title: you make my frown turn upside down
author: janine
fandom: persons unknown
pairing: moira/tori
rating: pg
disclaimer: I don’t own them.
summary: Tori and Moira hang out one night in Tori’s room. Takes place post 1x02.
---
Tori sighed softly, content for the first time since she had woken up in the strange hotel room, and shifted onto her side, drawing her knees up so that she was curled in a loose fetal position as she listened to Moira speak. The brunette was in her crazy-house PJ’s and housecoat again, her short dark hair in a state of mild disarray as it had been the first time they had met. Tori had thought Moira looked like a hot mess back then, and honestly, the woman still did. But, they had grown closer over the past few days and consequently Tori had come to view Moira’s dishevelled look with a sort of affection.
“How do you know so much?” Tori asked softly as Moira paused to draw a breath.
“I told you, I like to read about different things,” Moira replied, her eyes drifting away from Tori’s self-consciously as she spoke.
“Lots of people like to read and they still don’t know shit,” Tori said, eyes still focused on Moira even though the other woman was intent not to look at her.
“I guess I just have a good memory,” Moira murmured uneasily, glancing at Tori quickly before looking away once more.
“You shouldn’t be so humble all the time,” Tori said as she turned onto her back so that she was staring up at the ceiling instead of the woman beside her. “You’re really smart. Own it. It’s something to be proud of. ”
“I guess,” Moira hedged, finally turning her head to look at Tori for a sustained period of time. “It’s just,” Moira’s dark eyes held the blue of Tori’s, but the woman stopped speaking and Tori inched closer to her on the bed so that she could reach out and place her hand on Moira’s arm.
“What?” Tori asked softly while drawing her hand soothingly down Moira’s arm. “You can tell me,” she continued gently, allowing a playful smile to touch her lips a moment later as she added, “I already know your secret.”
Moira’s lips turned up in slight smile, and Tori’s smile widened at the sight of it.
“It’s just that ... I don’t know, I guess being smart has gotten me into trouble more often than not, “ Moira began dropping her eyes away protectively as she spoke. “I told you about my ‘truth issues’.”
Tori nodded encouragingly but didn’t say anything. She’d been a bit upset when she realized that Moira had been lying to her about being a psychiatrist, but she knew that she herself hadn’t been completely honest with Moira – or any of the others for that matter – and she was sure that the others in their group were keeping secrets too.
“Well,” Moira continued, “when you’re not just pretending to know something, but actually do know it, it makes it a lot easier to fool people into believing you, and a lie can go on for a lot longer. It ... well, it took a long time for me to get found out, and that meant that it took a long time for me to get the help I needed because no one knew I needed it ... including me,” Moira finished, still avoiding Tori’s eyes.
“That sucks,” Tori sighed, squeezing Moira’s arm supportively. “But at least there was someone in your life who cared enough to help you.”
Moira’s eyes drifted up at that and she stared at Tori for a moment before inclining her head to acknowledge the statement.
“I’m sure your father ...” Moira started to stay, still watching Tori intently.
“As far as my father’s concerned I’m a disappointment and an embarrassment,” Tori interjected before Moira could continue. “He’s stranded me here to get rid of me, and if he could find a more permanent way to get me out of his life without causing a scandal, I know he wouldn’t hesitate to do it.”
“Your father might be a powerful man, but if that’s what he thinks ... if that’s how he feels then he’s an asshole and an idiot,” Moira whispered fiercely, brown eyes burning with conviction as she spoke. “You’re a wonderful person, and if he can’t see that it’s his loss.”
Tori remained silent for a few seconds, and then almost reluctantly her lips curved up in small smile.
“You really think so?” Tori asked softly, a vulnerability showing in her voice that Moira had not previously heard from the lovely, statuesque blonde.
“Yeah,” Moira whispered holding Tori’s eyes, her own lips turning up in a shy smile. “I do.”
“Thanks,” Tori breathed out. Her long blonde eyelashes fluttered timidly for a moment, and then she inched closer to Moira, and then a little closer until she could feel Moira’s breath on her face. “That means a lot to me,” Tori exhaled watching Moira closely.
The blonde was still for a moment as they looked at each other, and then Tori leaned forward and pressed her lips to Moira’s. When Tori pulled back from Moira’s lips the brunette’s eyes were closed and the blonde’s smile widened for a fraction of a second until Moira’s eyes started to flutter open.
“W-why did you do that?” Moira asked shakily.
“Did I upset you?” Tori asked avoiding answering the question because her motivation for kissing the other woman was a bit murky, even to her.
“No,” Moira said quickly, “It’s just ... I suppose most people would have gone for a hug.”
“I’m not most people,” Tori said smiling winsomely. “I’m a beautiful, unique snowflake.”
“A snowflake that ... kissed me,” Moira whispered still sounding bewildered.
She was not the type of woman who was used to being spontaneously kissed, or kissed at all, let alone by people as unquestionable gorgeous as Tori.
“A snowflake that kissed you,” Tori repeated holding Moira’s gaze steadily, not a hint of regret or unease in her voice.
Moira blushed and Tori smiled, then laughed airily for a second before rolling onto her back and stretching, pointing her toes towards the dresser beyond the bed like a ballerina.
“Tell me more,” Tori requested angling her head towards Moira.
“About what?” Moira asked softly, gazing tenderly at Tori.
“Anything,” Tori murmured. “There’s a lot I don’t know about, and I like the sound of your voice.”
Moira beamed at her, and the brunette’s cheeks flushed red again before she lay back on the mattress and looked up at the ceiling, matching Tori’s position.
“Well,” Moira began thoughtfully, her voice hitching momentarily when Tori reached over and took her hand in hers, “Did you know that false eyelashes were first invented by the film producer D.W. Griffith? He wanted to enhance one of his actress’s eyes in a film he was producing in 1916.”
“What were they made of?” Tori asked curiously, stroking the back of Moira’s hand with her thumb.
“Human hair,” Moira responded smiling.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Ew,” Tori declared making a face, which made Moira laugh.
"It’s quite interesting really,” Moira went on as her laughter faded. “He wanted the actress who was playing Attarea to have lashes so luxurious they would brush her cheeks when she blinked, so he had a wigmaker weave human hair through a fine strip of gauze to ...”
Tori closed her eyes and allowed Moira’s voice to wash over her, a gentle smile playing at her lips as she did.
Tori didn’t particularly like being stuck in the freaky ass town where they found themselves. She didn’t particularly like eating Chinese food at the same restaurant three times a day, or showering with generic soap. But, if she had to be stuck there she was glad she had Moira to make what should have been an intolerable situation, infinitely more tolerable.
The End
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no subject
Date: 2010-06-26 09:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 05:01 pm (UTC)I'm really, really hoping this would. There wasn't much Moira/Tori in episode 3, but it seemed to me that Tori kind of implied she played for the home team right before she handed that used car salesman his ass. If that's what she was getting at, it is a promising development!
no subject
Date: 2010-06-26 09:24 pm (UTC)I watched the first two episodes, and it's interesting. I really like Moira and Tori.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 05:02 pm (UTC)I really like Moira and Tori.
These two (and the soldier) are my main draw right now. Too bad there wasn't more Tori/Moira in episode 3, I really needed their cuteness to counteract the suck that is Janet.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 08:02 pm (UTC)I know, right? I disliked her from the very start. Her and Joe, really. Even though with Joe it is that I simply do not trust him all that much.
Must be that he's oh so very secretive.
But Tori/Moira are definitely cute. :D (and the best part of the show so far.)
no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 05:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 09:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 05:04 pm (UTC)Innocently sweet/sexy interactions warm my heart and these two are so good at it :D
no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 09:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 05:06 pm (UTC)*sigh* The downfall of getting hooked on new (summer) programming. Fandom takes so long to grow, if it does at all :(
I'm glad to have found others that are digging the show (and this pairing) though, and I'm thrilled that you liked the story :D
no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 12:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 05:08 pm (UTC)I know! I was so disappointed by the lack of Tori/Moira interactions this episode, though I did notice/like Tori sticking up for Moira when Janet was being a bitch (which is to say Janet was existing *sigh*)
One positive is that Tori seemed to imply that she played for the home team right before she handed that used car salesman his ass, and if that's the case it could be a promising development for future Moira/Tori loving.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-27 05:34 pm (UTC)I just wish I liked more of the characters - Moira, Tori and army guy are the only ones I can stand.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-28 02:27 pm (UTC)