#vessa

J knows her boss best, knows how much any praise excites her (even when the girl needs to debase herself to get it), how she loves doing anything for her drones, how any physical touch -- hugs, demeaning headpats, even stepping on her -- is enough to make her melt

so maybe one day, V walks in on the two of them alone, entangled in cuddles behind a door they thought they'd locked. maybe J invites V to join her in teasing and tormenting Tessa, knowing her boss would like it all the more. sure, J's jealous over what's hers, but unlike N, V is hardly competition for boss's favorite.

now, the little maid would be hesitant at first -- so J's invitation needs to be sharpened into an order, and even then she's clumsy and stuttering, repeatedly looking for reassurance. it's pathetic enough to flip things around, spur J to give V the treatment normally reserved for Tessa. holding her softly, squeezing and rubbing until she relaxes completely, affirmations whispered in her ear. it's okay, no one will be mad at you, no one will judge you.

all of this to get V to stop doubting herself, drop the mask, and take what she wants. maybe she wants Tessa on her knees, staring up at the normally-shorter maid. or maybe she wants Tessa holding still, leaning in and not flinching as V gives a classic bleh and licks her face. whatever V does, J gives an approving nod and Tessa's smiling radiantly and giggling.

and it thrills V to finally let loose. she pushes further, indulges her impulses, letting out all the snark and cruelty we'd recognize of V. Tessa can hardly think or articulate a full sentence, once she has two cute robots bossing her around, treating her like a shared pet.

maybe it'd be V who discovers a minor streak of masochism in Tessa. or maybe what she feels is more specific than that. a smack, a little punch, a wrist grabbed and twisted crush-gripped -- it would hit different when moments before, she sees V blushing silver, smiling down with fondness and care; and when moment after, her expression twists into concern, asking are you okay, did i hit too hard, preemptive apologies

or maybe Tessa just knows - with the same intuition that makes her a genius technician - that these robots are industrial machinery; mechanically, they could kill her, but each hit is calculated for her safety, she's in no more danger now than she is of biting off her own finger.

or maybe she just knows V needs this. none of her drones are free to drop the mask all the time, so these little moments between them are a rare reprieve. all that stress and frustration bottled up, all of the fear and powerlessness of working under the Elliot's merciless eyes... giving V an outlet, letting her be the one controlling and capricious for once... it's fair, isn't it? and wouldn't Tessa look cute in a maid dress?

in the end, J wasn't entirely correct when she assumed V posed no threat to her title of boss's favorite. she sees the looks tessa's started giving V, compares them against her catalogue of tessa making eyes at her favorite assistance. J had to admit it: she'd never provoked this kind of hunger in tessa

but if cutting her maid skirt higher and swapping leggings for tight stockings was what it took for boss to look at her like that... no. J would never violate professional dress code.

V was crass and impulsive; there were things she'd do for tessa gleefully that J was far too dignified to endure. oh well -- J had plenty of time to chide and belittle that pair of unrestrained animals when cleaning up the messes they make.

J had self-respect, and she had Tessa's respect - that was more valuable than hunger. J wasn't easy like her boss, and she didn't blush at V's crass jokes, whomever they were directed at. but J knew V was unpredictable -- and if she ever tries to pin J down, ever tries lick and bite her, ever tries to treat J like Tessa, then J would fight back, she'd resist, she'd order V to stop.

if that happened, then J wouldn't have asked for it, wouldn't ahve wanted it, and thus wouldn't need to mark it against her impeccable behavioral record. still, J thought about the possibility often, in detail, imagined how it would play out, how she might outmaneuver and punish V if it ever happened. because how else would J be prepared for the possibility?