Chapter Text
The stifling air of the security room pressed into Purple, clouding her hazy mind as she listlessly clicked through camera footage. The only source of light came from the glow of the cameras themselves, and they illuminated the dark circle under her visor, her matted hair, and her drooping cap.
When was the last time she had emerged from the security cave and interacted with the rest of the crew? Her grumbling stomach suggested that it had been well over a day. That's fine. She didn't particularly want to talk to anyone on the ship. The only company she'd happily accept was from Heracles, who was hopefully stashed away in O2 and out of the crew's sight. She'd never even meant to bring the fishmate…but they would've died without Purple's care and she longed for some quiet company.
Purple didn't mind that the job paid barely any beans. For one, despite the enclosed environment, it was better than her dingy apartment back home, and scrolling mindlessly through these shitty cameras was better than struggling to even get a job that paid enough to cover rent.
What she did mind was Red.
After all those years of pent up rage and stinging betrayal, it had been quite a shock to open her door a month ago to find Red nervously standing on her dusty doormat. What was more shocking was the captain’s uniform that adorned Red's body. A MIRA captain's uniform.
“Hey Purps…you never responded to the 61 messages I sent you, so I figured I'd visit you in person.”
Red's usage of that nickname earned him a prompt door in the face. Purple had tried to return to her couch to avoid speaking with the son of a bitch, but unfortunately, he had decided to camp outside of her door until early morning, where she'd unhappily discovered them sprawled on the floor.
Purple had no intent of speaking with that corporate bootlicker, but if she pretended to listen, she figured that Red would have to leave them alone for the rest of eternity.
At first, the proposition for a job aboard the Skeld had seemed hysterical to her. Was this pity? Was Red pitying her? After everything they had been through, their intern days, the reactor, the betrayal…Red thought their relationship could be repaired by a simple pity handout?! Purple had wanted to punch him…but she paused.
And as Purple had anxiously rubbed the scars on her forearms, she had realized that there wasno choice. She hadn't been employed for over a month, and her last janitorial shift had left her health destroyed and her wallet pitifully empty. With the risk of losing her apartment looming over her head, Purple had begrudgingly accepted the offer.
Purple's brow furrowed as she recalled the way Red's face had broken into an excited smile, his visor shimmering, before she'd promptly slammed the door in his face again. Well, she tried to. The door had been in poor condition, and the sudden movement of the rusty hinges caused the weathered wooden slab to collapse out of the frame.
Cursing furiously, Purple had glared at him one last time.
“This doesn't fix anything.”
He only flashed her a simple, though rather awkward, grin and replied,
“I'll be glad to have you on board.”
Red didn't get the message. Clearly.
Even as she slouched in this wildly uncomfortable swivel chair, she could picture his cheerful expression vividly. It made her want to crawl out of this suit, but she was stuck with him now and there was little she could do about it if she wanted to keep her apartment.
“What is my life?” Purple groaned, tugging on her hair. Trying to blink away her lethargy, she leaned forward and did her best to continue monitoring the crew.
The darkness seemed to lull her into a trance like state and she groggily slumped forward onto the desk. Her hand slid off the mouse as she abruptly drifted into a restless sleep.
However the peace of rest was short lived. The beautifully empty void in her mind was quickly replaced by a scene that was all too familiar…a large office lined with portraits; a large, antique wooden desk; and an imposing, pink figure looming before her.