The Other Lover

Chapter 7- Erm, spaghetti?

Notes:
TW: Abuse, Violence and homophobic language. I will try to add more trigger warnings where possible.

—

Hands are trembling. They are taken from her, held in soft wrinkles.

"So," starts Bill. "What happened?"

Eve doesn't answer for a moment. She's still staring at her shaky hands.

"Everything," she plainly replies.

"Do you want to elaborate?" He considers. Eve shrugs. Hasn't looked away from her hands yet.

"Something's happening to me," Eve looks up at Bill, finally. "Niko found out what I'm working on. Who... I'm working on it with."

Bill mumbles "dick," under his breath, loud enough for Eve to hear. This time she doesn't fight back. She accepts that that is exactly what he is; a dick. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Eve swiftly withdraws her hands from Bill's and wipes her face. "Not really because I don't have the energy to care."

Bill smiles at this, he knows he shouldn't but he does. He's proud of her for finally realising what he is. Bill looks at Eve. "You said... everything."

Eve sniffs as her chest begins to jitter again. Tears rapidly exploit her face for the second time. "I-it's all so confusing," she sobs.

"What is?" Bill takes her in his arms. Warm trunks wrap around her back as a snug hand rubs up and down. Eve rests her chin on Bill's boney shoulder. After a little while of her releasing any tears left in her eyes, she pulls away and looks down.

"Villanelle," she mumbles.

"Hmm?"

"Villanelle." This time Bill hears her.

"And what about her?" So many questions but this one, she doesn't know how to answer. So she just stares at Bill, waiting for him to speak. Realisation hits him.

"Oh."

"Oh indeed." Eve is pulled into another tight hug but she doesn't cry this time, or sniff, or jitter. She just relaxes in Bill's grasp. "I don't even know what it is yet."

Bill releases her. "We erm," Eve starts. "Had kind of a moment yesterday," she looks up at him. "I'm not too sure what it was. It was a timing thing. We both looked up at each other at the same time and we were really close and- ugh I don't know," Eve throws her head into her hands.

"Oh Eve, I know this must be confusing," Bill buffs her shoulder and clears his throat. "Did anything... happen?"

"No, thank God. And then, somehow, we ended up falling asleep next to each other." She felt the need to leave out Anna because she isn't too sure how she feels about her. Bill's eyes widen. "And Bill, ugh, I feel awful! I had to sneak out and go home," she throws her arms.

"Have you guys talked since?"

"Nope, not at all. And we usually text every morning," she sulks. "Bill, you're the expert. Tell me what to do!" she wines. Bill giggles at Eve's exaggeration.

"Expert, am I?" he laughs. "You have to ask yourself where you want to go from here."

Eve considers the question for a while. "Thank you so much, Bill."

Bill gives Eve a huge kiss on the cheek.

—

Again, Eve finds herself lying in bed and thinking. She asks herself over and over "where do you want to go from here? Where do you want to go from here?" She looks to her left to find Niko snoring and dribbling. She thinks of how Villanelle slept; peaceful, quiet... beautiful.