the inevitable

chapter 6- steam

Chapter 6

A month has passed since father enlisted Starling in the family business. The first week she spent all of her time in the guest room provided for her. Of course, the windows were locked, anything that could be used as a weapon was removed and the door would only open with a key card and thumb scan. So you couldn't really call it a room, it was a prison.

Starling was to be under 24 hour watch by at least two butlers at all times. Elliot only saw her once in the first week when he passed her in the hallway talking to father.

Father laid out all of the family rules and additional policies specific to her condition. She was given the normal family rules, no killing family, no reckless killings, don't do anything to tarnish the family name, no friends, no lovers etc.

Starlings rules included, no talking to anyone outside the family and butlers, no being left alone, no weapons unless permitted by a family member, and many more.

By the second week Starling started training with Illumi and Elliot. She was now a part of their daily routines. Wake up, work out in the gym, sparring, then assorted training that focuses on various aspects of the job. Some examples included reflex training, behavior analysis, situational adaptation, etc.

Starling caught on fairly quickly, much to Elliots annoyance. Elliot noticed that she only ever sparred with Illumi and avoided him at all costs.

One day during the third week of her stay Elliot asked her to fight with him. She responded with a pleasant "Fuck off" which pissed him off.

He swung his leg to try and trip her up but she instantly dodged and kicked him in the side.

Elliot was hurt but his ego was, "Little bitch." He muttered as she walked away. That was the last time he saw her until this morning.

Father had a mission for him so he prepared himself and walked down to his office. As he walked in he noticed her standing in the corner.

"What is she doing here?" Elliots voice was filled with disgust and the feeling was definitely mutual.

Starling had loathed Elliot since they first met but he had become particularly unbearable during her stay at the mansion.

"I have a mission for you two, we have been asked to kill forty powerful individuals in two months time. I have all of their information laid out in these files, you're both heading to York New this evening." Silva told the two assassins.

"Why the hell is she coming?" Elliot scoffed.

Silva rose from his seat and Starling didn't miss the flash of fear in Elliot's eyes,

"She is a skilled assassin like yourself but just so happens to need supervision so she doesn't run off. You will make sure of that." Silva's tone was deadly, like everything else about him

Elliots protest quickly died down and the pair were excused.

Starling looked over at Elliot who only glared in response, Starling simply rolled her eyes at his childish behavior and walked to her butler for the day. The butler then escorted Star back to her room.

She found a bag already prepared for her on the bed, she glanced through the items provided and was pleasantly surprised.

She had many outfits perfectly fitted for her agil fighting style, she also found many holsters but no knives. The butler informed her that she will remain unarmed until absolutely necessary. Just another reminder that she was still a liability.

Not having anything else to prepare for the trip, Starling decided to take a shower. The one thing Star really enjoyed in her glorified prison was the bathroom, it was her own slice of bliss in this life of hell.

She turned on the shower and dropped her clothes, as the water started to warm up Starling examined herself in the mirror.

Her face was still the same with a few minor scratches still yet to heal. The puncture wounds from Illumi torture had disappeared, but the memory of it stayed fresh in her mind.

Starling's eyes continued down her body past her full breasts and down to her toned stomach. What once was smooth with defined muscle was now colored with bruises and cuts. The most concerning was her side from when Elliot kicked her in their fight on the airship.

Past the curves of her hips the bottom half of her body was relatively unscathed, except for the bruises on her ankles from the cuffs.

She had similar marks on her wrist but worse. Her wrists had two deep cuts from the strain of the metal holding her body weight.

Steam started to fill the room and she stepped into the shower, her muscles instantly soothed by the warm water.

Similarly, a few rooms down Elliot was doing the same thing. His injuries were much worse, consisting more of deep cuts rather than bruises. The torturous beating had taken its toll on him, but it wasn't anything he hadn't gotten over before.

His arm was mostly healed since it was a clean break, but his injuries were the least of Elliots worries.

As the water ran down his chiseled body Elliot's mind was only on one thing: Starling.

How in the hell was he supposed to deal with her for the next four months?

The two both got out of the shower, got ready and arrived at the airship at 7pm sharp.

Elliot and Starling both ignored each other for the entire duration of the trip, up until sleep started to threaten the two. Starling was first to leave the small common area and go to the first room she came across.

She quickly examined the room. It consisted of a queen sized bed with two night stands on each side, there was a single dresser, a window seat, and a door leading to a bathroom.

Starling changed into an oversized shirt and boxers to sleep in before throwing her bag in the corner and hoping in the bed. She turned off the lamp on the side table and was starting to drift off to sleep when suddenly the door opened.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Elliots voice rang through the small room.

"What does it look like you idiot? Now leave, I'm trying to sleep."

Elliot looked at her, with a blank face.

"Are you really that dense? This is the only room. Now get up and go somewhere else."

"I was obviously here first, you go." Star's words were slightly sluggish, she was too tired to be dealing with this.

Elliot was seriously pissed off now, he knew she was going to be an issue but this was outrageous. He moved towards her and threw the covers off.

The shock of the sudden coldness and the harshness of his action made Starling yelp, but her sound was quickly stifled by Elliots large hand covering her mouth.

He grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder. Starling banged on his back and quickly grabbed his waist and shoved him away causing herself to flow back on the bed. She let out a triumphant giggle and started to crawl back to her former spot on the right side of the bed.

Without thinking Elliot threw himself at her, landing on her left. He grabbed her waist, pulled her close to him so his front was touching her back. He then twisted his body and dropped her on the floor.

Starling landed with unexplainable grace and stood up. With a hand on her hip she looked down at Elliot who gave her a cocky smile and turned away to sleep.

Starling, being her stubborn self, huffed and settled in on the opposite side of the bed.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Elliot asked, his annoyance blatantly clear.

"Compromising." Star started innocently.

Elliot normally would have fought her, not wanting to be near her. But alas, he gave in, too tired to continue.

The two slept as far away from each other as possible facing the opposite side and pretending the other wasn't there.

But they were, right there.

In the same bed.

a/n: 1374 a short chapter but now the fun stuff gets to start hehe.