01 sunlight

.

sunlight poured down onto the hardwood. cool morning air wafted through the tall windows, carrying rare birdsong from the lane below. he dug into the bag of shredded cheese, sprinkling it over the eggs slowly thickening in the pan.

he hadn't noticed, but she was awake. she silently popped up to sit on the counter next to the stovetop, wearing a drapey, tentlike tshirt and nothing else. her hello kitty tattoo rested on the edge of the surface, bending under her thigh.

he glanced at it, yesterday's shyness inexplicably returning. even after last night. "g'morning," he mumbled.

"hey," she said, and he could hear her smile. they were silent for a moment, as she tipped her head back to feel the breeze from the window and reached her toes towards the mid-air sunbeams. when she looked back and caught him watching her she grinned, ruffling his hair and slipping to the ground. "hey--" he said, struggling with the next sentence. "what's your body count?"

she didnt look back, reaching instead for a plate on a shelf. the hem of her shirt slid up over her loaded Beretta, strapped to her thigh. thoughtlessly, she said: "which one?"