This little scene has been playing itself out in my head and I felt I must write it down. It's AU; I'm certain there's more story around it but I haven't the time to write it – at least not right now. I also wanted to add to the growing universe of Vendetta fanfic, and perhaps encourage others to write whatever is floating about their heads. I need more Vendetta fanfic so please write!
The movie finished. It was Evey's favorite they had watched this night, "Henry V" starring Kenneth Branagh. She loved it because of the plays her mother had read her. She turned to V.
"Well?"
"An excellent choice. I most especially like that is it Henry the Fifth, or Henry V."
Evey laughed. "I thought that was a nice touch." She sat there a moment, silent. She had been in the Shadow Gallery for months now. Evey wasn't an idiot, nor was she blind; she knew V cared for her. He was so attentive to her, so kind.
V frightened her, and yet she was drawn to him, enthralled by him. His voice was velvet and silk and she wanted to listen to it forever. With his words and kindness he had woven a spell around her so that she no longer cared where she was, only that she was with him. His mask, once bizarre and scary, had become familiar. She would look up to find his face turned toward her and feel certain he was watching her. He cared for her. She knew this. But how much? And how much did she in turn care for him? How much, and how to tell? And what to do? Daily she pondered the question: What to do?
Evey yawned and tried to stand, but fell back to the couch. "Umph. I am tired." Before she knew it V gently scooped her up and carried her to her room. Held in his arms she felt his heart beat faster and faster as her own did. He laid her on her bed and turned to go, but stopped. V turned back to her, regarding her for a moment. Evey held her breath and waited for him to say or do something – but the moment passed. He turned again, but this time she stopped him with a touch and a softly spoken, "V". He turned back to her. "Stay."
He froze, still and silent. "Stay by me tonight."
"Evey I can't… I won't…"
"No. Just be by me. I want you near me."
V paused, thinking. "Alright," he said, "Just a moment."
He left and returned quickly in a long robe and black garments of softer stuff, his gloves gone but his mask still in place.
"You must promise me, Evey. Promise not to try to see my face. This face, the muscles and bones beneath it, these are not me. Promise."
"I understand. I promise."
He nodded and switched the light off. Evey heard him walk to the side of the bed and then heard to soft clink of something set on a table. The bed shifted with his weight and Evey felt him move toward her tentatively. He ran a finger down her cheek and she sighed.
"V…"
"Yes?"
"Nothing." She kissed his hand quickly, as if afraid of what he would do, and then curled up to sleep. She was so tired… He lay there a moment, then wrapped his arm around her waist, his face buried in her hair.
"Goodnight, dear one," he said –but she was already asleep. "I love you."