The Price Of A Coat - Cruella DeVil (101 Dalmatians)

Summary: When Cruella loses Anita as a designer, she turns her sights to you, a skilled designer of another fashion house in London. And she’ll do anything to get you to leave your current employer.

Word Count: 1,592

Warnings: Suggestive, a bit of sexual tension, angst if you squint

You’d been working for your current fashion house for years now. You’d always considered yourself lucky to have gotten a job there, and now the brand was becoming one of the most successful in London. And your work for them hadn’t gone unnoticed. In fact, just recently, your designs caught the eye of the infamous Cruella DeVil.

You were sketching away as you typically did after grabbing yourself a cup of coffee, when a soft knock fell on your office door. It was one of the secretaries and it wasn’t often anyone bothered to summon you, so you were a bit surprised. Even more so when this secretary seemed frightened. “I, um, someone to see you,” she stuttered.

“Well send them in,” you said, but by the time you got the words out, your visitor had already made her way into the room.

She walked right up to you, and the secretary quickly shut the door behind her, excusing herself and leaving the two of you alone. “Cruella DeVil,” the woman introduced, offering you her hand, clad in a black leather glove. You knew who she was, of course. There wasn’t a single person in the fashion industry of London who didn’t know Cruella, but you never dreamed that you’d meet her in person.

You took her hand and she gave you a firm yet gentle shake. “I’ve seen your work,” she said as she released your hand. “And as I’ve recently lost one of my best designers, I’m in the market for another. You, specifically.”

“I’m flattered, Miss DeVil, but I can’t leave my fashion house. Loyalty, you see. I was with them when they started and I couldn’t bear to leave them now.”

“Ah, yes, loyalty is a tricky thing, isn’t it? How about I make you a deal? One fur coat. Design and make me one fur coat unlike any other, while you think about my job offer and if, upon completion of the coat, you still don’t wish to join the House of DeVil, then I shall leave you be. Agreed?”

It seemed a reasonable enough offer. One project aside from your usual work wasn’t asking too much, you supposed. Besides, it wasn’t often that you got to work with fur, faux or otherwise. It might be a nice change for you creatively speaking. “I accept,” you replied after having thought it over for a moment. “I’ll make your coat and consider your offer in the meantime.”

“Do stop by with it once you’re finished. I’d like to see the design before you have it made.”

“Of course,” you agreed. “Until then, Miss DeVil.”

“Please, call me Cruella.”

You had no intention of accepting Cruella’s job offer in the end. You simply couldn’t betray your current employer. They’d taken a chance on you at a time when no one else would and for that you swore to remain eternally grateful. So far, you had, without a second thought.

Designing Cruella’s coat in your free time, however, did give you much to think about. You considered it all fantasy though, a what if type of scenario. You wouldn’t seriously think of leaving. You couldn’t, could you? No, certainly not, but something about working for Cruella had started to tempt you, just a little.

When you finally seemed pleased with your design, you took it to the House of DeVil. You felt your heart hammer in your chest as you came up to the place. You assumed it was just the nerves of wondering whether or not Cruella would be satisfied with what you’d come up with. You’d felt things like this before when you tried out bold new designs, so why should this time be any different?

But there was a difference, and it was not at all what you expected. Sure, you wanted your design to please her, who in their right mind wouldn’t want to design a piece for a fashion icon such as herself? Though, as you were let into her office by Alonzo, you found that it wasn’t simply your design that you wanted to impress her with, but rather you wanted her to be impressed with you. As a designer, sure, but more so as a person.

“Ah, darling, you’ve arrived with the design for my coat at last,” she said, red painted lips curled up in a genuine smile as she sat at her desk, cigarette holder in hand. You smiled back, and that hammering in your chest became louder still and more erratic. “Have you given any more thought to the job offer?”

“I have,” you admitted. You’d thought it over more than you planned to, really. So much so that it was starting to sound better by the day, but you weren’t quite ready to give her hope of swaying you yet. “I remain undecided, but should you like the design, I’ll have an answer for you when I bring the finished product.”

She sighed, frustrated that you were playing so hard to get, but she was still confident that she’d steal you away in the end, one way or another. “Very well,” Cruella said, getting up from her chair and walking around her desk to view the design you’d brought her. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

You took the drawing from your portfolio and laid it on the desk. Cruella stopped next to you to view it over your shoulder right shoulder. Tapping off her cigarette far away from your papers, you waited with anticipation for her reaction. “It’s gorgeous. Simply stunning,” she enthused. She leaned forward to inspect it closer, and her body was now partially pressed up against yours, her left hand finding your hip as if to keep her steady as she leant over the picture before her. You were certain that she could feel your heartbeat racing, but if she did, she said nothing of it.

“It’s perfect,” she concluded. “Do get on with making it. I cannot wait to view your final product.” She backed away from you at once, and you released a breath that you’d unwittingly been holding in.

“Thank you. I’ll get right on it. I’ve taken leave this week to devote my time to it. Shall I see you Friday?”

Cruella hummed in delight. “Friday would be marvelous. I’ll see you then, my dear.”

“Goodbye, Cruella,” you said, a shiver running through you as you used her name for the first time. How curious, you thought, as Alonzo showed you out.

Days and nights blurred together until Friday morning finally came. You checked over your stitches and hems, making sure the coat was without flaw before you put it in a garment bag and headed for the House of DeVil. You adjusted your own outfit before walking into her office, suddenly fretting about making a good appearance. There was nothing wrong with what you were wearing, but suddenly you felt self conscious for the outfit you’d decided on. Perhaps the skirt was too short after all. But it was too late to change it now.

“My coat,” Cruella greeted you, a look of pure joy on her face. She did love her fur, of that there was no doubt. “And my favorite designer. I hope to hear your answer about working for me today. But first, the coat. Alonzo, leave us.” Alonzo bowed out of the room, leaving you with Cruella. She wasted no time in unzipping the garment bag and revealing the finished fur coat you’d made her. It wasn’t often you got to complete a project solely with your own two hands anymore and you felt it was quite the accomplishment.

Cruella slipped the coat on as you held the hanger. “I adore it,” she said, running her hands over the soft fur. As soon as she stopped admiring the coat, her eyes landed on you. Raising a hand to your chin, her red painted nails briefly traced your jawline, “and I adore you for making such a creation.” You swore your heart skipped a beat at her words, and her touch.

Her hand dropped from your face and you once again, released a pent up breath. Did you always stop breathing when she was so close? “Now, my darling, have you reached a decision? I promise you won’t regret it if you say yes.”

“I—” you stopped yourself. No, you couldn’t. This project had been fun, thrilling even you dare say, but one project was nothing to trade an entire career for. You’d made a name for yourself at your current fashion house. Did that really mean so little to you? “I can’t,” you finally breathed out, deciding to stand your ground.

“Are you certain? Surely there’s something I could give you that your current employer cannot.” There was, but you couldn’t say it, you could hardly believe you were thinking it. The impropriety of it all. You felt your cheeks burn with some mixture of shame and embarrassment. Cruella only grinned, as if she were able to read your mind.

“What if I were to make you my personal designer? You create solely for me, not the House of DeVil, just me. That would grant you certain privileges that no one else could come close to. Would you like that? Unrestricted access to me personally?” She paused for a moment, but you refused to meet her eyes. “Look at me, darling,” Cruella cooed, placing a finger under your chin once more. “Think of the possibilities.”

“Yes,” you said, your voice unsteady.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Cruella, I accept.”

Cruella DeVil (101 Dalmatians):@adelleoliviadewittwilliams