Business as Usual (Josef/Beth/Mick; PG-13)
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:49 pm
Characters: Mick / Beth / Josef
Rating: PG-13 for implied sexual content
Spoilers: none
Summary : Naughty idea that came out of nowhere- Josef's business as usual.
First posted: ff.net, today
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, no money is being made and no infringement is intended.
They stepped inside and Mick led Beth to the northern rooms, the colder, shaded part of the villa, where Josef's home office was. They had good news, and Beth had been a large part of that, so he wanted her with him when he told Josef. He entered the room without knocking- prerogative of a 50 year old friendship. Josef looked up sharply, a strange gleam in his eyes. Mick hesitated, instinctively putting out his arms to stop Beth. His nostrils flared and he breathed in deeply.
"What?" Beth asked, almost bumping into him.
Josef looked at Mick, a quizzical smile on his lips, and he cocked his head, raising his eyebrows once, challenging Mick to reply.
"Are we interrupting something?" Mick asked, trying to keep his voice level.
"Not at all," Josef said smoothly, "just business as usual. Do come in."
"Right," Mick muttered, but he lowered his arm and let Beth in. Beth passed him, glancing up at his face briefly, frowning, before turning to Josef.
"Hi. I, eh... I like your place."
"Thanks. So do I." Josef gestured for the both of them to sit down. "What brings you here? If this is a social visit I would have ordered more...drinks." He gave Mick a meaningful look. Beth rolled her eyes. Josef had the annoying habit of always offering Mick freshies in front of her- she suspected he simply delighted in making her uncomfortable. But before she could speak, Mick cut in.
"Actually, no, we're here about the embezzlement case. I know you asked me to look into it, but as it turned out, Beth has connections in the financial department."
"Oh!" Josef had briefly tensed, then schooled his expression into a neutral one, placing his hands flat on his desk. "I mean, really?" he corrected himself. Mick cleared his throat.
Beth frowned. "Yeah...a friend of mine, we went to college together. She let me look into some of the records. Combined with what we found out through Logan--"
"Lo--" Josef repeated, his eyes flashing silver in between blinks, "Logan Griffin, yes, the computer guy, great."
"Are you okay, Josef?" Beth asked. Mick was clenching his jaw, staring hard at his friend.
"I'm fine," Josef said quickly, his hand sliding to the edge of the desk to grip it tightly. "Go on. Do--ah...go on."
Beth shrugged and continued. "Combined with what Logan found out, we matched the sums of money and found out where they were going. Mick made a couple of phone calls, did his P.I. thing, long story short- your architect is ripping you off."
"Mmm..."
"We gave the matter to the police. They arrested her, so it's all taken care of," Mick added. That had been important to Beth, one of the conditions on which she had agreed to get information from her friend. If it was a mortal who was cheating Josef out of money, she wanted mortal justice for them- not the vampire kind. Mick knew the fact that someone was in jail wouldn't stop Josef from having them killed anyway, but he hadn't told Beth that.
"That's good," Josef said absently. "That's so good..."
"We should go," Mick suggested, getting up. Beth looked up at him, irritably. "Not until he says 'thank you'."
"Beth, come on. I'm sure Josef is happy you helped--"
"YES! Yes-- I am," Josef said loudly. "Thank you--Beth. Thank you. Mick." His fangs were flashing between his lips.
Mick closed his hand around Beth's. It was all he could do to keep his inner vampire at bay, her warmth reminding him, grounding him. "Let's go," he whispered, leading her out.
When they were out of earshot- vampire earshot, Beth had made sure to wait until they reached the gates to be sure- she turned to Mick.
"What was all that about?" she asked, her old Buzzwire scandal scoop instincts kicking in.
"Nothing," Mick replied quickly. "Come on, our celebratory dinner waits."
Inside, in Josef's office, Josef extended a hand under his desk, helping up a pretty blonde with smeared lipstick.
Rating: PG-13 for implied sexual content
Spoilers: none
Summary : Naughty idea that came out of nowhere- Josef's business as usual.
First posted: ff.net, today
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, no money is being made and no infringement is intended.
Business as Usual
The sun was setting over the Hollywood Hills as Mick and Beth walked up to Josef's impressive designer villa. Beth was trying hard not to stare at the security on the premises and the cars that stood glittering on the driveway, but Mick could hear her heart hammer in her throat. He smiled. He knew the effect Josef's wealth had on people, but he also felt secure knowing Beth loved him, even if he didn't own half of Los Angeles.They stepped inside and Mick led Beth to the northern rooms, the colder, shaded part of the villa, where Josef's home office was. They had good news, and Beth had been a large part of that, so he wanted her with him when he told Josef. He entered the room without knocking- prerogative of a 50 year old friendship. Josef looked up sharply, a strange gleam in his eyes. Mick hesitated, instinctively putting out his arms to stop Beth. His nostrils flared and he breathed in deeply.
"What?" Beth asked, almost bumping into him.
Josef looked at Mick, a quizzical smile on his lips, and he cocked his head, raising his eyebrows once, challenging Mick to reply.
"Are we interrupting something?" Mick asked, trying to keep his voice level.
"Not at all," Josef said smoothly, "just business as usual. Do come in."
"Right," Mick muttered, but he lowered his arm and let Beth in. Beth passed him, glancing up at his face briefly, frowning, before turning to Josef.
"Hi. I, eh... I like your place."
"Thanks. So do I." Josef gestured for the both of them to sit down. "What brings you here? If this is a social visit I would have ordered more...drinks." He gave Mick a meaningful look. Beth rolled her eyes. Josef had the annoying habit of always offering Mick freshies in front of her- she suspected he simply delighted in making her uncomfortable. But before she could speak, Mick cut in.
"Actually, no, we're here about the embezzlement case. I know you asked me to look into it, but as it turned out, Beth has connections in the financial department."
"Oh!" Josef had briefly tensed, then schooled his expression into a neutral one, placing his hands flat on his desk. "I mean, really?" he corrected himself. Mick cleared his throat.
Beth frowned. "Yeah...a friend of mine, we went to college together. She let me look into some of the records. Combined with what we found out through Logan--"
"Lo--" Josef repeated, his eyes flashing silver in between blinks, "Logan Griffin, yes, the computer guy, great."
"Are you okay, Josef?" Beth asked. Mick was clenching his jaw, staring hard at his friend.
"I'm fine," Josef said quickly, his hand sliding to the edge of the desk to grip it tightly. "Go on. Do--ah...go on."
Beth shrugged and continued. "Combined with what Logan found out, we matched the sums of money and found out where they were going. Mick made a couple of phone calls, did his P.I. thing, long story short- your architect is ripping you off."
"Mmm..."
"We gave the matter to the police. They arrested her, so it's all taken care of," Mick added. That had been important to Beth, one of the conditions on which she had agreed to get information from her friend. If it was a mortal who was cheating Josef out of money, she wanted mortal justice for them- not the vampire kind. Mick knew the fact that someone was in jail wouldn't stop Josef from having them killed anyway, but he hadn't told Beth that.
"That's good," Josef said absently. "That's so good..."
"We should go," Mick suggested, getting up. Beth looked up at him, irritably. "Not until he says 'thank you'."
"Beth, come on. I'm sure Josef is happy you helped--"
"YES! Yes-- I am," Josef said loudly. "Thank you--Beth. Thank you. Mick." His fangs were flashing between his lips.
Mick closed his hand around Beth's. It was all he could do to keep his inner vampire at bay, her warmth reminding him, grounding him. "Let's go," he whispered, leading her out.
When they were out of earshot- vampire earshot, Beth had made sure to wait until they reached the gates to be sure- she turned to Mick.
"What was all that about?" she asked, her old Buzzwire scandal scoop instincts kicking in.
"Nothing," Mick replied quickly. "Come on, our celebratory dinner waits."
Inside, in Josef's office, Josef extended a hand under his desk, helping up a pretty blonde with smeared lipstick.
