Work Text:
Eve gave a little shuffle to her hair, sighing as she opened the hotel door. A tiny grin washed up on her face. She padded into the room, “The pool is open.” She kicked off her flip-flops and continued on her way.
Villanelle sat on the bed in the silence of the room, her face was blank and her cheeks were marred with the wet tracks of tears. Eve paused in her place, offering up a small, “Villanelle?” She didn’t move, didn’t want to encroach on Villanelle’s space, wanted to give her the room. “Hey, Villanelle.” She said once more, voice soft.
Villanelle finale turned her way, recognition barely coloring her features, and let out a shuddering breath, “Hey.” She tried a smile but it broke instantly and fell under.
Eve took her careful steps to the bed, feet barely thudding against the lush carpet, “What’s wrong?” She carefully dipped into the mattress, springs creaking, Villanelle still unmoving. Eve reached her hand out and let it hover over Villanelle’s shoulder. She was stuck in orbit unrelenting to Villanelle’s gravity until she was given permission to land. She curled her fingers up into a fist and slowly brought her hand away.
She didn’t know what to say, the silence coated the air heavy with whatever burdened Villanelle. So she sighed. She opened her mouth. And she resorted to the only thing she felt comfortable with, “I mean, I know my company’s pretty boring compared to what you’re used to but-”
“You’re never boring, Eve.” She turned then, finding Eve’s hand with her own, and laced their fingers together.
“It was a joke.”
“I know. You’re still not boring.” She squeezed Eve’s hand in her own. Eve squeezed back.
“Thank you.” She let a little smile curve upon her lips before sighing and closing her eyes.
She relaxed into the silence, only slightly lighter, listening to her breathing, to Villanelle’s. To the feeling of their hands together. To them together.
She let her eyes flutter open, finding Villanelle’s gaze. Tears were still making their way down her face. Eve rested her empty palm against Villanelle’s cheek and wiped away the tear with the pad of her thumb. “Do you trust me?”
“Always.”
Eve began to pull Villanelle closer by her hand, “C'mere.” She continued, Villanelle flowing along with the movements softly, until Villanelle’s head was against her chest. She wrapped her hands around Villanelle and leaned back until they were spread out against the bed like some brooding paint upon a canvas.
Villanelle sighed and allowed herself the comfort. The gentle touch. Her eyes fell shut.
“You’re okay.” Eve whispered, one hand lost in Villanelle’s hair. She ran her fingers through the soft golden strands. “You’re okay. I’m okay. It’s all okay. No matter what it is we can handle it. Together.”
Villanelle sighed again, “I can’t do this anymore.” She broke under her own gravity, finally giving Eve the access to the knowledge she withheld.
“What is ‘this’?”
Villanelle’s hold of Eve tightened and Eve held her closer in response. “I don’t want to kill people anymore, Eve.” Eve could feel the wet spots of tears against her neck where Villanelle had nestled into her. “I can’t.”
Eve nuzzled into Villanelle’s head, “You don’t have to. You won’t have to, okay? It’s okay. Villanelle, you are so much more than a killer. You are passionate, funny, romantic, sexy-”
“Even when I cry?”
“Yes.” Eve let out a humored breath from her nose, “Beautiful, intelligent, clever, sweet, and fashionable.”
“One of us has to be.” Her voice still had the taste of a pout.
“Hey.”
“It’s the truth, dress better if you don’t want to hear it.”
Eve rolled her eyes. “You are so much more than everything you fear you are. You are so much more than what others see you as. You won’t lose your worth if you never kill again because you are worth so much more than the tool everyone tried to craft you into. You are so much more and I want to know every bit of it. And I love every bit of it."