Memorial
TITLE: Memorial
FANDOM: V for Vendetta
SUM: Evey discovers a room in V's home and they discuss it. a nice moment between the two.
disclaimer: i do not own v for vendetta
The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cant do." Walter bagehot
"How very little can be done under the spirit of fear" florence nightengale
Subterranean living never did wonders for any form of sleep schedule. Evey deduced it to be late at night, or very early morning, because V was still asleep, or at least, his door shut. She had been here for a month so far and had yet to take any time in exploring her surroundings. The paintings across the Shadow Gallery were magnificent, and she even recognized a few of them.
Evey pulled her hair back, annoyed at it blocking her view. Towards the back of the gallery, the stone walls stretching far back into dimly lit corridors it seemed, was a statue, seemingly blocking an entrance way. With a quick look at V's shut door, Evey crept forward. The statue was bizarre, a body of an angel but her arms were missing, or perhaps never made. "Venus de Milo..." whispered Evey. She had much to learn after years of the totalitarian enforced isolation.
Evey walked by the Venus de Milo and pulled back the richly adorned tapestry. She was immediately shocked and amazed. It was a small room filled with photographs and newspaper clippings. There were bits of poetry tacked to the wall, amidst the images and what seemed to be obituaries. Evey placed her hand on the wall, her fingers lightly touching over all the faces. It was a memorial.
"For my friends, random people, perhaps my family, I must have had one." V said from behind her, "A memorial."
Evey flung around, hand to chest, "You startled me-"
"You should not have ever seen this. You should not be here. Return to your bedroom. It's near time for breakfast." V turned his masked face, as if afraid that Evey could read the pain in his eyes.
Evey gulped, acutely aware of V's tone. It was calm, even, forced and a tad too quiet for her tastes. V was holding himself back. Evey scrambled from the room, "I'm sorry, V, I'm sorry."
V, in response, slammed the curtain shut, blocking Evey's view. Evey stood for a moment, "V? V are you alright?"
After no response, Evey slowly walked back to her room, her stomach growling. Rubbing her stomach, Evey thought of all the images of those people. They were laughing, crying, mug shots, prison shots, childhood pictures, wedding pictures, christmas photos, personal drawings... a collage of the time that was, a visual splattering of V's most precious memories. Evey paused. He could have been there. V's face could have been somewhere hidden with the sea of people. Circling her arms around herself, Evey felt a chill. She wanted to see his face and tell him that it was ok.
Evey turned around to look at the Venus de Milo and the room. She wanted to tell him that it was ok. Instead, Evey slipped into her room and changed for breakfast.
Today was french toast. Evey smiled faintly to herself, thinking of when her father used to make it for her while updating her on current events. Evey looked down at her plate, silent while V walked around the kitchen finishing up. He placed the meal in front of her and Evey politely thanked him. V stood behind her, hands clasped. "There is no reason, dearest Evey, that you should feel glum over your curiosity. I am not angry at you."
Evey nodded, changing the topic quickly despite her heart wanting to pursue it further, "My father made this for me as a kid."
V turned slightly, returning to the stove to fix his own breakfast. He quite enjoyed this communal time together. "Would you prefer I make something else?"
Evey shook her head, the meal untouched. "It's fine."
V placed his meal down and took a deep breath, "Evey, whatever could be wrong? I'm not angry at you going into that room, it's just very private. You would have seen it one day, I suppose, i just wasn't ready for it to be today."
"What is that room?" Evey asked.
V took a while to answer, almost to the point where she thought she had hurt him again. "Evey, it is a memorial, that is all."
Evey nodded, "Can i put pictures of my family there?"
"Your brother already is." V said, "With the saint mary's kids."
Evey's head snapped up. "You mean to say that there's a memorial to my little brother here? Here. This entire time."
Nodding, V careful ate, his fork slipping beneath the mask, enough for food, but still enough to conceal. Evey followed suit, shutting her eyes at the taste of real maple syrup on her tongue. Opening her eyes, V saw tears on her eyelashes, not yet ready to fall. "My dear," he said, "We can stop talking of this. You're getting upset."
Evey nodded, "It's just that I miss them, and it was scary back then, and they're gone. All of this reminds me of them."
V stood up and knelt beside her, placing a gloved hand on her shoulder. "We all need to end something to begin something, Evey. If we are to have true freedom, to truly rid ourselves of the bondage this society has given us, We must destroy the old."
"Like what? destroy my memories?"
"No. Just letting them go. We cannot change the past, Evey. We can change the future." V wasn't looking at her anymore and Evey wondered if he were even talking about her.
Evey placed her hand on V's knee, causing the masked man to look at her sideways. He seemed unsure of what to do. Evey smiled, "Thank you, V."
V's head rose a bit, his shoulders becoming more relaxed. "No, Evey, thank you. Now finish your breakfast."
Evey watched V stand up, his demeaner positive and cheerful again. Slightly amazed at the sudden switch, Evey realized that he needed to be a host. He needed to show her the best the world had to offer, in everything. Evey was an observer, and V was everything in the world, everyone she hadn't met yet. Evey smiled, "Perhaps another movie?"
V chuckled, "It's going to rot your brain, with how much tv you watch."
Evey gave him a mock glare, "Please, V, I'll clean the bathroom if we watch another movie together."
The two smiled at each other and V nodded, "How could I say no?"
end.