Captcha Drabbles

Chapter 1: whether glossies

Chapter Summary

Chapter Notes

“You misunderstand me,” she says, her hand braced against your desk like she might slam it down again, hard enough to make your teeth rattle. In the photographs she’s all home-grown American blonde, dimples and ample curves, all white teeth and wavy bobbed hair, looking like she’s dressed up for some kind of sword and sandal skin flick. In person, the little lady is butch, with a little stab of an accent like somebody’s feral Swedish au pair. You can’t quite place it. “I’m not a model, Mr. Jones. I’m capable of managing my image without resorting to publicity stunts.”

Chapter 2: vamooses prominent

Chapter Summary

Chapter Notes

“I mean, I think we can all appreciate such a big name coming out, especially in business, but…”

“… holing himself up in an office building somewhere, it’s not a positive template …”

Sinful, I mean, we all knew–

“For God’s sake, he didn’t mean to go public, one of our contacts…”

Sex scandal rocks New York City today as prominent…

“… should be focusing on the part of the sex workers in all of this … "

“My girlfriend used to fantasize about him you know, the big faggot–”

Adrian has retreated to Karnak like an animal going to ground; he watches the screens.

Chapter 3: office contests

Chapter Summary

(Under 100 words. Oops.)

Chapter Notes

“Valentine’s Day would be inappropriate. It might encourage workplace sexual harrassment.”
“Well, there’s Thanksgiving.”
Veidt sighed. “American imperialism.”
“… Christmas?”
“What?”
“New Year’s Eve?”
“That sounds more universally appropriate. Prizes for the best decorations.”

Chapter 4: vagueness ciders

Chapter Summary

(Eric is Adrian’s “suspiciously beautiful” personal assistant from one of the earlier Hayter scripts. He doesn’t get nearly enough love. Oh, and Adrian murders him at the end too.)

Chapter Notes

“Eric…” Adrian sounds strained, slightly pathetic. It gives him pause on his way to put the phone down. “I would appreciate the company.”

Two hours later he is being flown somewhere he doesn’t know the name of (and good thing, too) and Veidt is plying him with Austrian Most. They both look more or less like hell– as Mr. Veidt’s personal assistant Eric knows better than anyone that the playboy act is only a few millimeters deep, and easy as everything seems to come to him, the man just never stops– but Adrian is smiling and laughing, leaning on him.

“So what’s the occasion?”

Mr. Veidt smiles and it highlights the fresh creases in his face.

“I missed you.”