CHAPTER 4
PINK AND BATTERIES
V felt stalked, sometimes even naked, which was of course, ridiculous since he'd been very careful with his appearance in the last weeks. It was a shame to be completely covered at all times if he was to be seen in public but for the time being it was the most convenient thing to do.
Everyone had to deal with little discomforts and he dealt with his without complaints, besides it was surely his own fault that he'd feel "explored" precisely when Evey was staring or even just glancing on his direction. Of course she wasn't an innocent child and he had a very good understanding of how exactly young ladies like her usually managed to make ends meet -something he didn't really care about- but that did not mean she had any interest on him either.
V wasn't used to having to deal with someone other than himself, especially in such close proximity and although he had studied people in general even to the most annoying little details, he wasn't used to being looked at with such curiosity by someone who wasn't determined to cut him open to see what he was like on the inside but that at the same time seemed fascinated by everything he did. It was strange to be permanently on display.
However she'd touched him quite a few times, especially when he was in a playful mood and she wasn't sure about something regarding his physical reality but that wasn't enough to think on anything of importance.
Yes, that's what made it all seem different; he had mistaken her harmless curiosity with something far more personal. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Well, that was the perfect answer to the riddle, was it not? She was a regular girl raised by the system and he… was a wanted rebel who liked to blow up buildings in the name or anarchy -not to mention all those other pretty things he was also very good at- and kept her locked inside as some sort of half-prisoner, half-protégé. No "Gone with the Wind" story there.
It was also true that she was adapting to sharing quarters with him and that would only reflect in a more relaxed way of conducting herself. After all she'd just convinced herself that he did not intend to use her as his personal sex slave or slit her throat in her sleep and he'd always behaved like a gentleman, even after the couch incident. Well, there was that little thing involving her borrowed unmentionables but she'd never complained and he very much doubted she'd even notice in the first place.
Still, he wasn't sure about what he was supposed to feel about that and all those other touches and glances and he had so much to do before the fifth in terms of keeping details under control that there wasn't any reason to waste time and energy pondering things that had nothing to do with his work.
There were special places in his mind, many drawers for different things that were there with him but could not be addressed immediately. Perhaps it would be best to put Evey in one of them and figure out what to do with her later.
Yes, it would also be best if he stopped attempting to tease her by broadcasting sensual thoughts or by conducting himself on any suggestive manner. He should also stop staring at her until she squirmed. Yes, no more of the staring game, not even for practice or as an experiment to figure out how to control it.
But he regretted having to stop his experiments on that game, and he wasn't willing to repress what he'd recently discovered in his own nature altogether; it was only a complement to what he'd already learned about how to keep his mind and his body sexually satisfied without the need of a partner. There were many ways to accomplish such goal and he was a curious lad, always willing to practice. Finding out more about his personal kinks ranked as high as chemistry or physics if his schedule allowed so he was determined to carry on as long as it didn't interfere with his work.
No, that was a terrible idea; it sounded great but one slip could compromise everything he'd worked for. The constant tension was getting to him and lately he'd spent far too much time trapped by it. It was time to be practical; he'd only be a teacher and a guide, nothing more. It would be best for both. He wasn't even sure they'd make it to the fifth anyway so wondering if she fancied him was nothing but a waste of time.
The thought comforted him to some degree; it brought some sense of order back into his life and reminded him of what it was like to be in control, even if it held just by a thread. He didn't want to think on what he'd miss once he stopped paying attention to that curious creature, so fond of slamming doors in his face.
So starting that morning, V decided to ignore anything that looked like flirting. His work was the only mistress he needed and she was very jealous, too.
Unfortunately Evey had been waiting for the right chance, the perfect opening to continue with her campaign. As usual, the victim was likeliest to provide it and the place tended to be the most innocent of all; the kitchen.
"Is there anything special you'd like to have included on the menu?" Asked the solicitous host, busy with the weekly pantry inventory, previous to what he liked to call "market night"
"I really wouldn't know, V" She replied pensive. "Everything here has a better taste; actually I think I'm putting on weight"
V seemed very pleased with himself, after all the girl had seemed quite underweight when she'd first arrived, no doubt thanks to those few food coupons people on her position could get and her continuous high level of stress.
"I thought I had noticed but I wasn't sure" V's satisfaction was evident and he was too busy congratulating himself to notice the sparkle in Evey's eyes, the clear sign that the devil was whispering once more in her ear.
"Here, feel it?" She said as she grabbed his gloved hands to then press them against her hips. V was too stunned to object or do anything else than let her guide his hands up, down and around, feeling everywhere she thought her curves had improved.
"So, good enough to eat already?" V removed his hands instantly, as if she'd electrocuted him. Even through layers of leather and fabric, he was granted enough tactile evidence to prove she wasn't wearing anything under the matching top and loose shorts.
"Uh… perhaps two or three pounds more…" He tried to keep up with it, to make it pass as a joke. Damn her. It didn't help either that there was very little he could do to –not- stare at the petite top she was wearing and apparently liked so much.
He had a name for it; Evil Nipples Little Top.
The indecency of those small nipples was obvious, scandalous! It wasn't even cold enough to have a reasonable excuse for such display and they both knew it. It was completely unnecessary that she'd cling to his arm and press against him, armed like that. It was outrageous that he'd spend so much time thinking on what would be the best way to play with them.
She'd won another round but he was determined to fight back and his strategy would be that of indifference. He couldn't be rude; of course, he'd just keep his distance and think on unpleasant things whenever she tried to tease him. That should do it.
V spent the rest of the morning and half of the afternoon working on this and that, watching surveillance tapes, putting together circuits, anything that would keep him focused on what should be his priority. Evey seemed content but strangely relaxed, cleaning up a little before her usual reading time, before –their- usual reading time.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to keep his distance for a while, he thought, so for the following three days he tried not to spend too much time with her, which seemed not to earn her favor. Evey seemed exaggeratedly bored and her appetite wasn't as healthy as before. One could be rude without even knowing and V thought he should do something nice to show her he wasn't mad at her, a token of good will between friends.
On his next night out V found himself in Evey's neighborhood, not far from where they'd first met just a handful of weeks ago. He tried to remember her exact address, the one he had extracted from her BTN pass he'd borrowed to gain access to a certain toad's stupidly luxurious bathroom.
Soon he found the back street where Evey used to live. As expected her little place was not occupied simply because it was impossible to rent. The landlord would be unable to even enter unless the seals had been removed by the police, which usually took months once a case was closed but would not happen at all if they were still looking for someone. They were still looking for Evey.
It was very easy to sneak through the only window without disturbing the neighbors and he had a few minutes before the next surveillance patrol drove down the street. Good, the police had done a good job at turning everything inside out and they had taken a good deal of things they could have an interest on but they'd left some personal items, tossed here and there like forgotten toys. Evey would like to have them back.
There were some broken things but in the few minutes he had, V managed to put as many of Evey's squalid belongings as possible inside the dark canvas bag he always carried with him, not bothering with conducting a close inspection and quietly waited in a corner for a moment to make sure it was safe to leave.
Going out was as easy as going in, despite general surveillance. There were a few other chores to complete and it wasn't until an hour before dawn that V managed to return home. Evey wasn't up yet but it was the perfect time to take a bath and change before breakfast.
V tried to relax, wondering if having a few of her belongings back would make Evey feel better and recover her friendly disposition. He hoped she'd be pleased, he hoped not to offend her any further. He decided to show her the contents of the canvas bag after breakfast.
She seemed glad to see him but still didn't want to eat properly. V managed to make her have at least some cereal and not wanting to make suspense drag any longer, picked up the canvas bag from the floor and beckoned her to follow him back to her room. Evey followed him intrigued and watched him place the bag on her bed, wondering what he was up to.
"What's in the bag?" She asked, not knowing if she should worry in advance, knowing who she was talking to.
"Only familiar things, dear Evey."
The girl sat on the edge of the bed and reached for the bag to open it. She looked inside and immediately recognized her belongings. She gasped surprised and quickly emptied the bag on the comforter, touching every little object or article of clothing, family pictures, lipstick and blush he'd taken from her vanity. He'd also recovered her hairbrush, a pair of slippers, and a small Hello Kitty denim purse, the sort of thing adults gave to little girls thinking it made them look like tiny little ladies but at the end ended up containing pencils and pens.
Evey froze as soon as she spotted the purse and looked up at him as expecting to see some reaction. V didn't know what was expected of him and settled for waiting. Evey decided he was oblivious to what was obvious to her and finally looked away, smiling and blushing. Then to his surprise she asked him if he had any batteries she could borrow.
"V, I am going to need them for something you've brought all the way from my flat. I had given up on having it with me again but you've rescued it and it needs batteries." She sounded very pleased with him and her things but still did not seem willing to reveal what now seemed to be a big secret. He was curious, of course, twice as much because apparently something very interesting was inside that purse and because Evey was clearly enjoying teasing him again. At least she wasn't sulking any longer.
V pretended not being overly interested and told her where to find the requested batteries. He wasn't supposed to be curious when Evey was involved and in a supreme effort managed to stay away from her affairs and the denim purse that had pleased her so. Her mood had fortunately improved and he kept his curiosity under control. For two whole days.
It was too much and he had a plan; he couldn't just ask her because that would make her tease him even more so he'd wait for the right moment when she'd be out of her room the longest, during her bath most likely, and then he'd sneak in to look for the denim purse and its battery-operated mystery.
He knew he wouldn't make an example of elegance; tiptoeing like that to Evey's room but he didn't care, he was a man on a mission and time was short. Evey had already found places for everything he'd rescued from her flat and the purse was now stored in the bottom drawer of her dresser. Now it was just a matter of not disturbing things around it. Piece of cake.
V decided it would be best if he didn't remove the purse from the drawer so he simply turned it to gain access to the zipper. The purse was now heavier; obviously the mysterious object that had earned him a young lady's good will now contained the batteries Evey had borrowed from his desk.
He paid attention to every sound to make sure Evey was still taking her bath and once satisfied his gloved fingers unzipped the denim purse to see what was inside. Oh no! Bloody hell…
"Run." said a voice in his head and he hurried to put everything back and leave as quietly as he could. He didn't stop until he was locked inside his own room, unable to believe what he'd just seen, what he'd actually done. "Idiot!" he wanted to scream, utterly ashamed and flustered. "You fool! Of all the things in this world you could have given to a girl you want to be friends with; you had to choose… a pink vibrator…"