The faint scent of coffee hanging in the air was the first thing that caught her nostrils as she came to. Her entire body ached, but not in a bad way. She rolled over onto her side and groaned, burying her face in the pillow. It was soft, so soft, and the case was ridiculously smooth. So were the sheets, they were like silk. She pulled the cool cloth over her head as more of the ache and stinging began to register in her brain. Her eyes fluttered open when she caught the scent of a slightly woody, cinnamon-like perfume. It was almost a cologne if not for the sweetness of it and hint of a flower she couldn’t quite place.

Huh? Her head still a little muddled as her fingers clung tighter to the sheets. Silk? This isn’t my room. She thought as she pulled the sheets down over her face and peered around. She was in a bedroom, a large one, expensive. There were three doors. One looked like it led out into the rest of the house. The one to the left of her was ajar and she could see a desk inside as well as several screens showing current stock prices and financial news. The door to her right had a laundry basket next to it, a restroom. Everything had a white color scheme, with hints of pink.

Hot pink.

The memories came back in a rush as her breath caught in her throat. She sat up quickly, pulling the sheets up to her chest and whipping her head around in a panic. Oh my god, I’m in Sonya Chernovna’s bed. She felt fresh heat race up her face and she reached up to clasp at a stinging spot on her neck, several of them. The aching made sense now. She’d allowed herself to let go of all semblance of control the previous night, all of her senses, all of her thoughts, her fears, her inhibitions, dominated and led along by a masterful conductor.

The door leading out into the main living space of the CEO’s apartment opened and the woman herself stepped inside. Not in her usual all-white suit and slacks, but in a pair of tights and a long t-shirt that had a red rounded video game company logo on it. She was holding a mug of coffee, her usually styled white hair hanging down loosely over her shoulders and face, her bangs were actually pretty long. The usual intense glow of her eyes had been turned down to a faint glimmer, making her seem so natural, normal.

Sonya leaned against the door, “Morning Carla. Coffee?” She asked, gesturing with the mug before tilting her head. Her mechanical eyes twisted and refocused in her skull as they flicked almost mechanically over Carla’s torso. “I did a number on you, I’ve got some lotion and concealer in the bathroom.”

Carla reached up and touched the stinging spots again, her breath caught in her throat. Her mind was a mess, nothing made sense, she thought-

“I don’t hate you,” Sonya said, “I hate what you did, and I’ve forgiven you. Did you have fun?”

Carla’s shoulders fell, “Yes ma-”

“Nope, none of that, we’re well past Ma’ams and that stuff in casual conversation,” Sonya corrected her before she could finish, “You can do that when we’re in public if you want, but I’m just Sonya right now,” She laughed, “Look at me, do I look like I’m dressed to be called ma’am to you?”

Carla stared at her, a knot in her chest loosening a bit, she blinked a few times before a laugh bubbled up, she reached up and brushed back the raven bob of her hair back over her ear, “You’re right,” She chuckled, “Coffee would be lovely, Sonya.”

“There we go!” Sonya cheered, “Coffee coming right up!” She said and twirled in place, somehow not spilling her own coffee as she half skipped back into the living space. Carla slipped off the bed and pulled herself to her feet, she considered taking the sheets with her but realized that was pretty pointless. She walked to the bathroom and gave herself a once over. Sonya hadn’t been kidding. “Got a few shirts and essentials for you on the sink in there!” Sonya called.

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Carla blinked and glanced down to see a couple rolled up shirts and other important bits of clothing. She tossed the first one on, a baggy t-shirt with the word ‘Soda’ written in curvy letters and glitter before dragging herself out into the living room. It was blessedly free of Sonya’s coworkers-slash-roommates. Only a wide couch set in front of a widescreen tv. Behind the tv was a wall of windows that wrapped around a corner of the apartment and gave a great view of the city. To her right she saw the dining area and beyond that, Sonya standing at a large silver coffee machine, humming to herself.

“Taking the day off?” Carla asked.

“Figured I might,” Sonya said as the mug filled. “Though to be honest I probably should go in later. It’s pretty early still, if you’re worried.”

“No, I’m actually on a vacation,” Carla admitted, “Needed some time off.”

“Chairman pushing you that hard?” Sonya asked.

“..a bit,” Carla admitted, feeling a bit sullen, “After I failed with you, I-”

“You didn’t fail, he shouldn’t have asked that of you,” Sonya said and picked the mug up, not looking in her direction. “How do you have it?”

“Black, if you don’t mind?”

Sonya cringed, “Yikes, you’re tougher than you look,” Sonya said and walked over with the mug. Carla took it with a grateful smile and sipped, it had to be the best cup of coffee she’d ever had.

She looked up at Sonya and dared to ask, “Do you not like black coffee?”

“I’ve got a really bad sweet tooth,” Sonya said with a shrug, “Drives Marta crazy. Double cream with six sugars.”

Carla coughed, nearly spitting out her coffee, “Six?”

“Mhm,” Sonya hummed, walking over to the couch and sitting down, stretching her legs and letting out a sigh, “How else do you think I get through the day? Sheer will and gumption? Please,” Sonya laughed, “I am powered by spite, energy drinks, sugar, and snacks!” She declared with way more pride than Carla really thought she should have for such a statement.

Carla snorted out a laugh, earning her a beaming smile from Sonya. She flushed, remembering the far more domineering person from the previous evening. She looked down at her hands and back up again. Sonya gestured for her to sit and she obliged, sitting down a seat away as she sipped. “So what happens now?”

Sonya scratched her nose and sipped her own drink, “Up to you, really,” She said offhandedly, “I’m not looking for something serious, if that’s what you’re asking. I go to that club often and I rarely sleep alone,” She admitted before glancing in Carla’s direction, “If you’re looking for a way to blow off steam and get rid of some of that stress that was eating you alive last night, sure, I’m game.”

Carla managed to put forward a bit of a petulant pout, “And here I was looking forward to getting fitted for that collar you mentioned.”

Sonya coughed, it was her turn to nearly spit up her drink. She looked up at Carla wide-eyed, “You uh, you remember that? Oh, uh,” She rubbed the back of her neck, “Y-you do realize I was saying that stuff for your benefit, right?” She babbled.

For the first time in a long time, with all the weight of working for the committee, with all the pressure from the Chairman to make up for what had happened, all the fear of this changing world, Carla didn’t just chuckle; she let out a full and hearty laugh. Sonya seemed so scary behind the desk, she was a scary person, she was powerful and influential and demonstrably could bring serious political pressure against even a person like the Chairman. And yet there was a side to her that was normal, if a bit goofy.

Carla smiled down at her mug as the laugh ended, “I wouldn’t mind,” She muttered.

Sonya raised an eyebrow, “Huh?”

“Nothing,” Carla said, “A little stress relief would be nice now and then, Sonya,” She paused, “And… I think I’d rather work for you, than him.”

Sonya glanced up at her and raised an eyebrow, “That’s a dangerous thing to say. You’re a Pandora representative, an important one. You operate on its home turf. You can see the UN building from here.”

“He should have thought of that before using me for a honey trap, then,” Carla said, a bit more sharply than she’d intended. She couldn’t help it though. She’d seen it as something she just had to do at the time, but the derision that Sonya had laid down upon her in that moment, and then the way she was being treated now. It was empowering even if it had required surrendering all her power for an evening. She looked up at a genuinely surprised looking Sonya, seeking her approval, some sign that she was going a better direction than playing lapdog to that old buffoon.

Sonya gave her a rakish grin, “I’m looking forward to working with you, Carla Mint.”