Title: Turn

Fandom: Hairspray (2007 movieverse)
Pairing: Maybelle/Velma
Rating: G
Words: 528

Notes: For 10lilies, prompt "unexpected news".

Summary: Following her lead.



Velma Von Tussle’s lips were pursed in that way. That way that barely hid a smirk, or as close as she could get to a genuine smile. That way that managed to accentuate the curve of her mouth, the fullness of her lower lip. That way that meant trouble.

She practically buzzed with self-satisfaction, Maybelle could see it shimmering under her skin. Arrogance and control may have wrestled it back, but Maybelle understood the music, understood the beat, and she could see Velma could just dance with it, could twirl around the studio, could throw her arms out and let go and just enjoy herself for once.

Enjoy herself as she crushed others.

“Cancelled?” Maybelle echoed, and Velma’s eyes sparked at her.

“Don’t look so surprised,” Velma replied, and she could be trying for haughty or bored, but Maybelle could hear the delight quivering just under her voice, awkward little harmony. “It was only a matter of time.”

A matter of time. A matter of time until everything they had worked for fell apart around them, a matter of time until the future she’d promised her children faded into silence. She could almost hear Seaweed cursing under his breath, trying not to be angry with her but not knowing where to turn his frustration. She could see Inez’s eyes widening, the light there growing just a little dimmer.

A matter of time.

Maybelle felt her own lips quirk, and she resisted the urge to sigh, to laugh, to shake her head.

Instead, she took a long step forward, and the slight intake of breath she caught Velma trying to mask only told her that she was right.

Another step forward, and Velma took a step back.

Maybelle could see the realisation of it, the frown that marred Velma’s face, but she couldn’t stop herself from backing away as Maybelle slowly advanced.

Velma couldn’t stop anything.

Maybelle watched Velma’s eyes flicker, barely noticeable, as her back pressed against the wall, but she wouldn’t stop, couldn’t stop, couldn’t bestopped, and Velma was warmer than she’d imagined she could be as she pressed herself closer.

Velma should have appeared slight, even frail, but all Maybelle could see was a caged animal glowering back at her, and she released a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding in a low chuckle and wondered if Velma could ever be tamed. And if she’d want to see that.

“A matter of time?” Maybelle whispered, and Velma was breathing faster now, Maybelle’s body pressing her back against the wall. “You can’t really believe that?”

For the briefest of moments, Maybelle thought Velma might just bear her teeth, but instead she swallowed thickly and glared back evenly.

“The future isn’t just yours,” Maybelle purred, and she could almost feel Velma’s pulse fluttering against her chest. “We’ll see what really matters, in due time.”

Velma’s lips were slightly parted, and Maybelle could feel her breath, hot and wet, against her face.

And then she stepped back, turning away for the very last time to stride across the studio, and she could hear the soft noise Velma made but Maybelle had never been one to look back.