PO-242Roksolana Zahattya
Age 18, height 5’8, weight 135lb
Conviction: Patricide
Behavioural: compulsive provocative
Medical: no complications, healed fractures
When the call finally came for the Shtrafs to come to the workshop, Chione was the first to arrive, even before Pygamile or McVaughn. She stood at the edge of the upper level, right against the railing, and oversaw the five mighty VA1s lined up. Their stature was so great that even in this wide-open space they almost scraped the ceiling. Each one was unique in construction (not to mention one which was still badly damaged from Cheshire’s fight) and yet indistinct in personality. Danton had begun refitting the outer-plating, in an attempt to standardise the dimensions and perhaps hide how much they looked like V92 excavators. But Chione recognised the middle one by its hand ––it had three fingers rather than four.
“Dibs on the left one,” a sing-song tone called from behind her. “I loved the handling.”
“I imagine they’ll be assigned,” Chione said flatly.
“Eh, no fun,” Roxie said, her voice getting closer. “We gotta do something about that stick up your butt and soon. Although… is it true you’re fucking that guard? Dee, was it?”
Chione spun around, looking at Roxie with a gape ––and quickly regretted it as Roxie took it as immediate confirmation.
“Ahahahah! Oh my god you are. Or rather, she’s fucking you, isn’t she?”
“And who told you?” she asked with grit teeth. “What did they specifically say?”
“I don’t reveal sources, princess,” Roxie said, giving a mock tut. “But what I heard specifically is that you sometimes find a cell for yourself and spend a looooong time together. So if it’s not fucking you must be doing something salacious. Collusion? Or maybe you just bat your eyelashes at her until she’s fawning over you?”
“Your sources got it wrong then.”
Roxie folded her arms, and constantly wore a smirk that never failed to crawl under Chione’s skin.
“So you’re still single, I take it?”
Chione turned away again.
“Whether I am is not your business?”
“Well don’t flatter yourself. I wasn’t exactly going to propose. Although I have to say, I am curious about how you plan to survive completely on your own.”
“I… can manage.”
Walking over and leaning against the railing, Roxie looked at Chione despite the latter’s best efforts to avoid looking back.
“How much do you have left on your account?”
“… enough to make it to the next stipend.”
“On gruel and scraps I bet. Don’t you wanna know what it’s like to have a belly full again? Nicely washed clothes, a full stock of supplies. Maybe even some entertainment? I’ve got a stash of comics you know.”
“Are you driving to a point at all?”
“Well… nah!” Roxie laughed, “I just wanna know how much you’re failing by.”
Chione breathed out but never broke her unflinching stare. The VA1’s broken fingers were a good focus point.
“Go away,” she said.
“Aw don’t be like that, princess,” Roxie said in the kind of voice you’d use with a baby, and to emphasise the insult she patted Chione’s head. “No need to cry. Although, I could be persuaded to throw you a bone. We are teammates after all.”
“Yeah?” Chione raised her brow, “and what twisted terms would you add to that?”
“Hmm let me think,” Roxie straightened up and folded her arms. Her voice became notably less playful and more muted, “you had experience washing and cleaning with Cheshire’s gang, right? Frankly, Tat and Sophy suck at domestic. They’re more like trophy dolls than actual girlfriends. Pretty sickening, huh?”
Do you tell them that? Chione kept the question to herself.
Instead she asked, “you’d give me stuff to wash and pay me for that?”
“Heh,” Roxie gave a merciless chuckle, “come on, princess, we both know you can’t be trusted with cash. We can’t have you writing more letters now. But if you did that, I’d give you food and products directly when you’re low. Although if you want cash that bad, I’ve got a different arrangement in mind….”
Roxie looked off to the side, to a platform raised up from where they were standing. It was a side section to the main facility, with the equipment and signs of work crews strewn about, although some of the finished furnishing was already in place.
“When that’s done, we’re all gonna be living over there, I hear. Could be quite a step-up, but I doubt we’ll have en suite. If we’re going to share those lockers, I propose we keep one for ourselves ––for Shtraf business only of course. That’s my first term.”
Looking over as well, Chione frowned slightly. “The lockers? Why wouldn’t you keep one with Vil. Aren’t you she-wolves together?”
“My reasons are my own,” Roxie said, with a fox’s grin
“And your ‘first’? How many conditions are you asking for?”
“Just one.”
“Fine. Tell me.”
Placing her hands on her hips and bending forward, Roxie was displaying both her body and her wicked smile as she said:
“I want a kiss.”
Chione’s eyes widened. She took a step back though she didn’t know why. She knew this wasn’t surprising, but she was still surprised. Her heart was beating faster.
“You want to kiss… me? Don’t you get enough already?” Chione asked.
Roxie shrugged. “Forbidden fruit as they say. Is it wrong to be curious how you taste?”
“Yes,” Chione said, lip curling, “very wrong?”
“Well it’s up to you. Cash for lockers and a kiss. Honestly that’s barely a sweat off your back! So, you gonna take the deal?”
Chione didn’t want to kiss Roxie. She really didn’t want to kiss anyone. But if Asphodel was going to make her kiss someone, she did not want her first kiss to be with Roksolana Zahattya.
But as she thought this, Chione’s chest constricted. The sensation of lips burying their way into hers, tongue forcing were so vivid even now. But that didn’t count, or at least Chione wouldn’t let it count. She hadn’t had her first kiss yet.
But Chione had literally been on her knees ready to take Zoe into her mouth. Thinking about it made her burn up. And yet it was fact that Chione was quicker to accept a blowjob than a kiss. So now she had to feel stupid as well as just wrong.
“Just… a quick kiss?” Chione said, testing the waters. “Nothing more?”
Roxie tittered.
“No strings, no sex, no song. Just a lil smooch. You game?”
“Alright,” she said. “Wait.”
Chione placed her back firmly against the railing and sized Roxie up with a glance — though for what purpose even she wasn’t sure. Roxie wasn’t wearing a hidden blade, she was completely unarmed. But Chione’s gaze drew to the redhead’s hands. They looked soft and smooth, despite her line of work. But the sight of them made Chione’s whole body tense.
“Those,” she said stiffly, “what are you going to do with them?”
“My hands?” Roxie said, tilting her head. She lifted them up and flapped them about, “hadn’t thought about that. Why?”
“Shoulders.” Chione swallowed then clearly stated, “lay them on my shoulders while you do it. Don’t move them. At all.”
“Sheesh, you’re a real control freak. Really kills the mood. But okay.”
Roxie lay her hands on Chione’s shoulders, and by now had drawn so close Chione could feel her breath on her nose.
“Close your eyes,” Roxie said. Her voice was painfully dreamy.
“No,” said Chione.
“Heh, no wonder you’re miserable.”
As Roxie leant in, further and further, Chione felt her body come to a complete stop. Even if she wanted to jerk back, she didn’t think she could. Her heart was jumping now, pounding. The worst thing of all: Roxie’s lips glowed with a soft blush; perhaps they would feel nice too.
Roxie got close, but then she dodged. Chione blinked, as she felt a wet patch on her cheek.
“Muuu-AH!”
All of a sudden, Roxie jumped back and there was a breathable distance between them. Chione just stared. When she felt her hand could move again, she felt the side of her face where she had been kissed. The other girl clasped her hands behind her back and blinked at her with faux innocence. Chione scowled.
“You said a kiss?”
“Yeah, and that was a kiss. Oh,” she placed her fingers to her mouth, “you thought I meant on the lips? Hahaha! So presumptuous. No wonder you were all puckered up.”
Roxie started kissing the air in dramatic reenactment. A wave of relief was crashing over Chione, as the anxiety vented from her system and was replaced with pure, unbridled annoyance.
“You’re a child,” she groaned.
“And you’re wound up so tight you’re gonna spin,” Roxie said between fits of laughter. “I bet your big butt is clenched to hell. But you held up your end. Give me your hand I’ll pay ya.”
“Kill yourself,” Chione said in a low, exhausted tone as she offered her outstretched fingers for Roxie to zap some Vio through.
As Roxie delivered the transfer, she watched Chione with a relishing grin.
“Now is that a way to talk to a teammate?”