It really doesn't

You're feeling confident as the next level loads up. The usual countdown happens. You miss the boost, but get off to an otherwise normal start. Natalie's character barely moves, and you hear the soft thud of a controller dropping. As you pass the first corner, seeing nothing of note ahead, you chance a look back at Natalie; Maybe to gloat, or mock, or just to reassure yourself.

Unfortunately, what you see doesn't fit any of those options. Natalie has already loosened the rope around her wrists. You turn back to the game, not wanting to risk an early loss from inattention. You swerve an early banana peel and see Natalie's character start to move, and see Natalie herself sit up out the corner of your eye. And you're only a step or two ahead. Fuck!

The race is pretty brutal. Natalie closes the distance between you before the first lap is over, but stays dead on your rear as you shoot up to the top. It's just starting to psyche you out, when she finally makes her move on the second-to-last corner. She drifts just a little wider than you to grab a pick-up, and gets an electro-net. She launches it immediately, barely giving you a chance to react before you're stuck . She's finished before you're back on the track. You can see her get the rest of the cord off her legs as you just manage a second-place spot. You sit there for a second, worried about what she's going to do. Or say. Or both.

"I thought you were meant to be the smart one?" You shrug, not really sure how to react, not really able to face Nat when she's angry like this. "I mean, don't get me wrong, using the clothesline for that was a bad idea anyway, but I'll cut you some slack as you're a newbie." You consider pulling a 'Gotcha!' but the undercurrent of anger in Nat's voice makes you reconsider - "But what the fuck was with that tie? You didn't even try to tighten up the lower end! And even if you did, there's no way it could ever stay tight! Seriously, what were you thinking?!"

"I... dunno. I didn't think you'd try and get out of it? Uh, I mean, I wanted to make sure you can get out of it if it hurt!" Neither of you are convinced. You sigh, casting your eyes down, unable to shake the feeling that you'd really done something bad. She glossed over it, but you do still feel bad about the lack of care you showed to her. But... the game was her idea after all, right? And it's not like she told you not to do it? "I don't really know what I'm doing, do I?" Eyes still downcast, you can just about see her smile as her face softens.

"Yeah, and it shows. You'd have done a lot better, say, tying my wrist to an ankle. Could have secured it better, and straining to keep the controller held would have been pretty annoying." She pauses, and as you turn to see why, she puts on an exaggerated evil grin. "Can you guess what I'm going to do to you now?"

"Not that?" you ask, hopefully. "I mean, you're free now anyway, so we're even?"

"Half right." She carries on talking as she reaches for one of the standard ropes. "I'm not going to do that to you, sure. Still want to give you a chance..." She's back, looking at you now, tossing the bundled-up rope between her hands as she talks. "But if you'll remember, I said 'Ask to remove a knot, or add one.' Never said you couldn't remove your own."

"But..." You cut yourself off as Natalie continues to stare at you, the evil grin now more relaxed. You can tell she's not going to budge. "Don't tell me you're going to refuse to remove a knot too, because 'I only said ask!'"

"No," she replies, clearly growing weary of the questioning, "I'm not a complete dick. Now lie down, hands on your back."

It's a little awkward, but you do manage to lie down while keeping the pillows aligned beneath you (No reason to be uncomfortable, right?). As you cross your arms behind your back, you can't help but feel like you're being punished, though; In more than the basic "you lost, here's a forfeit" sense. Maybe it's all in your head - guilt at being unsporting, or risking hurting her? It's not like you ha-

*SMACK*

"AH!" You yelp, more out of surprise than pain. Did Natalie really just spank you? It wasn't particularly hard, but sti-

*SMACK*

"OWWWW! What!?" She clips you again on the other side.

"Hands down straight, not crossed. And don't talk back to me." You try and obey, straightening them out, but you only manage to resist the latter until she's halfway done with her turn. The rope's already gone across your wrist, and she's wrapping it around that link, between your wrists, when you decide to poke her a bit more:

"Well, I guess it's obvious that you've done this before."

"Lucky for you, I guess." She tightens the rope around your wrists to an almost-uncomfortable degree, before starting to tie the knot. "Because it's clear you've never done this before. And you're going to need me to..." Another smack, but not painful this time, but firm and lingering, possessive. "... Teach you a lesson."

You both pause for a long, long second, assessing each other's reaction, before laughing simultaneously. "Christ, that was corny." You flip yourself back around and over into a sitting position against the sofa, knocking a couple of the pillows out of alignment as you do. You awkwardly adjust the pillows with your legs as Nat slides the controller into your hands, and she allows you a moment to get a decent grasp at it before starting up the next match.