FIC: Pretty Is As Pretty Does
Oct. 23rd, 2011 01:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zaubraFandom: UK Politics
Title: Pretty Is As Pretty Does
Ship(s): Andy Burnham/Professor Brian Cox
Word Count: 393
Rating: PG
Summary: Andy Burnham and Professor Brian Cox meet at a party, and compare notes on prettiness. For this prompt at the meme.
Disclaimer: This is a creative work of fiction, composed of fictional characters inspired by the public personas of living people. No injury or disrespect is intended to the persons named. If you've found this by googling yourself or someone you know, stop playing on the Internet and go run the country.
Pretty Is As Pretty Does
“Does being pretty ever bother you?” Andy asks.
The question hangs in the air, as the bustle and laughter of the party sways around them. The professor’s – Brian’s – eyebrows climb, making him look almost elfin. Andy can hear the chatter around him, the rise and fall of society voices, but all that matters at the moment is the slow smile beginning to spread across Brian’s face.
(In retrospect, perhaps Andy shouldn’t have had quite so much of the hostess’s excellent wine.)
“No, I can’t say that it does,” Brian says.
Andy gestures with the hand not holding his glass. “But it makes it so hard for people to take you seriously.”
Brian tilts his head. “Perhaps for a moment, but I find a comment about theoretical physics tends to make people take me seriously.”
“If I never get asked another question about my bloody eyelashes, it will be too soon,” Andy mutters under his breath.
It’s simply not fair. Not fair that he’s pretty, not fair that it means nobody will ever think of him as leadership material, not fair that he has to answer all the questions about makeup eighty-million times. Not fair that this very pretty physicist can just open his mouth and talk about physics and everyone forgets how pretty he is and just listens to him.
(At this point Andy gets distracted by Brian’s mouth again.)
Brian’s eyes are laughing at him. “There are advantages to being pretty, of course.”
“Name one,” Andy says darkly.
“That if you’re pretty, people will want to kiss you,” Brian says, and suddenly he seems to be very close.
(Andy swallows.)
“And if you’re pretty,” Brian says, and the curve of his mouth looks almost predatory, “people will let you kiss them.”
For a moment, Andy thinks Brian is going to, right here in the middle of a party, with people all around, in the midst of the chatter and laughter.
(For a moment, Andy thinks he will let him.)
And then Brian is reaching out and taking Andy’s wineglass, setting it down on a nearby table, and Andy is letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
“I think,” Brian says, “that I must go and find the loo.”
Andy nods, throat dry, and Brian smiles at him, eyebrow quirked, full of promise.
(Andy gives him a three-minute head start.)
~//~
Title: Pretty Is As Pretty Does
Ship(s): Andy Burnham/Professor Brian Cox
Word Count: 393
Rating: PG
Summary: Andy Burnham and Professor Brian Cox meet at a party, and compare notes on prettiness. For this prompt at the meme.
Disclaimer: This is a creative work of fiction, composed of fictional characters inspired by the public personas of living people. No injury or disrespect is intended to the persons named. If you've found this by googling yourself or someone you know, stop playing on the Internet and go run the country.
Pretty Is As Pretty Does
“Does being pretty ever bother you?” Andy asks.
The question hangs in the air, as the bustle and laughter of the party sways around them. The professor’s – Brian’s – eyebrows climb, making him look almost elfin. Andy can hear the chatter around him, the rise and fall of society voices, but all that matters at the moment is the slow smile beginning to spread across Brian’s face.
(In retrospect, perhaps Andy shouldn’t have had quite so much of the hostess’s excellent wine.)
“No, I can’t say that it does,” Brian says.
Andy gestures with the hand not holding his glass. “But it makes it so hard for people to take you seriously.”
Brian tilts his head. “Perhaps for a moment, but I find a comment about theoretical physics tends to make people take me seriously.”
“If I never get asked another question about my bloody eyelashes, it will be too soon,” Andy mutters under his breath.
It’s simply not fair. Not fair that he’s pretty, not fair that it means nobody will ever think of him as leadership material, not fair that he has to answer all the questions about makeup eighty-million times. Not fair that this very pretty physicist can just open his mouth and talk about physics and everyone forgets how pretty he is and just listens to him.
(At this point Andy gets distracted by Brian’s mouth again.)
Brian’s eyes are laughing at him. “There are advantages to being pretty, of course.”
“Name one,” Andy says darkly.
“That if you’re pretty, people will want to kiss you,” Brian says, and suddenly he seems to be very close.
(Andy swallows.)
“And if you’re pretty,” Brian says, and the curve of his mouth looks almost predatory, “people will let you kiss them.”
For a moment, Andy thinks Brian is going to, right here in the middle of a party, with people all around, in the midst of the chatter and laughter.
(For a moment, Andy thinks he will let him.)
And then Brian is reaching out and taking Andy’s wineglass, setting it down on a nearby table, and Andy is letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
“I think,” Brian says, “that I must go and find the loo.”
Andy nods, throat dry, and Brian smiles at him, eyebrow quirked, full of promise.
(Andy gives him a three-minute head start.)
~//~
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Date: 2011-10-23 01:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-23 02:48 pm (UTC)