Have a pleasant night, day, week, year, life, didn't make up for how shitty the past few 'weeks' were going. Beatrix felt she was a prisoner in her own home. She could go out as she pleased but to the one place she felt to be a second home she was denied access to. She spent a large portion of this down time training but her enthusiasm was lacking. It lacked so much she managed to give herself a bruised knuckle, almost dislocated her finger, and cut her forearm. This showed how emotions could impact on concentration and Beatrix sure as hell wasn't concentrating.
She wanted to concentrate and pick up on areas she was faltering in but she couldn't make herself. Deep down she wanted to stop and give up which was the main factor to her decrease in self-training. But, this was her life, as fucked up and cruel as it was and she couldn't put it on hold because of a 'mistake'. Although, her punishment was beginning to have more of a bang than first perceived.
It was early in the morning and the tall blonde warrior was lying beneath the protective covers of her bed. The clock was blinking close to seven o'clock in the morning and Beatrix didn't want to get out of bed. Greeting the day would only bring boredom and she hated being bored. Staying in bed seemed to be her best option.
Bill wasn't exactly having the time of his life either. He spent the next few weeks immersed in work, setting up things...making new contacts. When he wasn't working, he drank..perhaps a little too much. He came to the conclusion that his father, whomever the fucker was, had probably been an alcoholic....Bill found he had an unnatural tendency to drink when depressed. He then tried more "herbal" remedies, but those only bored him. In the end, he just worked harder...staying up far too late and getting little sleep.
He hated to admit it, because it was a sign of weakness and dependency, but he missed Beatrix. Missed her like hell. It took a strong resolve not to call her up just to hear her voice, or drive over to her place and drown her in affection...not to mention a good amount of lust. But he knew doing such things would only prove he wasn't as strong as he truly was. He couldn't let her get to him so badly. She was already well under his skin......he couldn't give in, not now.
So thus, it wasn't Bill who showed up at Beatrix's place at nine o' clock that morning, but Vernita.
The athletic dark skinned woman, pounded on the door, "Come on Bea...I know your in there....get your ass up and open the fucking door!"
Beatrix bolted out of bed. Evidently she had been laying there staring into the abyss for the past three hours but not anymore. She wanted Bill to be at the door but she'd take what she could get and Vernita was pretty good considering. Clad in a simple over-sized t-shirt that draped down to her knees she made a mad dash for the door as if her life depended on it. Well, it did. If something didn't happen soon Beatrix was worried she'd die of boredom or go into a coma.
Approaching the door she halted and straightened her demeanor. She was acting like a child that was anxious to open a Christmas present. She shook her head to rid her hair of that 'slept on' appearance and opened the door. Her lips formed into a stiff smile of greeting. "God-dammit, Vernita, what ever happened to using a doorbell," she inclined with a good amount of humor.
"You have a doorbell?," Vernita looked at the disheveled blonde quizzically, "Oh..." she spotted it finally, "...well shit...sorry Bea," she grinned as Beatrix let her into the living room.
"I was just stopping by to see how you were......there were about you botching a mission or something. Just wanted to make sure you were OK." Vernita was of course referring to the consequences of botching a mission....which all of them were fairly aware of. "Bill wasn't too much of an asshole to you was he?" She gave Beatrix a concerned look, as she sat herself down in one of the cushy living room chairs. "Well, and I wanted to get the real dirt from you and not some twisted version of it from Elle....god, we had this assignment together last week...pure hell," she groaned. But she caught Beatrx's worn and frazzled look, and turned serious again, "Jesus....what's going on Bea?"
Leave it to Vernita to be the one that actually gave a shit about her well being and it wasn't forced shit. That cheered her up a little. The tall blonde settled on the other cushy piece of furniture. Arms settled on the side of the chair arms and blue eyes focused on the woman in her living room. "It would appear that the rumors are correct." Beatrix shrugged her shoulders as if it were nothing when it was really bothering her beyond comprehension.
"I botched a job because I had to hit off a little girl and her mother and I couldn't go through with it. I botched a job because I have a heart. Damn...Bill wasn't a complete asshole about it. Pulling back my pay, putting me on house arrest, restricting me to lone-assignments, and cutting off all communication for the past week or two. Oh yeah, he wasn't an asshole at...all." Her lips tightened and she folded arms over her chest. "But, than again, can't say I didn't deserve it."
Vernita watched Beatrix with knitted brows, "You had to hit off a little girl?" She shook her head, "Fuck...I don't know if I could go through with it either." Vernita had been spared from that sort of assignment thus far. She sat silently for a moment, staring across the living room. She found the prospect very daunting, and something she hadn't ever really thought much about. She shook her head, "That's fucked up Bea......I...." she trailed off unsure what to say. Like Beatrix, Vernita was very fond of children...but like Beatrix she was also a killer for hire. It was a tough dilemma and one she would have to give some serious thought to.
"Well," Vernita smirked, looking back at the tall blonde, after hearing about Bea's punishment, "If it makes you feel any better....I was just over at Bill's place...and he looks like shit. He's acting like.....you died or something. I even told him that and he told me to go fuck myself." She laughed, "He's miserable.....and I can most likely guarantee he deserved it as well. I'm sorta surprised he hasn't shown up here yet....."
Vernita was speaking as if she was already fairly aware of Beatrix's and Bill's...more than professional relationship. Although, she really was only speculating from what she had seen....which was really very little than the whole picture. "I can tell you this Bea, that man misses you....." Realizing she may have gone too far, she shrugged it away, "Anyways....I just wanted to check on you."
Beatrix stared at Vernita with raised eyebrows. Was she leading onto something about Bill and Beatrix that they didn't want to (at least Beatrix) didn't want the others to know? That Bill and herself were taking a different road than employee/boss. At times it could be obvious but the blonde felt uneasy about the others catching on to their 'dangerous' secret.
Shaking out of it she blinked and a timid smirk crossed her worn facial features. She found it amusing and almost comforting to know that Bill was going through as much shit as she was. And the idea that he 'missed' her put her in a lighter mood. Maybe she'd 'train' a little harder today. "I appreciate you checking up on me but feel free to stay." There was a hint of longing in her gaze and begging. She was so fucking bored.
Vernita caught the longing look on Beatrix face.....she recognized boredom bordering on insanity when she saw it. "Sure, why not.." Vernita shrugged, propping her feet up a nearby footstool. "I've got the time...."
Vernita at times envied Beatrix's dedication to her training. Beatrix could be out doing......whatever...but instead she chose to hole herself up in her apartment and hone her skills. At least that's what Vernita guessed Beatrix had been doing. As long as she'd known Bea, she'd always been like that....driven. She always seemed to be trying to reach a higher point.....as if she was training for more than what her job required of her. It was admirable.
Vernita began chatting away, mainly just to get Beatrix's mind off the things that were bothering her. She talked about her and Elle's assignment...which had been in South Carolina...three targets, all of them militant former army snipers. It had "been seriously shitty" as Vernita described. It didn't help that Elle had been "really PMSing out" as Vernita put it. But Elle was one hell of a sniper and she had turned out to come in handy when they ended up having a sniper showdown on, of all things, a grassy knoll. "Ironic as hell," Vernita smirked, leafing through a magazine on the nearby table.
Then she chatted a little about finding "her doctor", an idea she'd been obsessing about for sometime. "Seriously Bea, you need to go out with me sometime....help me scope out...." she made sniper gesture with her hands and laughed at her own bad joke, "I mean...I know most of those guys aren't really.....your type....but you should still go with me sometime." She didn't go into exactly what Beatrix's "type" was.
Beatrix wove a hand to dismiss Vernita's suggestion. "I've given up hope on the male race and a 'good' anything." Beatrix was in a very light mood. The sniper story was amusing and comical that Elle was good with a sniper rifle. She supposed the willowy blonde had to be good at something.
It was amazing what social interaction could do for a person. "But, I'll help you look for your 'good doctor'." She offered a pleasant smile and was leaning back comfortably in her chair. She didn't want to go into why she was giving up hope on males. It was obvious she was irate with one particular male and that had pretty much tuned her off from anyone else. Also, adding to the fact that she was in a 'relationship' and she couldn't go lollygagging with other men.
Vernita looked sincerely happy when Beatrix said she'd help her look for her "good doctor." She grinned, "Well....hell yeah, if your not going to look for yourself, then you sure as fuck had better help me." She laughed, leaning back into her own chair. Of course, Vernita was more than a little suspicious about what was going on between Beatrix and Bill....she hadn't exactly missed it. But, she wasn't going to say anything...not yet at least. Besides, she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about the whole thing at the moment.
Beatrix paused before she put on a serious facade. "Does Bill know you stopped by to see me?"
At Beatrix's question, Vernita sobered up a bit, "Yeah....he knows. I told him I was stopping by, I couldn't help it. The bastard looked so forlorn I had to rub it in. He just glared at me and went back to the stack of papers in front of him. He is stubborn, I'll give him that." She fell silent for a few moments, causally leafing through the magazine in her lap. She appeared as if she was going to say something else, but at the last minute changed her mind and tossed the magazine on the nearby table. "I think you need to get dressed and let's go do something..." she announced.
Beatrix was up, out of her chair, and in the bedroom like a dog catching onto an overly extenuated smell. She informed Vernita that she hadn't eaten breakfast yet and that there was this snazzy little diner down the road they could go out to brunch for. There were no objections on Vernita's part and the two female assassins went out. The brunch was nice. Beatrix found Vernita still and most likely always would be the only Viper she didn't get in 'hostile' conversations when in the presence of one another. So all in all it was an enjoyable outing.
The tall blonde offered her female companion to come back to the apartment to 'hang' some more but with obvious reluctance Vernita said she had to get back to Bill. Bill hadn't asked her to come back but Vernita seemed to feel that a 'report' was in order.
Another five days passed and Beatrix lacked social contact. Vernita hadn't stopped by since their brunch outing and Beatrix didn't blame her for not coming. She was a little remorseful but not by much. At least she found an incentive to train more and that took up good portions of her day. She had just finished a round, sweat glistening on her skin, and her chest heaved up and down as she splayed herself out on the couch. She leaned over and flipped on the television. She planned to cool down before heading in for a shower than she'd have dinner and go to sleep early. There was nothing better to do.
It had been over three weeks of this silent "stand off" when Beatrix's phone finally rang. "Come over," was all that Bill said before hanging up.
When Beatrix arrived, Nikishi appeared to be gone and she was able to let herself in. She found Bill in the living room. He was lying splayed across the couch. The TV was on and the movie "Game of Death" was currently playing. Bruce Lee...decked out in a full bright yellow and black striped jumpsuit was kicking ass as he did so well. Of course, most of the movie was just a stunt double, since he died during the filming.
A bottle of nearly consumed whiskey sat on the coffee table along with a plate of halfway eaten yokisoba noodles, a cell phone, a Guns and Ammo magazine and a few unused rolling papers.
Bill picked his head up when Beatrix entered. He appeared to have neglected to shave for at least a few days, which was highly out of character for Bill. It made him look somewhat younger, but also a hell of allot surlier. He was barefoot, hair somewhat tussled and had managed one button on his shirt. In short, he wasn't exactly in high form at the moment.
At first he looked at Beatrix like he wanted to jump her....and not in a bad way. But he quickly subdued the look into a mixture of intense fondness and relief at her presence.
"Hello Kiddo," he said characteristically.
The second Beatrix received Bill's phone call she was dressed and out the door. She arrived at Bill's in two minutes upon receiving the call which was a record. It was highly unlikely that she had gone the speed limit the entire time.
She was now standing in the midst of Bill's living room clad in a pair of slimming jeans, white tank-top, and an indigo shall with a pair of sandy beach sandals. Locks of blonde hair were parted into two braids that hung against each shoulder and loose strands framed her face nicely. She held a very cutesy appearance. Blue eyes darted to the bottle of whiskey, then to the flickering television screen; she always liked that movie, and than across to Bill. By Bill's facade and all out looks she had the distinct feeling that the man had been drowning away his own self turmoil with liquor while Bea had been training and sleeping. They were both out of sorts.
Her features contorted into a straight lined frown of self pity and anger. "Hello Bill."
Bill gave her a small, almost embarrassed smile....that also hinted at 'don't even say it.' It was hard to tell if he was still under the influence of alcohol or if it was something that had burned off. But there was no doubt he'd been drinking. Actually, he'd managed to do pretty well up until about five days ago.....it was then that he realized how torn he was. No matter how badly he had wanted to see Beatrix, he couldn't due to his own bastard will. It was as if the two sides of him had begun waging war on one another and he didn't know what to do. This was a new situation. He was used to either being a full out bastard or simply lying about not being a bastard. Now.....he sincerely, during that time, wanted to not be a bastard, but he couldn't be what he was not. It was fucking hell.
He also came to the realization that he really didn't like being around anybody as much as he did with Beatrix. As much as she drove him fucking crazy sometimes....he realized that out of all the people he knew, she was by far his favorite person. This only made him want to drink more.
He turned his head partially back to the television. The movie supplied the only sounds for a few long seconds. Bill knew Beatrix was more than perceptive enough to read the whole picture. He was aware his appearance spoke volumes. So, rather than lie to a woman who would easily see through it, he simply told her the truth.
"I missed you."
His confession didn't come as much of a surprise to Beatrix since Vernita had informed her a week or so ago that he missed her. But, she was surprised that he went out and said it without laced in lies. The small fact of knowing that he missed her made Beatrix happy in a sadistic sense. Yes, she had been a glutton for punishment but that didn't mean Bill couldn't suffer with her.
"I missed you too," she added quietly. Her sandals padded against the flooring as she made her way over to the couch. Bill was comfortably stretched out across the whole fucking thing. Without asking she casually plopped herself down on his thighs. She didn't weigh all that much and Bill was a tough guy, he could handle it and the thighs were all muscle, so her position lacked pain. She leaned back and fixated her attention on the television. As usual Bruce Lee was kicking ass and she loved watching him do it.
Bill watched her with amusement as she walked over and sat on him. Of course, he didn't mind one bit. Beatrix was tall, but she was amazingly light. Hell, even if she was crushing the life out of him he wouldn't care.....especially right now.
Her façade was taut with little emotion but her lips curved as if she were pondering a notion that was vital to her existence. "How do you think I'd look in a yellow jumpsuit?" She asked in a seriously casual tone.
He laughed at her remark. It was a little.....random, but an entertaining thought nonetheless. "You'd look hot," he replied with a chuckle, lacing his fingers behind his head, "Especially if you were kicking ass while wearing it.....hrm...hacking guys up with a samurai blade. And of course there'd have to be like....a hundred of them or so...all against you. They would attack you one at a time in typical fashion and you'd dispose of them in overly violent and bloody methods." Bill, always the masochist. "Yeah...I'd say pretty hot. I'd pay for that ticket." He laughed again, amused at his own description.
He fell silent again, going back to watching the movie. He was glad to know she'd shared in the missing....but he had the distinct feeling he'd handled it far worse than her.
"On a completely unrelated note, I think I'm going to grow a beard," he quipped with a raised eyebrow. "Talk about hot baby," he joked, kicking up one his legs so that she momentarily almost lost her balance on her perch.
Beatrix was becoming engrossed in the movie when Bill made his 'unrelated' remark. Her head whipped in his direction and she slipped her arms to stretch on the back of the couch to help keep her balance. Her boney ass stuck between the back cushions of the couch and Bill's one thigh. It wasn't as comfortable as she had first perceived. Blue eyes flashed with mild annoyance. "No way in hell are you growing a beard," she reinstated sharply.
"I despise kissing men with beards." Her arms came back down to fold over her chest and she turned her head back to the television. As 'friendly' as their first confrontation in over five weeks was going Beatrix couldn't put aside all that had conspired and act completely enthralled.
Bill laughed. He knew Beatrix was still keeping somewhat frosty with him.....and well, he couldn't really blame her. "I'd better not then," he chuckled, rubbing his chin. He was going to make a comment about her kissing a lot of men with beards, but decided against it. "I'll save it for my later years when I'm halfway mad and riding around on a Harley then," he continued to joke, "I'll be far from getting kissed at that point..."
He fell silent, letting the joke drop. No, that situation was highly unlikely....no doubt he'd never see those "later years"...somebody would off him at some point. Bill was well aware of that....it was only a matter of time before a man like him would pay for his sins. It was just a question of when, who and why.
He went back to watching the movie for a few minutes as Beatrix did likewise. He felt his light mood dissipate and suddenly looked over at her, with a new sense of mortality, "I want to show you something."
Beatrix found his comment about riding a Harley amusing but she didn't press on it. Nor did she press on the idea of his 'later' years. Instead she went back to enjoying the movie but of course Bill had to interrupt at the best part. Typical male or more typical Bill. She turned her blonde head with the two cute hanging braids in his direction. "Yes?" Her voice rather flat.
Bill had seen "Game of Death" at least twenty times and was far less enthralled in it than Beatrix. He gave her an amused smirk as her braids came flying around. Very cute.
"Come on, get up....I'll buy the damn movie for you if you want...." He managed to untangle his legs out from her as she stood up. He realized he hadn't gotten off that couch for over five hours and certainly felt it as he stood up.
Grabbing her by the hand like an excited child he led her down the hallway into his bedroom. Beatrix may have thought this suggestive of something else, but apparently that's not what Bill was thinking. He led her over to one of the room's large walls, where a nondescript looking door was placed. Many master bedrooms had numerous doors and it was often easy to assume that they were extra closets or storage areas. But this door had a dead bolt built into it.
Bill let go of Beatrix's hand and dug a set of keys out his pocket. He unlocked the door and opened it.
It turned out not to be a closet at all....but a room. Not a large room, but a room nonetheless, or in this case more of an office. Bill's office to be exact.
He flipped on the light switch which turned on a large chandelier style light on the ceiling, which was covered in a big multi colored glass shade. These were very popular in the 70's.
The light, while somewhat dim, revealed the entire room. The first thing that stood out about the room was that it contrasted greatly with the rest of Bill's house. It looked lived in, and almost....cluttered...still in an orderly fashion of course. The walls were dark wood and the floor was covered in a large oriental rug that looked extremely old. One side of the room consisted of some low book shelves and a huge easy chair with a thick Mexican looking afghan draped over the back. The other side of the room was taken up mostly be a large black safe, who's top appeared to double as a liquor shelf. Next to that sat a wooden gun rack, which displayed a number of shotguns and a large variety of pistols. In the middle of the room there was a wooden multi drawer desk and matching chair. On the top of the desk sat a classic style green glass banker's lamp, a stack of folders and a laptop computer...which clashed horribly with the rest of the room. There were even a few "nick knack" type items on the desk...their identities hard to decipher from the doorway.
But the long wall facing the door was by far the most interesting feature of the room. On the wall hung a huge variety of weapons...most of them Asian in origin, all of them bladed weapons. Kung fu swords, Wu Shu spears and of course a couple samurai swords, all displayed in arrangement and polished to a gleam. Even a few exotic looking throwing stars and a pair of crossed si's were there. Interspersed with these were a number of hanging pictures, guns and a handful of flutes....including the flute that Bill had recently made. These flutes ranged from a foot long to over four. They all looked handmade and were decorated in either Chinese or Native American styling. There were three pairs of old school looking six shooters up there as well, all arranged in X formations and hung with their leather holsters.
Then there were the pictures. Bill had literally no pictures, despite artwork of course, throughout his home. Apparently this is where they all were hiding. Like most people Bill didn't tend to hang pictures of himself on the wall, unless he was with other people....and there were a number of those up there. A few of them were black and white and quite aged looking. One of these was of a small sandy haired boy, presumably Bill...although it was hard to tell, sitting at a table with a young good looking Spanish man. The man appeared to be stuffing a Tequila worm into the boy's mouth...who looked like he was about to cry. The man was laughing. Next to that picture was a color photo, probably from the eighties. Bill, dark haired....middle age-ish stood with his arm around a much aged version of the Spanish man from the former photo. They appeared very close and were both smiling...if not a little sadistically.
On the other end of the wall was another color photo, looking roughly from the late 70's, of a group of Japanese men and one Caucasian one. The Japanese men were holding up their extremely bloody weapons and looked rather drunk and very proud of themselves. In the corner stood a slightly overweight older Japanese man. He stood like a man of power. The token Caucasian, Bill stood next to him...well dressed in a white suit, rake thin and dead serious looking. If O-Ren had been there, she would have recognized the picture of Boss Matsumoto and his yakuza gang.
Further along were another black and white photo of Bill and a much younger version of who Beatrix would recognize as Paco. They were standing side by side shirtless, well built and wearing full Native American leather war dress garb. They were both holding large "peace pipes" and by their expressions, appeared to have been recently indulging in smoking these pipes. Bill appeared about his mid twenties, with his dark hair well past his shoulders....and looking like some stoned beefcake hippie wannabe Indian.
There were a few photos of Bill and Budd, most of them when they were younger....and perhaps happier. In one of these photo's Budd was sporting a ridiculously huge belt buckle along with his trademark goofy grin. In another one, a young Bill was holding a ten year old looking Budd upside-down by his ankles over a bucket of God-knows-what. It was hard to tell if Budd was laughing or yelling for mercy. Another of them had them standing with a group of likewise younger people. They were all sitting on top of a hot looking black Trans Am and it appeared to be very sunny. Both brothers had arms around attractive women. Everyone was wearing hideously 70's clothing. One guy even had a "white boy" afro. The only photo of Bill by himself, was of him in his thirties striking a full tiger kung fu pose looking very serious about himself. He was wearing a t-shirt, that Beatrix knew well, it read "Master Yen's Kung Fu Club" on it. There was some Chinese writing on the photo in black marker.
Interspersed with the photo's were a few other things: A framed certificate that read in very Western style lettering, "Southern Texas Six Shooter Quick Draw Champion" The name inscribed did not say Bill's name...but was no doubt one of his aliases. There was a psychedelic Eagles 1974 concert poster that appeared to have been signed by the band, a few hanging pieces of Native American jewelry, a couple random post it notes with unintelligible writing on them and a middle sized drum head that had a tribal Devil's face painted on it.
Bill stood silently next to Beatrix, as she took all of this in. If Bill had an ounce of sentimentality it was all intensely crammed into this little room. It was somewhat sad that he felt the need to hide the fact that he was, despite everything, still a human being. It was as if the rest of his house was a front for this small area. It wasn't a pretty room. It was almost comically manly, and very 70's looking but it was in every essence "Bill."
"I've never shown anybody this room," he said quietly. He had had a room like this at every place he lived. Whenever he was forced to pick up and leave which inevitably happened...this would usually be all he would take with him. The rest could all be repurchased later.
This was no small thing for Bill, letting Beatrix in here.....it could almost be seen as a metaphor.
Beatrix had engrossed herself in every aspect of the room. She had been inching along the walls at a slow pace, her lips parted in awe, and blue eyes scanned each item with pure interest. For some reason she never believed Bill would have a room like this. It was so retro and had sentimental items. Beatrix didn't own much of anything that was sentimental or held an aesthetic value. There were a few pieces of jewelry she was fond of, one or two photos, and a few outfits she never wore on assignment, but nothing extensive.
As she viewed each and every picture she felt as though she was being let into a life that Bill kept hidden. His past life that no one was allowed to see until now. She stopped at the tribal drum and white fingers began to idly trace over the pattern on the base. Bill's infamous devil's face, the face he had on the scabbard of his Hanzo sword. Not particularly her favorite symbol, she was partial to lions herself, but it suited him.
Blue eyes were downcast to watch her fingers on the drum, taking in the texture of the animal hide that stretched across to make the drums face. She hadn't spoken for several minutes after Bill and when she did her voice was unanimously quiet, "Why are you showing me all of this?"
Bill had been leaning on the doorframe, watching Beatrix walk along the wall. His attention was entirely focused on her, he already knew every item in this room by heart.....it was her reaction that interested him.
He spoke up softly at her question, "I'm showing you this....." he paused, ".....because I'm so tired of being the only one to have seen it. I'm showing you this.....because....I want you to know I'm more than what you've seen outside this room. That doesn't mean it's an improvement.....but it's more. I'm showing you this....so when my time comes around to pay my dues at least someone can know I had something more going for me than being a murdering bastard. And," another pause, "I'm showing you this....because you're the only person I want to show it to." There was sincerity in his voice....not just simple flattery.
He pushed off the doorframe, coming up next to her. He placed his hand on the drumhead, "A man I knew in New Mexico....an old Cherokee medicine man. He made this for me. He told me he had seen into my soul." Bill smiled, a little bitterly, "He told me I had the soul of a warrior but the face of a demon. He told me, if I beat this drum long enough I could possibly rid myself of the demon....." He shrugged, "I think at the time, I just thought it looked cool." He chuckled to himself, his hand falling off the drum face.
His gaze strayed to the surrounding pictures, "My life has been violent and self gratifying Kiddo....but there where some good times in-between."
Beatrix put on a sad smile. She didn't pity the man but she did feel some remorse. She never thought that Bill was a complete 'demon'. She'd never fall for a demon but she would fall for a demon with a human essence. Deep down the blonde felt flattered that Bill wanted her to see and know these things. It appeared as a foreshadow that if he ever were to die, his personal memories would stay with someone he trusted or at least cared about. In her own mind she had a feeling that Bill was showing her this so that even through the times she was utterly and truly pissed off at him she'd remember this. And that he wasn't a complete bastard. Although, there would be times where she would drastically question it.
She gingerly gave a pat to the drum with her open palm, the echoing deep beat merged in the room and dissipated quietly. She slipped her hand away and turned to him. "My life isn't all peaches and cream either," her tone leveled soft. "But, I've had my fill of good times and I continue to make sure I add a few more."
"Of course," Bill replied with a subtle smile, a hand raking through Beatrix's blonde bangs. "I haven't given up hope yet..." He leaned in and gave her a small kiss before pulling away...knowing she wasn't exactly warm with him at the moment. He knew Beatrix's life had been extremely hard thus far, especially for somebody as young as she was. He had told her a number of times that she could always talk to him. But Beatrix was not exactly one to verbally confide in him....although she was getting better.
When she had first run away, he had met her.....he had liked to think he came at a good time....that she needed somebody. Now, she was far more mature....she wasn't so much that young woman, she was a woman now. Still young, but a woman...less naive, more sure of herself...surer of what she wanted. Her needs appeared to have changed as well.
He sat down on the desk directly behind him, "We are what we are Kiddo. I don't think your mother ever told you life was going to be easy...let alone peaches and cream. Some people heal people...some people kill people....the cat kills the mouse...the circle of life and other such bullshit and blah blah....and so on and so on..." he waved a hand giving her a wry smile.
She gave a light laugh to his words and moved to face him from the opposite side of the desk. "Aye, my mother would come home from a shitty day at work and bitch at me. 'Beatrix the world is a pile of shit. I never should have put you in this world. It wasn't worth it. Now you'll have to deal with the sour cream and rotten peaches.'" The blonde paused obviously undaunted by this memory. "I'd like to think she meant that in the most 'consoling' manner."
Bill frowned as Beatrix mimicked her mother's words. She wasn't consoling in him, she was just proving further how terrible her mother had been....which obviously she was. But Beatrix would never tell him how she "felt" about it. Oh no, he knew better now. She was her own self consoler....again, something he did understand. And while he found it frustrating at times, he had to respect her for who she was.
Like hell she'd go any further than that with her bit of information. She'd never console in Bill just as she never consoled in her mother or anyone else. Maybe she'd console in a stuffed teddy bear that was lying on her bed with various lumps of stuffing sticking out, but that was close as anyone or thing was going to get. Arms crossed daintily over her chest as she stood there. "Well," blue eyes gave the room a quick sweep over. "You'll be pleased to know that you can trust me with this secret. I won't tell anyone that you're a human, just like the rest of us."
He raised an eyebrow at her promise, "Well, I am immensely grateful Kiddo.....if anybody were to find out, my very credibility as a cruel monster would be ruined forever," he smirked. Of course he trusted her. He wouldn't have shown her if he hadn't. Bill was very wary of such things....and knew now....he knew she could be trusted with his "secrets." Even if all they were was that he was a human being like the rest of them.
"And I promise I won't make fun of your apartment anymore," he said with a sarcastic nod and grinning at her across the desk. He picked up a small samurai sword letter opener from off of the desk, "I suppose this ends your.....house arrest," he glanced at her over his inspection of the tiny weapon. Of course, they both knew he was just being flippant....it was obvious that Bill hadn't handled the whole "house arrest" thing so well.....it was a weakness, another "secret" for Beatrix and Beatrix only.
Beatrix knew he wasn't going to shut up about her apartment. It was too much fun. She tilted her head down and blue eyes moved to follow the direction her head was canted. She pursed her lips. "I'm not sure if I've endured enough punishment. Perhaps another two to three weeks of being prisoner to my own house is in order." She pulled her head up to display a façade that clearly read she was just fucking with him.
She let out a soft laugh to lighten the mood. She knew how much he had 'suffered' in her absence but she didn't give him pity for it. In a twisted way he deserved it. "Besides, a few more days and I was almost positive I'd die of boredom. There's only so much training I can tolerate before I start to slack and I can only stomach so many TV shows involving whores having an identity crisis."
Bill smirked, setting down the letter opener. Ok, so he not teasing her about her apartment was bullshit....he just couldn't let that one go. He stood up and rounded the desk to where he was standing, fixing her with an intense gaze. "You've had enough punishment," he nearly whispered. "Enough for me." Perhaps he was just being typically selfish. Had he called her to end her suffering or his own? Probably his own.
He was pleased to know she had at least been training during the time....at least for most of the time. That was his Kiddo, forever driven. She was the type of woman who'd never stop until she was satisfied. Strange, that no matter how disappointed she had made him recently, he still held this strong inner confidence in her that was impervious to her "faulty emotions."
He picked up one of her braids and examined it with a raised eyebrow. "I'm still not going to pay you for five more months," he added. Which of course, was just a weak threat to be a smart ass....she could care less.
Beatrix narrowed her eyes down at his hand that was idly playing with her hair. He was right; she could care less about the money. She wasn't waiting for that big pay check to come so she could go on a shopping spree or buy numerous highly priced items. Even with the fact that she was 'wealthy' she didn't act nor buy like it.
She decided not to question or remark to his comment on punishment. She knew he was selfish and usually it bored under her skin but this time, his selfishness was to her benefit. "Regarding the third punishment; I don't mind working with the others, except one...and...if you send me out with 'her' it would only add to 'your' suffering." She flashed him a wicked smile indicating the idea that she'd 'happily' make him suffer just because she could.
Bill let the braid drop, "Says Miss "I Don't Want Any Special Treatment," he said with extreme sarcasm. God, she pissed him off. He frowned. First she doesn't want to be treated any differently...now she wants an exception to the rule....and throws a little saucy threat out to him if he doesn't go along with it. Yet, in the process she's purposefully goading him to do it anyways. And in the end he's the one who ends up making a complete ass of himself because she tortures him so. It was infuriating.
"Jesus woman..." he grumbled, leaning back against the desk again. "I can't promise you that you and Elle aren't going to be partnered up again. Sometimes things just work out that way. You each have unique skills....at times certain combinations are needed. Sometimes it's just whose available....." He cast her a sidelong glance that spoke nearly of defeat. Damn her. "I.....will see what I can do," he said finally, making no promises.
He crossed his arms glaring at her, with a well meaning smirk, "Ya know, sometimes Kiddo...you can be a real cunt." He wasn't lying either...he damn well meant it.
Beatrix gave a full hearted laugh. She let her laugh dissipate to leave a wide-pearly white smile. There were rare occasions when he called her a cunt and she never took it as an insult. She didn't enjoy being called such a name but for some reason when Bill said it that aspect was turned around. It was self gratifying and as twisted as it was it would serve as a 'happy' memory.
"I try," she stated with a cant of her chin. Her lips closed into a thin smile and she gave an effortless flip of her head to toss the loose hanging braids behind her shoulders. She took a step over to him. She loved the satisfaction of knowing if she pressed the right buttons she could get Bill to comply with whatever she wanted. In untraditional manners of the word comply.
As well as getting a promise. With Bill it was either he'd live up to that promise or try his best. Both were never a clear certainty. "I'm gonna hold you to that promise."
Beatrix was the only woman Bill had ever known who ever took so much pleasure in being called such a female derogatory name as a "cunt." But, what she found amusing he found enduring. Bill couldn't help but smile at her reaction, and to see for the first time in awhile a genuine smile on her part. He watched under halfway closed lids as she approached him. She looked beautiful.....as always...but when she smiled like that, she was more so. "I wouldn't expect any less of you," he said softly and with complete confidence. Beatrix indeed was not the type to ever forget a promise made to her.....she would hold him to it and there would be hell to pay if it was broken.
As much as she loved the fact that she could get him to comply to whatever she wanted, he hated it. He loathed his own weakness. Bill was not used to the word "weak" being synonymous with himself.....he found it very unsettling. But unsettling wasn't always a bad thing, ....almost get used to it.....
He wrapped an arm around her waist, giving her a slightly lascivious smirk, "You haven't by any chance spontaneously decided that you love me now?" An "innocent" finger swept a strand of hair off of her neck.
Beatrix let out a lighter laugh than last time and turned her blue eyes downcast. "I may be spontaneous but I'm not that spontaneous," she clarified. Her lips curled into half a smile. A few weeks hadn't they just been discussing the whole conspiracy that Bill couldn't love? Why would she suddenly choose to love someone that wouldn't love her back? As cheesy and fairy tale sounding as it was she wanted to give and receive.
But, they were on less hostile terms than before and she didn't want to dawn on the past even if this past was hard to put away. She realized a lot of things about Bill that night and throughout the weeks that passed and some of them were very unsettling. She dampened her lips and spoke gently, "It's said that absence makes the heart grow fonder..." She leveled blue eyes that were mixed with no clear sentiment. "I wouldn't put truth in that proverb."
He'd really just been joking with her....well, that and he was hoping she'd maybe play along a bit. Of course he knew the truth of the whole matter, he was a realist after all. He didn't expect Beatrix to change her feelings so quickly, or be willing to compromise her morals...which apparently were rock solid. And especially after what had recently transpired. He had thought it amusing to ask at least, even if he knew the answer.
"Ah," he spoke up, his look cooling noticeably, "Well....it was a nice thought." He uncoiled his arm, switching gears quickly. "Perhaps you've seen enough of my hidden sentimentality for today." He gestured to the still open door that led out into the bedroom. As Beatrix moved to leave, he switched off the overhead lamp. Once they were out of the room, he locked the door securely behind them...once again locking away that dim human side of himself.
Turning back to Beatrix, Bill's expression was hard to read....which was a sure sign he was returning to a more neutral typical Bill mood. "I need to work on things....since I've been...neglecting them as of late. But you are welcome to stay, you might be able to catch the end of the movie." He gave her an indifferent shrug, and walked across the room, heading for the hallway.
Beatrix scowled at him and passed him quickly down the hall way to go catch the end of the movie. Bill was like all men and even if he was 'the man' he still jumped to the thought that stood out in every male's mind; sex. At least she understood that that was a male thing and not a Bill thing so she couldn't put all the blame on him. Either way it irked her.
She plopped back down on the couch and splayed herself in the position she had walked in on. She didn't want to sour her mood by something so stupid and focused on what Bill had just shown her. That room and how it would remain imprinted in her mind forever. She settled back and spent the rest of the evening watching Bruce Lee kick ass in that hot yellow jumpsuit.