Chapter 10
When Eve wakes up, mind clouded by a sleepy haze, she smells pancakes. She opens her eyes slowly as her body stills itself for a second, confused about the noises coming from the kitchen. She sees a note tucked below her curled up arm that reads "Sorry about yesterday, baby x" and a smile curls her lips upwards. Villanelle is home. Any residual thoughts of anger and frustration from the night before disappear as Eve stands up, stretches, and almost falls over a meowing Marmalade and Peaches who are trying to bat her ankles.
"Oh, hush. I'm sure your dad has already given you some food," Eve huffs as she walks into the downstairs bathroom to brush her teeth. When she comes out of the bathroom, Villanelle is standing in front of her, hair pulled up in a messy bun, biceps rippling beneath one of Eve's too-tight and too-small t-shirts, and long legs hidden beneath a pair of old sweatpants.
"No morning kiss," Villanelle asks, eyebrows shooting up inquisitively.
"I had to brush my teeth first," Eve grins, stepping forward to give Villanelle the kiss she had been seemingly waiting for.
"You didn't care about morning breath before. This is a new development," Villanelle questions, the tone of her voice asking Eve something else.
"I told you already, I have not been seeing anybody in your absence. I was feeling shy and wanted to freshen up."
"Hm," Villanelle curtly replies, eyes running up and down the entirety of Eve's body as she leans backwards, against the hallway wall and crosses her arms over her chest.
"And even if I had been shagging someone in your absence, they wouldn't compare to you," Eve adds matter-of-factly, pressing her lips against Villanelle's pursed ones before stepping back only to be pulled back in by those muscular arms as Villanelle clasps her hands against the lower portion of Eve's back.
"Oh, really? Are you confirming I'm the best sex you've ever had?"
"Mm, mm," Eve nods, a whimper escaping from her lips as Villanelle's lips move from her own to her neck.
"If you keep letting me kiss you, we will have sex on the floor and you might not be able to move and then who will help me get up?," Villanelle murmurs.
Eve laughs as her hands move from Villanelle's waist and down to her ass. She grabs both cheeks as Villanelle growls, making Eve laugh even harder. "Take me to the kitchen, chef."
"As Genie once said, 'Your wish is my command' ...," Villanelle holds Eve's hand and leads her down the hallway and into the kitchen. She lets go to pick up Peaches who was mewing by the water bottle and eyeing her empty food bowl warily.
Villanelle blows raspberries on her belly and mumbles, "I've already fed you two breakfasts. Don't tell your omma, hm!," and sets the perturbed kitten down in a spot of sun.
Eve laughs and hugs Villanelle from behind as they reach the stove together. "You're bad."
"Punish me then," Villanelle responds, turning around and motioning to Eve to get on the counter. "I want to pick you up but I can't," Villanelle explains, sounding embarrassed.
"Hey, I can get up here by myself. I'm an independent woman, remember?," Eve replies, hitching her body up on the counter and then gesturing for Villanelle to step between her legs which she wraps around Villanelle.
"Yes, you are. Now stay there and you can watch me cook."
Villanelle turns up the music flowing from her speaker and pours a cup of coffee out for Eve who happily sips it slowly, closing her eyes, and wondering how she and Villanelle survived so long without this.
"I missed you," Eve states, noting Villanelle's slowed down motions. "Have you taken your meds?"
"I missed you, too, and yes," Villanelle replies, turning to the barstool at the kitchen counter and placing a makeshift t-shirt sling across her chest. She picks up Peaches and sets her inside, making Eve squeal with delight.
"Skin-to-skin contact. She's very clingy, Eve," Villanelle grins, her entire face exuding joy as Mittens settles down and starts to preen. Marmalade strolls into the room and looks up at Villanelle inquisitively, listening to Peaches. "Don't worry, we will cuddle later, during afternoon nap time," Villanelle says as Marmalade winds through her legs and plops down on the floor in front of Eve.
"Is somebody making breakfast?," Kenny's voice travels down the hallway and Marmalade jumps up, a small growl escaping his lips.
"Oh, hush, tough guy," Eve scolds him softly, getting down from the counter as Kenny, Elena and Charley enter the room.
"Kenny, come and help me plate these up," Villanelle commands.
"Let's eat outside?," Eve asks Villanelle, raising her eyebrows.
Villanelle nods and accepts a kiss from Eve who laughs as Peaches mews angrily from the sling. "Okay, okay, I won't disturb your bathtime again."
"You can disturb my bathtime later, Firebird" Villanelle smirks as Kenny spits out his water.
"Take some tips from Villanelle, my love," Elena laughs, seeing Kenny's entire face flush red.
"Oh, I don't think he needs any tips, huh Charley?," Villanelle asks, kissing the top of Charley's head.
The group heads out into the garden, the rest of the day spread out before them like the expansive sky overhead.