Nymphet

Chapter 3

Ten little toes

Reading was a perfectly good thing to do. Reading was a very healthy habit. V kept pushing Evey into reading; there was suggested reading he supervised daily with religious fervor even if she groaned and staged the fakest faked faint in the history of mankind -if a couch was near- and there was free reading she could control completely. He was very glad she didn't seem as interested in television as before, at least when he was watching.

He suspected she still stuffed her pretty head with soaps and the news but something like that was to be expected considering where she came from. Something natural as well since she had to stay in the Shadow Gallery at all times. Perhaps he should arrange a little trip outside just for fun. He knew many places they could go to without much fuss and it would be useful if she started becoming familiar with surveillance equipment and its appropriate counterparts.

Yes, he should show her how to do that for starters and from what he'd already seen, the girl was many things but not a fool. He hoped she'd like the idea of going out with him and behave. It would be awful if she ran away or started screaming. No, she wouldn't do that, she was smarter than that.

He hoped with the same intensity that she would not notice he wasn't feeling too well and that she kept focused on her book. He didn't want to answer questions regarding his current state and his peculiarities. He'd sit down next to her and concentrate on getting better. Sometimes not moving helped and his room seemed to be miles away from the television room anyway.

Quite frankly he didn't feel like collapsing in the middle of the hall either, which was a possibility if his head kept spinning like that. He wondered if it showed but thought that if he didn't look straight at her and kept his mouth shut, she would not sense anything different.

The girl looked very comfortable on the leather couch with her legs crossed under what she called, her "nap blanket" and the book resting on her lap. She seemed to chill easily at certain times of day or night, which had little to do with her new environment. They were so deep beneath the street level that the temperature in the Shadow Gallery remained practically unchanged throughout the year.

That was one of the things V liked the most about his home; the temperate nature of every room. That and the fact that he could play and make all the noise he wanted. Correction; he could no longer play and make all the noise he wanted. He had company now. Shhhh.

Evey still complained of being cold once in a while and it was no coincidence that soon after the puzzled and very boring wife of a high-ranking party member couldn't find the multi-colored crocheted blanket she'd just finished, the same blanket that miraculously appeared on Evey's bed. It was amazing what bright colors she favored; V could swear there was something wrong with her eyes or maybe the lights were too dim. She still loved it and that settled it.

He liked it when she was pleased with anything he did; from cooking breakfast to borrowing things from above. Of course he'd just steal such objects most of the time and she'd frown because he'd done so, and she'd probably throw something at him to show her disapproval but she'd still smile in that special way that called him a rascal and a thief to then take whatever he'd stolen for her straight to her room where soon it would find a place and a purpose.

"What are you reading tonight, V?" She asked as soon as he'd settled in the other end of the black leather couch. He knew he looked as if a giant girl had grown tired of playing with her anarchist rag doll and had thrown him over the couch. It wasn't one of his most elegant moments and his embarrassment matched his temporary inability to make it stop.

"Oh, nothing right this moment, dear Evey," Quick, lie like Obi-Wan, he reminded himself. "I'll just take a short break from work to think…" Perfect. It was even the truth. She'd go back to her reading and then he could focus on recovering, no questions asked.

The whole scene spoke of domestic harmony; he had adopted the role of teacher –which was most satisfying- and he had a lovely little pupil he could boss around, when she agreed to such thing, of course. Perhaps he should call her "Padawan". Well, aren't we silly tonight, he thought despite himself. He was quite sure her answer would be something like "Fuck off, Master V". It made him grin behind the mask although he couldn't remember catching her using such language. Would she talk like that in bed…? All of a sudden it seemed quite appealing to be called Master, especially if it was in the bedroom…

There was a downside to brewing one's own revolutionary drugs; eventually you had to see if they worked. Once in a while he'd take something with unexpected results due to his strange nature, and his caution and all measures he could think of to prevent accidents were not enough. Perhaps he had taken too much or he'd taken it too quickly. One thing was certain; his new recipe seemed to be gaining in strength little by little and it was harder for him to move. Such interesting effect…

If V had been a little more attentive to his surroundings, if he'd been a little less focused on being high, he would not have failed to notice those nimble female legs sliding ever so slowly over the couch, like a lazy cat stalking an empty lap…

V didn't know how much time had passed and in a way he was glad Evey was comfortable but this seemed a bit too much. It wasn't fair; he wasn't at his best, so busy seeing animated electronic schematics in his head to defend himself from the little vampire. What was she up to this time? And what was he to do with a pair of bare legs resting so shamelessly across his lap?

They were at least covered by the knitted blanket, he thought as panic started crawling up his spine. It had been a very good day despite his little lab accident and the mood was light and happy so even saying one word would break the spell. He didn't want to look like an idiot either. In truth he did not think he could stand up to begin with.

He hesitated but decided it was best to assume a casual attitude, as if such things happened all the time and tried to pay attention to his sanity once more, tried being the perfect word to describe it because deep inside V was now torn between enjoyment and fear. What if she tried to touch him? His senses were as sharp as always but pretending to be thinking was almost all he could do. In practical terms he was harmless as a kitten.

Evey seemed oblivious to his predicament and kept reading her book with evident pleasure, innocently leaning back on the cushions and stretching as far as her small frame allowed. Soon she started giggling and squirming to V's dismay and he scolded himself for suggesting she read something light for a change. His illicit library had room for all sorts of works and Voltaire's satirical comedies were not absent from it.

The feeling of Evey's cool legs rubbing against his thighs with every giggle was taking over his whole mind and his body begged to respond in kind. He was hot, flustered, and oh, so drugged. He feared even his breathing would reveal his thoughts and started counting in his head to recover control and avoid at all cost picturing in his head what would feel like to throw his gloves across the room and touch those legs or have them around his waist, squeezing him tight.

It seemed to work until his eyes betrayed his intent and looked down.

Oh, he wasn't only an idea after all, was he? Evey practiced wriggling her small toes and the blanket slipped slowly revealing more and more of the creamy smoothness of her skin. V caught himself calculating how many more giggles would be needed to have the blanket completely off Evey's legs.

It didn't help either that she had decided to change early that evening into one of those dreadful sleeping oversized shirts she sometimes favored. V's thoughts inevitably reached the "I wonder which panties she's wearing now…" stage and it made him blush furiously under the mask.

One second he wanted her to stop and the next he silently begged for her to rub a little higher. Oh yes, right there. A bit harder please…

Suddenly Evey snapped the book shut and made him jump, which fortunately she seemed not to notice.

"Time for bed!" She declared cheerfully and it took him a handful of seconds to decide she definitely meant alone.

"Oh. Yes. Of course it is" He managed as she stood while he remained frozen in the couch like a fool. She gave him a wide smile and it was the last thing he saw before the now forever infamous blanket was thrown over his face, his quick reflexes still on vacation.

"Night, night!" He heard her say as she turned to leave, and perhaps it was a good thing that he couldn't see the knowing and smug smile in her lips.