Through the Lens of You | Billie Eilish fanfic

Chapter 4: Between words

After Drew's introduction, the room settled into a comfortable silence, broken only by the distant hum of equipment being packed up in the hall. Billie leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees, her eyes flicking between Drew and me like she was reading a situation, rather than people. It was a strange kind of stillness. I could feel her attention, but it wasn't overwhelming—more like she was watching, waiting.

"So," she said, her voice low and slightly raspy, the kind that lingers in the air even after the words fade. "You're a photographer."

It wasn't a question, just a statement. I nodded, keeping my answer simple. "Yeah. I do a lot of film and theater work."

Drew chimed in again, launching into his usual spiel about how talented I was, how my shots could "capture the soul of a moment." It was flattering, but I'd heard it enough times to know that it made people curious. Billie's gaze didn't waver, though. She didn't seem fazed by Drew's words. If anything, it felt like she was seeing beyond them.

"What kind of theater work?" she asked, her tone casual, but there was a glint of interest in her eyes, like she actually wanted to know.

"I've been working on a lot of independent productions," I said, shifting in my seat slightly. "Mostly experimental stuff. Lighting, shadows—things that blur the lines between what's real and what's imagined."

Billie tilted her head a little, like she was considering my words. "I like that. It's kind of like what we do with the shows, you know? All the visuals—it's supposed to feel like a dream, but just close enough to real that it messes with you."

I found myself nodding again. For a moment, I could see the parallel between what we both did. We were both trying to capture something—her with music and visuals, me with light and film. It felt oddly intimate, like we understood each other, even if it was just on a creative level.

Before I could think of something to say, Drew's phone buzzed, and he excused himself to take a call. Suddenly, it was just Billie and me. The air in the room shifted, not uncomfortably, but enough to make me aware of the silence that hung between us.

She leaned back, her eyes still on me. "You don't talk much, do you?"

I shrugged, a faint smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "Not unless I have something to say."

Billie laughed softly, and for a second, the quiet mystery that usually surrounded me cracked a little. "I get that," she said, her voice lighter now. "People are always trying to get inside your head, but sometimes, there's nothing to say."

Her words hung in the air, and I realized she was talking about herself as much as she was talking about me. It was rare for someone to catch on to my silence, to not try to fill it with noise or questions. I liked that she wasn't pushing, just observing, much like I did with people.

"So, how do you know Drew?" she asked after a moment, shifting the conversation back to safer ground.

"We worked together on a short film a while back," I replied. "He was doing lighting; I was on visuals. He's been a friend ever since."

She nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "He talks a lot about you. Like, a lot."

I chuckled softly, glancing down at my camera. "He talks a lot in general."

Billie grinned. "Yeah, that's true."

Another pause, but this time it felt more relaxed. I wasn't sure how to read her, but there was something unguarded about her in this moment, something that felt almost... familiar. Like I'd known her longer than the few minutes we'd spent together.

Eventually, Drew returned, cutting through the moment with his usual energy. "Alright, I've got to handle some stuff, but you two should hang. Seriously. Heather, I'll text you the details for tomorrow, alright?"

I nodded, watching as he darted off again, leaving me alone with Billie once more. She didn't say anything, just gave me a small nod, her eyes still flickering with that quiet curiosity.

"Maybe I'll see you tomorrow," she said softly, her voice almost lost in the noise of the crew outside.

"Maybe," I replied quite automatically, my voice just as quiet.

Back in my apartment, the city's lights blinking outside my window, I replayed the night in my head. Billie's eyes, her questions, the way she didn't seem fazed by my silence. It had been strange, yet oddly easy. Most people were unnerved by my quiet nature, always trying to fill the gaps with words. But Billie had just let the quiet be.

For the first time in a long while, I felt the pull of something I couldn't quite explain.