"Two households, both alike in dignity...From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean."
Narrator, Prologue
"My naked weapon is out: quarrel, I will back thee...Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin."
Sampson, Act I Scene I
It was – unusually – quiet.
For once, no-one was arguing or pissing each other off. However, that could be because Michelle and John were picking up a test subject.
And because Hoffman and Amanda had become...distracted.
It almost scared Amanda sometimes, the amount of passion Hoffman showed for her. He was showing it now, pressing her almost too tightly to him, his tongue almost too dominant.
But she liked it, this scared thrill. Because it only showed to her how hard he had fallen for her, how much he needed her.
It made her feel slightly better about how hard she'd fallen for him.
"You enjoying yourself?" Hoffman broke the kiss and searched Amanda's face.
"Hmm...Could do better." Amanda goaded him, pressing her face to his. "Why do you ask?"
Hoffman smirked. "You're not making as much noise as usual, that's all."
Amanda flushed from a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment; she hated it when Hoffman pointed out how seemingly weak she was. She wanted to be strong, calm, collected – even in sex.
Like John...
But something about Hoffman made her fall to pieces ever time.
"I don't do that all the time...just...in bed..." Amanda hated how pitiful and childish the words sounded coming out of her own mouth.
Hoffman ran his tongue down the side of her neck and grinned. "Oh, I'm that good, am I?"
Amanda realised that she'd unintentionally paid him a compliment. "No, it only proves how utterly crap you are; you can only do anything when you're fucking someone. Otherwise, you're hopeless."
"Well, then." Hoffman leaned in. "I'm going to need some practice aren't I."
"Hoffman, John said we need to finish these by the time he gets back, we've hardly fucking started! We don't have time to – mmph!" Amanda tried to find the strength to break away, but again her weakness for him caused her to fall apart and bend to his will. She felt his hands slip up her top and a slight groan left her lips before she could stop it. The kisses that had – if possible – been more passionate than 'the last batch' stopped, and Amanda opened her eyes to see Hoffman smirking at her.
"I think we can agree that that wasn't in complete silence."
Amanda glared at the detective. "You cheated; you were feeling me up under my –"
Hoffman turned away. "Aww, don't all stressy with me 'Mandy! You know you love me really."
She stared hard at his back and imagined him turning into a brilliant ball of flames. Why she had saved him that day when they were both tested she had no idea; sometimes she wished she had simply watched him succumb to the poison coursing through his veins.
It would've been so simple; it would've stopped the confusion Amanda felt inside.
Would've left her with one path instead of two.
But she always knew, deep down, that Hoffman was right; she loved him really.
More than she wanted to admit, or let herself admit.
It wasn't just heartache that made her 'accidently' leave those handcuffs lying around...
The two of them heard someone enter the warehouse.
"Shit!" Hoffman dived at the barely-started drawings of trap ideas and knocked over a pencil pot. He shot a look at Amanda. "What the hell are you waiting for? Act like we've actually bloody done something!"
"No so confident now, are you?" Amanda smirked as she walked leisurely over to him, sat down and picked up a pencil.
They had just got into an argument about which way up the plans were meant to be when Michelle walked in. The two of them exchanged a look and smirked; they hadn't done exactly anything for the past three hours...
"Lover's tiff?" Michelle sneered; she'd heard them arguing. She'd developed a black-hearted bitch attitude and become less of a cry-baby in the months after the new agreement between Hoffman and John. He and Amanda were slightly impressed – but God, they still hated her like hell...
"Go fuck yourself, bitch!" Amanda returned spiritually. Michelle shot her a black look and walked over to the door that led to their rooms.
"Uh...I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Hoffman said carefully.
Michelle either didn't hear him or ignored him, because she simply marched through the door.
Amanda grinned devilishly.
3...
2...
1...
"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Hoffman cracked up laughing as the sound of Michelle's screams echoed round the warehouse. He gave Amanda five as Michelle stormed back into the main room, her blood red hair now the dark vermillion of menstrual blood. Water ran in mini brooks down her face, dripping crystalline drops onto the floor. She was soaked through, her bra a dark outline under her T-Shirt, and she was wearing...
"Nice thong, bitch." Amanda sniggered as Hoffman eyed her up. He no longer actually did this to satisfy his cravings; he did it to piss off and terrify Michelle.
"You bastards!" Michelle screamed, her face livid.
"Hey, we did warn you!" Hoffman reminded her.
"Only because you motherfuckers set it up!" Michelle shot back. "I'm surprised you had the time, by the looks of things you were getting too busy and personal with each other to do any proper fucking work."
Amanda noticed Hoffman was bristling at Michelle's retort and quickly stepped in. "Michelle, please...focus on changing. Cos I don't know whether you've realised, but...you're bra's getting a bit see-through as well."
Michelle looked down at her chest and swore as Hoffman grinned wolfishly. "You want me to help you?"
Michelle told him exactly where to stick his offer of help and tried to stalk off with dignity, miniature puddles spreading behind her.
Hoffman glanced at Amanda. "So...what now?"
"Now we act like we both did all of this." With a flourish Amanda pulled a set of fully drawn trap ideas from a folder in a desk drawer. "I worked on these last night...I had a vague feeling we wouldn't get much done."
"So that's why you didn't come to bed till late..." Hoffman gave her a look of appreciation. "You can be quite smart sometimes..."
"All the time, actually." Amanda smirked, standing and turning in the direction Michelle had gone. Hoffman wrapped his arms round her hips, pulling her back to his front.
"I was rather...disappointed." He admitted. "I was hoping to...get to know you."
Amanda laughed. "And you haven't already? God, you're hopeless!"
Hoffman turned her to face him. "You know what I mean."
Amanda tucked her head underneath his chin, feeling for the persistent heartbeat she could always hear so clearly. "You won't be disappointed...I'll make it up to you tonight. Promise."
Hoffman smiled into her hair. "Excellent." He laughed. "Let the games begin..."
"The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she,
She is the hopeful lady of my earth..."
Lord Capulet, Act I Scene I
Michelle tensed at the sound of the groan resounding off the concrete walls, and once again wished Hoffman were dead.
It wasn't the fact that he'd raped her and – in her honest opinion – had gotten away with it. It didn't matter to her that he'd been through so much pain and two traps to earn his second chance. Admittedly, she was glad that the bastard had lived through his lesson; no matter how much she detested him, she didn't want to see him dead, and she felt deep down that he had learnt his lesson – he was just seeing how far he push the line.
It was the fact that, once again, he had...what was the phrase? Fallen on his feet.
Somehow he'd managed to still be happier than her, to have the better end of the deal than herself.
He had Amanda for forever and she had John for not even that fraction of the time. Their hourglass was running out, and as the sand trickled down, bitterness trickled in.
Mainly, that was the reason for her almost total personality change.
She needed to be stronger. For John.
Thinking about him, she forgot about what she was being forced to hear. John was a father figure to her – no, more than that...her lover. She dreamily fingered the ring hanging round her neck; a sign of their never ending love. Just like the thin band of metal.
But the cancer was winning the battle within him. It had shown tonight – slipping into his room, she had found him sprawled over his bed, sleeping uneasily. He'd looked so weak, so small...so old. It hurt her too much to even watch him, so she'd come out here to try and...just get over the hurt she was feeling.
And the jealousy.
"Ohh, Mark!" The cry barged rudely through her trail of thought, and she gritted her teeth.
She hated him. Not for what he'd done to her, to her body, but for being so much happier than she could ever be.
And she knew no matter how much she cared for John, she wouldn't quite be able to follow his rules.
One day, she would get revenge.
Until then, she would try and focus on those golden grainy moments flowing through that all too clear glass...
Hoffman fell heavily on Amanda's body, smashing his lips against hers as her orgasm shook her like a leaf. His own had come and gone and left him feeling drained, tired. She stilled and returned his kiss with just as much enthusiasm. He rolled off her and yanked her towards his chest, and she unobjectionably lay against him, pressing her head sleepily against his chest.
"I told you I'd make up for yesterday..." She murmured drowsily, tracing his muscles with her fingers.
"I never doubted you." Hoffman pressed his cheek against the warm silkiness of her hair, and felt a rush of just as warm love sweep over him.
In many ways, this could be seen as odd, even bizarre. Hoffman had always followed John's rules in a respect; he never let his heart get involved. If you wanted to be brutal but honest, he fucked women but felt nothing for them.
And then Amanda had come along, and somehow slowly pushed him right to the edge. And he was still falling. Deep down he knew that pinning every one of your hopes and dreams on someone was a recipe for disaster, that the smallest nudge to knock everything to pieces.
But, frankly, it was too good to let go.
And really he didn't want to.
"Y'know, I didn't think that prank we did on Michelle was going to work." Amanda wrapped her legs round his waist and he instinctively ran his hands down her legs. He closed his eyes. God, that felt good...
"Well, it was me who thought it up."
"Even more reason for something to have gone wrong."
Hoffman laughed and looked down at her face. "I'm not that useless! Admit it, I'm pretty awesome."
"Arrogant sod..." Amanda leaned in.
"Too right..." Hoffman murmured, knowing exactly what she was thinking.
The kiss was without tongues, without anything in general, but that was the best kind of kiss.
Love, without added embellishments.
iPod Playlist for Act I:
Playing With Fire – Ndubz feat. Mr Hudson
Misery Business – Paramore
Replay – Iyaz
More to come – is this better or worse than 'Turning Over...'? Please review!