𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱'𝘀 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻 (𝗠𝗮𝗳𝗶𝗮!𝗡𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘂)

10

CHAPTER TEN WOO
also, i am kinda tired and want a nap but i have an academic team meet thing this weekend and have to study :(

also also, my fingers slipped and i accidentally wrote a chapter after school one day

an hour or two later the girls stumbled back to the bedroom with heavy lidded eyes. magnolia helped tuck niki into the bed and hang up the jacket on a wall peg.

"sleep well," magnolia whispered kindly, flicking a light switch on the wall before retreating out the door. niki sleepily waved and snuggled under the comforter with one thought, smell is good.

not a thought she particularly wanted but was perfectly content with having.

did magnolia ever say she had a spare bedroom around here? the thought came to her as she started to fall asleep and it pushed her eyes open.

yeah i'm not being cliche and telling her she can sleep on one side of the bed and i on the other. she shook her head and turned to her side.
but it would be nice of me. and i'm on this mission because i'm okay with flirting with girls. niki's eyes opened again and she sighed, dragging a blanket with her to wrap around her body while she walked to the door.

it opened easily, just like earlier, and she yawned while the blanket dragged up a corner of a rug.

magnolia was sat at her desk, typing on the computer with the sharp clacks of a loud keyboard and absorbing herself into the work. it took a few moments before she noticed the standing blanket in her doorway and she leaned on her armrest to get a better look before grinning.

"can't get enough of me?" she asked, clicking a few things with the mouse then shifting her full attention to the blonde.

"don't you need to sleep?" niki asked, staring into her big brown eyes.

"meh." the dark brunette shrugged and looked at the big dog bed.

"do you have any extra rooms to sleep in?" niki asked, disregarding the behavior.

"minx and puffy have rooms but i don't want to bother them, they've had long days."

"so have you." magnolia looked up to meet her eyes and blinked owlishly.

"what are you trying to suggest?" she asked suspiciously.

"well i can take the floor for a night-"

"abso-fucking-lutely not-"

"-that's what i thought you'd say, so, we can just share the bed and stick a big pillow in between us." magnolia stared at her.

"that is the cheesiest, most sappy love story bullshit i've ever heard but i'm down if you are." niki giggled softly at that and gestured for her to follow, which she did after shutting down the computer.

a few pillow arrangements and niki silently regretting her life decisions because holyshit magnolia in shorts and a tank top, they'd become situated.

"don't try anything," niki yawned harshly, pulling the blankets to her chin.

"would rather die," magnolia murmured, sounding much more tired now that she was laying down.

"i asked minx and puffy about you, earlier. apparently you're a big ol' player?" niki asked, a joking lilt to the sleepy words.

"that's in the past, still like to flirt about, occasionally," she shrugged half heartedly. niki turned on her side, now facing the dividing pillow.

"why'd you stop?" magnolia went quiet.

"mm, well, i... there was this one girl that made me realize how much more there was to, like, being alive than money, power, sex, all that stuff. she got me into gardening and helped me plant that rose bush i showed you." a faint smile graced her features and she shifted onto her side too so they could see eye to eye.

"and?" niki breathed.

"she died a little more than a year ago. opposing gang hit, it was supposed to be me." they both went quiet.
"now i do what i can to support people like her. you know the slum area, southwest of the casino?"

"yeah, i live around the edges."

"i help run that area. there are rumors that go around that it's all junkies and psychos but i know most of the people there and would vouch for all. some are even vegan and bring me hell when i don't get the good tofu." magnolia giggled at the memories. niki huffed a little laugh.

"so you run that entire area?" niki asked quietly.

"there's a few parts that are just filled with lone rangers trying to find their way in life, getting out of or into a bad trip. i always let them know there's room but i don't force any people to be underneath me. i didn't even try to appoint myself as leader. mikayla, this adorable little six year old, said i would be a good president." she laughed to herself at the thought.
"imagine me running a nation, ugh."

"how do you help around there? gardening and cat pictures?" niki teased. magnolia rolled her eyes in the dark.

"i help start gardens for people and make sure they have the right supplies and settle any disputes. i have people to keep them safe and enough money to start people off well if they choose to leave. most who leave still send cards, though," she added, stifling a yawn.

"that's neat of them," niki whispered with a smile.

"yeah, i guess it is." they both grinned and gazed at each other.

"you're so cute." the words slipped from niki's mouth before she could stop them, sleep starting to overtake her. magnolia's eyes widened a little. unprofessional.

"you think so?"

"yeah." no taking it back now. plus, she was so so tired of hiding. she'd been promised a day or two tops for this mission and was beginning to lose her "unbiased" perspective.

"thank you, niki nihachu."

how nice, niki thought before drifting to sleep. she knows my name.

"i think you're really cute too."

she knows my name.

hmm

-Cat ^•<•^