Chapter Text
The shoot goes off without any more complications, but Andy notices that Miranda is eyeing her thoughtfully. To avoid the questions in those piercing blue eyes, Andy works twice as hard and keeps herself busy. Nate notices, but after the horrible things he said to her upon her return from Cruella's home, she couldn't even be bothered to care. He's been trying for a week and a half to apologize, but even Lilly, his biggest fan, had blanched at the things he'd said when Andy told her. Doug offered to castrate him, and when she declined, he jokingly offered to tell Cruella and that drew an amused laugh from Andy.
Cruella, for her part, seems to completely ignore any boundaries Andy sets to the surprise of no one. Days after her visit, outfits began appearing at her door, usually delivered by a smug Horace or an exasperated Jasper who looked like he would rather be anywhere else. The pieces were beautiful, and though Andy had never been the most fashion forward, even she couldn't help admiring them. Andy never dared to wear them, however. She knew what Cruella was doing, and she didn't want to play her games. To strut into Runway wearing these outfits would send anyone who looked a clear message: she's mine. Especially to Miranda, who was likely the main reason the outfits were being delivered. 8 months ago, Andy would have melted at such a gesture, but now it just made her frustrated. Andy wasn't Cruella's, not anymore. She barely wanted to be Nate's, how could she allow herself to be claimed in such an obvious way?
It was a Friday evening when things came to a head. Cruella showed up, looking her usual glamorous self, completely out of place in Andy's dingy apartment complex. She knocks, and Andy grumbles in annoyance at the sound. She just got off of work, she couldn't imagine who would be knocking on her door at 7pm. Swinging the door open, she freezes when she sees Cruella looking uncomfortable in the hallway. The older woman perks up when she sees Andy, her smile genuine as she reaches out for Andy's hands.
"Andy, Darling," she greets her, "pardon the interruption, but I simply had to see you."
"Cru, you can't just show up unannounced," Andy quickly closes her door, after making sure Nate hadn't seen the older woman from the kitchen.
"I had to see you," Cruella insists, "it's an emergency, Darling. You understand, of course."
"What's going on," Andy's face morphed into a concerned frown, "are you ok?"
"No," Cruella said soberly, face drawn and solemn.
"Oh god," Andy's heart stopped at the words, eyes scanning the older woman for a sign of injury, "what's wrong? You're scaring me."
"I'm dying," Cruella said seriously, her dark eyes round and emotional, "I'm simply dying without you, Andy, Darling and I will not stand for it any longer."
Andy's emotions went from one extreme to the other within the few seconds Cruella spoke. Fear and pain gripped her heart as she tried to fathom Cruella dying. Her mind immediately went to the cigarettes she'd managed to finally convince Cruella to stop smoking weeks before their breakup, only for those thoughts to screech to a halt as Cruella finished her sentence. A deep, familiar sense of irritation twisted into her mind, and Andy pinched the bridge of her nose, counting to 5 to stop her immediate reaction to yell Cruella. She knew from experience that wouldn't get them anywhere.
"Cruella," she sighed, "you can't go around saying those things, you scared me. I thought you were really dying."
"I am," Cruella insisted, a small pout pulling at her thin lips.
"You-"
The door opened, and Nate frowned as he spoke, "Andy what are you doing out- what is she doing here."
Andy felt her stomach drop, as her eyes darted from the almost feral look on Cruella's face as she looked at Nate, to Nate's own glare as he stared at the tall woman.
"She was just stopping by to-"
"To get my Andy back," Cruella insisted, "you don't deserve her, you...you fool!"
"Andy doesn't want you," he glared at her, "she's with me. You were just a mistake she made because she couldn't have me."
Andy felt her irritation growing at the clear tug of war between her ex and her boyfriend, but for some reason everything Nate said infuriated her far worse than Cruella. He was smug and possessive like a little boy with a new toy. Cruella was equally possessive, but her words made Andy feel special, like all the fur coats in the world wouldn't compare to her in Cruella's eyes.
"The only mistake is her thinking to lower herself to such extents in order to... cohabitate with a miserable fry cook who wouldn't know the first thing about fashion if it slapped him upside the bloody head," Cruella sneered, "you are delusional if you think this poor excuse of an apartment and your little cooking utensils are enough for my precious Andy. You should be ashamed. Ashamed, I say!"
"Cru," Andy put a hand on her arm, as the woman huffed out worked up breaths of air, getting herself worked up, "relax. Deep breaths. Maybe you should go and we can talk later."
"No," Cruella looked back at Andy, her gaze softening, "no you said that before and I've been waiting a week. Unacceptable. You will have lunch with me tomorrow at Manhatta. 3:30."
Andy knew agreeing would be the only way to end this fight before it got any more serious, "fine."
She had to go in tomorrow, but only for a few hours. Miranda wouldn't be in, and most of the work she needed to do was on the budget report for this month. Cruella's eyes lit up, and she grinned smugly at Nate, who was silently fuming.
"Excellent," Cruella purred, "I shall see you tomorrow, Andy Darling. I will remind you of how you should be treated."
And with that, she spun on her heels and was down the hallway and into the elevator before Andy could think of a proper response. She signed, running her fingers through her bangs. Nate just slammed the door behind him, and when Andy went inside he was shrugging on a fake leather jacket. Andy frowned, and before she could ask where he was going, he was gone.
################
In retrospect, Andy should have seen the courier coming that morning, with the outfit Andy had seen on the mannequin the day she went to see Cruella. Instead of being upset, she simply took it, went back inside and changed into the surprisingly comfortable outfit. It even smelled like Cruella, fresh linens and an undertone of sandalwood that brought a smile to Andy's face unconsciously. As she left her apartment, she didn't want to think about the face that Nate still wasn't back yet. She just left him a note that she was at work and hurried off so she wasn't late.
When she arrived, she could feel the eyes. Of course everyone at runway would recognize Cruella's style, even her unreleased works. She felt the way she had when she first started and everyone was curious or disgusted by her outfits. Of course she wasn't proud of her choice in clothes, but at the time it was all she had, as everything else Cruella had given her and she refused to even think about those clothes. As she moved to sit down, Emily looked like she'd seen a ghost when she looked at Andy.
"Is that...you have got to be joking," Emily studied her outfit, her eyes drawn to the subtle "CDV" stitched into the cuff of her right sleeve, and she flushed, "how on Earth did you-"
She stood, moving to Andy to feel the material of her blazer. Her fingers almost trembled as she realized that Andy's outfit was, indeed, real.
"Cruella is a friend," Andy skirted the topic, "don't you have a schedule to arrange?"
"Actually," Emily sniffed, "if you would bother to check your emails, you would know that Miranda is on her way in. Naturally that means you need to go fetch her coffee, and quickly. She'll be here any minute."
Shit.
Andy shot up, grabbing her bag as she crossed the office to get to the elevator. As she rushed across the street to Starbucks, she wondered if she could get away with a wardrobe change before Miranda saw her. She knew the woman would have questions, and she couldn't avoid anything verbalized. She cursed Cruella and her own sentimental feelings, as she skipped the line and handed her favorite barista a $20 and took the tray of coffee. He smiled at her, and she rushed out of the shop and impatiently waited for an opportunity to cross the street. She didn't notice the Mercedes pull up, nor did she see Miranda watching her and taking in her outfit with the smallest hint of a frown.
She made it to the office just minutes before Miranda, breathing a sigh of relief. She sat Miranda's coffee on her desk, and quickly sat back down, hoping that Miranda would not pay too much attention to her outfit. When Miranda made her way up to the office, she tossed her coat and bag on her desk as usual, breezing past as if nothing was amiss. Emily glared at her, but went back to work as Andy sighed quietly. She knew with Miranda in, she wouldn't be able to make her lunch with Cruella and so she reluctantly sent her a quick message to inform her she had a work emergency and wouldn't be able to make it. When she got no response, she idly wondered if Cruella had forgotten to charge her phone, as usual. To be safe, she also texted Horace who was definitely the more kind of Cruella's two... assistants.
Once the flow of work began in earnest, Andy lost track of time and had just finished up the budget when the elevators signaled someone was about to arrive. Her and Emily looked up, first at each other then to the doors that were just opening. Cruella stood inside, in all her chaotic glory and for a second Andy forgot how to breathe because she wore the tightest dress Andy had ever seen her in and she felt her jaw drop slightly as her eyes scanned her slender yet surprisingly curvaceous body. Her usual fur coat was hanging off one hand over her shoulder, and her dark eyes sparkled with mischief as she entered the office.
"Cruella? What are you doing here," Andy hisses lowly, hoping Miranda hadn't heard, "I told you I had to work."
"Nonsense," Cruella waved her off, "I will handle this matter myself."
"What-"
"Don't you worry, Andy, Darling," Cruella gave her a loving glance, "I've changed our reservations to 4. Now, I'm assuming Miranda is in?"
"She is," Emily finally found her voice, "but you can't go in. She gave strict instructions not to be disturbed."
Cruella ignored Emily entirely, making her way towards Miranda's office. When the Brit tried to stop her, Cruella sent her a look that even made Emily shrink back in fear. Andy watched helplessly as her ex strutted into her boss's office, and declared her arrival as if it was perfectly normal.
"Miranda, Darling, how very good to see you," Cruella's loud, raspy announcement was punctuated by the door closing and Andy sank further into her chair as she watched the door carefully.
Emily looked at her with a glare so fierce she was almost afraid, but her nerves were too focused on the war no doubt going on behind those doors. She briefly considered having 911 on standby, because this was clearly going to be a bloodbath. The minutes ticked by, and Andy was glad she'd finished all her work before Cruella arrived because nothing would get done now.
"What on Earth have you done," Emily hisses at her, her tone accusing.
"Nothing," Andy insisted, "it's Cruella. She's going to do what she wants, regardless of what anyone tells her, even me!"
"How do you even know-"
The door suddenly opened, and both of their eyes snapped to it, to see a very smug Cruella emerge from within it. Andy got a bad feeling about the look on her face.
"Andrea," Miranda's voice called out to her, and Andy's heart began racing as she jumped up and made her way to the office.
"Yes Miranda," she asked quietly, as Cruella entertained herself with no doubt tormenting Emily who seemed terrified of her.
"It's come to my attention that you have an... arrangement, with Cruella," Miranda was watching her with an appraising look, her eyes a little distracted.
"Arrangement," Andy frowned, "I don't understand…"
"I've been informed that we are to...share you," Miranda looked amused now, and the smirk forming on her lips spelled trouble for Andy.
"Oh my God she didn't say that," Andy felt mortified at the announcement.
"It's really quite an ingenious plan, truly," Miranda said casually, "I, myself, have been struggling with broaching the topic. You understand that these matters are not my strong point. I was also under the impression you had a live-in partner, to speak nothing of my soon to be ex husband."
The last part was spoken with thinly disguised contempt. Andy sat heavily in the chair in front of Miranda's desk, trying to process what was happening...what Miranda was implying. Was this a joke?
"Miranda, are you serious," Andy was hesitant to even ask, afraid that this was some weird fever dream.
"Quite," Miranda seemed to revert back to her normal self, "obviously nothing can happen while I am still legally married. That's only a small inconvenience, however. I have a private investigator who has uncovered Stephan's infidelity and it should be a quiet divorce if he knows what is good for him."
It occurred to Andy that Cruella and Miranda had both taken it upon themselves to make this huge decision without even asking if this is what she wanted. She was already in a relationship, but of course the two women, being who they were, thought that they only needed each other's approval for this ridiculous plan. Anger boiled in Andy's blood.
"I guess neither one of you decided to ask me how I felt about any of this," Andy said lowly, refusing to meet Miranda's eyes, "no one cares if this is what I want?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Miranda rolled her eyes, "I haven't changed anything about your arrangement. I understand that you have an established relationship, and we've already come up with terms that will prevent conflict in the future. We've covered everything, Andrea. No need to worry."
"Except I don't even know the details of this deal," Andy finally exploded, her voice raised just slightly from the stress, "I have a boyfriend, and Cruella being delusional enough to think that not giving me a choice in being with her is one thing, I expect that from her, but you? I thought you'd have more decency to at least ask me if I was even interested in you or how I felt about all of this. Instead you and Cruella negotiated who got what with me like I'm some vacation property you're trying to win in a divorce! That isn't how real life works Miranda. I'm a person with feelings, and at the moment, my feelings for both of you are not very pleasant."
Andy turned, ignoring Miranda's attempt to stop her. She snatched her bag from her desk, glaring at Cruella to fight back the tears and took the elevator before anyone could stop her. Her hands trembled as she pressed the button for the lobby, and anxiety twisted in her stomach as she wondered where she could go. Going home meant facing Nate, which was the last thing on her mind. Lilly had work today, but Doug might be free…
She called him, explaining that she just needed a place to lay low and he immediately offered her his spare bedroom. She thanked him, caught a cab and gave his address.
#############
"So let me make sure I understand the situation," Doug handed Andy a mug of tea, "Cruella is back in your life, and she's got it in her head that you're getting back together despite the fact that you're still technically with Nate, and now she's also convinced Miranda Priestly, your boss, that you have feelings for her and that you've made arrangements with Cruella to share yourself with both of them so you can be happy. Except, neither of them even bothered to ask you how you felt about any of it and they don't see why that's a problem."
Andy huffed, "when you say it like that it sounds even worse."
"Sweetie," Doug grins a little, "only you could manage to get yourself into such a mess."
"I don't know what to do," Andy groans, sitting her head on the counter.
"Well, let's start easy," Doug sits next to her, "do you want to be with Nate?"
Andy sighed heavily, lifting her head to take a healthy drink of tea, "if I'm honest? Not really. He's becoming someone I don't even recognize. He didn't even come home last night! He wants me to be this timid, passive woman and I'm just not that."
"Ok so tell him that," Doug points out, "before things get even more messy and complicated. That doesn't mean you have to be with Cruella and Miranda, or Cruella or Miranda. There's nothing wrong with being single."
"I guess," Andy sighed, "I just don't know how to fix this problem. I work for Miranda, and Cruella has no sense of personal boundaries."
"Well," Doug stirred his tea as he thought, "maybe hear them out?"
"What," Andy looked at him like he was crazy.
"Hold on, just listen," he raised his hands in defense, "you were madly in love with Cruella. She swept you off your feet and anyone with eyes could see how much she adored you. You broke up with her -for a valid reason- but for her it was never over. She's been living life assuming you would come back. She's even willing to accommodate your newfound feelings for Miranda. I did a little digging when you were on your way here, and the rumor mill seems to think that Miranda and Cruella were...close back in the day. That would explain why they seem to be willing to share the person they both clearly care a great deal about."
Andy let his words sink in, her finger tracing around the rim of her mug. Miranda and Cruella? The thought was odd to her, but the more she thought about it, it made sense. Cruella was the only person she'd ever seen treat Miranda like she was a normal person. Barging into her office, laying down rules and walking out unscathed was a rarity. And then Miranda, who just... accepted it. Not to mention... Andy's eyes widened when she realized Miranda had willingly alluded to having feelings for her. Feelings strong enough to end a marriage. Feelings strong enough to...share her. The thought left a bad taste in her mouth and she admitted privately that she was a little charmed at Cruella's behavior, knowing how illogical and yet calculated her mind worked. She expected this from Cruella, but Miranda had been so frank about it, and it left an altogether different feeling settled heavily in her stomach. She felt like a possession to Miranda, an accessory or something she desired but wanted only because she didn't have.
"I know Cruella loves me," Andy admitted, "she's only doing this because of these feelings she thinks I have for Miranda."
"She thinks you have," Doug raised an eyebrow, "or you do have?"
Andy bit her lip, looking down as she shook her head, "Even if I did have feelings for Miranda, I love Cruella. If I was going to be with anyone it should be her."
"Why are you still trying to choose, when they've made it clear that you don't have to?"
Andy didn't have an answer, beyond the fear that Miranda just saw her as something to have, a conquest or a challenge. The only person with the answers to Andy's burning questions was also the one person she didn't want to see right now. Andy groaned, returning her head to the counter with a deep sigh.