Patience//BILLIE EILISH

twelve

I giggle slightly before turning to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast for the both of us.

I take out some avocado and slice it up before toasting some bread and spreading it on. I add some simple seasonings, but it's pretty plain.

I'm not much of a cook, but I can fend for myself. I had to learn once I started living alone. Ramen and cereal just didn't cut it after a couple of weeks.

I finish the avocado toast and place my hands on my hips triumphantly, admiring my work. I feel a pair of hands snake through my arms and wrap around my waist ever-so-gently, and I smile.

Billie's chin rests on my shoulder and I feel her breath as it softly crashes into my neck. I feel one of her fingers tap my waist, and take that as a signal to listen.

I turn around and see her take the journal out of one of her huge ass pockets. When she finishes writing, she hands it to me, "That looks delicious, Baby, but it's gonna make me shit like a thousand times in your toilet."

I blow some air out of my nose at her wording and look at her quizzically, signing, "Why?"

She writes again, "The gluten."

I scoff in disbelief and gesture to the book.

"You're vegan AND gluten free?"

Billie smiles, looking at me with pitiful eyes, and signing, "Yes, sorry."

I run my hand through my hair in slight frustration and look around the sparse kitchen for something she can eat.

I feel Billie's hand on my cheek and I look back at her. She grins before taking my hand and pulling me towards the dining table and pulling out a chair. She gestures for me to sit and I oblige, curious as to what she's thinking right now.

Billie begins shuffling through my sparse cupboards, taking out various things and stops when she reaches the toast I labored over just a few minutes ago.

Again, anyone else would put it to the side, or maybe throw it away, but Billie couldn't have that. She looks in a couple of drawers until she finds the silverware, and takes out a butter knife. I watch as a smile grows on her face and she scrapes the avocado off of the toast and puts it in a little bowl.

Throughout her cooking endeavor, Billie comes back to her bowl of badly seasoned avocado for a little snack.

I am a smiley mess as I watch her run around my kitchen, even finding my kiss the chef apron I had hidden in the back of the pantry and putting it on.

I watch is Billie gets out a frying pan and clicks on the stove, something I haven't used since I moved in. She scoops the batter onto the frying pan, and I realize what she's making.

How the fuck do you make vegan and gluten-free pancakes? Wouldn't it just be a plate of air at that point?

I don't know, but the smell when they're cooked is to die for. I wait patiently as Billie fries the pancakes, turning around to admire me in between flipping them.

I look down at her apron and back up at her lips, moving my finger in a come here motion and smiling when Billie listens. She comes up close to me, resting her hands on the back of my chair, trapping me in.

I lift my hands to clasp together behind her head and rest on the back of her neck, pulling her in for a sweet kiss. When we pull away, I find myself failing to hold back a smile and Billie chuckles slightly, grinning to herself and booping my nose with her index finger.

She walks over to the hot pan and takes the last of the pancakes off before taking the plate and bringing it to me. She places it on the table and does little jazz hands as she lets go to say 'tada!'.

I giggle and immediately grab a pancake for myself, hunger completely taking over my mind. I take a bite, and although it tastes slightly different than a normal pancake, it's delicious. I make a surprised noise and look up at Billie who seemed to be studying my features for a reaction. I give her a thumbs up and take another bite, making her chuckle.

We finish our breakfast and Billie clears my plate for me. I try to offer to wash the dishes, but Billie was not having it. She grabbed me by the shoulders and led me back to my seat at the table, sitting me down and placing a glass of water in front of me before returning to the sink. I pouted slightly, but ultimately caved, not actually wanting to do the chore anyway.

"Can I ask you something? " Billie had written in the book after she finished the dishes.

I nod my head and she writes again, "Do you have any Deaf friends here? "

I tilt my head as I study the words, slightly saddened by my answer. "No," I sign.

Billie purses her lips together before signing, "Ok."

We sit in a sort of awkward silence, the first one since we met. I don't exactly know why she asked, but I guess it's pretty obvious I'm always free.

Not for long.

I need a job. I don't have any financial support from my parents, and I am slowly running out of money. I might have just enough to pay this months rent and after that, I'm screwed without work. I've been looking for jobs, I swear, but no one is hiring.

The only job I have found is perfect. I would be working at an elementary school! They have an entry-level job for an ASL interpreter. I would be working with Deaf kids and helping them learn. A couple of days ago, I went by the school to ask about the position.

"Hello. I heard you have a job opening here?" I vocalize to the receptionist in the main office.

She smiles sweetly, swiftly grabbing a sheet of paper to write on, "Yes. Our Deaf learning program needs an interpreter. Is this the job you mean?"

I nod my head, handing her my resume with a smile. She looks over it briefly before writing something else, "Thank you for your application! I am not in charge of hiring for that job, but expect a call from my superior within the next couple of weeks."

I furrow my brows, "A couple of weeks?"

She nods her head, mouthing, "You have a good day."

I fake a smile and nod, leaving the office. I don't have a couple of weeks.

I suppose I could ask Billie if she's seen any places for hire, but retail would be incredibly difficult to work in. Even as just a stocker, I would have to interact with people all day and I can see myself coming home completely drained with a sore throat after every shift.

Billie's phone lights up, drawing her attention to the device. She furrows her brows as she reads the name and holds up her finger to pick it up. She seems slightly annoyed as she converses with the person on the other end of the call and I refrain from reading her lips, giving her her privacy.

When she hangs up, she tilts her head and looks at me, drawing her eyes around my face thoughtfully. I shrink slightly, a little flutter of butterflies going through me.

"Who?" I sign.

She sends me a small smile, writing in the journal, "My house cleaners. They can't come to my house anymore."

I click my tongue, "Why?"

"It's pretty far out of the way and they're getting more bookings. They don't have time."

I wet my lips slightly in thought and furrow my brows, weighing my options.

I mean, I'm sure cleaning a house isn't that hard, and with one like Billie's, I'll bet she pays a lot. On the other hand, I'm tryna get into a relationship with her. Would working for her hinder that?

I mean, I wouldn't have to do it for long, just enough time for her to find a new cleaning company and for the school to call me back.

I take a deep breath, vocalizing my words shakily, "Can I do it? "

a/n:

Literally went to a local cafe with my friend to motivate myself to write this. She's working on a ScarJo ff.

Take care of yourselves my loves thanks for being patient with my ass.