Giggling was something that V had still not quite grown accustomed to despite it's ever growing presence within his home. Screaming, gurgling, arguing, and banging were a few noises that he was familiar with in his life, yes, but…giggling?

Heavens no. He hardly ever came across it, even during his journeys above, and those few times he that had were usually presented though the observance of someone who was either under the influence of some sort of depressant or who was secretly congratulating themselves for successfully evading a finger-man. …and even in those circumstances none of the amusement had ever been directed or caused by his presence.

Why the sprightly, young Evey Hammond was chortling this time, he did not know, but he suspected that it had something to do with her seemingly endless quest to sneak up on him. A childish game of hers that she had invented out of boredom within the last month or so. The woman was persistent, he had to give her that, but she had yet to execute a successful attack.

With the majority of his attention directed towards the meal he was preparing upon a nearby counter in the kitchen, V looked to be an easy target to Evey. He hadn't even given her a clue as to whether or not he detected her presence. After waiting for him to return all day she was rather disappointed. The man hadn't even let her know that he was home when he arrived, choosing to let her stay on the couch where she had fallen asleep reading. He didn't even wake her up! Well, she would get her revenge.. if only he would stop humming and nonchalant dancing he was doing. Especially in that apron. She couldn't help but to laugh, his foot tapping on the floor, hips swaying ever so slightly here and there as he hummed in tune to some sort of jazz song coming from the Wurlitzer in the distance.

"Ah, and thus 'the dove pursues the griffin,' Evey I know you're there. A noble attempt to catch me unawares but you may want to work on that chirruping that you seem to have trouble controlling. I was beginning to suspect that a lark was in the gallery." V's body turned ever so slightly in acknowledgement of her presence, though his back still remained towards her. More for affect than anything, perhaps then she would realize that it was noise that betrayed her position and not sight.

Evey emerged from a crouching position beneath the dining table, grinning despite her failed attempt at surprising him.

"Bugger. V I'm just glad you're home, that's all. I was really hungry."

V turned to face her, placing some small, circular shaped cutter on the table as he did so. "Aha, the lady comes in search of food and food only. I do not know whether to be flattered or offended."

"Oh, you know what I mean. It's so boring in the gallery when you're not here. I know there are a lot of books and movies but it's not the same as having someone to talk to."

V smiled behind the mask. So it was him that she missed and not simply his flair for exploring the culinary arts, after all. The concept was entirely new to him, being missed…feeling wanted, it was splendid. Perhaps he would try to make an attempt to be around more often, though with the vendetta in full swing it would be difficult. The young woman certainly deserved more than this lonely gallery could offer, certainly deserved more than he had for the past twenty years.

"Ah, yes, I apologize for being absent for the majority of the day. Ran into a bit of trouble with a supply train but all was resolved."

"Supply train? What did you get?"

"Well you will be glad to find out that I have restocked the refrigerator. We were just short of being out of milk. A terrible offense, I must say. Given your appetite for it I brought home two gallons this time."

"How did you manage getting it all here in one trip."

"I didn't."

"But I never saw you." Evey's brows furrowed.

"Ah, I believe that you were showering during my first return. Absorbed in a book during the second."

"Oh…"

"I also made a third trip, during which I retrieved your basic…necessities. You will find them in the lavatory later…as well as a new dress, which I have placed in your bedroom." He gave a polite nod before turning back around to tend to the food on the counter.

"Oh a dress!"

"Yes, it should fit very well. And the color would look…exquisite on you, if I may say."

Evey turned away, trying to hide a coming blush with her curls. Terrorist or not, he did know how to flatter her.

"Thank you V, you didn't have too."

"Oh please Evey. No need to thank me, my dear, it's the least I could do"

Evey nodded. Well perhaps that was somewhat true. He *had,* after all, been the sole cause of her involvement with his plans. Then again, the fingermen that attacked her were probably equally, if not more guilty. Even though it hadn't been necessary for him to show her the "demolition" of the Old Bailey it had been, at the time, the least she could have done for a man who had just saved her life, no matter how strange he seemed.

She directed her gaze back up to V, only to find that he had turned around once more and was staring at her, as if she had been broadcasting her thoughts. Well of course he had turned around, she had gone mute for at least a minute. Did he suspect her thoughts? Probably…the man made it his business to decipher what exactly other people were thinking, her case was likely no different. Her eyes widened as she hastily sought a way to recover. To say that he intimidated her intellectually (and physically, for that matter) would have been an understatement. It was as if she was constantly trying to impress him, trying to prove something about herself. Certainly not something she encountered with every individual she met, or an she met, for that matter.

"So what's on the menu tonight? Whatever's in that pot smells awfully good." …god that sounded stupid.

She was, of course, referring to the pot on the stove that was already happily brewing something for tonight's meal. Not only could V cook, but he could cook fast, something she definitely was not complaining about.

"American Biscuits with beef stew, and I could hazard to guess that you aren't very familiar with either. Possibly the stew, though I am quite sure that those terrible lumps of animal matter that Norsefire allots it's citizens hardly resembles the meat I have employed to become a part of you dinner. The same could be said for the produce"

Evey shook her head. "Bragging, are we? What are 'American Biscuits' supposed to be?"

V's head dipped, he was hardly bragging, simply letting the lady know that she could expect to consume a fine quality meal. "They are quite different from our own hardened wafers; comparable to an unsweetened, buttery scone, I suppose…though arguably a bit softer. I'm afraid that you will have to try it to know exactly what I am attempting to describe. A task, I assume, you are not too terribly opposed too?

"Oh! I'd love to try one. Where did you put them?"

"Ah, I fear I haven't quite finished making them yet. Only a few more steps and they shall be in the oven. "

"Can I help?"

"Of course, Evey. But please do be careful with the flour, it has the tendency to cause quite the mess. I shall retrieve you an apron, though I'm afraid that it will probably be too large for you. No matter, we'll figure out a way to make it fit. One moment."

A few moments later V had Evey all situated and wearing the most audacious lime green and yellow apron that she could ever have imagined. Considering that she was already wearing casual attire there had been no need to change, but .

She curtsied in front of him just after he had finished tying the last knot, it had taken several to make the apron fit properly.

V chuckled, "magnificent, I must say. You'll have every man in London kneeling at your feet."

"More like every bird in London trying to figure out if I'm a piece of fruit" she gave him a sarcastic grin, "Right then, so where do we start?"

Top of Form

Bottom of Form