𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱'𝘀 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻 (𝗠𝗮𝗳𝗶𝗮!𝗡𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘂)

8

"rise and shine, sleeping beauty!" minx said cheerily while walking into the room. niki blinked and blearily looked around before shooting upright.

"i- oh, i'm... yes?" niki muttered to herself, looking at the bed, the nightclothes, and feeling surprisingly refreshed.

"you okay?" minx asked, walking over to be in front of her.

"yeah, i just-" thought that was all a weird dream "-didn't remember changing. or falling asleep."

"oh, i know what you mean, girl. once i woke up in a maid dress with two empty tequila bottles in the sink and no recollection of the past twenty hours. i had just been cheated on so i wasn't surprised about the tequila but all my wine had disappeared too, along with my ex," she joked while setting down a tray with cover over the top.

"that doesn't surprise me all that much," niki shrugged, looking at the tray suspiciously.

"my girl outside got some breakfast together for you and made me bring it in." minx rolled her eyes, taking a tote bag that niki hadn't noticed earlier off of her shoulder and setting it on the floor.
"well, dig in. i'll be just out there if you need me, so shout at the camera or something to get our attention." with that, minx left niki to her breakfast of assorted fruits and two pieces of buttered toast that was still crisp and warm. all suspicions disappeared as her stomach cried out for the alluring food.

maybe being held as a not hostage/kidnapee wasn't absolutely horrible when the kidnapper was remorseful of breathing the same air as her. niki knew how that felt, when she'd accidentally stepped on a rather nice young woman's dress at a gala and almost made her trip. she couldn't quite remember when she stopped apologizing to that girl.

after eating her fill, she set the tray on a bedside table and picked up the tote bag from the floor. inside was a few days worth of clothes from her closet, a pair of her tennis shoes, and a book from her bedside table that was about analyzing the criminal mind. hopefully minx hadn't read the title and only saw a nice picture of a stock image brain and two silhouettes playing underneath it.

niki wasn't sure whether to be surprised that a criminal organization knew where she lived or that they knew where her things were kept. oh god, if anybody ransacked her apartment to find her clothes she was absolutely going to at least maim them.

"uhm, minx?" niki called, feeling a bit dumb that she was talking to a camera. a few seconds passed as she looked expectantly at it.

"sorry, she's on a call with, uh, the madame. what did you need...?" a clear voice came through the speaker that was connected to the gaming setup and niki paused.

"do i know you?"

"no, no i don't think i know you," the voice protested. "yeah, i don't get out often."

"well, can i know you?" she asked, a teasing lilt prodding at her words. information, information, where art thou when thy needs it? why, in the hands of the enemy.

"i don't think that's a good idea," they mumbled. niki could almost swear she'd heard it before.

"oh come on. i'm sure your literal crime boss of an employer won't care you're playing video games for an hour or two," she prodded.

"no, i can't," they said firmly, as if to remind themselves that they couldn't.

"are you sure?" niki asked.

no response.

niki huffed in annoyance and angrily ate a grape. there was barely anything to do in here, except the video games, which were always better multiplayer.

she started at the low buzzing noise of the tv and its systems coming out of the wall as if she'd pushed the button for it, which she most definitely hadn't. the password for another account was typed in, swirling circles appearing before a green check mark was displayed. the minecraft loading screen popped up soon after.

"magnolia won't care," the voice appeared again, a little more crackly but still weirdly familiar.

"thank you," niki said, a smile naturally spreading across her face. if information could be attained from simply playing video games with some random person from the 'company' she should get kidnapped more often... though, she was getting a little attached to these people.

minx and her 'girl outside' had surprisingly grown on her. who else would bring her food in bed? well, magnolia probably would if she thought that niki could stand being in the same room as her. niki honestly wouldn't really mind it, a pretty face to go along with her pretty words that dripped with hints to her operations.

but that isn't how niki is supposed to operate so she knew she wouldn't. she had the will of a steel bar.

besides, you literally can't get a crush on the person who tried to save you by holding you captive... in the nicest part of the compound... with kind people caring for your needs and wants... and the person genuinely feeling bad for the situation...

niki shook her head to rid her thoughts.

"what's your name?" niki asked, tilting her head while staring up at the screen, thumbs jamming joycons to move around the world.

"oh, u-uh, puff. ee. puffy." again, that sense of familiarity that led to nothing.

"you don't talk to a bunch of new people, do you?" niki sympathized.

"no, not really." a small chuckle fell through the speakers.

"well, puffy, now you have time to brush up on some social skills," niki hummed, placing some dirt for her new hut.

"yeah." puffy smiled. "i do."

"you're sure that this is a good idea? meeting with damian is like the opposite of what we want right now," minx said nervously, pacing the halls and weaving around people as they went about their business. a few people nodded their greeting but nothing more as they knew she was busy.

"i'm gonna have to sooner or later, minx. i can't risk everyone's lives just for that person to topple our work like the fragile Jenga tower it is, right now." minx could hear the exasperation and anxiety in magnolia's voice and chewed on her lip.

"fine but get a few hours sleep at least, i know you get irrational when you're tired and you've pulled an all nighter and only taken a half hour nap," she compromised. there was a sigh and minx rolled her eyes.
"and i don't give a fuck if there's paperwork, i'll handle it. puffy's keeping our guest entertained anyway so we don't need to worry about her breaking down any doors."

"fine. just make sure puffy's doing alright before you get to the work stuff, alright?" magnolia's voice softened with care.

"you got it, boss," minx grinned, peaking through the crack in a door at a laughing puffy who was on her computer.

"don't call me boss, you barney ripoff-"

"oh don't start with me, panda-eye-express, go to sleep. dark circles aren't in our live, laugh, love code." with that, minx hung up and left puffy to play games with the blonde.

IM SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER TO WRITE MY BAD
my sport practices started again (it's a gosh darn winter sport, what the frick frack paddy whack give your dog a bone is this garbage heap) and my left shoulder just lights on fire whenever i raise it to more than a fifty degree angle

we have had two practices so far btw

-Cat ^;o;^