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toxic_cornSeries: Claudia Kishi: Pirate's Queen
Title: Chapter Four
Authors: toxic_corn and nutmeg610
Fandom: Dodgeball/Baby-Sitter's Club crossover (yes, really)
Disclaimer: Claudia belongs to Ann M. Martin and Scholastic books, and Steve belongs to Rawson Marshall Thurber and 20th Century Fox.
Rating: R/NC-17ish
Summary: Claudia's trying to get by, working at an art gallery until she gets discovered. Little does she know that the strange wanna-be pirate she meets in Central Park can offer her more than she ever imagined possible.
Author's Note: Most likely the last in the crack series, which includes Your Boyfriend Snorts Cocaine, Mary Anne, Wanna Get It On, Dawn?, Kristy and the Doctor, and Stacey Loves the Invisible Man.
Round-up Post
Chapter Four
“Good luck at your meeting! They’re gonna love what you did! :)”
- supportive sticky-note left on the fridge for Claudia Kishi from Stacey McGill
After three weeks of designing and re-designing, Claudia had a few samples that she felt she’d be comfortable and proud to share with Peter LeFleur. She’d called him seconds after the last pencil mark and he suggested they have a meeting with some of the other Joe’s Gym managers so they could give some input on the final design. They agreed on a date a week in the future and Claudia had spent every second since going over her designs repeatedly, picking and re-picking her outfit, and just worrying herself nearly sick.
Finally, the day came and Claudia walked to Average Joe’s in a daze, unable to believe that the day had finally come. She checked her portfolio one more time to make sure she had all her sketches, the colored versions, and the invoice Stacey had calculated for her. Everything was there, neatly tucked away. Not only was she organized, she also looked professional in her pinstriped suit, high heeled boots, and her hair in a neat chignon. Not her normal style, but this was an important meeting. She couldn’t show up in one of her “loud, obnoxious” outfits as Claude described them.
Asshole.
She made it to Joe’s five minutes early and was greeted by Peter and Steve, who led her back into Steve’s office. A round man with glasses sat there already, next to an Ichabod Crane look alike and a black man who was rolling his eyes at something Ichabod said. All three jumped up when they walked in.
“Hi there, I’m Gordon,” the round man said, reaching out a hand to shake Claudia’s. “You must be Claudia Kishi, the designer?”
“Yes, that’s me. Hi.” Claudia smiled; he reminded her of the stapler guy from Office Space.
“And this is Owen and Dwight,” Gordon pointed to Ichabod and the man who still looked annoyed.
“Hello,” Claudia said, politely.
Peter clapped his hands together. “All right, we’re all introduced, how ‘bout we sit down and take a look at these designs?”
It was a little cramped in the office but chairs had been brought in earlier and they all sat down. Claudia pulled the designs out of her portfolio and passed them around. None of the guys had a good poker face and her nerves settled after hearing the positive murmurings going on around the room.
“These are great,” Owen said, finally. “But… see, I have a problem.”
“What is it?” Dwight asked, testily.
“It’s just… these are so small. No one’s going to see them on the door.”
Dwight face palmed while everyone else just barely managed to not roll their eyes.
“No, no, Owen,” Gordon said with an air like he was used to having to explain things to Owen, “These are just samples. Once we decide on one design, we’ll have it made larger to go on the door.”
“Ohhh, okay.” Owen nodded. “I like all of them, but this one’s the best.” He pointed to the design Claudia had done of three men of various sizes high fiveing with a dodge ball soaring out of the picture, AVERAGE JOE’S printed on the front.
Peter nodded. “Yeah, that is definitely our design. Great work, Claudia.”
Claudia grinned and then the topic shifted to how much she was to be paid and she showed them Stacey’s invoice. To her surprise and pleasure, Peter snorted at the amount and made it ten percent higher. All the guys expressed interest in her work, so she mentioned her art show and passed around some cards Kara had had made up for her. Even though Steve had been quiet throughout the meeting, she still winced a little once he got one in his hands. The last thing she needed on her big night was to have him embarrass her in front of all her art friends, especially Bertram Cadence, who she planned to ask out at the end of the night.
“Well, good meeting everybody,” Peter said, getting up. Everyone else took that as their signal to stand up, too and they all looked at Claudia. “We still have a bit of Gym business to talk about, but don‘t have to stay for that, Claudia. Maybe you can start planning how you’re gonna celebrate?”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks so much, all of you.” Claudia gathered her things together, practically beaming.
“We’ll let you know when we start using your logo,” Peter said, walking her to the door. “Thanks for everything.”
“Oh, you’re welcome. Bye, Mr. LeFleur.”
“Peter. Bye, Claudia.”
The door closed and Claudia took a moment to squee excitedly to herself. Her first major job! Sure she’d designed the logo for The Babysitter’s Club back in seventh grade, but that had been a local thing; more than 13,000 people were going to see her Joe’s Gym design.
“Claudia?” The door opened again and Steve stepped out of the office, grinning. Just like that, she felt like she’d been doused with a bucket full of ice-cold water. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” She gave him a tiny smile. He was dressed in a business suit, which made it easier to talk to him.
“Maybe if ye weren’t busy or nothin,’ we could go have a congratulatory drink, my treat?”
Okay, on second thought, the pirate thing was even more disconcerting when he was dressed like a normal person. Her smile faded. “Oh, I kind of have plans with my roomie tonight.”
His smile faded too. “It wouldn’t be all night, just fifteen minutes.”
“It’s- I actually have to rush to meet her now.” Claudia edged toward the door to the outside and safety.
Steve’s face had gone stony, as if he saw right through her lie. “Okay, have fun.”
“Yup, bye.” Claudia scooted out the door and it only took one block to forget about Steve the Weird Ass Pirate and gloat over her newest victory. She couldn’t wait to get home and tell Stacey.
< Chapter Three : Chapter Five >
Title: Chapter Four
Authors: toxic_corn and nutmeg610
Fandom: Dodgeball/Baby-Sitter's Club crossover (yes, really)
Disclaimer: Claudia belongs to Ann M. Martin and Scholastic books, and Steve belongs to Rawson Marshall Thurber and 20th Century Fox.
Rating: R/NC-17ish
Summary: Claudia's trying to get by, working at an art gallery until she gets discovered. Little does she know that the strange wanna-be pirate she meets in Central Park can offer her more than she ever imagined possible.
Author's Note: Most likely the last in the crack series, which includes Your Boyfriend Snorts Cocaine, Mary Anne, Wanna Get It On, Dawn?, Kristy and the Doctor, and Stacey Loves the Invisible Man.
Round-up Post
“Good luck at your meeting! They’re gonna love what you did! :)”
- supportive sticky-note left on the fridge for Claudia Kishi from Stacey McGill
After three weeks of designing and re-designing, Claudia had a few samples that she felt she’d be comfortable and proud to share with Peter LeFleur. She’d called him seconds after the last pencil mark and he suggested they have a meeting with some of the other Joe’s Gym managers so they could give some input on the final design. They agreed on a date a week in the future and Claudia had spent every second since going over her designs repeatedly, picking and re-picking her outfit, and just worrying herself nearly sick.
Finally, the day came and Claudia walked to Average Joe’s in a daze, unable to believe that the day had finally come. She checked her portfolio one more time to make sure she had all her sketches, the colored versions, and the invoice Stacey had calculated for her. Everything was there, neatly tucked away. Not only was she organized, she also looked professional in her pinstriped suit, high heeled boots, and her hair in a neat chignon. Not her normal style, but this was an important meeting. She couldn’t show up in one of her “loud, obnoxious” outfits as Claude described them.
Asshole.
She made it to Joe’s five minutes early and was greeted by Peter and Steve, who led her back into Steve’s office. A round man with glasses sat there already, next to an Ichabod Crane look alike and a black man who was rolling his eyes at something Ichabod said. All three jumped up when they walked in.
“Hi there, I’m Gordon,” the round man said, reaching out a hand to shake Claudia’s. “You must be Claudia Kishi, the designer?”
“Yes, that’s me. Hi.” Claudia smiled; he reminded her of the stapler guy from Office Space.
“And this is Owen and Dwight,” Gordon pointed to Ichabod and the man who still looked annoyed.
“Hello,” Claudia said, politely.
Peter clapped his hands together. “All right, we’re all introduced, how ‘bout we sit down and take a look at these designs?”
It was a little cramped in the office but chairs had been brought in earlier and they all sat down. Claudia pulled the designs out of her portfolio and passed them around. None of the guys had a good poker face and her nerves settled after hearing the positive murmurings going on around the room.
“These are great,” Owen said, finally. “But… see, I have a problem.”
“What is it?” Dwight asked, testily.
“It’s just… these are so small. No one’s going to see them on the door.”
Dwight face palmed while everyone else just barely managed to not roll their eyes.
“No, no, Owen,” Gordon said with an air like he was used to having to explain things to Owen, “These are just samples. Once we decide on one design, we’ll have it made larger to go on the door.”
“Ohhh, okay.” Owen nodded. “I like all of them, but this one’s the best.” He pointed to the design Claudia had done of three men of various sizes high fiveing with a dodge ball soaring out of the picture, AVERAGE JOE’S printed on the front.
Peter nodded. “Yeah, that is definitely our design. Great work, Claudia.”
Claudia grinned and then the topic shifted to how much she was to be paid and she showed them Stacey’s invoice. To her surprise and pleasure, Peter snorted at the amount and made it ten percent higher. All the guys expressed interest in her work, so she mentioned her art show and passed around some cards Kara had had made up for her. Even though Steve had been quiet throughout the meeting, she still winced a little once he got one in his hands. The last thing she needed on her big night was to have him embarrass her in front of all her art friends, especially Bertram Cadence, who she planned to ask out at the end of the night.
“Well, good meeting everybody,” Peter said, getting up. Everyone else took that as their signal to stand up, too and they all looked at Claudia. “We still have a bit of Gym business to talk about, but don‘t have to stay for that, Claudia. Maybe you can start planning how you’re gonna celebrate?”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks so much, all of you.” Claudia gathered her things together, practically beaming.
“We’ll let you know when we start using your logo,” Peter said, walking her to the door. “Thanks for everything.”
“Oh, you’re welcome. Bye, Mr. LeFleur.”
“Peter. Bye, Claudia.”
The door closed and Claudia took a moment to squee excitedly to herself. Her first major job! Sure she’d designed the logo for The Babysitter’s Club back in seventh grade, but that had been a local thing; more than 13,000 people were going to see her Joe’s Gym design.
“Claudia?” The door opened again and Steve stepped out of the office, grinning. Just like that, she felt like she’d been doused with a bucket full of ice-cold water. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” She gave him a tiny smile. He was dressed in a business suit, which made it easier to talk to him.
“Maybe if ye weren’t busy or nothin,’ we could go have a congratulatory drink, my treat?”
Okay, on second thought, the pirate thing was even more disconcerting when he was dressed like a normal person. Her smile faded. “Oh, I kind of have plans with my roomie tonight.”
His smile faded too. “It wouldn’t be all night, just fifteen minutes.”
“It’s- I actually have to rush to meet her now.” Claudia edged toward the door to the outside and safety.
Steve’s face had gone stony, as if he saw right through her lie. “Okay, have fun.”
“Yup, bye.” Claudia scooted out the door and it only took one block to forget about Steve the Weird Ass Pirate and gloat over her newest victory. She couldn’t wait to get home and tell Stacey.
< Chapter Three : Chapter Five >
