Xaviers!

Nika, fresh out of the shower after her morning work-out routine is standing in front of Katarina's door. It still feels strange to live next door to her and weirdly presumptuous to bother her. She could just not report on Jez being probably cleared. Hell she'd probably prefer not to know that she even dug around to begin with. And so she stands in front of Katarina's dorm-room, deliberating.

It's a good thing the doors to the dorm open inwards; otherwise, she would have been smashed in the face as Katarina opened the door.

"Oh! Nika!" she said, surprised.

"Your H--Katarina-ness!" Nika is startled out of her thoughts.

"I... have the security report on Miss Sherlock for you."

"Investigating Sherlock. We'll get a joke out of you yet, Nika," Katarina smiled.

"I don't recall asking you to check into Jez's background."

"Right, yes. But if I waited for you to ask for security procedures then I would be out of a job." she jokes, although it barely sounds like one.

"Mmm, yes.

Well, let's up those security procedures by not discussing this out in the hallway," Katarina said, through partially gritted teeth.

Nika freezes a little before swiftly (and a little stiffly) stepping into the room. "Right, sorry!"

"Although I'm not sure how much longer you'll be able to keep this a secret..."

Katarina cringed. "I know it. I do," she sighed. "I came this close to spilling it to Jezabelle the other night. I've had to push her away slightly to throw her off the scent."

"That's unfortunate." she says awkwardly. It'd make things so much easier to let Katarina know the cat is already out of the bag but no, everybody is set on keeping their secrets, forcing her to play stupid and tip-toe around all this stuff. Stupid social maneuvering.

"But for what it's worth, she probably poses no threat." she hedges. It's really not her call to decide how people back home would look at this whole situation, no matter how much she'd like to protect Katarina from any potential tabloid fallout.

"I highly doubt anyone here poses much of a threat, Nika, but I...appreciate your thoroughness," she said, diplomatically.

"I know. But I can't just... not. Especially when they get close to you."

"I know, Nika," Katarina sighed. "I know. You're very diligent, and I thank you for it. And I'm sure my father does, too."

"If you like her, you should consider telling her."

"Yes, that's a conversation that definitely goes well," Katarina huffed. "I cam here to get away from all that, remember? I am tired of being Symkaria's Treasure."

Nika awkwardly looks around for a moment.

"And you'd want to be with somebody who treats you differently when they find out?"

"I'm not entirely sure what you're implying, Nika. 'Be with' someone?"

"It was a date, right? You went on a date with Miss Sherlock?"

"What, you can not go to food with someone without it not being a date?" Katarina said, crossing her arms. "It would not be appropriate for me to do so."

"I mean, yes, of course you can, but..." Nika starts before she bursts out laughing. "You didn't even... Oh my god, this is hilarious..."

Katarina frowned. "Would you mind letting me in on the joke, Nika?"

"It wasn't even a date? You just... cooked for her? And she thought... Wow, that is incredible. Can I please be around the next time you talk to her?" she says, continuing to laugh between sentences.

"You are enjoying this," Katarina accused.

"I am." she nods, wiping at the corner of her eye. "My apologies, but I really am."

Katarina frowned. "You get far too much pleasure out of my foibles. One would think you do not have enough to do around here, for so much of your thoughts to go to mockery."

"You don't want me constantly shadowing you, you disapprove when I take the initiative and now you frown on me 'goofing off' as the Americans say. You're a hard woman to please, Princess Karkov." she teases.

"I like to think I am a very easy woman to please," Katarina huffed.

"Now there's a quote for the tabloids."

"Tabloid headlines, hrm? How about 'sassy bodyguard forced to polish her princesses' rear for 20 minutes as punishment'?" Katarina continued to huff.

Whatever clever response Nika might have had doesn't actually make it out of her mouth, instead turning into an awkward cough, pretending to clear her throat

"Tha-hrm-that seems highly inappropriate..." she manages to get out.

"Finally managed to wipe the smirk off your face, though, didn't it?"

"I... suppose that's only fair." she admits after gathering herself. "My apologies for laughing."

"Hmmph. I think you just enjoy watching poor, innocent me stumble around, yes?"

"It's not... okay, it is that, but only a little. It's charming."

"It is not precisely how my etiquette teachers would have advised bringing around charm."

"Exactly. It's relatable. It's more Katarina than Princess Karkov, really."

"I believe that may be the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Nika," Katarina smiled.

"Well... don't get too used to it." she jokes awkwardly.

"So what, in your 'threat assessment', are we to do about Jezebelle?"

"As far as your safety is concerned, you're free to go on a second date with her, if that is what you want." Nika says diplomatically.

"I'm sure my father would love that."