One thing Beatrix always disliked was waking up the next morning after sex. It usually ended up either the guy she was with was gone or she was trying to be gone before he woke up. This time she rolled over beneath the confides of the covers only to hit lightly against another warm body and not just any warm body, Bill's body. A smile inched across her groggy features and her eye lids crept open. Blue eyes met with brown for a brief moment before the tall blonde let out a soft moan. She rubbed a hand over her face to clear away the fact she was still half asleep and when she dropped her hand down she was still contently smiling. "How long have you been awake?"
"For sometime," Bill replied with a gentle smirk.
Bill was a chronic early riser and he had been awake for at least an hour already. There had been a very brief moment where he had thought of getting up and doing his usual morning workout and making some tea for himself coffee for Beatrix. But he quickly disposed of the normal routine idea when he found he much preferred the feel of her warm body next to his. He had spent the entire time watching her. At first she had been on her back, and propping himself up on an elbow, he watched her face brighten as the morning sun gradually lightened up the room by way of the two narrow partially curtained windows on each side of the room. Eventually, she had rolled over and then he observed her back. He found two tiny scars there...just faint etchings really. He hadn't made any attempt to wake her, for one....he knew better and two, he loved watching her like this....she looked so contented and angelic it was hard to believe she was in fact a viciously effective killer. Bill let the smirk melt into a genuine smile, he reached over and picked up one of her curled up hands, giving it a small kiss. "How are feeling this morning?" he asked in a soft voice. He himself, felt just about as goddamn good as he'd ever felt in his entire life.
"Good," was the typical and blunt reply Beatrix was known to give when it came to matters of how she was feeling. A gentle smirk crossed her waking features and she made no movement to move her head from the plush pillow. She was terribly comfortable and unless she could come up with a really good reason for getting out bed she wasn't moving.
Bill made a small, "Hrm," remark at Beatrix's blunt reply. He wasn't upset over it of course, that was a typical Beatrix thing, and something he was growing more and more used to. He would have liked to have known how she felt, but by the look on her face...he had a generally good idea. She looked happy.......probably the most happy he'd ever seen her. That in itself, aside from all that had happened the night before, made him just as happy.
The fact that Bill had been watching her for sometime was less daunting than she first perceived. She loathed the fact that she could trust Bill well enough to allow him to watch her while she slept. She knew sleep, especially deep sleep, or even a coma was very dangerous because it left one vulnerable against anything. A single hand came up and muffled an oncoming yawn in which she gulped down. Eyelids reopened and fell upon him fondly. "And how are you feeling?"
He rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling contentedly. "I feel..........really fucking happy....." he said, giving her a side glance and smirk. How long ago was it that they had had that "really fucking happy" discussion? It couldn't have been that long but it seemed like ages ago. So far she hadn't seemed regretful in the slightest, and Bill could only hope that feeling lasted for her.....because there was something very right about all of it.....in a very wrong way.
But, he wasn't going to prod, nor ask if Beatrix knew what she was doing and when she made her mind up she was pretty damn set on it....just like himself. He turned his head to look at her, "You have two scars on your back." She most likely already knew that, but it was just another moment of Bill randomness.
Beatrix laughed and this only made the thin contented smile she displayed earlier widen. "Yes," she said, her eyebrows raising a fraction. "One is from the bullet I took last year and the other one I'm not entirely sure. I think it's from the airport stabbing but I remember that being farther up." She trailed off and shrugged the one shoulder she wasn't lying on. She had an assortment of scars, some more prominent than others. Even though she didn't act like it she took very good care of her battle wounds, which helped limit the scarring affect. Either way she'd always have scars and there would be those few that were connected with bitter memories.
Beatrix gave brief thought to his comment on being really fucking happy but she wasn't going to openly admit it that she felt the same. She had admitted enough last night to last her a lifetime of lies. She tucked a hand beneath her cheek and openly stared at him with no regrets.
Bill smiled, "You'll get more.....over time.....which, is something of a pity," he hated to see such beauty marred...but then again, when that beauty was being marred to kill for him...he didn't mind so much. As for himself, he didn't really care...he'd stopped caring long ago. After a moment longer of pensively looking up at the ceiling, he rolled over to face her, "So.....what type of woman are you? An eggs and bacon kind, or a bagel and fruit kind?" He smiled widely, knowing already which one she most likely was after having "worked" with her so long, Bill often felt like he already knew most of her little quarks...but it was fun to ask anyways. It made everything seem a little more "normal".....if that was possible.
He put on a mock serious face, "Wait...hrm....lets course....cream and sugar....an entire fucking bag of sugar if I'm not mistaken. What else....," he put a finger to his chin, "...ah..no..no newspaper for you...TV perhaps..." It was obvious he wanted to make her happy, he knew she often didn't want him to try, but Bill couldn't help himself. He had always been a spoiler...he always would be.
Any other time Beatrix would have found herself forced into 'disliking' Bill's need to spoil but this time she was all for it. She wasn't spoiled as a child and that invoked a lot of her personality traits that she had today. So, as any deprived child she jumped at the chance to gain back what she missed in her younger years, but at a much higher level.
She gave him a passive look and picked her head off the pillow to look down at him. Layers of blonde locks were matted and frizzed but in an organized manner. The grogginess was beginning to dissipate from her facial features. "Bacon and eggs-over easy, coffee, and T.V." She paused and pursed her lips together although that smile curved at the edges.
"You fucker," She sat up, an arm coming to fold against her chest as she held the sheet at her neck line, she swung her feet over the edge of the bed, and glanced at him over her shoulder. "I'm starting to worry that you know almost too much about me. Even if they are the 'little' things." Of course, this was all said in a loving tease. She respected the fact that Bill was trying for something on the normal side and she wasn't about to pass up the chance.
Bill smirked over at her, a good amount of the sadistic bastard glint seeping in there. "I thought so," he chuckled at the description of her preferences. She was right of course, he did know her all too well.....and now...well....he knew her even better. Bill made it a habit to know things about people, little things....superficial things, even things that were thought of as silly. He firmly believed that even the slightest bit of knowledge could be useful. It was a killer's habit, know thine friends and lovers as well as thine enemies.....or something fancy ass sounding like that. In this case of course, he used his powers for good not evil.
He watched her intensely as she crossed the room and went into the adjoining bathroom. After a moment, he too got up and wrapping himself in a black silk oriental looking bathrobe, he left Beatrix to whatever she needed to do and headed for the kitchen.
Bill was a decent cook, but he wasn't a great cook...he would have liked to have been better....it was an essential talent for being an all around "gentleman killer" type. But, sadly he'd never had enough time to devote to really learning much and Nikishi had taken over many of the duties. But he as sure as hell could cook bacon and eggs over easy.
Twenty minutes later everything was done. When Beatrix emerged into the living room/dining room area, there was a plate of piping hot bacon and over easy eggs sitting out for her on the bar. A large cup of coffee was sitting next to it...with a small pitcher of cream...and seeing as Bill was never one to pass up a smart ass joke, an entire bag of sugar sat there as well. The TV was on, a semi-local San Diego morning newscast running at low volume.
Bill came out of the kitchen a few minutes later, a cup of tea in one hand and a plate of mixed fruit and granola in the other. He set these down at the bar and gave Beatrix an appraising smile, "There you are Kiddo..." he gestured down at her plate, with a humorous glint in his eye, "...a triple bypass surgery just waiting to happen."
Beatrix now sat at the bar wearing what she wore yesterday since it was her only set and she didn't desire to borrow anything today. Her hair was combed out, her face was washed, and she looked much more awake and refreshed. Slender brows narrowed as she viewed the assortment of breakfast before her. She daintily picked up the bag of sugar, gave it a fleeting inspection as if to take in the full essence of the joke, and let it fall back to the counter with a dramatic thud.
"Do you want my ass to get fat or are you being a smart ass," she questioned quietly with intended sarcasm. "Either way, I'm not amused." Actually she was very amused. Leave it to Bill to turn breakfast into a sadistic joke and more importantly so a joke she found equally funny. Even if she wasn't going to outwardly laugh. Long white fingers laced around the handle of the jug of cream and poured it into her coffee mug. Blue eyes glanced over the area, searching for something, and unable to locate it she turned her eyes on Bill. "Do you have a packet of sugar I could use?"
Bill watched her take the whole "sugar bag" thing in with a quirky smile. He loved little jokes and Beatrix was no stranger to his eccentric sense of humor. She was playing it straight, but he knew....she thought it was funny. He raised his eyebrows, "Ah very well," he said in some rather badly impersonated British butler voice, "one sugar packet my dear...as you command," with a smirk he turned back into the kitchen and retuned a few moments later daintily holding one sugar packet in the middle of his large palm. He picked it up equally as daintily in-between to fingers and set it down softly next to her coffee mug. "Viola!" Chuckling, he sat down on the stool next to her and pulled in his own plate of food...which was noticeably different than what Beatrix was eating. He then idly began shuffling through the newspaper that was sitting there...which was of course, the New York Times. Beatrix seemed content to eat and watch TV. Bill had left the remote near her plate in case she desired to watch something else.
And thus, they sat like that for a few minutes.....a brief picture of well....almost normal partnered tranquility. The TV prattled on, they both sipped their drinks, Bill casually turned pages in his newspaper while eating a little distractedly. In the middle of the living room the Hanzo sword sat on it's stand, the bright pink bear still sitting next to it, a funny reminder and a strange juxtaposition.
There was no missing Bill's extremely good mood, he kept glancing over at Beatrix and giving her warm smiles and at one point even leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Bill was a bastard yes, but he was a bastard in love.
By the time the early morning talk show was through with rambling on about the 'problem' with guns, which Beatrix found highly amusing, she had finished her plate and pushed it to the side. "Well," she finally said. "I'm not dead." Which in more literal terms meant Bill's food was edible and maybe even good. The sarcastic glint in her blue eyes was hard to miss. In all reality and without any denial of the truth Beatrix was very, very happy. Who knew sex could make things so much better? She planned to let nothing ruin the next twenty four hours because she wanted desperately to stay in this very tranquil state.
She slid around in the stool to face him. "My usual routine in the morning is shower, eat, and then come here. Seeing as I'm already here what is your routine?" Beatrix didn't know that much about Bill, not the superficial things that Bill seemed to take pride on knowing. She stuck with the basics and some deeper things that only she knew and that she found more satisfaction in knowing.
Bill looked pleasantly surprised that Beatrix had asked him that question. Usually he was the one asking those type of things. "Well," he set down his paper, turning towards her with a genial smile, "I generally get up fairly early....I like to be up before the sun rises. First, I sit here for awhile...reading my paper, just like this," he gestured to the counter. "I like to read in silence, but sometimes with music in the background. I eat a light breakfast, nothing greasy. Then I change into appropriate attire and go outside to work out. Usually I meditate first....if I time this right; I can be doing this right as the sun rises. Then a workout, Tai Chi....sometimes something a little more intense, depends on how I feel," he shrugged, "After that, shower, shave and change. Then, I usually get down to work, make a few phone calls.....you or somebody else tends to show up at that point." He paused, "That's pretty much what I've been doing for the last ten years or so.....not terribly exciting, but it works for me." Bill realized that all sounded pretty ho hum and boring, but it was true. He found that nowadays things tended to run much more smoothly if he kept things at an orderly pace. He regarded her for a moment, and then chuckled, "Funny...how people romanticize the lives of killers."
Beatrix pursed her lips. "Mmm, sounds fascinating," she cooed in an overly dramatic tone. Actually she liked the idea of routines. She tried to stick to her own routine but as hard as she tried one thing was never the same. It added flare to her 'dull' life, not that she didn't have enough of that flare. Blue eyes shifted from him and over to the aesthetic hanging wall clock. "Well, seeing that it's eleven o'clock I'd say you have just enough time to shave and get dressed before you can make a few phone calls," she speculated matter-of-factly.
Bill raised his eyebrows, "Oh, I see how it is.....now your done with me and your sending me on my way," he teased, sliding off of the stool, "Had enough of ol' Bill for a day...." he chuckled with good humor. "I'm terribly hurt. Actually, your right..." he picked up his plate, "I should probably get something done today." He disappeared into the kitchen with his plate and returned to the bar. Leaning up against the counter close to Beatrix. He reached out and ran a hand through her combed back hair with an affectionate tilt of the head, "But I would hope that later-"
But he was cut off, when the sound of the front door being slammed open echoed throughout the room. "BILL YOU ASSHOLE!" It was distinctly Elle's voice, and she sounded just a wee bit pissed off. Bill turned slowly towards the entryway, his entire expression changing. The sound of tapping high heels gradually grew louder until the tall lanky form of Elle emerged into the room. She came to a halting stop in the middle of the room. Her attire was appropriately "Elle" and she was clutching at a huge metal studded purse. "Well...fuckidy fuck....isn't this grand!" She sneered, "Nice robe Bill..."
"Thank you Elle," Bill replied softly, his face stony.
Elle looked at Beatrix, opening her mouth to say something but she just stood there stuck on her own words.
Bill cleared his throat, standing up straighter to cross his arms, "You were saying Elle...?"
Elle blinked her eye, "About your robe?"
"No...." Bill frowned, "...Bill you asshole..."
"OH! That's right!" She slammed her purse down on the coffee table, which caused a visible cringe from Bill, "Bill you asshole!!!! That was the worst assignment I have ever been on!!"
"And why was that Miss Driver?"
"It FUCKING SUCKED!!!"
"What a wonderfully descriptive assessment."
Elle made a frustrated noise and threw her hands up, "The target was this complete pervert.....augh.....and it was as hot as fucking hell...and my flight was delayed, they lost my fucking luggage....I got fucking food poisoning."
"You said you were immune," Bill replied flippantly.
"Well......I guess not...because I sure as hell did. And then, to top it all off, it turned out this fucker had a shitload of cronies...and they were all pro's....I barely got out alive!"
Bill stared at her straight faced as if he was almost regretful that she had gotten out alive.
Beatrix watched everything transpire with a mellow dramatic façade. The one-eyed-Viking-bitch had returned. In actual fact Beatrix hadn't seen Elle since 'hell' weekend and even then they did not converse much. Elle's whole entrance made Beatrix laugh internally. It was a fucked up way to end a nice night and a following morning. She very much regretted Elle's entrance as much as Bill. She wanted more of that tranquil alone time that was so rare. But she should have known it wouldn't last.
The tall blonde had remained quiet and watchful for awhile but the temptation was too much. She couldn't sit there and watch Elle and Bill bicker without joining in. "Too bad. On your gravestone we could have put; 'L' Driver, died gallantly during a—quote un quote 'Fucking sucked' assignment. She will be...missed," she mused quietly as she stayed on the stool, hands on her thighs.
Bill laughed at Beatrix's comment, giving Elle a wide wolfish grin. "Good one Kiddo...." He wrapped his knuckles on the marble topped bar and then leaned against it casually.
Elle looked completely appalled, and her cycloptic glare bounced between the two of them, "What the fuck is this?" Just when she thought Bill had gotten over this "Bea favoritism" he seemed back on it with full force....even worse than before. God, it drove her fucking nuts! "I bet if Precious Kiddo here were to have the same shit happen to her on an assignment, you'd be all over her with...," she put her long hands along the sides of her face, mocking Bill's affectionate behavior, ".....'ohhh poor Kiddo this and poor Kiddo that'...." she put her hands on her hips, dropping the act, "...Fuck!" she spat.
Bill didn't look very amused at this, and his hard expression morphed quickly into a glare. Once again Elle was turning everything into some goddamn high school drama. Besides, he had been really enjoying the time he was having before she decided to arrive. This was not how he wanted to see it end. "I can assure you Elle, that Beatrix has been on equally as shitty assignments. Don't count yourself so special."
"Why not?" Elle retorted, "She does..."
"Maybe she does it for good reason."
"And I shouldn't?"
Elle had this way of throwing tantrums right in the front of the person she was having the tantrum about....which in most cases was Beatrix. Bill found it rude. Elle, of course...did it very much on purpose.
Beatrix's expression turned hard and scornful. For some reason Elle was starting to get under her skin. Usually Bea could brush away Elle's lack of maturity with smart ass remarks and retorts but today she was taking it more personally. "Okay, Elle," she began coolly. "Let's compare and see who has had more shitty assignments. So we can see which one of us is more...special."
Her hands folded over her chest and her blonde head cocked slightly. "On numerous assignments throughout my years working here I have been;," long white fingers extended as she counted off her list; "Maimed, shot, clipped, broke my hand once, poisoned, been beaten up, nearly raped," a momentary trail off. It'd be hard to catch which 'nearly' she was referring to. She picked up again, "Sliced, and stabbed consecutively three times." A pause. "Okay, your turn."
Bill, who had been watching Beatrix intensely, raised an eyebrow fractionally at her "nearly raped" comment, but he didn't say anything....for the moment, at least.
Elle had her hands on her hips, red lips pursed, as she listened to Beatrix list off her "bad experiences" She didn't look all too impressed, but then again...Elle rarely looked impressed at anything much.
"Alright," she took a few sauntering steps forward, long legs taking her much closer to Beatrix, "Here's a little list for ya...." she flipped her hand up to mock the other blonde's finger counting, "I've been...stabbed at least five times, shot three times, bruised constantly, had my fucking jaw broken, broke both of my hands, beaten up more times than I can remember, thrown down stairs...off roofs, through windows, strung up by my ankles, had all of my clothing stolen and was forced to fight naked, " there was no further questioning on that one, "....had an ice pick jabbed through my palm, hit by a car...twice.....oh....let's see what else....oh and nearly drowned in a pool full of crocodiles."
Bill was now smirking....which was barely winning over eye rolling. Why these two women constantly felt the need to do things like this was beyond him. He thought them both to be worthy warriors.....he simply didn't see the need for such comparisons. Bill, as he would be for sometime, was somewhat oblivious to Elle's true reasons to be so hateful and jealous towards Beatrix. Especially right now....he was feeling so strongly towards Beatrix, that much was being clouded and he was finding himself getting quite irritated with Elle in a very protective manner.
"Can't we just drop this line of bullshit ladies?" He spoke up in a mild voice.
"No..." Elle hissed, "I'm getting so fucking sick of this Bill." As if he wasn't!? He frowned.
"Is that all you've got Bea?" Elle turned her feral attention back on the other blonde.
"For the moment, yes," Beatrix said. She was unaltered by Elle's arrangement of 'sucky' assignments even if at the moment hers were better. "Besides," blue eyes stared cold into Elle's lone blue eye. "By the end, I'm sure I'll have gained injuries that far exceed yours." Bill was right, this was bullshit. What type of person would want to compare how fucked up they've been? Killers, but there even came a point where it became too much. Such as; trying to 'beat' your opponent at who can get the worst set of injuries. Why would anyone want to predict pain upon themselves? Killers would, because if you came back from an assignment with a big slash down the middle of your face and your target was left without a head, that meant you had far exceeded what needed to be accomplished.....or some shit like that.
"Whatever," Elle said in a rather juvenile tone of voice and flopped herself on the couch. She immediately grabbed her massive purse and began to dig through it like some crazy bag lady looking for that thing in her bag which was never there in the end.
Bill shook his head and rounded the bar, "Well ladies,....I have work to do.....if you two don't mind...." He didn't really like the idea of leaving them in the same room together, but then again he wasn't their fucking babysitter. "I may have an assignment for both of you....," he stopped at the entrance to the hallway, "..let me rephrase...I may have a separate assignment for each of you...." With that he glanced at Beatrix momentarily, a mixed look of regret, affection and a undercurrent of warm passion, and then turned to stroll down the hallway.
Elle was still rummaging through her purse, cursing softly to herself as she did so. After what seemed like far too long, she emerged with her object of desire, a small tube of lipstick. Flipping open a handheld mirror, she began to apply the makeup. Happy with her appearance, she then smacked her lips together, "So Bea," she flipped the mirror shut with a loud snap, "what's it like to be fucking your boss?" Of course, Elle really had no clue at how close she was to the truth...she merely said it out of suspicion well, and to irk the hell out of Beatrix.
At first Beatrix was taken aback by Elle's rounded question but she recovered quickly. It was hard to tell if Elle was trying to piss her off by making a false assumption or if she trying to piss her off by making a true assumption. Either way it felt as if Elle was cluing Beatrix in on that she knew 'everything'.
The tall blonde warrior rose from her seat at the bar and slowly sauntered over to join her counterpart. She settled on the couch opposite Elle and let her arms extend over the backing of the couch; her body slouched but held an amused demeanor with a serious undertone. "It's..." a trail off, she had to find the right word. Amazing was too cliché and good was too cryptic. "Splendid." A thin smile crept across her face, a satisfied and suggestive one.
Before Elle could catch herself, she let her jaw drop. Beatrix had called her bluff with her own bluff calling. Elle's eye narrowed, attempting to try to call it, but Beatrix was a damn good lair...almost as good as Bill. Bill....goddamn Bill. "Oh.....really......" was the only thing Elle could manage to say at the moment. She caught Beatrix's smile.....read those exact words in it......it looked genuine...but on the other hand....it was hard to tell. Fucking bitch.
Elle leaned back on the couch, crossing her legs. She regained her cool and smart ass composure, "Well that's very interesting Bea," she said, lighting up a cigarette...knowing full well Bill was absolutely against her smoking in his house. But, at the moment, she was up for throwing spite out any way she could. "Ya know, I always figured Bill was good in bed.....kept wondering how he was getting all those good looking bimbos." A statement sending insults both Bill and Beatrix's directions. "Besides," she took a long pull on her cigarette, blue eye leveled at Beatrix, "He is something of a cradle robber......so you do......fit the bill perfectly....." she started laughing at her accidental pun on that remark. Elle's laugh was never very pleasant on the ears. "Oh god..." she slapped her thigh, "...that was a good one!" She continued laughing, inhaling again on her cigarette, "Mm...just give me a minute here Bea.....still trying to get over that one....."
Beatrix stared at Elle with a firm set expression. She didn't find that the least bit funny even if it was partially true. One thing she wasn't going to allow to happen was letting Elle ruin her good mood or not 'all' of her good mood. This took a large amount of self control and she had to bite her tongue down harshly. Her arms came to neatly cross over her chest and her legs were stretched out in front of her as she sat there while Elle's annoyingly pitched laugh rang in her ears. "Done?" she questioned flatly.
Elle's laugh died down at Beatrix's blunt word. She wiped a tear from her eye with a long finger, "Not sure yet....heh.....gimmie a minute," she took another drag from her cancer stick and leaned back, a smirk still evident on her face.
Beatrix was playing this cool. Elle knew that when her blonde counterpart got like this, it was difficult to crack that shell. Bea used to be so easy to get to...back in the day......nowadays she was proving to be much thicker skinned. Damn shame really....Elle had really enjoyed getting the better of her.
Thus far Bill hadn't noticed that Elle was gleefully smoking in his house, and she took full advantage of this fact by lighting up another cigarette the moment her first one was down to the filter. Glancing around and not finding an ashtray of any sort, she turned and stuck the cigarette butt into the hallow eye of a small Native American wood sculpture on the end table.
Armed with a new cigarette, Elle turned her attention back on Beatrix, who was sitting stoically with her arms still crossed. "Where was I?" Elle started, "Oh! Yes...that's right....Bill the chronic cradle robber.....well Bea...if your not lying out your ass, which is certainly a possibility, then congratulations on joining the ranks of brainless slutty blondes. I've been around here a hell of allot longer than you, and I've seen 'em come and go like junkies to the candyman." Her eye widened, as she leaned forward, "You should feel real special Bea.....at least you're a true blonde...then again, maybe not...have to ask Bill on that one..." She sneered, her repertoire of insults getting lower and lower as she attempted to get some sort of reaction out of her rival.
Beatrix sat there for a good five daunting seconds before Elle's words fully registered in her head. She was trying to be cool and not crack. Over the years she had built up a strong shell to keep Elle's smart ass and immature criticism from breaking it but sometimes it was a harder task than first anticipated. She slowly sat up from her slouched posture and set hands firmly against the couch as if to restrain herself from jumping out and cutting Elle's throat.
She finally spoke up, her tone over laced with injurious possibilities, "At least I've joined the ranks of 'special' brainless slutty blondes. You've yet to get there." Her chin tilted towards her chest. "Oh, and it is real, so you don't have to bother asking Bill."
"Mmm," Elle replied, cigarette in her mouth, she exhaled, "Well.....how very good for you, I-"
But she froze, when Bill's voice floated up the hallway like a death toll.
"ELLE!"
There was a few seconds where Elle had a look of sheer panic on her face, she scrambled around on the couch looking desperately for another makeshift ashtray...but there was nothing, save for the other eye of that poor wooden sculpture. She tried to jam her lit cigarette in there, but the wood instantly began smoking and she quickly removed it, "Shit..." she hissed under her breath, turning the other direction.
But it was too late, Bill had reached the living room. Fully dressed and for some reason, but not entirely out of the norm, wearing a pistol at his side. He swooped down on her. "Jesus Christ Elle!" He snatched the cigarette from her hand with a violent grab and snubbed it in between his fingers, "I can't even count how many times I've told you to not fucking smoke in my house!" He glared down at her with fury.
Elle's demeanor had instantly changed and she went from a self confident vindictive bitch to a weak crumbling woman. "I'm sorry Bill.....I........."
Bill waited silently, thumbs tucked into his belt.
".....won't do it again....." she mumbled in a barely audible voice. Her eyelid was hooded over, but with a quick glance at Beatrix, she threw in a subtle death delivering glare in the other blonde's direction.
She more or less avoided the glare by not registering it. Beatrix casually rose from her seat, sauntered around, and over to Bill. She knew for a fact that Elle was far from through criticizing her, Bill's appearance only delayed the inevitable. This didn't daunt Beatrix, it just made her life all the more challenging. As she came up alongside Bill she idly laced an arm through his own and leaned into him. This action was done in the purest of intentions; these intentions being to throw her own spite in Elle's direction as well as gain back some of that tranquility she felt before by being near Bill. Her expression remained casual as she said, "Don't be too mad at her, Bill." Beatrix sticking up for Elle? Hardly. She put on a coy smile. "She is still recovering from learning our dirty little secret."
Bill raised an eyebrow as Beatrix admitted this, giving her a small little smirk to boot. It was a little surprising, but he was more than happy that she had. He laced his fingers through hers, never one to shy away from affection. His full attention was now turned upon her, his anger towards Elle completely forgotten. He didn't say anything, but the amused and warm expression on his face said enough. Her close presence was enough to make him forget nearly everything.
Elle stared agape at the two of them this was possibly the most shocked she had looked in a long time. "Oh...my..fucking...god...." she breathed. Beatrix hadn't been lying. Up until that point, Elle had firmly been holding onto the belief that Beatrix had in fact been lying her ass off. She had been playing along in an attempt to piss her rival off....but now.....it seemed things had taken a turn for the truth. She would never, ever forgive Beatrix for this one....ever! She had already held such hostility towards her, now....it was crossing a much darker line. There was no missing the look on Bill's face.....both of their postures. It was no lie. Elle swallowed down on an angry lump in her throat, her vicious temper rising. It was too much, she had to get out of here.....she had to leave.....now....
Elle stood up suddenly, and grabbed her purse. She rounded the couch, trying to get as far away from them as possible, "Just wanted to tell you about the assignment Bill," she said in a slightly too loud, tight rushed voice, her eye looking at anything but them, "Think I need to go now.....," she rushed for the door, "I'll talk to you later...." She bolted out and slammed the door behind her.
Bill stood looking after her with a slightly quizzical look on his face.
Beatrix knew what she had said and done would send Elle off. Beatrix could be a lying bitch and when it came down to the heinous fact that she wasn't lying for once, would send anyone off the edge. Unfortunately Beatrix knew she had hit Elle were it hurt. Unlike Bill she knew what Elle's real hatred was towards. Perhaps it was better that he didn't know and would forever remain oblivious to it.
She 'almost' wanted to take back what she said, because in her subconscious she knew that that would have very bad repercussions. She didn't regret it; Elle deserved it. She only wanted to rephrase it if she could. But the damage was done.
Bea leaned her head on Bill's shoulder and stared off in the same direction. "I have successfully gained myself an enemy for life," she commented quietly.
Bill wrapped his arm around her waist, enjoying the feel of her head on his shoulder. He glanced down at her, knowing Beatrix was more than accurate on that statement. Elle and Beatrix had always had something of a rivalry...even from the very beginning. At first, it was somewhat playful, almost a joke between the two blondes. Bill had found it amusing and somewhat enduring, he had liked to watch them bicker....it was never boring at the very least. But, in the last year....the blonde rivalry had begun to turn sour. He hadn't been blind to it. And very quickly it was no longer amusing. Ever since that bizarre Alaskan assignment, where the two of them had literally gotten into a bloody brawl, he'd been very wary of their relationship. Now, it appeared things were only getting worse.
"Enemies can't be avoided Kiddo," he said softly, "That's just life. I can't even begin to count how many enemies I have. There's an army of people out there, just looking to kill me," he chuckled, somehow finding that amusing. "All out to kill Bill." His hand lifted from Beatrix's waist to comb idly through her blonde hair.
Beatrix laughed lightly. "Kill Bill, that rhymes." Her laughter soon died down as well as the humor. When Beatrix first learned of Elle's true hatred it was a hard pill to swallow but now the pill was smaller and the effects weren't as daunting, emotionally. She knew as 'sad' as it was that it was unavoidable and if she didn't accept it quickly there would be consequences. It was best to avoid what she could.
She wanted to feel closer and held a need for it as she wrapped an arm around Bill's torso and the other over his front to let hands hook at his shoulder. A makeshift embrace. Her expression was quite stoic. "What were you saying before Elle came in?"
Bill smiled warmly, very much enjoying this new turn of events in his and Beatrix's relationship. He had forgotten how nice it was to be with somebody like this, especially when he genuinely cared. "What was I saying.....before Elle came in......?" He leaned his forehead against hers for a moment, in thought, "Oh....." he lifted his head, the thought sparking, "....I was saying....I was hoping that later on tonight...or maybe tomorrow...we could go do something...." he raised an eyebrow, "...fun...." This sort of phrase seemed strange coming from Bill, as if he wasn't exactly used to asking women out on real dates...at least not lately. "Maybe go into town......I know of this really great Italian restaurant....." he trailed off, eyes fixated on her as if momentarily lost. He smiled, "Sorry Kiddo.....still getting used to this....." Another Bill rarity, as he made an apology for a supposed weakness, "I'm trying to remember the last time I attempted to do this......" he laughed at himself. Funny how somebody so confident in himself and his abilities could suddenly become just like every other stumbling man out in the world.
Beatrix turned her head to him with raised eyebrows. He was asking her out on a date? It was so funny that it was kind of sweet. There went Bill on his sweet tangent that was only reserved for her. "I'd like that," she stated softly and truthfully. Like Bill she hadn't gone out somewhere fun in a very long time. Well, there was that trip to Vegas but even then the definition of fun was to be debated. She also hadn't been out on a date in who knew how long. It was hard to forget how to do certain things during a date. It came as second nature.
She pulled away out of his embrace not to get away but to turn face to face with him. A thin smile was on her face and blue eyes were glowing. "Tomorrow night sounds splendid. You can pick me up at eight." There she went taking the lead female role of preparing the night. She smirked with a hint of sadism.
Bill smiled, in that reserved sweet smile, eyelids hooded, "Eight sounds splendid." He didn't seem to mind her taking of control, in fact he rather liked it. He seemed very close to kissing her, but then he spoke up, "But first.....," he pulled away a little, "...I have an assignment for you.....I was going to do it myself actually, but Raul just called me...." he motioned down to the gun he was wearing, "...you remember Raul....white carpet guy....I guess he's got some assholes pestering him about a botched deal. He does this now and then, wants somebody over there to clean it up....." Bill shrugged, "He pays well....anyways, so I'm going to send you off on this other thing....." He paused, trying to recall the assignment, "It's in Southern Texas...your old stomping grounds...shouldn't take you more than few hours to get there." He slipped a hand in his jacket and somewhat suggestively stuffed it into the back pocket of her jeans. "You should be able to finish it by tomorrow night......easily....." He leaned towards her, "Remember, I'm never late...." he said softly, kissing her with a newly felt tenderness.