Cheeto girl. {5} Name.

The alcove was dimly lit with the faint glow of a single bulb casting long shadows across the room. The Cheeto girl sat on a rickety chair with her arms wrapped around herself while still processing everything that had happened.

Her vibrant orange hair was damp and it clinged to her face, while her blue eyes were wide open with a mix of confusion and lingering fear. Alexius stood in front of her with his expression being unreadable as he pondered her question.

Finally, he turned to face her with his piercing gaze locking onto hers. He took a deep breath, as if weighing his words carefully. "Well," he began speaking with his voice being low and measured, "I guess it's because you're beautiful. If you were ugly, I would've left you there to die. That's all there is to it."

The words hung in the air, blunt and unapologetic. The Cheeto girl's cheeks flushed a deep red, her mouth opening slightly as if to respond, but no words came out. Alexius didn't wait for a reply. He simply turned on his heel and walked out while tossing his gun onto the table beside her as he left. "Keep that close," he said over his shoulder. "This isn't a place for beautiful girls to wander alone."

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving her alone in the alcove. She stared at the gun while her heart started racing. The weight of his words and the gun settled heavily on her. She wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or insulted, but one thing was clear: she was in a dangerous place, and Alexius, for all his brashness, was her only lifeline.

Minutes passed, the silence broken only by the distant hum of the underworld outside. Then she heard voices. Alexius's voice, light and teasing, mingled with the sharp, commanding tone of an older woman.

The door creaked open, and Alexius stepped back inside, followed by a petite old woman dressed in black, her silver hair pulled into a tight bun. She walked with a cane, but her presence was anything but frail.

"Oh, come on, Mama," Alexius was saying with his playful tone as he smirked at the old woman. "I know you're a warm-hearted woman. Can't you give me a discount? I'm so handsome, after all."

The old woman, known as Mama, snorted while swinging her cane toward Alexius with surprising speed. He dodged, but not fast enough to avoid a light tap on his shoulder. "As if I care if you're handsome or not!" she snapped, her voice being sharp but with a hint of amusement. "I only like beautiful girls!"

Alexius rubbed his shoulder, grinning despite the hit. "Oh, come on, Mama! Leave some girls for the rest of us. I heard you cucked one of the coal miner's lads a few days ago."

Mama's eyes narrowed, and she swung her cane again, this time aiming for his legs. "Ha! Who told that bastard to cheat on her? She's too fine of a woman to be with that parasite, I tell you!" She spat on the ground for emphasis, her cane tapping against the floor like a judge's gavel.

Alexius raised his hands in mock surrender while still grinning. "It's as you say, Mama! You're always right!" He stepped behind her and started rubbing her shoulders in an exaggerated display of flattery. "So... about that discount..."

Mama turned sharply with her cane whipping through the air, but Alexius ducked and darted out of reach, laughing as he retreated to the far side of the room. "Where do you think you're going?" Mama shouted with a gangster face expression; her cane pointed at him like a sword. "If you're a man, you should take this old grandma's hits and not run like a sissy!"

Alexius leaned against the wall, his laughter echoing through the alcove. "Who cares? According to the law, Im not a man! I'm still a kid! I'm not 21 yet. HAHA!"

Mama's eyes flashed as she took a step forward with her cane raised. "Hmph! Who cares about the law? You're in the underworld; if I say you're a man, you're a man! Now come here and let me hit you!"

The scene was almost comical, with the two of them circling each other like characters in a farce. Outside the alcove, a small crowd had gathered, their laughter and cheers adding to the chaos.

"Go, Mama, hit him hard!" someone shouted.

"Put that cane on his ass, Mama!"

"I bet five bucks she hits him!"

"You're on! I bet another five she can't!"

The banter continued until Mama finally cornered Alexius near the door. With a swift motion, she brought her cane down on his head, the sound echoing through the room. "Enough of your nonsense!" she scolded, though there was a twinkle in her eye. "Now, where's this Cheeto girl you're fussing about?"

Alexius rubbed his head, wincing but still smiling. He gestured toward the ginger girl, who was sitting frozen in her chair with her face flushed with embarrassment. "This is her, Mama. She's my girl. Be nice, okay? She needs medical care. Look at her neck; she was almost strangled to death. And there's blood... I noticed some blood drops on the way here."

The Cheeto girl's face turned even redder, her hands instinctively moving to cover herself. Mama's sharp eyes caught the movement, and she turned to Alexius with a look of pure exasperation. Without a word, she swung her cane, hitting him squarely on the head.

"Are you stupid or what?" Mama snapped. "It's just that time of the month for her! Go and buy some pads from the pharmacy, and don't come back until you have them!" She shoved Alexius toward the door, her cane landing a few more blows for good measure.

Alexius stumbled out while still laughing despite the hits. "Alright, alright, Mama! I'm going!" He called over his shoulder, his voice fading as he disappeared into the underworld's labyrinthine streets.

The crowd outside erupted into laughter and cheers. "HAHA! I won! Give me those five bucks!"

"Boo, Alexius! Come on, man! I lost five bucks because of you!"

Alexius's voice echoed back, light and carefree. "Not my problem! Who told you to bet on something that was 100% going to happen? Mama's always hitting someone! it's like a reflex!"

As the door closed behind him, Mama turned to the Cheeto girl, her expression softening just a little. "Now, let's get you cleaned up, dearie," she said with her voice being surprisingly gentle. "Men can be such idiots, but we women have to stick together, don't we?"

The Cheeto girl nodded with her cheeks still burning, but a small, grateful smile tugged at her lips. For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt a flicker of safety.

Mama's eyes lingered on the jagged scar running across Natalia's neck; her gaze was sharp yet softened by a maternal curiosity. "Such a nasty scar you've got there, my dear," she murmured, her voice being a mix of concern and intrigue.

She reached for a jar of cream, her fingers dipping into the cool ointment before gently smoothing it over the marred skin. "Care to tell me how you got it?"

The Cheeto girl's voice was still rough, with each word scraping against her throat like gravel. "It was nothing," she whispered while her eyes darted away, avoiding Mama's probing stare.

Mama chuckled with a low, knowing sound that seemed to echo in the dimly lit room. "Well, if you don't want to say, I won't pry. After all, who doesn't have a skeleton or two in their closet, eh?" She winked; the gesture was playful yet laced with an unspoken understanding.

The cheeto girl couldn't help but let out a small, hoarse giggle, the sound breaking through the tension like a crack of light in a dark room.

"Now then," Mama said while leaning back and wiping her hands on a cloth. "At least tell me your name, my dear."

"I'm Natalia," she replied, her voice steadier now. She met Mama's gaze, her own eyes searching for something like trust, perhaps, or just a sliver of safety. "And you are?"

"You can call me Mama, like everyone else around here," she said with a wave of her hand, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I run this place. So, if any cocksucker tries to mess with you, you shoot em in the arse. I'll take care of the rest." She settled into an old, creaky chair, her presence commanding yet oddly comforting.

The door swung open, and Alexius stepped in, his arms loaded with supplies. "I'm back, Mama. Brought you what you needed," he said, his voice hurried. He tossed a bundle of clothes onto the bed.

"And some dry things for you, Cheeto. Yours are soaked... and probably bloody. Couldn't find much, though. This place doesn't exactly stock fashion. Best I could do was this... uh, grandma's sleeping dress." He scratched the back of his neck while awkwardly avoiding the cheeto girl's eyes before ducking out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Mama let out a dramatic sigh while shaking her head as she rose from her chair. "No wonder it was raining earlier. Since when did that stinky lad learn to be a gentleman? I must be dying soon; everything's out of place today! I knew it. Should've listened to the bones." She shuffled toward the door, her cane tapping against the wooden floor with each step.

Pausing at the threshold, she turned back to Natalia, her expression stern but her eyes twinkling with mischief. "If that stinky lad tries anything funny, don't you hesitate to tell me. I'll make sure my cane meets his arse. Mark my words." She brandished the cane for emphasis, the threat softened by the warmth in her voice.

Natalia chuckled with a genuine, warm sound that seemed to surprise even herself. "Okay, Mama. I'll keep that in mind."

With a final nod, Mama left the room, her footsteps fading down the hallway as she followed Alexius toward her own quarters.