FRAMED - Cowboy Bebop fanfiction

Session 31

Quinn had thoroughly exhausted herself. As she rested her head upon her pillow, she listened to the sound of the shower turn on. Vicious was weak and alone in the bathroom. Quinn worried about his decision to continue his nightly routine. In fear of repeating such a traumatic scenario, Quinn laid awake. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, but her mind, electric with anxiety.

His shower did not last long. As soon as Quinn heard the water shut off, she straightened out the covers and closed her eyes. As much as she wanted to get away and sleep on the couch downstairs, she was far too tired to do so.

Moments after the water had stopped, Vicious stepped out of the bathroom. Quinn's heart began to race as Vicious made his way over to his side of the bed. She felt him pull the covers upwards, and as he slipped underneath, Quinn wondered if she had the strength to sneak away from him.

She knew his shuttle was parked outside, and she figured the keys had to be in his coat pocket, which was somewhere between the bed and the bathroom. As Quinn listened to Vicious make himself comfortable next to her, the sound of jingling metal caught her ears. The metallic ringing was soon followed by the sound of a drawer shutting, and a lock being turned into place.

Quinn rolled her eyes. Of course he had locked them away in the nightstand. Despite the inconvenience, Quinn was not fussed, in fact, she was rather relieved. She was so exhausted she didn't know if she had it in her to escape. It seemed as if Vicious wasn't going to let her go, so she knew there was no shortage of time. If anything, this was better for her. It gave her a chance to solidify an escape plan.

Quinn wondered if he kept the drawer key under his pillow, or maybe around his neck. She never heard the key get set down, meaning there were going to be a few more steps to her escape plan than initially anticipated. Anyways, there was plenty of time to scheme, and Quinn soon realized that if she were to play her cards right, she might just be able to win him over and get him to set her free without any repercussions.

Quinn smiled at the thought. She knew she had a certain, irresistible charm to her, and as a business woman, she knew how to negotiate. Despite his hard exterior and vile demeanor, Vicious seemed vulnerable; Julia was proof of this.

The thought of playing the role as a lust-filled, weak-minded, desperate woman was honestly a sickening thought, but desperate times called for desperate measure. Quinn was hopeful that her plans would workout, and as her consciousness slowly began to slip, she was suddenly snapped back to reality when Vicious broke the silence between them.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked, his voice cutting through the air smoothly, like sharpened scissors through cellophane.

Quinn took a moment to reply.

"Not entirely," she admitted. Truthfully, she was feeling rather hopeful. Quinn was confident with her negotiation tactics, and she knew if she played the damsel in distress character for tonight, she might have a better chance at winning him over.

Vicious sighed as he slid his hand closer to her from underneath the covers.

"I know you don't need to hear it, but I'm impressed, and rather proud of your actions tonight," he replied, his hand brushing up against hers. Quinn flinched at his touch, but she accepted it. She was surprised that he had complimented her, and what was even more surprising was the fact that it sounded genuine.

Sliding her hand overtop of his, she inhaled deeply.

"Thank you" she replied through a half smile. He was despicable, but she had to play the part. Silence fell between them again while Quinn desperately thought of things to keep the conversation going. As exhausted as she was, she knew what she had to do.