a perfect ending

9. seconds, anyone?

"Why now?" Eve throws out when the conversation lulls, "I mean we can remotely understand what you could've seen in Hank."

Villanelle snorts, "I cannot."

Alice smiles good-naturedly, "I'm realizing that as a secretary with a two-year-old strapped to my hip, Hank looked pretty good."

Eve nods, connecting the dots, "I get it. Security counts for a lot when you have a baby," she looks to her girlfriend, "we can't even handle a cat."

"Ir happened one time," a pouting Villanelle tugs lightly on one of Eve's curl that's wrapped around her finger.

Eve bats the offending hand away with a laugh, "One time too many."

"What's it like? Being in love."

"A headache. Stomach ache. Open wound."

"Fuck you, too." Eve once again swats the hand that made its way into her hair.

"I am always thinking of her, especially when I don't want to. When I shouldn't be," Villanelle continues, "I get all heady and my stomach all fluttery. All of it aches when I'm not with her, or when she's mad at me. She is angry a lot. Almost a stabbing pain," the russian pokes her own abdomen, "right here."

"Alright," Eve intertwines their hands.

Alice can't help but smile at their rare vulnerable moment, "That's very sweet, Villanelle."

She shrugs, "It's pathetic but nice. The sex is also better."

"I love you, too." Eve admits, "These are just words, though, Alice. Of course we mean them but you really have to feel it for yourself, Al. The passion you were talking about."

"That was the plan," Alice sighs.

"It's a good plan!" Eve retorts, "Don't let that bitch stop you!"

"Ask for this Paris by name next time," Villanelle suggests.

Eve tops off their glasses, "Don't spend the rest of your life settling, hon. You won't find love with this girl but you may find something else you need."

"An orgasm." Villanelle reminds them.

"Cheers to that," Alice laughs.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Alice proceeds with her usual routine for these...meetings. If three times constitutes a routine. She places the envelope of money and her wedding ring on the table beside her purse, checks her watch, then triple checks her reflection. She's only calmed down a fraction when a knock sounds from the door.

"Third time the charm?" Paris asks when she senses Alice's relief.

"I'd like to thank you for coming," a nervous laugh escapes her, "I'm a little out of my comfort zone here."

The corners of Paris's mouth quirk in amusement, "You do that a lot."

"What?"

"Check the time," the younger woman settles on the couch, a million times more at ease than her client.

"Oh," almost on cue, Alice looks to her watch.

"Don't worry, Ms.Macray, you'll get your moneys worth."

"That's not-" she's greeted with a smile when she looks up, "oh you're kidding, funny- would you like a drink?"