It’s the last day of the @laurahale-appreciation week and today it’s the Dealer’s Choice, and because I can’t resist a chance to remind fandom of Neckz’N’Throats and how there totally should be more Neckz’N’Throats fic, have almost 2k of Neckz’N’Throats fic with matchmaking CEO Laura (and Sterek of course). Happy reading!
Laura loves her job.
She’s one of the youngest CEO’s in the country, possibly even the whole world. She runs one of the most successful werewolf magazine - and yes, some might call Neckz’N’Throats a skin mag, but it really is so much more than that and Laura has worked tirelessly to get it recognised as a respectable piece of journalism. Sure, the name still says it all - they show a lot of necks and throats, tastefully photographed to the maximum enjoyment of their mostly werewolf audience, but Laura takes pains to ensure that the pages of her magazine are not filled with blank faces and dead eyes. Her models are paid adequately, with all the insurances and securities necessary, and if there’s even the slightest hint that someone is not there just because they enjoy being photographed, Laura steps in and tries to figure out an arrangement that’s beneficial to both parties. It has worked well enough so far and has given her a reputation of being a fair and respectful employer that she’s proud of and strives to keep up.
Neckz’N’Throats did start out with just what it says on the tin: vulnerable necks and throats on display, meant to titillate and excite, but Laura has dared to branch out from that. She has introduced models from all kinds of backgrounds, aiming for diversity in all aspects, be it size, colour, or species. Then she started shooting couples - mated ones tend to be more popular, that special connection even shining through the glossy pages of a spread. Her most popular pair so far are Lydia Martin and Jackson Whittemore. Lydia started shooting for Neckz’N’Throats first, her lily white neck ticking every box on most hot blooded werewolves.
Not that Laura would know, being ace has both its advantages and disadvantages when heading a skin mag. On the one hand she still doesn’t quite get what “sexy” is even supposed to mean though she’s fared well enough in that respect by hiring models because of aesthetics and charisma - and employing actual hot blooded werewolves to advise her. On the other hand she is never ever tempted to leer at her employees creepily - and sadly enough that still seems to be a stand alone feature in her profession.
Either way, Laura hires Lydia because she exudes self-confidence and makes it clear right there in her job interview that this is just a way to have fun and earn easy money while she’s working to become the youngest recipient ever of the Field’s Medal. Laura is instantly charmed and her readers are too; Lydia’s editions regularly need to be reprinted because the demand is so high. That only gets worse - or better if you ask Laura and her wallet - when Lydia gets her then boyfriend Jackson to join her. Together they are the two main faces representing Neckz’N’Throats to the public, aside from Laura of course.
Lydia and Jackson are also the two main models in the spread that wins Laura her first Pulitzer Prize - focused on portraying non-traditional mating pairs. The picture of Lydia standing over Jackson, whose neck was clearly on display was perfectly innocent by human standards, but caused an uproar in the were community that Laura didn’t expect to be that strong herself.
It’s not all mated couples and shaking up traditional values (though the pearl clutches don’t read her magazine anyways, so Laura has no qualms about keeping up the shaking up in the future), though, getting to shoot a pair that has only just met and is still figuring out how to interact, still more or less fighting it out for dominance right there on the page can be fun, too, and creates great sales figures, too.
“It’s the thrill of the hunt,” Peter loves to say, smarmy grin firmly in place, and that’s why they don’t let him out of his cave. With his cave being a veritable mansion that pretty young people love to be invited to, Peter sadly doesn’t mind much. And he writes the best articles, Laura has to grudgingly admit. Somehow all that smarm doesn’t translate to the page and the fact that he never leaves his house just adds to the intrigue and helps further the sales of her magazine, so Laura just makes sure he doesn’t act out too much and lets him have his fun otherwise.
She’s more worried about Derek anyways.
Unlike Cora, who is still off finding herself in South America - at least she sends postcards now, Laura would prefer not having to hunt down her wayward sister again, just because she forgot to let any of them know she’s still alive for half a year - Derek works for Neckz’N’Throats, too. Sadly enough not in front of the camera, because Laura knows number of subscriptions would jump up tremendously if he ever appeared on the glossy pages, but behind it. And really, Laura can’t complain, something about Derek’s looks compared with his glower and ‘fuck if I care’ attitude gets the best pictures out of her models. She suspects that it’s a knock to the ego for all of these beautiful, charismatic people that Derek basically comes in, takes his pictures, and leaves again. And so they all try to get a rise out of him by any means possible. But no one has had any success yet, and at the end of each work day Derek disappears into his cave again - a loft in his case, wonderfully light, and airy, and openspaced, but Laura guesses that doesn’t matter if you never have anyone over who can look from the kitchen through the living room straight into your bedroom.
Enter Stiles Stilinski.
Lydia is the one who brings him, more or less forcing Laura to call him in for an interview, despite him having no experience and no portfolio at all. But the moment Stiles comes in through the door, Laura makes a mental note to never doubt Lydia again.
Because Stiles? Is perfect werewolf bait.
He has a long vulnerable neck and he keeps tilting his head back to laugh and it makes even Laura want to bite him - and she hasn’t struggled with her control in years. His doe eyes almost glow beta golden and there’s a twinkle of mischief in them that promises a good time to be had by all. His hair is messy and just the right length to bury your hand in and tug, to tilt his head back further and really put that throat on display. The series of moles that marks his skin is just begging to be licked, and if Laura notices all of that being ace, she doesn’t even want to try imagining what every even slightly male orientated werewolf thinks seeing Stiles.
She’s tempted to hire him on the spot, but as Derek is the one who’ll have to photograph him, he gets the final call. Usually that meeting boils down to a handshake, a hard stare, and either a nod or a shake of the head, and then that’s settled. This time, Derek starts with a wide eyed stare which quickly transforms into a vicious glare that would make anyone sensible duck and run. Stiles just grins though and starts forward towards Derek, all the while saying: “Hi, you must be Derek, Lydia already told me how much of a sourwolf you are!” Laura is already saying goodbye to her dream circulation which she’s sure they could have reached with this guy on the front, but no way is Derek going to agree to shoot him now.
But then Stiles stretches out his hand towards Derek, palm up, so the vulnerable inside of his arm is on display and tilts his head aside in blatant submission. And Laura can see Derek’s nostrils flare and the electric glow of his eyes flashing for just a moment even though he ducks his head to hide it and thinks: “Oh.”
Through it all Stiles remains seemingly oblivious, chattering on about how he admires their stance on werewolf rights and their attempts to clear up old superstitions and preconceptions. He also compliments Derek’s work and how he doesn’t photograph a mere canvas, the outside of a person, but their inner, hidden soul. Derek stares at Stiles with the most obvious hearteyes Laura has ever seen in her life (though given the ratio of eyebrow to rest of face that Derek has, the hearteyes still look rather glowery), and Laura wonders how Stiles doesn’t see the effect he’s having, but he just keeps talking and waving his arms around, spreading his scent and to some extent he has to know what he’s doing, because that greeting was automatic and instinctive, not studied. But on the other hand he seems to be completely oblivious to everything else he’s doing - that is push every single button Derek has in the best way possible.
Eventually Laura can’t bear to watch the awkward flirting - oblivious on the one side, reluctant, but helpless not to, on the other side. So Laura coughs and bites back a smirk when they both startle and blush, obviously having forgotten she’s in the room, too.
“Well?” she asks and Derek clears his throat and finally steps away from Stiles, muttering gruffly: “We’ll be out again in a moment and will let you know our decision then.” Laura can’t help raising her brows in surprise because that is not how they usually do it. But she decides to wait and see what Derek’s plan is and follows him out of the room with a wink and a smile to Stiles, who waves back at her awkwardly and blushes even brighter.
“So what do you say?” Laura asks as soon as the door falls shut behind them, secure in the knowledge that Stiles doesn’t have werewolf hearing. “I think he’d make a great addition to our team - he’s unbonded, so no mate to shoot with him yet, but I think Boyd or Isaac or perhaps even Erica would make a great match for him and produce some great pictures.”
“No!” Derek exclaims and Laura has to bite back a laugh because he has walked right into her trap. “What? You don’t like him?” she asks innocently and Derek shakes his head vehemently: “No, I just meant - no couple shoots for him, unless …” and here he descends into barely audible mumbling, though Laura can guess what he’s saying. Still, a prerogative of being the big sister is teasing her younger brother, so she asks sweetly: “Sorry, I didn’t get that?”
“No couple shoots unless they are with me,” Derek bites out and that’s how Stiles Stilinski ends up with a clause in his contract with Neckz’N’Throats that as good as declares him and Derek Hale mates.
Now Derek only needs to actually ask him out.
Laura totally believes in her brother. And while he’s still gathering his courage, she’ll sit back and enjoy the awkward attempts at flirting. They’ll get there eventually. Laura will make sure of it - by scheduling as many couple shoots for the two of them as is necessary. And because Derek obviously can’t take the pictures if he’s in front of the camera, Laura will be so kind and take the time out of her busy schedule to be their photographer. And if she makes them cuddle and kiss then that will be for purely artistic reasons. Obviously.
soso glad that my health has started getting good enough that i can be more outdoorsy again because i missed bug hunting SO much it's my favorite thing. still have bad days but they are the exception and not the norm!
Lia Kim praised Momo’s dancing once again and said “Momo is a dancer given by God” and chose her as the best dancer among idols
“TWICE’s Momo is like a dancer sent down from the gods. She’s really good. Not even a sponge can describe what Momo is like, she’s able to start dancing right after she watches a routine. She’s able to recreate a choreography with very little explanation. She’s even able to take a routine and add her own charms and quirks to upgrade it to the next level.”.- Lia Kim
