Chapter Text
Artist block, creativity block, writer’s block, whatever you wanted to call it, I had it. Fresh off the release of a full album, my music career was in full gear. I had billboards with my face on them, my CDs were flying off the shelf, and I was even working on starting another tour... So what do my producers want? More. More songs, more music videos, more interacting with my fans. My work ethic wasn’t the problem, it was the fact they were pushing me harder and harder for things I was too stressed to create. How can I make content when I can’t even sleep ?
Renting Sleep
Author: Satashi Editor: Din0might Artist: Miyamotorice
Calli stared at the screen before herself with bloodshot eyes. She had taken to forums to ask about ways to help relieve her insomnia. Sleeping medication reacted badly with her body for some reason, often making her forget everything from when she took the pill to a few hours after waking up, so that was out.
Her other replies were something she should have really expected; people telling her to masturbate, smoke pot, drink herself into oblivion, or get laid. If it was one thing she couldn’t do, it was more things to inhibit her creative process. She needed sleep , not sex or drugs. Alcohol was reliable, but she was trying to cut back at the moment due to her mother expressing concerns after seeing her on a random YouTube video going shot for shot with some men twice her size at a party.
She won that competition, but she wasn’t about to tell Mama Mori that little fact.
As she scrolled, one more reply caught her eye. The post was simple and to the point, containing nothing more than a few sentences and a link. She mouthed the words aloud in a barely audible whisper, curiosity laced in her voice. “When I can’t sleep, I rent a girl to cuddle with. I normally go to...” Trailing off, she eyed the hypertext link at the end of the small post.
Calli hugged the one leg that was bent up on her computer chair and used her other foot to gently push against the under-support of her desk to make her rock back and forth. The website linked seemed to have a realistic URL and she was on her personal computer instead of her work laptop. If anything shady was there, she could remove it with a scan without worry of her work being leaked.
“Just a look?” She turned her head to speak to the sleeping cat on her desk table. “Only to see what it is.” Somewhere in the back of her mind she was aware that she was talking to a lazy cat and not an actual human being, but it still made her feel better about what she was about to do.
A click on her touchpad brought up the website and soon she was greeted with a professional looking site displaying a confidentiality contract right on the main page. The singer licked her lips and leaned forward a little bit while simultaneously reaching for her glasses next to her keyboard. Even if she didn’t wear them often, the sultry purple and red text with a black background did no favor for her eyestrain in the middle of the night.
After confirming her age and agreeing to the terms of service on the site, Calli tapped the now highlighted enter button to see the site proper. This time she was greeted with a pleasant looking page that had a ‘hot employee of the moment’ up front and center. They were pretty, but she wasn’t particularly interested in brunettes. They did earn cute points for those feathers in the ponytail, though.
As she scrolled she saw different pictures of both girls and guys alike. The profile pictures were all varied in many ways. Some seemed to be professionally taken, some were simple selfies to give a more innocent look, while others were just of breasts or a dick. The one that caught her attention the most, though, was a close up of the most beautiful set of eyes she had ever seen. They were a brilliant violet and reflected light in a way that made it appear as if a galaxy were swirling in them. To make it even better, the pupils of her eyes weren’t naturally round either. Somehow they were, either due to the lighting, contacts, or maybe even genetics, deformed in a way as to make them almost appear as if little skulls were there.
Nothing else was offered in the way of an image. Just the eyes, freckles all across the bridge of the nose between them, and ginger strands framing them. “Phoenixfire,” Calli said the name aloud, almost as if she were tasting how it sounded on her tongue. Before she even realized it, her finger had dropped down to select the girl and make a profile page come up. “A hundred and sixty-five centimeters, female, C-cup, fifty-five kilograms...” She let out a small whistle. “Damn... A few centimeters taller than me and pretty much the same weight... Girl must work out.”
Calli thought back to her usual routine. Every morning she would jog on her treadmill while singing her songs to warm up, then proceed to go into a full cardio workout. It was hard but was required for the stamina and lung capacity needed to be on stage. That, and she could hold her breath long enough to actually scare people when she went swimming, which was always fun to do. For this girl to be in the same boat, maybe she was also a fitness nut. Something to talk about, maybe.
“What do you think about this girl, Tutu?” The cat gave her a sleepy look at the question but didn’t attempt to move from their spot on the table. “I mean, just because it’s a... service... doesn’t mean I have to indulge in it, right?” This time she got a soft purring sound, mainly due to her reaching over to stroke their soft fur. “I could just... Get time with her, treat her to a nice dinner, maybe a movie, then go to a hotel and... sleep. Just cuddle.” She nodded to herself almost as if she were justifying what she was about to do.
“Okay...” Calli went back to the site on her screen and tracked around on her touchpad until she could find how to actually request said girl’s services. “Time requested... seven at night toooo... I guess eight in the morning. I don’t think I can sleep that long anyway... Package deal?”
There was a drop down menu that listed a few things to choose from, probably selected by the girl herself to offer. Prices were next to them, to be added to the standard hourly fee. “Date night; flirting, kissing, hugging... Oh that sounds nice, like a friend when you’re lonely. I like this, Tutu.” This time her kitty chose to ignore her in favor of just trying to get some more sleep.
“Quickie deal; handjob, oral - fifteen minutes- Oh my gosh!” The hand not on her touchpad was moved to cover her mouth in shock. “Oh... oh wow...” Despite the surprise, she still found herself leaning in closer to the screen. Warmth was radiating from her face, to the point where she even rubbed her palm down her neck and back up her cheek as if to give herself support.
“I don’t need that... I don’t need sex, I just want...” The package deals were scrolled through, each one seemingly getting more lewd than the previous one. The end of the list was reached and she almost clicked on the bottom selection of no package deal but hesitated when she saw the one right above it.
Anything goes; For those moments where what you want just isn’t available anywhere else.
A soft hum left her throat while thinking. “Well, I want to snuggle up and sleep, and that’s not listed anywhere else, so I guess I choose that?” She didn’t expect her cat to answer this time, and she wasn’t surprised when only soft purrs filled her quiet room. “You’d think it’d be an option under date night, but then again, I’m not used to these kinds of services, so...”
After clicking on it, she watched the price jump from just barely three thousand to just over six. “Well, going overnight is going to be expensive, so... still not as bad as throwing a party and buying alcohol for a hundred people I don’t even know and paying repair and cleanup fees...” That, and she wouldn’t be blackout drunk, wake up with a hangover, hug her toilet for the first hour of her day, and not even remember what happened the night before anyway. Handing that money over to a girl to have a peaceful night’s rest was a much better option in her book.
“And... reserve.” A prompt came up for card information and she tapped it in without much worry. Once that was confirmed, she was notified that there would be a hold placed on her card until after the meeting with her chosen partner. An app download request was sent to her email and she quickly tapped on it so she could start installing the new program so she could communicate with her girl.
With that done, she nodded to herself proudly. “That wasn’t so bad...” The second the words were said, the phone in her hands rang out. It was so sudden that she let out a small scream, actually tossed her phone into the air, and scared her cat off her desk to run out of her room.
“Who the!?” Sheer panic was coursing through her veins, fear of somehow messing up and suddenly being scammed or blackmailed running wild in her mind. When she finally was able to catch her phone from being fumbled around, she looked at the screen only to sigh out in relief.
It was her bank, probably calling to confirm a large purchase like they usually did. The price was over her five thousand dollar range, so she should have expected it. With a tap on her screen, she answered as calmly as she could, heart still pounding from the scare. “Hello?”
“Hello, is this Ms. Mori?”
“Yuppers.”
“Ms. Mori, this is Koyori with the Holox Bank. We received an alert that your card was made to complete a purchase over your standard amount. Can you confirm a recent purchase for us?”
“Yes, sure.”
“A total of $6,046.78 to...” The woman on the phone cleared her voice. “To Holotori Escorts. ”
Calli almost choked on her own spit. “Wha-huh!? No, wait, listen, it’s not what you think- it’s, oh man, don’t get it twisted, ya boy doesn’t-”
“Oh!” Koyori sounded like she was relieved, her voice now full of laughter. “That wasn’t you then, Ms. Mori?”
Silence was the answer she chose to give for several long moments before she sank back into her chair and pulled the blanket she had over her lap upwards as if it were hiding her from the phone conversation. “That... was me... I made the purchase.” She sounded utterly defeated in that moment.
“...Oh.” Another clearing of the throat. “I see. I’ll confirm it and ensure it goes through then. Sorry for the trouble.” The phone line went dead almost immediately.
“Fuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaawk!
~**~
Across town, in a tiny dorm room, a girl stirred in her bed when her cell phone sounded an alert. It was the kind of chirp that let her know it was from her job, a tone that she had trained her ears to pick up on. Sleepy eyes opened and blinked slowly to attempt to clear the haze from them. She was about to consider it part of her dream and roll back over but her phone made the sound again so she groggily reached for it. ‘ What kind of sicko pervert reserves an escort at three in the freaking morning? ’ Her thought was bitter but work was work.
They were encouraged to reply to potential customers as fast as they could, as once the reservation was complete, there would be a cancellation fee should the client back out. As such, she only looked at the most important details with her sleep drunk mind. ‘ Seven at night, Friday, anything goes... ’ She hated that option, as it generally meant doing things that were a little weird, but it did pretty much double her earnings so she tapped the confirmation button and let her phone fall face down on her sheets. Before long she was out cold once more, snoring softly into her pillow and dreaming of passing the test she had in the next few hours.
When Kiara awoke a second time, it was to loud noises coming from the hallway outside her door. The dorm walls were thin and, generally speaking, no one really gave a damn about how much noise they made in the mornings. Classes were all around the same time so there wasn’t any helping the racket being made. The redhead had gotten used to it a little after moving in, choosing to embrace it as a kind of alarm clock rather than be upset about it.
While sitting up in her bed, she looked around her small living area. Her room was clean, not only because she liked it that way, but because she didn’t have too terribly much around. Most of her money from her job working at the escort service went to paying her bills and buying her food. College was expensive, especially in the town she just so happened to live in. It was the best for her culinary degree, and her double major in business management was also top notch there. Just because she had to pay a huge chunk each semester because her student loans didn’t cover everything wouldn’t stop her from doing everything she could to stay.
As she got dressed for the day, she thought about her upcoming expenses. She had to add money onto her food card for the cafeteria, pay for another semester of her dorm, books would have to be found second hand... It was a lot to think about first thing. Luckily she had that reservation from last night. The memory made her find her cell, which she was thankful her mother paid the bill for, and checked it once more.
“...Oh shit...”
~**~
“A whole night!?” A blonde girl practically shouted the question in the middle of the library.
“Shhhhh!” Kiara quickly brought a finger to her lips to hiss out a shushing tone. “Amelia, keep it down!” Her words were harshly whispered with a glare. “I don’t want everyone to know what my job is!”
The blonde known as Amelia hunched over in her chair so she could rest her face onto her palms. “Kiara,” she lowered her voice to match her friends now that the others nearby weren’t paying them any more attention. “Don’t you think this is a little sketchy? I mean, isn’t that a lot of money all at once?
Kiara nodded at that. “Yes, but I really need it. Bills are due and-”
“It’s not about you getting the money, it’s about them spending it!” The girl looked up desperately. “Do you know that kind of cash is generally spent by drug dealers? What if he’s some gang member?”
“ She will have a background check,” Kiara shook her head at her friend. “They all do, you know that. They won’t be able to contact me on the app until their money goes through and they’re screened.”
Amelia didn’t give up. “But anything goes ? What if they want to tie you up for the entire night and have their way with you?”
“Not as bad as the last time I agreed to one of those.” Kiara shivered at the memory of a bachelor party. “Worst two hours of my life. Took me days to get all that gunk out of my hair.”
“Don’t remind me.” An annoyed huff was given. Amelia was practically glaring at this point, her disapproval clear. “You should have quit after that, it was humiliating.”
“I agreed to it and got paid well. I needed the money to-”
“Selling your body isn’t-”
“I’m not having this conversation again.” Amelia opened her mouth once more but Kiara cut her off. “I mean it. I’m leaving if you say anything else. I wanted to meet up with you because I’m happy about having my debt taken care of for the month, not so you can ream me a new one for my job again.”
“Fine...” It took a few moments but she did finally offer a weak smile. “I’m happy you have your money situation figured out.”
The redhead sighed but gladly let the argument drop. “Thank you. I’ll pay you back what I borrowed as well.”
“Kiara, we’ve known each other since we were two, you don’t have to pay me back five dollars for lunch.”
“If you buy lunch for me, I won’t. If I ask for it, I’ll pay it back.” She stood as she spoke so she could put her books into her worn out backpack from highschool. “But on that note, I really do need to head to my next class.”
“Okay... Call me after you’re off the clock on Saturday, okay? Maybe we can meet up for something to eat?”
“Yeah, I will.” Kiara offered a smile at that. “Don’t worry, the security the company offers is second to none.”
~**~
“Why do you need a picture of my driver’s license?” Calli asked the question into her cell phone with annoyance clear in her voice. “Didn’t your website say you had a confidentiality contract?” Her head turned so she could shout back at the person who just called to her. “One moment, I’ll be right there!” Her phone moved back into place and her attitude clearly got worse. “Look, I’m at a photoshoot, can’t you just-”
“Ms. Mori, your name will not be disclosed. This is for confirmation of your payment as well as the protection of our employee. We value your privacy.”
Calli grunted. “Fine! But if this gets out, I’ll have your company’s ass. Where do I send it?” Another call came and she didn’t bother moving the receiver this time. “Hold your horses, I’m on a business call!”
“You should have received an email with your account information and app download. Please log into your account on the app and there will be a confirmation request once you do. Follow the directions there. I can walk you through-”
“No, I got it. I’ll have it done in a few hours. Anything else?” Calli’s tempter was getting shorter and shorter by the second.
“No ma’am, thank you and-”
“Yeah, bye.” The phone was hung up and the woman pocketed it while walking over to a woman in a stylish business suit. “Sorry, J-chad, I’m just super stressed out right now and-”
“Don’t worry, I understand. We need you back on the set for another round of pictures, and an opening came up for an appearance on a TV show on Friday night-”
“No. I have plans Friday.”
“Calliope,” J-chan crossed her arms. “You need to promote your concert. It will be a great time for you to-”
“I said no!” Calli instantly sank back when she saw her manager lift an eyebrow at her and start tapping her foot. “Look, sorry, I just... I can’t Friday night. I’m booked Friday to Saturday.” Her hand went to rub at her eyes but stopped before she ruined her makeup. Her artist had almost had a fit when she saw the bags under her eyes that time. “I’ll... I’ll do it any other time...”
“There won’t be another time. Are you sure about this? You’re not going to another party are you?”
Calli groaned. “No, I promise. No party, no drinking, I’m really booked. I made plans days ago.” She was being eyed but thankfully her manager seemed to understand what was going on. “Sorry... Please?”
“...Fine.” The look on her client’s face made the decision a little easier to manage. “I’ll decline the offer... Just... don’t go out and make a fool of yourself again, okay, Calliope?”
“Promise!”
~**~
A ding of an elevator rang out in a large penthouse apartment seconds before two fancy looking doors slid open to reveal a blue haired beauty carrying a suitcase and an over-the-shoulder bag. Calliope was already there to greet them, a nervous expression on their face and shifting from side to side as if she were about to say something embarrassing.
“Okay, I’m here, what’s up?” The girl walked into the room confidently. Calli stepped to the side to allow her friend past and followed them by. “Not everyday you call me and ask me to come over immediately with my makeup kit.”
The singer/songwriter looked at her friend of several years and swallowed thickly. She was wearing black, ripped leggings with blue luster on them, shin high boots complete with multiple buckles, a skirt that was way too short, a white crop top with the word Suichopath airbrushed over it in pretty aqua ink with dark blue shadowing, and a coat that was thick and warm and made everyone wonder why she dressed so skimpily if she were to cover it all up anyway.
It took a few moments for Suisei to stop walking and turn around so they could face her friend. Calli stared for a few moments before licking her lips and looking up and to the left, her voice a little nervous. “I need your help,” she finally managed to speak her mind. “I have a date tonight, and-”
“A date!?” The blue haired girl instantly latched onto her friend. “Calli, you really have a date !? Who is she? Do I know her? When did you meet? What’s her name!?”
“C-calm down!” Calli did her best to pull back but found her best friend excitedly drawing her back in for more hugs. “This is weird!”
“Oh stow it!” She finally held the girl at arm’s length and beamed at her. “You want me to do your makeup? Then I need answers.”
“Ugh... Fine.” The poor girl was pulled through her very own apartment and over to a half-bath that housed a vanity mirror and stool. “You don’t know her. Her name is Phoenixfire.”
Suisei sat her cosmetics onto the countertop and opened up the multiple tier pallets so they would be at her fingertips. Her bag was sat down next, miscellaneous supplies being pulled out two or three at a time. “Phoenixfire? What kind of name is that? Sounds like a pornstar.” A small dab cleansing foam was put on her fingertips and then applied to her friend’s face so she could start preparing her canvas for the latest work of art.
“She’s not a pornstar... at least, I don’t think she is.” Calli’s eyes closed so the cleanser could be smeared around them. Truthfully, she had no idea if this girl had been filmed. For as far as she was aware, they could very well be in the adult film industry. Either way, she wasn’t about to tell Suisei that. “She’s... uhm... an escort.”
The makeup artist hesitated for a moment before continuing. “Well, I didn’t expect that, but you can’t choose who you fall for. If you can handle it, then I’ll support you. I have to ask though, how did you two meet?” She watched her friend lick her lips and she instantly got a gut feeling that she already knew the answer. “Calli... please tell me you didn’t hire this girl?”
“J-just one night!” Her hand quickly reached out to make sure her friend wouldn’t try to leave. “Please don’t go! I need this!”
“Calli! You hired a prostitute !” Hands moved out in an exasperated motion. “What do you want me to say? Have a nice time ? What if you get an STD!?”
“They’re checked for that!” Calli’s nose scrunched up at those words. “At least, I’m pretty sure they are! Besides, I’m not gonna sleep with her, I’m just going to... sleep with her.” The look that she got clearly showed that Suisei wasn’t following. “Look, you know how I’ve had insomnia for a while?”
“Yeah, you look like crap by the way.”
“Gee, thanks.” Red eyes rolled dramatically. “That’s why I need you. Anyway, I searched online to see how to sleep better and someone suggested a cuddle buddy, so...” Shrugging, she gave a helpless look. “I paid a girl to sleep in bed with me.”
“...Next time, why don’t you lead with that?” A long sigh was exhaled. “So it’s not an escort, it’s one of those cuddle partner things?”
“Uh, yeah, I’m using her as a body pillow, but I want to know her first, hence the date.” Calli started to second guess herself at the words. ‘ That person online said he used the site for cuddle partners... That means they’re used to this, right? ’
“Okay, okay... as long as you’re not actually getting a call girl or something.” Sighing out, Suisei fanned herself. “Hold on, I need some water. You scared the life out of me.”
“Okay, grab some in the fridge. Bring me one?” She got a nod and once her friend left the room she pulled her phone from her pocket. That newly installed app graced her screen and soon she was tapping on a random girl to check the dropdown menu. ‘ Date night, massage, cuddles (rest), cuddles (sleep)... ’ Slowly the phone was let down and a hand was brought to her mouth. ‘ Oh shit... she’s not a cuddle buddy... I hired a legit escort... ’
~**~
‘ Okay, calm down... Things will be fine... ’ Calli tried to prep herself mentally for what was about to happen. She was currently standing at their designated meeting point, a semi-crowded shopping area that was near the restaurant and cinema she wanted to take the girl to. Her friend had not only done her makeup but chose her outfit as well. Although she wanted to keep herself on the down-low so no one would recognize her out on the street, she still found herself looking almost model-like in her attire.
Thigh high black boots were chosen, a pair that clung to her skin and gave the tiniest amount of squish at the very top. There was a small gap before the bottom of a pretty red sweater dress began. An oversized belt was loose around her waist to help cinch it for fashion and a black jacket was around her shoulders to help bring warmth as well as pull it together. Hanging off one shoulder was a matching purse, bought just for that one outfit, in which the strap was being fisted nervously the longer she waited.
Phoenixfire wasn’t late by any means. In fact, it was still fifteen minutes until the time they had chosen together on the messaging section of the app. Why Suisei had insisted she be early was beyond her, but good manners and first impressions were important... even for a call girl. At any rate, she wasn’t used to waiting, and it was making her even more nervous by the second. What if someone she knew saw her and came to talk? What if fans recognized her and she had to run? What if her date recognized her!?
“Um... Calli?” The voice next to her was sweet and soft. As she turned, she felt like it was one of those magical moments she always read about in books or saw on corny television shows she watched late at night. The soft fluttering of snowflakes around them seemed to dance around as she rotated to the side so she could face the voice and see the girl for the first time.
Bundled up in a white parka with fluff all around the collar and cuffs, she wore a black winter style dress that flared at her waist and went over thick, black woolen tights before vanishing into grayish white winter boots that also had that same fluff around them. What was more, the light snow was sticking to that fiery red hair that Calli now saw had wisps of green in the under layers. Those same violet eyes were there, shining brightly up at her next to the hundreds of freckles scattered all over the area across those cheeks and nose. It all hit the singer so hard that she could only think of one thing to say in return to the girl asking if she was her date for the night.
“Goddamn you’re pretty...” The words were spoken as if in awe and Kiara seemed pleasantly surprised by them. Her lips turned up into a smile and her cheeks tinted ever so slightly.
“Wow... Thank you.” She had been complimented many times before, but never from someone who honestly seemed to mean it as much as the one in front of her. “I really do hope you’re my date tonight?”
“Oh!” The singer brought a hand up to rub the back of her head and shuffled on her feet nervously. “Uh, yeah, I’m Mor - er - Calliopeeeeuuuhhhh, Calli. Just Calli.” Already the girl before her was doing her best to repress giggles. It was a valiant effort, it truly was, but the snickers were winning so she had to bring the side of her hand up to her mouth to try and cover them. “Uhhhhhmmm, you’re Phoenixfire?” The pinkette reached for anything she could to try and save face. Somehow she was struggling for words, unsure of where the wordsmith side of herself ran off to once this beautiful girl appeared.
“Kiara, yes. Phoenixfire is just my handle so people browsing won’t get my personal information.” The little snow angel with red hair beamed up at the one who had purchased her time for the night. “So, Calli...” She moved a little closer so she could hold onto the woman’s arm with both of her own. “You wanted me all night? What did you have in mind?”
“Uhhhh...” Calli’s eyes shot down to where they were connected, her heart suddenly pounding in a way that she wasn’t quite used to. “Heh... uhm... funny story... actually, I... you see...” Kiara was already hugging that arm so comfortably, that cheek now resting on her shoulder. “Oh gosh, uh, I want to... get to know you and... could we... m-maybe go get some dinner first?” The question actually made Kiara tilt her head enough to look back up at her. “Is that... weird?”
“No, just normally people schedule things like a dinner date, then another time schedule for the rest. It saves money.”
“Th-this is my first time and-” Calli started to look rather nervous now. “D-did I mess up? Do I need to change something? You won’t be in trouble will you?” To her surprise, she was only giggled at again.
“No, silly!” A playful hug was given to the arm once more. “You said anything goes, so... anything goes. I’m yours all night, so whatever you want.”
Calli hesitated at those words. “Anything... at all? You really mean that?”
“That’s what I said. You chose that, so that’s what you get.” Kiara winked.
“Then...” The girl was an escort. Someone who gets paid to have sex with people. If she was going to share a bed with her, she wanted to make sure that she knew who the adorable redhead was underneath that facade of trying to please her customer. Maybe she could make a request using that package deal after all. “Kiara, I have a request...”
“Yes, Calli?” Another bright smile was flashed and both of those cold hands slid down to clasp upon her own to hold in an attempt to share warmth in the cold evening.
“Could you... be yourself?” She got yet another head tilt at that. Kiara seemed to be quite expressive when it came to body language. “You see... I’m really... looking to just be with someone... I’m... I can’t believe I’m saying this, but...” For once in her life she allowed her real emotions to be shown to this stranger. “I’m really lonely, Kiara... Even if it’s just for this time that I have you for, could you please just... be a normal person and hang out with me?”
Kiara blinked up at the beautiful woman who requested that of her and slowly began to give an unsure reply. “You know... we have people in the industry who do that kind of thing...? Why did you choose me instead of one of them?”
“I don’t know,” Calli sighed out and used her free hand to carefully rub her eyes. “I’m not used to this kind of thing and... and I just fell in love with your eyes and... Please?”
The sheer desperation in Calli’s voice made Kiara realize that there was much more to this woman than just wanting a no strings attached night of wild sex. It was curious to her, why she was chosen over people who specialized in dates just because of her eyes. Growing up, she had been made fun of for them. Over time, she had learned to love her eyes, to be proud of them and show them off, but never had she been sought out for them before. “...Okay. Okay, yeah.” Her posture slowly went from an overly attentive stance to a more relaxed one. “If that’s what you really want...”
“It is. I’d really like that.”
“Okay then. In that case...” The girl stepped back and offered her hand to shake. “My name is Kiara Takanashi. Nice to meet you.”
Calli slowly reached for it, hoping she wasn’t making a mistake in trusting this girl. “Calli... Calliope Mori. My full name.” She gaged the reaction Kiara would have and gave a small sigh of relief when nothing changed. Seems like the girl had no clue who she was. “Then, Kiara, wanna go get some dinner?”
“I’d love to!”
~**~
Kiara reached over to nervously pinch her date’s sleeve once she realized exactly where they were going. “Uhm, Calli, a place like this is a little out of my price range.” Before them was a large building with a full water feature around it. A small waterfall began on the right to move the water down into a pond surrounded by stone, which then fed into another, lower pond that circled the restaurant. Fancy, arched stone and wood bridges were made over the water pathways for guests to both cross as well as watch the fish swim around in the clear water below.
“I didn’t intend to have you pay, Kiara.” The pair stopped on one of the bridges before the main entrance of the building. “But if you’re uncomfortable being here, we can go somewhere else? I don’t want you to feel-”
“N-no, it’s not that, I just... Wow, you know?” Her eyes glanced back around to take in everything. “Don’t places like this have a long waiting list or something? Reservation only?” She had heard stories about fancy locations such as this one, or at least read about them in manga and manhwa. You don’t just walk in and say you want a table.
“It’s okay,” she was assured. “I know the owner.”
Kiara allowed herself to be guided along but still quirked up an eyebrow at that. “You know the owner?” She got a simple nod. “Really? One of the fanciest places to eat in town, and you know the owner?” This time her client looked at her curiously and gave another nod. “How did that happen? Did you save their life? Do they owe you a favor from a secret, shady dealing?”
“You read a lot of manga, don’t you?” Seeing the redhead blush before her brought out a smile. “Nothing that amazing. The... school... I went to when I was younger was next to a place that did culinary lessons. My friend was taking classes there. We met waiting outside for our parents one day. She shared the food she made.”
Kiara looked really interested now and actually slowed down their walking pace so she could get the rest of the story before they entered the building. “Was it delicious?”
“It was horrible !” A happy laugh came from the memory. “But since her dad owned such a huge restaurant chain, everyone was too scared to tell her the truth because they were afraid to crush her dreams of taking over the family business.”
That wasn’t the direction she expected the story to go. “Really? That’s... Wow!”
“Mmmn. She actually made it her personal goal to keep cooking for me until I said it was good... took a long time, but she was really determined so I ate it every day...” Her hand reached out to open the door so Kiara could walk in first. “Now she runs the place.”
“Wow...” Kiara looked really impressed. “What was the first thing she fed you?”
Calli grimaced. “Let’s not talk about that.” She placed her hand on the small of Kiara’s back to escort her to the podium with the maitre D waiting behind it. “Hi, could you inform Haachama that Calliope Mori is here to dine with her date?”
Within ten minutes the pair found themselves walked to a table that was on the second floor of the restaurant. A VIP reservation tag was removed from the top of the mahogany tabletop and Kiara found a chair being pulled back for her by her date. That was something new for her and honestly she wasn’t exactly sure how to handle it. This woman was on a whole different league than anyone she had ever been with before.
Now seated, violet eyes glanced at the table before herself. There was already an arrangement set in front of her, complete with silverware and a menu. Calli was thanking their server and soon she was asked for her preferred drink choice. “Uhm, water?” Her words got a slightly confused look from the man standing next to her date, but Calli seemed to pick up on it at once.
“No alcohol for the night, please. I’ll have water, too.”
Kiara flushed, only now realizing that she was supposed to order wine or something along those lines. Her eyes glanced down to the menu and she quickly busied herself with looking through it. Almost immediately she noticed that something was true from her manga reading; there weren’t any prices on there.
“Feel free to get whatever you would like,” Calli encouraged her. “I’d honestly like it if you didn't hold back.” She could tell the girl across from her was a little nervous so she reached a hand out across their table so she could touch one of the hands gripping the menu a little too tightly. “Kiara... really. Be yourself. Just relax and have fun, that’s what I want.”
“Worrying about prices is being myself,” she whispered back as quietly as she could. “Calli, you’re spending so much tonight-”
“Anything goes, right?” Her words made Kiara pout, but it was such a pretty look on their face that she couldn’t help but smile at it. “Consider it a tip?”
Letting her shoulders sag a little, Kiara sighed and allowed a smile to come to her lips. “Okay... but please know that you don’t have to spoil me like this. I’m here all night for you regardless.”
Calli looked pleased at hearing that. “I’m just being nice, don’t worry.” With those words, their waiter returned with a basket of freshly baked bread to sit between them. Roasted garlic and herbs were placed on a small dipping plate for them each and topped with an expensive olive oil that had Kiara practically drooling at just the sight of.
“Would the ladies like more time to view the menu?” The man was polite and all smiles to them. “Or maybe an appetizer?”
Red eyes quickly took notice of the panicked look on her date’s face so she spoke softly over to her. “May I order for you?”
“Eh? Uhm, yes, please.” Kiara sheepishly lowered the menu, thankful to not have to pick something herself.
“The chicken alfredo for my date, please. I’ll have the ribeye, medium-rare.” Calli simply allowed the man to take their menus and grinned teasingly over at the girl who was trying their best to not draw attention to herself. “Kiara, relax, just dig in.” To prove her point she reached over to the bread to pluck a little roll up. Without even waiting, she ripped it in half to dab into her garlic oil so she could bite into it.
“Oh thank god, I was scared I’d have to use a fork and knife!” Kiara instantly repeated the motion, stuffing the bread into her mouth despite it being steaming hot. “Mmmnnnn! Fwack! Twis ish sho good!” She spoke around her mouthful, too pleased to even think about trying to be polite anymore.
“Ha ha ha!” The pinkette shook her head contently, popping a bit more into her mouth to talk around. “I’m glad you’re happy.”
“I can’t thank you enough for this, wow.” Even their water glasses looked like they were made of crystal, filled with a spring water and chilled with a singular, large, crystal clear ice cube in it that had been shaped into a perfect sphere.
“Don’t mention it.” The rapper was more than pleased watching the girl before her enjoy herself more than anything. The past few meals she had were all by herself, scarfed down between practices or eaten alone in her giant penthouse on that large couch.
“But tell me,” Kiara mused while running a finger along the rim of her glass, “what does the lady do to afford all of this?” The moment she asked the question she realized it was a mistake. Not only was she bound by a nondisclosure agreement, but her partner was clearly put off by it as well. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-”
“It’s okay,” Calli cut her off softly. “I just don’t feel comfortable... I mean... Let’s just say I work with people.”
Kiara took that and decided to turn it into a small joke as to make the air lighter. “Sooo, you’re an assassin?” It got her a startled look, to which she smiled brightly at. “No, no, I get it! Have to keep it on the down low.” A wink was shot across the table to let the woman know she was kidding. “I got you, I won’t say a word.” The joke seemed to break the tension, as Calli just started to laugh at how silly the notion was.
“Yes, yes, let’s go with that. They call me The Reaper , but shhh, that’s between us.”
A glass was lifted to be held across the table. “To a reaper and a phoenix then.”
Calli gently moved her glass out to gently tap the edge to her friend’s. “To a reaper and a phoenix.” Each one grinned as they sipped their water, the fact that they just toasted something so silly not being lost on them.
~**~
The view from the top suite of the hotel was breathtaking, Calli decided. The floor to ceiling window looking over the sparkling city below was even better than her penthouse across town. Even with such a pretty view, she still felt a bit of anxiety building up in the back of her mind. Kiara had insisted that she take a shower the moment they arrived, and now Calli found herself alone in a large, fluffy bathrobe while Kiara finished up hers.
In her infinite wisdom, she had forgotten to procure simple things like a change of clothes. Now she was forced to wait for her body to dry in that fluffy bathrobe before she could change into one of those long, silken sleeping shirts that the hotel provided in the closet space. She didn’t have a clean set of underwear, nor something casual to put on the next day. If it weren’t for the provided robe and shirt, she wasn't sure what she would do. To make matters worse, the washroom door was opening and Kiara was stepping into the main area of the room wearing the other robe around her body.
“Sorry for making you wait,” the ginger spoke softly. Her hair was dried and styled as best it could be in a hotel room. Steam was wafting up from her body, showing just how hot of a shower she had taken. Even without the makeup on now, without that mascara lengthening those lashes or that lip gloss making her tiers shiny, Calli still felt like she was looking at the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. “I wanted to be sure I was ready for you.”
“Ready... for me?” Calli didn’t protest Kiara’s hands moving to her shoulders or the gentle but insistent pushing to guide her into backpedaling towards the bed. It was so confusing at first, the air in the room changing from their fun and casual date night to a more... seductive and intimate feeling the moment the redhead stepped from that room. It wasn’t until she actually tumbled back onto the bed and began to scoot backwards upon it did she realize what exactly was happening. “K-Kiara!?”
“Mmmn?” Lips were slowly licked, a curious hum being given while crawling slowly on all fours. “Do you have another request, Calli dear?” Her motions were so fluid and graceful, almost catlike in how she slid herself up to straddle and sit atop the one underneath her. “You asked for anything... so...” Her voice got softer and an almost sinfully delectable note was added to it without even trying. “ Anything. ”
Calli was sure her poor gay heart was going to beat right out of her chest. “I... I-I-I just wanted... look, don’t- don’t get it twisted or anything, I just... I wanted you-” She could feel hands sliding up along her body, her robe sliding open, and - gods help her - a wet warmth being pushed up against her crotch when Kiara sat there. “Oh fuck, oh shit...”
Kiara’s robe was open as well, hanging by their sides to reveal their body underneath. Red eyes were drawn to it nervously, glancing at the view before darting back up to amethyst eyes and back down again as if she would be scolded for doing something wrong if caught. ‘ Freckles... ’ The thought raced through Calli’s mind even as Kiara began to lean in a little more, now almost on all fours above her. ‘ So many freckles... ’
“I like being on top,” Kiara was whispering now, her voice falling down onto Calli’s left ear like pure sin. “You asked for me to be myself earlier... Would it be okay for me to indulge in my own fantasies as well?” She smiled pridefully as the woman under her finally attempted to move their hands up to touch her. Instead of allowing it, though, she shifted more weight to her legs so she could move her palms from the bed and use them to grip the wrist heading to her sides. “Only if you allow me to... I promise.”
Calli’s breath picked up as her hands were suddenly pinned above her head. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her head. Kiara was doing... something... with their hips, a soft, rolling motion that made her pubic hair suddenly feel so very warm and shockingly slippery. “K-Kiara... Kiara...” She got an amused, content little sound that was a mix between a husky giggle and a moan. “I... I honestly...!” She felt hands grip her wrists tighter so that amazingly perfect body could arch downward and leave little kisses up her neck. A tongue was starting to press against her skin, that wet splotch between her legs was starting to get messier and messier, and the fear laced with panic finally reached the boiling point. “ I want to sleep with you !” The words were gasped out in a frantic, scared mix between scream and plea.
Kiara paused her actions so she could lean back and look down at the woman with a confused expression. “Uhm... that’s kiiind of the point with girls like us, you know? You don’t have to ask for that, silly.” One hand moved from holding Calli’s wrists so she could boop the woman’s nose. “Anything goes, remember?” When her partner looked stunned once more, she just giggled. “You’re so cute... is this your first time?”
“N-no!” Calli’s head leaned to the side to get distance when Kiara moved back in. “That’s not- guh !” She could feel her earlobe being suckled on now and she shrieked out from it. Her assailant actually stopped her actions to giggle, that sweet voice falling into her ear so hotly.
“That was the most adorable sound I’ve ever heard. Being a virgin isn’t anything to be ashamed of, baby... I promise.” Her left hand pressed her palm flat against Calli’s stomach, moving it down lower and lower until she had to lift her own body up so it could start to dip into wet, slimy pubic hair. “I’ll be gentle...”
“Th-that’s not... what I... K-Kiara wait!” It took all the strength she had but she managed to turn her head so she could look at the suddenly still escort in the eyes. “I-I really do want... to just sleep with you. Sleep, Kiara... I just... wanna sleep.” Each word was panted out, fear clear in her voice now.
Confusion crept up along those pretty features until the redhead slowly pulled back from her client. “You... you didn’t hire me for sex, did you?” Calli slowly shook her head at that and Kiara carefully moved herself to the side so she could sit down next to the one she had just been atop of. “I’m... I’m sorry, I just... this is what we do and I-”
“N-no, it’s okay” Calli tried her best to cover herself up and ignore the burning embarrassment on her face and neck. “I wasn’t clear with my desires and... It’s okay, really, I... I didn’t hate it or anything, it’s just... not what I want.”
Kiara sighed out a mix between thankful and regretful. “It figures though... I finally have a girl hire me and...” She shook her head lightly and took a breath as if to wipe the idea from her head. “No, no... I can’t be like that. You hired me so-”
“No, please!” Calli grasped at anything to get the topic off them rolling around in between the sheets. “What were you going to say?”
Kiara sighed again before letting her head turn to look over the room they were staying in for the night. “...Should we get the lights? I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable if you don’t actually want to do something with me?” To her surprise, Calli rolled from the bed and got up. Usually it was her that did all the little things during her job. Fetching anything, turning the lights on and off, preparing the bath... Having someone else do it was actually a little nice.
“You can change into this, if you want.” Calli made one final stop at a standing wardrobe before making her way back to the bed. Over her arm now were two long, silken shirts. “Complimentary sleeping attire from the hotel.”
“C-complimentary!?” Kiara felt her cheeks burn when she accepted hers. The fabric between her fingers felt so smooth. Sure, it had the name of the hotel embroidered on the front left breast of it, but even still it would be the most luxurious piece of clothing she had ever owned in her life... and it was a simple throw-away given to customers there.
“Mmmn... Could you turn around please?” It was a shy question, one that Kiara wasn’t used to hearing. Still, the redhead nodded and moved to her knees atop the bed so she could shift around and face the other direction.
‘ This is so weird, ’ the call girl thought to herself while sliding off her robe and letting it fall to the covers around herself. ‘ Being treated to dinner that probably cost more than a full session with some people... a luxury lounge seating movie... and now I’m wearing silken clothing with someone who just... wants to cuddle? ’
“I’m done changing...” Calli’s voice was soft and shy. “You can... look now.” Kiara turned as she was asked. The girl before her was wearing the matching set of the same thing she was, but it only seemed to go down to her upper thighs. The shirt itself was white, thin, and easily showed two stiff points on the girl’s ample breasts. “Uhm,” the girl shifted slightly, those soft hands moving down to tug at the hem of her shirt ever so lightly to make sure it was covering everything. “Do I... look okay?”
“You... look amazing.” A swallow was forced down, eyes instantly going to those creamy thighs. Only the lights by the bed were still on by that point so she couldn’t tell if they were glistening or not but the thought of what they had just been doing was still fresh on her mind. Ever so slowly she reached up a hand towards Calli in an offering to help her back onto the bed and felt a question coming before she could even stop it. “Are you sure you don’t want to...?”
“Y-yeah... I’m... Let’s talk about you first? If we can?”
Kiara smiled softly. The pink haired girl next to her was clearly nervous, and it was showing. “Yeah... We can talk about me first. May I turn off the lights?” She watched Calli lean over to the nightstand on her side of the bed to pick up a remote. Soon enough the lights started to dim around them, slowly going darker until they clicked off. Now the only light coming in was from the glass wall across the way, which was now being covered by a sliding curtain moving on its own as well. “That’s... Wow.”
“Hm?” Calli set the remote back down.
“Nothing, nothing.” Together they slid under the covers, more towards the client’s side since she didn’t seem to understand that they should snuggle in the middle. “So... wanted to talk?”
“Tell me about yourself?” Calli asked the question while trying to get comfortable. “You said something about me being a woman? Is that not common in your line of work? I hope I didn’t make you uncomfor-”
“No!” The quick response made Calli flinch a little bit in shock. “Sorry... No. No, I prefer women. I actually... only wanted to be with other girls, but... there aren’t that many female clients who use our services. There are girl only places out there and that really makes it rare to get a chance like this. When I saw you were a girl, I got excited.”
“Oh... I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Kiara could feel the conversation starting to drop from the implications so she quickly continued it like she learned how over the years she spent as an escort. “I prefer this to being with anyone else, honestly. Dinner was simply divine, the movie was fun, and even this is... really nice.”
“I’m glad I got you. I’m not sure I’d feel as comfortable with anyone else... This really is my first time doing anything like this.”
“I can tell. You’re so nervous that I can feel your heart thudding from over here.” That earned her a soft exhale of a laugh. “May I ask you why you hired me? If it isn’t too personal?”
Calli looked up at the ceiling for a moment before deciding that it would be okay to share. “I have insomnia... Like, clinically diagnosed. It’s bullshit. I’m so tired at night, Kiara. I’ll lay in bed for hours but I won’t sleep... My mind just won’t turn off.” Her head turned a little to look at the girl next to her. “Imagine getting in only a few hours over two days, then going home and having a nice hot bath, crawling into cool sheets, your most comfortable pillow, you’re barely staying awake and everything feels so good and comfortable that you’re about to doze off immediately... but you never do. You stay on that line, that sweet relief of rest never actually coming.”
“That... sounds horrible.”
“That’s my life every night.”
Kiara felt something inside of her chest ache at just hearing that. “Have you tried sleep aids?” It was a dumb question, and she knew it. The woman was rich, of course she tried sleep medicine. Probably the kind that she couldn’t even get a hold of over-the-counter. “I mean, that was a silly thing to ask...”
“No, it’s the first thing everyone asks...” She sighed softly but still smiled over at the girl. “I’ve tried everything you can imagine... down to the point of hiring you to see if holding someone will help me sleep better.”
At those words, Kiara felt a new sense of pride and obligation fill her. Even if she wasn’t hired for sex, she wasn’t just sleeping with someone. It was her job to make Calli sleep, to ensure that this woman got the rest that they needed. “Come on, Calli... You wanted to cuddle, right?” Her eyes could just barely make out the nod across from herself in the darkness of the room. With that as permission, she scooted a little closer so they would be on the same pillow. “May I touch you?”
“...Y-yeah.” Calli’s breath was faltering even more than usual at that. She rolled to the side so she could face the girl she hired, unsure on how she should position herself. Fortunately for her, Kiara seemed to be on top of it already. Fingertips were running up her leg now, those soft pads running little indents up along her thigh until they smoothly slid underneath that silken shirt so they could rest upon a bare hip. ‘ I’m completely naked under this... ’ Despite the nervousness in her mind she still allowed that smooth leg to push up and slide a knee between her own. ‘ She feels so good... so smooth. ’
It was almost exactly how she cuddled her body length fox plushie back home, only this was more... real. The person she was holding was holding her back... breathing, shifting in her arms. To top it off, Kiara was warm . Hanging out in the hotel room after such a hot shower had made her a little chilly, and shedding that thick robe didn’t help in the slightest. This redhead though, it was no wonder she was named Phoenix .
“Are you comfortable?” Kiara’s words were spoken mere centimeters away from Calli’s mouth. “Please don’t hesitate to move.”
“I... I think I’m good.” Despite her words, her mind was racing. ‘ Is my breath okay? Is it bad to breathe against her face? Will I make her leg go numb like this? My nose isn’t making a squeaking sound when I inhale is it!? ’
“Calli. Calm down.” Kiara shifted just enough to make their noses touch. “You’re fine. Everything is fine. I’ve heard it all before, trust me. Here’s a true fact; everyone at our job who sleeps with people or cuddles with them don’t care about anything but bad breath, and yours is like mint toothpaste, so you’re good there. Everything is okay.”
“...Can you read minds?”
“If I could, screwing people wouldn’t be my main source of money.”
“Why do you-” A long yawn suddenly took over her speech for several seconds before she could continue. “Oh, sorry, why do you do this kind of job?”
“Mmmn, I think I’ll save that for later. Can’t spill everything on the first date, you know? Get some rest, Calli, you seem to really need it. That’s why you paid all that money, right?”
“...Yeah.”
“Then sleep. Let’s talk more in the morning.” Kiara’s nose moved back and forth to rub against the end of Calli’s. “Sweet dreams, Calli.”
“Sweet dreams, Kiara.” To her surprise, she found the heaviness of her eyes actually welcome for once. The warmth of the girl before her was seeping into her body and that hand on her hip was ever so gently rubbing in a tiny massage. Even the light, steady breathing moving across her face was starting to help lull her away.
Then, for the first time in almost a year, Calli fell asleep without problems.