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'A night on the floor to remember' that's how Meiko had described it. But wasn't every night on the floor one to keep in your memory? The exhilaration of being a part of the wager games is part of what kept Sapphire interested in staying at the Red Rabebe Casino. Not that she had much else to turn to, but nothing would ever compare to the looks she got while dealing hands in her form-fitting attire. Hair done up in a slick bun with small pieces of her dark hair framing her face. Her scales glittering as they caught the light of the flashing machines rolling on and on. It was everything she needed as a break from her mundane daytime life. And yet, this was one night she would not get to remember. Instead, she would be stuck at home, sick, and the only thing she would be remembering is who won The Bun-chlor.

No, Sapphire wasn't throwing a pity party for herself, but she didn't even have an imp to keep her company for the hours that she would usually be surrounded by buns who were only interested in her. Her only source of physical companionship now was a tub of ice cream and a warm fuzzy blanket she had dragged out of her closet. And the ice cream had started melting, so it was more like sweet soup now. And her scales kept getting caught on the blanket's threads. And the blanket was starting to feel less fuzzy and more itchy. And she had just sneezed all over her soup. Okay, maybe she was throwing a small pity party. But, who could blame her when this was basically the lowest point in her life? She felt so small, curled up on her couch with her ears pressed up against her shivering body simultaneously too hot and too cold at the same time. The little blue bun could hardly even bring herself to lift her head to watch whatever crazy situation was playing on the TV. It was pathetic! She was pathetic! She didn't even deserve these beautiful grand greed horns! All this and more ran through Sapphire's head until her inner bemoaning was interrupted by the sound of her doorbell ringing.

Expecting an Usa Eats bun, she sank further into her ears. No use getting up, the bun will just leave the food and they won't have to be subjected to her current sorry state. The doorbell rang again. This time, it intrigued Sapphire. She quickly shoved her soupy cream onto the nearby coffee table and draped her blanket over her like a cape, not even bothering to pause the drama currently playing out on her screen.

The doorbell rang about three more times before Sapphire finally made it over to look through the peephole. However when she did, she immediately ran back to her couch to clean up the disgusting snot rags and soupy mess that she had left haphazardly thrown around her former burrowing space. Attempting to make herself halfway presentable she threw water onto her face in the hopes that it would wash off any crustiness that had become plastered on. Throughout this whirlwind of actions, the doorbell kept ringing - the intervals in which the sound went off growing shorter and shorter with every toll. Finally, Sapphire opened her front door with the grace of someone who had not just been running around their house like a crazy cleaning fairy, "Hey, Meiko!"

The red bun welcomed herself in, moving past Sapphire easily and finding her way to the couch like she was at home, "Finally! I thought you might've died judging from how long I was pushing that doorbell of yours," she joked.

"No, still alive so far." Sapphire stated, moving back to her own couch and taking a tentative seat next to Meiko, "What brings you here? I thought there was a memorable night going on at the Casino right about now." She tried to hide a less-than-pretty sneeze. To which her boss handed her a tissue to remedy.

"Ah, yes well, it wouldn't be such a memorable night without my most eye-catching hostess, would it?" Scaled ears perked from hearing those words. Sapphire had enough pride left to know who Meiko meant when she said that. Still, she couldn't mean that much to the Casino - to Meiko - that the cold businesswoman wouldn't open the floor for a night without her ther- "Of course, the Casino is still open, just with the normal festivities." Ah, that did make more sense. But, Meiko had still postponed an event because of her and had even made the trip to her dingy apartment to check up on her wellbeing. It meant something to Sapphire. And she must mean something to Meiko, even if that meaning is fueled by carats.

"I'm glad that you're here." It came out unexpectedly. Sapphire had made it a habit to keep all her true feelings and intentions locked away, staunchly separated from anything work-related. Who she was at the Red Rabebe Casino was essentially a different person than the Sapphire here sitting on the couch with a cold. Yet, here she was. Her boss - very work-related - sitting next to her, telling her that she meant something to her. These two things should be as separate as oil and water and the look on Meiko's face in reaction to her comment was all she needed to solidify that.

Eyes wide in surprise for just a moment, Meiko quickly gained her composure. Looking at Sapphire with a smile that created an expression that the blue bun was too scared to analyze, "I'm glad to be here."

That wasn't expected. No, Work Sapphire and Normal Sapphire lives shouldn't mix! She stuttered out a quick response, "I-I mean, I'm just glad that you would even take the time to check up on an employee. It's very comforting to see that you care so much about everyone, especially since you're always so busy running the Casino."

Meiko's eyes twinkled with something that Sapphire couldn't read, "It's nothing really. A normal night should practically run itself. Oh!" She grabbed a bag - not something that the scaled bun had noticed her coming in with - and pulled out a red and blue mug with matching intricate gold patterns brushed beautifully across their surfaces along with cough drops and other medications. "This," she handed Sapphire the red mug, "is for you. And so is all this medication. I need to make sure you're feeling well enough by tomorrow to get you back out there. I can only delay an event so far after all." Sapphire nodded and noticed she had held onto the blue mug.

"And that?" She inquired.

"This?" Meiko countered, "This is for me. I wanted to match with my darling hostess. It's nothing flashy and it can be kept at home, so it's our little secret." She smiled, "Now, let's start the treatment. What are you watching here?"

Sapphire ignored the question and asked her own, "How long do you plan on staying here?" It was asked softly, like she may be treading back into territory that she wasn't completely comfortable with, but she needed to know. Her cloven hands gripped the mug tightly as she waited for the response.

"Until you're better." Meiko said matter-of-factly. She felt silly having her boss take care of her. It was slightly embarrassing, the blue bun wasn't a kid after all. But, there was no denying the warm feeling that made its way through Sapphire's body at the determined sound of the other bun's voice. She smiled for the first time that night.

"That sounds good." Quickly, she looked at the TV screen, "I've been catching up with The Bun-chlor. It's a little funny how they think they can tie down a bun to a single partner, but I guess that's where the drama comes from on here," Sapphire trailed on about the TV show while Meiko listened, all the while she held onto her new mug her hooves tracing the patterns that winded along. She didn't know how this night would end but she ⁷was sure it would be one to remember.