her hand from the stick shift to Aurora’s leg, briefly, but not so long that it would be sexual harrassment.
The touch was brief enough to have been an accident, but Aurora flushed a little. “The coach turns into a pumpkin,” she said, mostly to distract herself. “And I’m hardly Cinderella.”
"No, you are much more intelligent and much more beautiful." Mal's eye twitched. Was part of the curse really happening here? Or was Aurora just that much of a draw for her?
“And I never had a stepmother, ‘evil’ or otherwise.” The compliment did make her glance out over her side of the car, though, as Aurora had the distinct feeling she was blushing. Sure, she’d dated an older classmate for a little while, but she’d never figured she’d have thing for older women.
"I wouldn't recommend it." Maybe she was joking. She finally started in the direction of Aurora's home. There wasn't much traffic, just the city lights and the sound of the wind.
“I don’t think it’s very likely.” Most women probably had the sense not to marry her father. Or he didn’t bother dating. Aurora wasn’t entirely sure which was most likely.
Stefan had long ago earned her ire and Maleficent was more than willing to sabotage his prospects, if she ever had a chance to. (and maybe once or twice she had. She was, after all, vindictive).
"Probably not." To have a father like that. What a pity.
Aurora sighed. She didn’t want to think about her father right now. Thinking about him was kind of a mood killer. Not there there was exactly a mood to kill, or anything, but he’d taken away from the fun of the drive.
Maleficent brushed some hair behind Aurora’s ear while waiting at a red light. “You’re frowning.” It was like a personal affront to her, Aurora frowning.
She blinked and glanced over at Ms. Tamsin. “I was?” She sighed again. “That...just seems to happen when I think about my father. I guess I still wish he was…” A realdad. “...different. Like I’m used to the way things are, but…”
Aurora shook her head. “I don’t want to think about him right now. I was having a good time, and he shouldn’t get to stop that.”
The fairy thought about it for a moment, her finger still following the motion from before though now she was simply stroking her ear. She wondered if she could have Stefan killed. It wouldn't be hard.
It wouldn't be hard at all.
"Would you like to get a drink?"
Aurora bit her lip and gave Ms. Tamsin an amused grin. “I’m eighteen,” she said. “But thanks for the offer.”
"Right." Maleficent pulled her hand back, and shifted the car back into gear as the light changed. "The places I go, they would not even card you. But that would be breaking the law. How terrible."
Aurora was a little disappointed that Ms. Tamsin pulled her hand away. She really should turn down the offer. She had had a little wine with food before, so it wasn’t like she’d never broken the rules, not exactly. She bit her lip again.
“Just this once,” she said.
Maleficent smiled, and wondered just what she'd gotten herself into. She took a u-turn and pulled into an upscale bar. The kind of place a woman like her would frequent, if a woman like her would normally go into a bar. She parked in the front, handing her keys to the valet. "We won't be long, darling."
Yes, this bar had a valet!
She led her employee into the bar. "Order whatever you want?"
Aurora was a little overwhelmed at first when she entered the bar. It was...definitely the kind of place she could see Ms. Tamsin frequenting. “Um…I’ll have a...piña colada.” She had always wondered what those tasted like.
The CEO laughed, raising her fingers up. “Two pina coladas. It has been a long time since I’ve had one of those, and my companion has just the right idea.”
The bartender stared at her, opened his mouth to say something, then decided the better of it. “Two coming up.”
Aurora took a deep breath and took a seat. She glanced around, taking in the decor and lighting. It was a great looking place. And probably expensive.
"What do you think? Feel free to give me your honest opinion." Maleficent paused, and then added, "And that goes any time, and every time. At least in private."
In public she didn't need anyone second guessing her unless it was really important.
Aurora raised her eyebrows slightly. “I think it’s impressive. The decor is bold, but in a classy way. The lighting is well balanced, not too bright but also not so soft or dim that it would be a problem.” She paused. “I like it. And it definitely seems like a place you’d go.”
"I haven't been in in awhile," she admitted. What she didn't admit was that she owned the bar. She sat back, crossing her legs. She had a momentary dream flashback - Aurora in her lap, head on her chest and resting in the Moors. Her cheeks flushed subtley.
Aurora didn’t notice the flush, but only because she’d spotted their drinks headed their way. She did feel just a little nervous about it, but they were basically alone.
"Well well well." Maleficent paid for the drinks. "Let us see if they live up to their reputation." She took a sip, and her eyes fluttered closed. "Mmm..."
That was certainly one of the more distracting things Ms. Tamsin had done during the evening. Aurora took a sip of her own drink, eyes still on her boss’s face. It was good. She took another sip...or two...before she managed to glance away.
"What do you think?" She almost added 'beastie' but cut herself off, changing it to Aurora's name, which rolled off of her tongue like fine wine.
“I like it!” Aurora grinned. “It’s fruity, but it isn’t too sweet. And the alcohol taste isn’t too strong, either.”
“Very good. I hope it will not loosen your tongue overly much.” Was that a flirty tone? That might be a flirty tone. Maleficent was too aloof to give her glass a dirty look, but she wanted to. “When you are not at work, what do you do?”
“I...don’t think it will.” Aurora took another sip. “Well, lately I’ve been exploring Newport Beach, since I want to know what’s around where I live. The Orange County Museum of Art is great. I’m planning to attend some of their lectures sometime. The beaches are nice, too.”
She took another sip. “I also like watching dance competitions. Dancing with the Stars mainly, but the other ones are fun, too.”
“Do you like to dance?” Maleficent asked. Her eyes slid to the floor, where up and coming youngsters were dancing in ways that would have made her parent’s generation explode. “Not like that, I suppose.” She snorted.
Aurora glanced over to the dance floor. “Not...not like that, no.” She took another sip of her drink and looked back at Ms. Tamsin. “There were some ballroom classes at my boarding school,” she said. She giggled slightly. “They didn’t allow boys in, so the taller girls did a lot of the leading, but they made sure everyone had a chance to be led.”
Maleficent would never twerk. Though part of her didn't mind watching. Even if she pretended to turn her nose up to it. She looked sharply at Aurora. "You can ballroom dance?"
“I can waltz, Viennese waltz, and foxtrot. I never quite got the hang of quickstep. And they didn’t teach of tango or any Latin dances.” Aurora sipped her drink again. “I’m not competition-level good, but I can dance.”
"The Latin dances are some of the best," Mal assured her. She rested her hand on Aurora's arm, stroking lightly. "But a waltz, that is something I've not done in a long time. I won't say how long."
“I think they decided they were too racy. Which is ridiculous, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d thought that way.” The arm stroking was nice, Aurora thought. “So you can, too? Waltz, I mean.” She did feel kind of...warm and fuzzy now.
"Yes. It was something I learned early on, and it impressed my boss at the time," Maleficent said. "Perhaps I should do a company ball. Something utterly ridiculous, yet fun.”
“It did?” Aurora wasn’t completely sure she’d meant to say that out loud. “And a ball would amazing! Maybe themed. But not too corny, or anything. Not that you’d go that way, anyway.” Stop talking now.
Maleficent's finger ran up Aurora's arm, in a slow, lazy pattern. "Mm. I find your enthusiasm encouraging. You'll have to impress me on the dance floor."
“Leading? Or you leading? Or both?” Aurora really liked the arm stroking.
“I always lead,” she assured her, before drawing her hand back. Mustn’t get too close. She needed to do something evil, she thought. It would make her feel better.
Aurora raised an eyebrow slightly. Now she kind of wanted to lead, just because it would be a challenge. With the touch-contact ended, she returned her attention to her drink, which was now mostly gone and which she decided to blame for why the room seemed warmer.
“Would you like another?” Maleficent felt like she may have gotten her fingers into Aurora. Figuratively, and she certainly wasn’t thinking literally. Not in the slightest. It was a dangerous game she was playing, and while it felt like she held all the cards, one look at Aurora’s flush and she felt as though she were going to come undone.
"Only if you have another, too. But if you have another, you probably shouldn't drive." It wasn't exactly a no, even if Aurora thought no was probably the best answer. And it wasn't exactly a yes. It was maybe. And it was also partly to see what Ms. Tamsin would do. Aurora was starting to get to know the woman behind the CEO, or at least it felt that way, and she found herself wanting to know even more.
“Then I think we aren’t having any more. At least not without you coming in for a nightcap.” Maleficent laughed. She hadn’t had much cause to laugh until she’d met Aurora, and the girl was fascinating. She could watch her all day (and some days she caught herself doing just that). “Come, I think we should get you home.”
Aurora found she couldn’t help but smile when Ms. Tamsin laughed. She liked the sound of her laugh, and she had a feeling the other woman didn’t laugh often. Which made her want to make that laugh happen more often, somehow. “Yeah,” she said. “We should do that.”