It was the aroma first. Before her eyes opened, before she had the urge to stretch, before she heard a sound. It was the scent. Lucy's tryst still lingered heavily in the air. Lucy had considered establishing some sort of pretext about last night, as if she thought she dreamt it or just couldn't quite remember it, before she had fallen asleep. The thought seemed silly to her now. Lucy felt like someone must have come in the middle of the night and snuck weights into her blankets. She couldn't recall having any inkling of a dream, it was nice to have her mind actually go quiet for once. Sitting up was harder than it should have been, gravity didn't want to let go of her. Lucy looked over at where Fae lay sleeping. She ran through the scenarios she'd concocted for herself about how her first time would go. Some impossibly put together man in some impossibly romantic and private setting where everything went perfectly–that's how she had imagined it. She just stared at Fae for a moment, at this woman who put her through terrible inspections, extra work detail, the boiler room. That wasn't a pedestal worthy person laying over there, on a different bed, gapped by a foot of air. She wondered why she didn't get so much as a shared bed for her first sexual experience with another person, or why it wasn't even with someone she liked. Yet, she regretted not having nestled in with Fae for the evening, despite the chances of being aggressively pushed away. None of these thoughts were able to manifest a sense of regret. She felt satisfied with this situation, even though not a single thing had gone how she imagined it. Lucy slowly sat up, reluctantly discarding her comforter. The bed felt more secure today and if there was any remorse in her, it was about leaving it. Fae stirred awake and yawned.

"Wow you smell that? Ahh I love the smell of ruined bedsheets. Wonder if the cleanup crew is going to notice the difference now that you're in this mix." Fae raised her arms in the air for a stretch.

"Really? First thing in the morning with that. The first thing? Eugh."

"Yes," Fae said.

 Lucy turned to get her phone and paused, remembering that she wasn't going to have it today.

"Oh yeah, your brow-beating. I didn't forget," Fae said as she watched Lucy fumble for something that wasn't there.

"Really Fae, right now?"

"No," Fae jumped to her feet as she flung the covers off, "Hah, I'm First!" She shot a grin at Lucy while posing as if she'd stuck some difficult landing. Lucy shook her head as she got up.

"You know, that would normally tick me off, maybe in another week or two it will again. Are you satisfied with yourself?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be? Upsy-daisy Lucy."

That morning they entered the wash hall as a pair for the second time. They spent their bath together, looking suspiciously like they were roommates and assigned partners. Lucy gave Fae the once over she'd been planning on since last night. Sure enough, the little stripes were there, more visible now in the good lighting, and she could see some on her calves and thighs too. Fae's skin tone carried a significant amount of red in it, like she was carrying around a light sunburn. Lucy wondered how she'd missed that. Fae's eyes were a dark amber color and her shoulder length hair was wavy and brown. Lucy noticed Fae's lack of definition. She was thin but soft looking. The bust she'd noticed before, it was hard to ignore that in a place like this. One of the few maids here that was smaller chested than she was. With the exception of her stripes, Fae's complexion was improbably even. Lucy didn't spend much time thinking about heritage but Fae was clearly more than a random damned soul from top side. Lucy wondered what line she was from. Inspection had no more setbacks than usual, and the two of them were soon starting their day. Much of their cleaning duties happened in places they'd easily be overheard, but some of it was in restrooms and seldom-used back halls. It was in one of these back halls that Fae finally spoke up.

"Out with it," she said.

"Out with what? What are you talking about Fae?"

"Don't play dumb," she demanded, "what was that stupid deal you made with Morgen. I'm involved by proxy."

"Oh...that."

"Yeah that. Spill it."

"So–so Morgen may have caught me um–"

"Would you just spit it out! Why are you suddenly embarrassed? You were elbow deep in my crotch a few hours ago!"

"Fine, fine. Fine fine fine fine fine. She noticed I was horny and distracted that day you showed up late to the wash hall and she offered to fix it for a big favor. Apparently I'm getting something 'wearable'," Lucy made quotes with her fingers, " to, look it's a vibrator because until just fucking last night I didn't have a whole lot of ways to get that done, Fae."

Fae snorted. "I was masturbating."

"What do you mean? When? No...no no no no no you're kidding. You're joking. You're trying to get a reaction."

"Nope."

"You got us sent to the boiler room, to the boiler room, because you wanted to lay in bed until I left so you could get your pussy perfume all over your bed sheets!?" Lucy shrieked.

Fae couldn't contain her laughter any longer, she squeezed her words through a giggle, "No, no, I didn't but wow your face." Fae regained her composure. "So in exchange for this thing you don't have yet, you gave her your phone?"

"I knew it! I knew it I knew it, you were just fucking with me, fucking fuck off Fae." Lucy took a deep breath. "Yes I gave her my phone, so what, we still have yours for badging and it's not like we're really allowed to be separated anyway so whatever."

"The way you say that tells me you don't understand what you've done. That's your badge Lucy," Fae had taken out her own phone and was wagging it at Lucy by this point, "It's your badge! Your ID! She can pretend to be you!"

"And? She's way senior to me. I bet she has lots more access than I do. What's she gonna do with that?"

"I don't know, why'd she call it a major favor?"

Lucy looked at Fae, unable to come up with a response.

"I cannot believe you are actually senior to me, even if it is just a month," Fae continued. "Whatever this bullshit is Lucy, it better not come back on me." Fae busied herself with scrubbing the floor. She was putting more muscle into it than she usually did, lingered on spots too long, and wore a frown.

"I'm kinda starting to regret it a bit because of our arrangement and I'm not sure just how much I'll need it now. Still, she said it had good bargaining value. Maybe I'll do that. Yeah, maybe I'll be pulling favors next."

"Nope, I told you quite clearly, our arrangement is for rage management. I'm not helping you get off for any other reason. What exactly did you get anyway?" Fae asked.

Lucy wet her floor brush before responding. She tried to get her courage up to answer Fae without waffling. "S–she said it was a v–vibrator that I could control with my phone and that it was worn, i–internally. That's really all I know."

"That sounds like a...how is she getting stuff like that in anyway?"

"I don't know Fae," Lucy sighed, "if I knew that I wouldn't have to go through her."

"Okay I get it, stay the sarcasm. It's not easy to just waltz in here with anything you want. Someone has to bring that in. That means someone that is able to just come and go as they please gets it in here. That means none of the maids, that means none of the male servants. Do you understand?"

"I can't wait until we don't have to scrub floors anymore, I am so sick of this, I've been sick of this," Lucy said.

"Obviously, but what brings that up?"

"Foras did some of my ongoing review early the other day. He kinda teased a fourth floor future if I just got good at my job. Apparently my work ethic is already there but they don't think I'm actually good enough at what I'm doing." Lucy locked her stare on Fae's eyes as she spoke the last sentence.

Fae laughed. "You can have the fourth floor, I just want out."

"Yeah of course I want out, believe me, Lucy wants out, but I'd rather spend it on the fourth floor if I have to be here. Did you know they dress-down up there? They don't have to spend over an hour just getting dressed in the morning."

"Do they? Anyway I didn't mean that I would stay my whole stint, I want out out."

The corners of Lucy's lips drooped and her brow furrowed. "Fae don't fucking sit there and lecture me about getting in trouble and how that affects you and blah blah blah and then talk about fucking trying to run, you're crazy."

"Too bad."

"Ninth circle makes it a bit hard to run Fae, you have to know that don't you? You can't tell me you don't know that."

"Girls have gone missing before, and I just explained to you why Morgen has to have connections with people that come and go. This is why you actually have to pay attention to others." Fae said.

"Have they?" Lucy shook the thought out of her mind, "That doesn't mean they got anywhere or even left the palace. Best case they're stuck out there frozen to the ground like the rest of them, you want to be frozen? Please, by all means." Lucy moved towards the bucket of soapy water, they were just about done here. "What would you even do after you left anyway?"

"Not sure," Fae stopped cleaning for a moment and looked at the ceiling. "I think I'd like to get topside once. I hear they actually want it these days, like it's a whole fantasy now."

"What is?"

"That whole stealing their dreams bit."

"Wait really? You're joking, they like that now? Imagine."

"That's the rumor. You?"

"Don't laugh alright. Eh, you're gonna laugh anyway no matter how hard I ask. I always kinda wanted my own demon army you know? My own legion. It's just something I always heard about some of the really important demons having and I just kinda wanted to experience it for myself. I think it'd be cool." Lucy was smiling ear to ear.

Fae did laugh. "You're right, that is funny."

"Shut up! Look I don't have that pedigree but I'm gonna make it happen someday, it's not like hell has got a shortage of imps and I'm going to get my slice, just let a girl have her dreams."

"Nah."

"I fucking hate you," Lucy said. Lucy couldn't put the force behind the statement that she usually did. Fae just didn't seem as annoying today, things had gone too well this morning. As their day went on they threw their normal jabs at each other, but the sniping didn't escalate. They even completed their work early. Lucy decided to spend her rare free time helping the middle shift with their nails, which also gave her a good excuse to take a break from Fae. When she grabbed lunch Morgen flagged her down again.

"Here you go Lucy, all done." Morgen slid Lucy's phone to her.

"Okay, cool, so when do I get the uh, you know."

"It'll be this month," Fae said as she chewed her food, "I won't know the exact day or even week it'll just have to line up, you'll get it don't worry." Lucy held up her phone and turned the security features back on. There was a new notification for a missed message. Lucy swiped down. The color drained from her face. The message was from Foras.

"Morgen, did you see this!?"

"Oh that message? Yeah I saw the notif card pop up. I didn't open it up though, wasn't going to leave a message from Foras left on read. You're lucky I'm not the type of idiot that can't govern their curiosity."

Lucy's eyes widened as she read the message. 'I am inquiring about whether your replacement satchel made it to you. You seemed indisposed when I delivered it.' Lucy scrambled up from the table and fled swiftly from the cafeteria.

"Lucy?" Morgen called after her. Lucy didn't answer, she didn't even hear her name. She raced down the hall so swiftly she was able to hear the air against her ears. In a fluid motion, she opened and closed the door to her room and she dove into her bed burying her face in the pillow. It smelled fresh. Lucy held her pillow to her face until it was harder to breathe and laid still for a moment. She turned over and faced the ceiling, wishing she could just disappear. She held her phone up so she could see the message.

"What the fuck how am I even supposed to reply to this, shit. He really does talk like a brick..." Lucy muttered to herself.

The door opened again, it was Fae. "Nice exit."

Lucy pulled her phone to her chest. "Not now Fae."

"Don't 'not now' me, what did you get us into."

"This one doesn't concern you, there's no way this can bite you in the ass, this one is just mine."

"Uh huh," Fae sat on her own bed, "talk."

"Eugh, no, this literally can't come back at you, this is a Lucy problem, this is a problem for Lucy." Lucy kept her gaze towards the ceiling.

"I'm not taking your word for that and don't expect me to." Fae crossed her legs and arms, "I've never seen you in bed with clothes on before." Lucy closed her eyes and pretended not to notice Fae, but she persisted. "You made a scene, I'll be asked about it tomorrow, I suppose I could just make something up."

Lucy sat up with a sigh. "You're not letting this go are you?"

"No."

"I don't know how to answer this text, and it's freaking me the fuck out," Lucy turned her phone to Fae, "I can't figure out what he wants me to say at all."

"Do you have a fever Lucy? Just tell him you got the satchel."

"You don't understand! He caught me–I was–Eugh!"

Fae slightly raised her eyebrows, "Start at the beginning."

"So that other day right, the one where I got all messed up and you were late and all that dumb stuff. I was down bad that whole morning. After I got my replacement phone I got a moment to myself in the wash hall and I took care of it. When I came out my satchel was hanging on my locker Fae, he was there, he saw me or heard me or both and he sent that fucking text this morning while Morgen had my phone."

"And that means you can't just say you got the satchel because?" Fae shook her head, "you know what nevermind, you're right I was wrong, this doesn't involve me. Spaz."

Lucy just stared through Fae as if she wasn't there. Fae looked for a sign that Lucy was going to say anything. Seconds ticked past and Fae continued.

"You know the day is only half over right? Lunch should be finished now, we've had a good day, let's not ruin it. Get over yourself," Fae said.

Lucy moved her fingers over the phone screen, "I got the satchel, thank you thank you." Send.

"There was that so hard–," the phone chimed, "don't tell me that's him. Lucy?" Fae's eyes widened. Lucy's face was pinned to the screen.

"Yeah it's him," Lucy said. Fae scrambled up and locked their door then plopped herself on Lucy's bed.

"That was fast! What does it say?!"

"Fae I think I might be reconsidering your version of 'out out'," Lucy read the text aloud and adopted a formal regal tone, 'Images taken with issued phones are replicated to the cloud for content filtering, do bear this in mind.' Lucy groaned, "I wanna disappear Fae, I took a picture of myself in the act, he's seen it, he saw it, it has been seen."

"Wait a minute," Fae pulled out her phone and scrolled through it quickly, "Lucy–do you still have that picture you took?"

Lucy gave Fae a curious look and checked her phone, "No Fae it's gone, how did you–"

"So are mine, I never deleted the pictures from last night, but they're gone Lucy."

"What do I tell him? What do I say Fae? Holy fuck I'm going to lose my shit." Lucy's breathing picked up.

"Funny, I've never gotten a text from Foras about any of my dirty photos, and they haven't been deleted before either. They're all gone now though."

"Fae that isn't helping!" Lucy shrieked.

"You are hopeless, just tell him you're busy with afternoon chores like we should be. You should probably stick close if you don't want questions, I had to clean your damn lunch up to keep our noses clean. Basically everyone wants to know the gossip. Congratulations," Fae said.

Lucy tapped out the response and put her phone away, it quickly chimed again and she retrieved it once more.

"Don't even read it Lucy, just open it up, leave him on read and get out here," Fae said as she was unlocking their door.

"A-alright, okay, I got this. I. Have. Got. This?" Lucy quickly opened the message and closed her eyes before she could read it, and swiped it off. She put her phone away again. "There I did it, I did it."

Lucy followed Fae out of the dorm room. As they passed by other maids, eyes followed them. Lucy hardly noticed, she couldn't stop thinking about what she was going to say to Foras or even what she could say. She realized that Morgen knew at least the pretext to her reaction and was regretting having it. Fae was stuck to her now, but she knew the rumor mill wouldn't leave her alone forever. Lucy was rolling around the idea of escape in her head and each time she did it became less of a joke, but she couldn't express that now in the open. Hit on him? Run? She wanted to run. Things with Fae were just starting to turn around, now she was involved in shady deals and new relationships and coping mechanisms. A problem like Foras was a lot on the plate. Lucy tried to return her thoughts on what to say next. She reached for her phone a few times, each met with a slap on the hand from Fae. How could she respond if she didn't even know what the last text said? The anxiety tugged at her throat, trying to claw words out of it. Every moment spent waiting made her less aware of the world around her. They were long moments. The clock wouldn't move. Lucy thought back to the first text, the formality of it, it was always formal with him. Always, she thought. How could she even think always. She had all of one encounter with him, but it seemed so convincing. Is it all in my head? Do I just say thank you and leave it at that? Do I want that? Thinking just seemed to lead to more questions. She turned her head to her phone again.

"Don't," Fae said, slapping Lucy's hand away.

Lucy suddenly became aware that the world around her existed. Lucy noticed that Fae was leaving her alone for the most part. Lucy wasn't pulling her weight, and Fae was only stopping her from getting her phone. She wondered if Fae was being sympathetic to her situation or trying to keep herself out of trouble. After they discarded their afternoon wear in the wash hall and got back to the dorm room she was quick to start the conversation. "Fae," Lucy sighed, "I wasn't able to think of anything, I couldn't focus at all."

"I could tell."

"What do I do?"

Now Fae was the one sighing. "Well what did he say? Start there."

Lucy opened her messages and read it out, 'See that you do.'

Fae frowned, "That's it? Nothing about 'or else' or anything?"

"That's it."

"Odd."

Lucy brightened a bit, Fae seemed to understand. "Yeah like, what the fuck am I supposed to think? You said your pictures were gone too? It's the first time that's happened? You'd think he'd have more to say."

"Yeah that's right, you nailed it. Impressed you thought the same thing honestly. I don't like it."

"It's like he went out of his way to make sure we both knew."

"Maybe, don't forget you had a really racy photo on my phone too. I wonder if there's a subtle way to ask other girls if this has happened to them? To me it smells like he was after your photos and only yours, mine going missing was probably to make it less obvious in my opinion."

"That seems like kinda a stretch Fae, at least I hope that's not it, that's fucking terrifying."

"What will you do if we ask and find out we're special cases?"

"Don't know, I suppose we could ask Morgen–"

"No, I don't trust her as far as I can throw her, she comes off as shady to me and that gossip circle she runs is bad news."

"Gossip circle?"

"Good grief Lucy, I knew you were oblivious but I thought you at least knew that much. She's the worst about spreading rumors. She makes sure she has help too. So what was it you were going to say?"

"I fucking told you I don't know, you got any ideas or are you just going to make this take longer? Maybe if you would stop fucking interrupting me I could get through a damn sentence, shit."

"Well what do you want out of it? I think it's better than even odds he's at least interested in your body."

"And seeing if this has been happening to like, the other girls, that'll tell us for sure right? We can find out that way I guess, and then, what then? Well that's what you're asking me isn't it. You seem pretty sure things will go that way. I guess there's nothing to do if we're wrong?"

"Hey, how many brain cells did you grow this morning, congratulations. I'm waiting."

"I really don't think I like how he talks, like he's handsome and everything but god his voice. No, there was just that one time and it's because, well I explained that. I was thinking Fae–"

"Oh boy, that's new."

"Shut the fuck up, anyways what if I tried to get close to him you know? I think if anyone knows about those missing girls you were talking about or anything it'd be Foras. He might even know a way out of here."

"That's awfully bold coming from you, go on."

"I dunno maybe I could sleep with him or something, but I'm not sure because of his fucking tone, I can't get anything out of it there's just no reading anything into that. I'm not going to throw myself at the guy if I can't figure out the difference between mildly annoyed and down bad."

"My turn for an idea."

"Yeah?"

The corners of Fae's mouth rose an unnatural amount, "What if I recorded you."

"Excuse me?"

"So we figure out if this is happening or has happened to anyone else. We still have to figure out how to do that without raising suspicion. If we're right, I think I should use your phone to record you getting off. See if that vanishes too. Give Foras a show, he's clearly watching. Formality or not, his next step should tell us something."

"D-damnit Fae, why do you always have to go there, what is with you? You're like some kind of nymphoma–ohhhhhhh. Oh you are aren't you, you've got s-some Lilith in you don't you. Fuck."

Fae laughed, "You are so dense, how did you not notice until now? It's funny watching your brain work. You should try that thinking thing more. That stutter too, it's back. Good thing we're using your body and not your charisma"

"Wait but we–Doesn't that mean?"

"Yes."

"That is not what I fucking signed up for Fae. Why didn't you say anything? Jesus!"

"Wow, language. I thought you knew, anyone else would have, you're welcome by the way, back to the point."

"Okay okay but like, who do we ask about this? You mentioned not telling Morgen but if she's like, ya know the center of gossip, how do we keep her out of it?"

"That's a good question, I've got my circle but you lack one entirely. I'm not introducing you either, they might get the wrong idea. Maybe talk to some people and get a feel for them?"

"Well I guess Foras did mention working on my maid skills, maybe I can get some help with that after our morning shift? We'd have to finish early basically every day though. Guess I could also," Lucy let out a deep sigh, "talk to some of the girls in the wash hall in the morning."

"That means getting up early too."

"Yeah I know, I know. Fae..."

"What?"

"This um, this is all, well it sounds a lot like teamwork, like we're on the same side here, does that like, you know change anything?"

"Pfft, no," Fae shook her head, "I told you I want out, and I'll do what it takes. Foras has cracked a door and you've got plans to widen it. You're right about the teamwork thing but it changes nothing about how I feel about you, virgin."

"Virgin? Excuse me? I think you forgot something already."

"Oh, yeah. Force of habit. I'll do it again."

"You are so insufferable. Alright so. Meet new people, and do what again? How exactly do I know if they're worth asking?"

"You're a real piece of work."

"Not helpful Fae! Not fucking helpful. Team. Team. We are a team now."

"You don't make that appealing. You're looking for signs they talk to Morgen or her group. That's all."

"And then ask them about photos disappearing?"

"Yeah, you'll have chances to bring it up, or did you not notice how interested everyone seems to be in your little dramatic exit earlier?"

"Right, there is that. I'm such a dummy. That was so stupid."

"Make it work in your favor."

Lucy exhaled as if to completely empty her lungs, "I'm really nervous about this Fae."

"Lucy, whether you want out or want to ride this out or get to the fourth floor, you're going to have to figure out what Foras is up to."

"Which just happens to benefit you, who should I be looking out for again?"

"Oh that reminds me, teamwork. You're getting the lion's share out of this arrangement and I want my cut."

"Oh no, what is it you fucking want Fae, what do you want me to do. It's fucking lust related isn't it?"

"Well well, you can be insightful if you try, how about that. When you get that little item of yours, we're sharing it."

"Sharing it?! Ew, that's fucking gross Fae why the fuck would you want to share that, that's nasty."

"What are you talking about, just wash it."

"Like with just soap? Is that enough? That still kinda..." Lucy trailed off.

"You washed your arm with soap. Is that too gross for you? Would you like to cut it off?"

"That's still. I'm not sure I can do that."

"Then I'm not sure I can help you any more than I already have. You know I thought a good fisting would jolt you out of that but here we are." A smile crossed Fae's face. "You've never used one before have you."

Lucy held her eyes closed for a moment before responding, "No..."

"Odd state of affairs for a demoness."

"I'm going to sleep, Fae. I'll do what I can, I'm not making any promises okay?"

"Well then I'll do what I can, but only after you deliver."

Fae cut off the light, neither of them said goodnight to each other. Lucy was getting less and less confused about how Fae felt about all of this. Fae really did think of this as transactional, tit for tat. Lucy tried to wrap her head around it. However annoyed she was with Fae, she was still experiencing the attachment and the other emotions from last night. Fae said I'd have a hard time with this, she told you Lucy, she warned us. Lucy thought about the tasks ahead of her, and thought about how Fae wasn't going to change how she was. Her plate was getting more full. Hating Fae unconditionally was so much easier. Things were getting complicated now. Sure, she thought, it had taken the edge off their interactions, and that seemed to have lasted an entire day. It was keeping them out of real trouble with Jezebel. How long is this arrangement going to last? How many times am I going to have to do that before we're done here, what did I sign up for? Is this really worth less punishment?" As she thought, she could feel the sting of the whip again, the heat, her breakdown, reliving the moment. For now, I guess it is. She closed her eyes and hoped her dreams wouldn't take her anywhere that would bother her the next day. She remembered that she'd be waking up even earlier tomorrow, and it didn't sit well. Why is it the more I try to make things easier for me the harder they get? This really is hell.