Disclaimer: -stares at you- … I've got nothing.
Author's Note: I'd like to give out a warm, 'Welcome to to Vloria Eve! Thank you for the awesome review, sweetie, and I'm so glad you've joined the cult that is V fandom:D If you're a writer at all, I hope to read some of your own work, or if you're just a reader, continue to give your encouraging support by reviewing. :D
And onto story junk… I've reached an incredible 921 hits on this story! Ho-snap! Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you're all enjoying it and my descriptiveness isn't making it too dry. XD
Side note: Go out and see Pan's Labyrinth! OMG such a good movie:D 3
"Vindication of Life"Chapter 5
"Has the term 'go get her' somehow changed over the years?"
V had been in a cleaning frenzy since the little incident the morning before. He had to have reached his fifth coat of wax on the linoleum flooring. The gallery was now as spotless as it had been before his extended leave of absence. Not a spec of dust could be seen in the whole place.
William, complete with take-out, had come over to see him, as he hadn't returned to the cottage from the previous night. Of course, William was ready to congratulate the old boy on getting his girl back. He wasn't prepared for a housemaid… without the maid.
William sat perched on a stool next to the island in the kitchen. He listened to the continuous sweeping and scrubbing of V. Lifting his cane, he zeroed in on him and with a quick flick of the wrist, the cane collided on top of V's head.
"Ermph-" Came the grunt as V put his hand to his head where the cane had struck it, holding back a curse, and narrowed his eyes at the old man.
"Will you put the bloody mop down already and eat something." William stated as his unseeing eyes glared at V.
V was accustomed to the old man's habits. After living with him for three months, he came to realize that his current behavior was surely being looked down upon.
William was wise by his age. There weren't many elderly people left with his kind of spirit who hadn't perished in the wars or by the disease. V respected him in this aspect. His unyielding strength over the years was inspiring, and V simply continued to provide the old man with his own faults to beat out of him. William made sure to correct these in him but he did it in ways that were far more familiar to those who lived in the twentieth-century. Not to mention his uncanny sense of humour.
V, protesting still, took a seat at the island while William fumbled with the parcel. Handing V the top Styrofoam container and pulling out the plastic utensils William spoke up.
"You are going to eat, right? We're not going to have this discussion again." It was almost like he was reprimanding a child. But V never let it bother him. After all, the way his actions were after Evey stormed out, he could easily have been a child.
V nodded even though he knew William was unable to see the gesture. Reaching up to the ties at the back of his skull, he untied them and removed the mask. The knowledge that William was blind saved V his dignity. Though it wasn't like William was unaware of V's condition. He had eaten with William on many occasions. For a long time, William had to help feed him due to the severity of his wounds. He may have been blind, but the sense of touch was still strong in him, if not heightened to overcome the loss of vision. For what it was worth, V actually felt pity for someone besides himself.
For years, all he thought about was revenge and how his life had been cut short of so much more. Only this man proved otherwise. He had faced war and violence that V had only seen on television. He was actually there. V had lost his vanity as well as his memory. He could only imagine the strength that this man had that he was able to live a full-filling life, not only with out sight, but also to live with the memories of his loved ones who had perished in wars, died of disease, or simply eradicated for them being themselves.
Sometimes a memory can be the most painful wound of them all.
Opening the top flap his face turned to disgust at the so-called 'breakfast' the old man had brought for them.
"Sir, you do realize you went to McDonald's… correct?" V said, as he poked at the pancakes and hash browns with his fork.
"I've been going there every morning now. The waitress there is quite the looker." He said with a laugh as he took a sip of his coffee.
V shook his head and coughed back a laugh. Deciding it wouldn't kill him to eat it once, V tried the 'food', knowing the old guy would notice if he hadn't. The sweetness of silence only lingered for a moment when the dreaded question was brought to the table.
"Now how did you fuck this up?"
'He asks it while I'm drinking scalding hot coffee.' Came V's thoughts as he immediately shot back from the table to a standing position as he nearly spilt the coffee down the front of his t-shirt.
"Erm…" Pulling the stool back to the table he set his mug of coffee down and considered his reply.
"No mulling it over. Spit it out." William pestered.
"She touched on a few very serious topics that I've never bothered to confront myself. As I've told you before, I never intended to live past the 5th."
"Oh, the drama. I'm sure you've got plenty of romance novels in that bedroom of yours. And I know you've read them all." The man shook his head. "So what did you say to her?"
"I told her things weren't as simple as she thought."
"You questioned the girl's thinking!" William protested as he rubbed his temple. "I thought we had gone over this. The first thing you never due when confronting a women is question their judgment. Especially when it comes to love. It will come back and bite you in the balls." He said irritated.
"How can you know this? It's not like there is a damn handbook. And it is difficult."
"You learn a lot more when you don't depend solely on sight. And I've beaten around the bush plenty of times to know what I know. And the only reason why it's difficult is you're making it difficult. You've had a wall built in front of you for so long that you can't take it down by yourself anymore. You need to let her in and help tear it down." William got down from the stool and picked up his jacket from the table. "The Berlin Wall wasn't torn down by one hand. Everyone must have a go at it. I've taken some of that wall in front of you down. Now you need to help Evey take down the rest." He moved to the door and left without another word.
V starred down at his picked at breakfast. Then his gaze moved to his mask as it starred up at him. That grin always mocked him when he had it off. But when he put it on, it mocked others. How was it that Evey was able to still look at that grinning face and not see the worse side of things like he always did?
Standing up he placed his scarred hands, palms flat on the smooth surface before him. "I need to see Evey."
VEV
The rock skipped across the flat surface of the Thames with ease as it sunk in after four skips. Another followed its path soon afterwards. She hadn't done this since she was a kid and it felt the same as it did then. A cool, salty breeze licking off the edge of the water every once in a while, the soft sound of rustic leaves moving across the ground. Seagulls cried as they drifted along on the current.
She moved a strand of hair from in front of her face as another gust kicked up at her heels. Her long, suede jacket being rustled by the wind's arms.
"Beautiful view."
She nodded in reply.
"Council meeting has been rescheduled a week from tomorrow."
"Sure."
A hand rested on Evey's shoulder as she continued to stare out across the water.
"Take it easy, huh. You've been looking a little under the weather lately." The voice behind her said as she quietly nodded in reply. The hand removed itself and no sounds preceded it.
It was almost as if human sounds were completely blocked out. She knew it had been Dominic. But her mind was so caught up in everything and her body just felt like it was on autopilot, nodding and replying in a monotonic voice.
"I never noticed how lovely you looked in the daylight."
Evey had to stop and think a moment. Before turning around to look at Dominic she started, "Wait… did you just contradict yourself. I could have swore you said I was looking-" Standing directly in front of her was a man clad in a giant hooded jacket that was pulled low over his eyes, and a large scarf wrapped up over his nose. His hands were jammed deep inside his pockets. She ended up jumping back slightly at his appearance.
"Umm… Dominic? It's not that cold out here. Or did you turn into a vampire recently and the sun will make you spontaneously combust?" She laughed a little as she went to lift the hood slightly until the coated figure backed up abruptly as her hand neared.
"I'm sorry, Evey. But this is the only way I can come outside without being recognized." Evey took a step back as she recognized the voice.
"V? You're outside! But- do you have your mask on?" She asked as she bent to the side a bit trying to get a look.
"Yes, I have my mask on. But I do believe I'd stick out like a sore thumb in a crowd if I allowed it to be vi-" V was cut off as Evey was suddenly around his waist in a tight hug.
"Did you do this for me?" She asked into his jacket. He had fewer layers of clothing on than he use to. His heartbeat was fast but she could feel it stronger through the fewer amounts of fabric than she use to.
"I haven't been very fair to you since I've come back. I really don't believe there is anyway to rectify the things I've done to you but-"
"There's nothing you need to do to make things better. Just by being yourself around me is all I ask for." She said with a smile as she looked up and glimpsed the familiar white mask peaking out from under the hood and scarf.
Even with the protection of the mask, he still felt she could see his face. If she only knew how unhappy he looked under that mask. The prospect of showing her who he was when no one was around bothered him. He was as much a man as any other. But he feared that with his persona being about the only thing she had ever seen of him, and the only thing she had fallen in love with. Would the knowledge of who he was, and what he was, change her thoughts on loving him.
Shaking the thoughts out of his mind and deciding he would think about it further on the way home, he then remembered the hot substance that rested in his pocket.
"It's a bit cold out here. I though you could use something to warm you up." He said as she moved away from him slightly. He then withdrew a gloved hand holding a small thermos of coffee.
Her face brightened immensely as she took it from him happily.
"Very good first step." She said with a wide grin as she opened the top and took a whiff of the hazelnut scent. She then walked over to him and leaned up against his side. Hesitant as always, but not unwilling, V brought his arm up and wrapped it around her shoulder as they started back towards the Shadow Gallery. His mind swimming with what his next line of action would take.
Away near a line of hedges, an elderly man watched the proceedings between the two young lovers.
"Hmm… coffee, huh. I had suggested flowers. I guess the old saying of 'best way to any man's heart is through their stomach', works with women too, nowadays. I should make note of this." William said to himself quietly as he moved back down the way he had come.
Author's Note: Okay… I was going to make this longer, but I felt the cute innocent stuff could leave off here and more cuteness and a bit more serious cuteness can come in the next chapter. I know you're all getting antsy on what's going to happen with V now that he's going to act 'himself' within his home vs. statue. That whole t-shirt thing probably threw some people for a loop. But like he said, he is still just a guy. XD
To reviewers: Free2Believe, thank you so much for enjoying this story to the point of it being one of the best you've read. :D
And, Xandraghazia, I'm on the same page with you on the angsty romance stuff. 3 And thank you very much for pointing out those homonyms I tend to miss. XD I need to proofread a little slower than I have been. Hehe So glad to hear you're enjoying it. :D
"And that, as they say, is that." Maechan (Final Fantasy X)
-Ahro