Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone

Kim’s face lit up when she saw Marley and Sylvia walk into the boutique.

“Hey, guys!” She greeted the girls with a wave. “You guys going shopping?” She glanced pointedly at Marley’s chest, and a sly smile crept up her list. “Well, you’re in luck. Our catalogue has… ‘expanded’ recently,” she commented, laughing at her own little joke.

Marley just smiled and rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Yeah, yeah, I get it,” she said, shaking her head. “Anyway, we’re looking for some new clothes. But we’re not looking for anything to support these,” she assured the other woman, gesturing to her large breasts. “If I have my way, they won’t be sticking around for much longer.”

“We’re negotiating,” Sylvia said.

Marley gave her a look, which the former host conveniently ignored because it didn’t suit her narrative to hear.

Kim laughed. “Well… if that’s all you’re looking for, I guess we can suit your needs. Probably won’t be that comfortable to try on, but you can still pick out the designs you want, we have your past measurements on file after all.”

She conveniently didn’t bring up the fact that if Marley wasn’t purchasing clothes to fit her current figure, she wouldn’t be trying anything on, and thus no fashion show. A nice little commission for Kim would be rather convenient.

“So what are you in the market for?” The underwear-clad sales representative asked, clasping her hands together and smiling cheerfully.

Marley and Sylvia looked at each other.

“We were in the market for pajamas, actually,” Sylvia said.

“She is,” Marley clarified. “I’ve got stuff that’ll fit me back in the closet.”

“Ah, I see, yes, pajamas, right.” Kim nodded, staring at the host and trying to figure out what she was aiming for here. “If you’ll both come with me…”

She stepped out from behind the counter and led them over to the eveningwear section of the store, much to Marley’s surprise and embarrassment.

“Eh?!” She gasped, her eyes widening as she looked at the selection of skimpy lingerie Kim had up on offer.

“You like?” Kim chirped. “We carry everything from silk that practically kisses your skin at night, to see-through lace that’s sure to tempt, covering the important parts while teasing enough to make him want to peel it right off-”

“Why are you advertising skimpy lingerie?!” Marley demanded, interrupting the sales pitch. Her face was bright red. “This is for a slumber party, we’re not trying to seduce Nick or anything!”

“Well let’s not be too hasty in discounting possibilities,” Sylvia interjected quickly. “I mean, it’s nice to have options…”

Sylvia had actually picked out most of the selection herself, when she’d given Kim this transformation in the first place. And while the options had changed a lot (there was a lot of turnover in stock thanks to the interdimensional nature of the store) the basics were still fundamentally the same.

Marley looked at her mother and sighed. As much as she loved Sylvia, sometimes it really got to her that Sylvia saw so much through a sexual lens. That hadn’t bothered her back when she was a Mimic Jelly, but having spent a lifetime as a human with human sexual norms and a sense of modesty the days of prancing around naked and dripping slime were long behind her.

Kim could sense that Sylvia was on the hook, however, and as the only one of the two who actually had BP to make any purchases, she was the one who the advertisements were specifically appealed towards.

“Marley is right,” Sylvia admitted sheepishly, finally tearing her eyes away from the sexy underwear. “This is for a slumber party with the other girls tomorrow night. You know- that’s what Gina’s party is going to be.”

“Oh, I know,” Kim said, nodding professionally. “She told me that this morning. Said we should stock up on pajamas for the next couple days because of it, so…” The clerk waved to a rack of lacy negligees that fluttered so tenderly on the hook that it looked almost ghostly.

Marley raised her eyebrow. “…So you got skimpy underwear?”

Kim stared blankly at the curvaceous woman.

“…What do you consider pajamas to be? Because right now I go to bed every night in a silk schoolgirl uniform, and before that I just crashed wearing whatever I had on me, usually shorts and a t-shirt.”

Marley really just didn’t understand the socioeconomic privilege that came with having dedicated clothing specifically for going to sleep in. Talk about entitlement! What, was she going to start bragging about having multiple bathrooms in her house, or a bed that didn’t fold out of a couch?

The nerve of some people.

Marley could tell that maybe she was touching on a sore spot, so she backed off.

“…Sorry. I mean, if it makes you feel any better, I go to sleep in Mary’s old sweater every night, so… I kinda get it.”

Kim’s eyes widened. “Really? Even after you expanded your wardrobe? Didn’t you get new clothes when you were turned human?”

She had never actually roomed with Carly and Marley before, so she had no idea what the clothing situation was like for the girls. After all, it wasn’t like Carly ever stopped by the boutique, given the nature of her very first transformation.

“I-I have clothes,” Marley said, blushing a little. “I don’t have a lot of clothes, but I get by. Remember? I, um, picked some stuff out, back when I was Mimi.”

Her pale cheeks reddened even more. “I just like that sweater,” she mumbled, looking down bashfully. “It was a gift, after all…”

“Aww! Marley! That’s so adorable!” Sylvia gushed. “Mary would just love to hear how much you treasure that thing!”

“She would be thrilled,” Kim said, breaking out into a dopey grin. It was her job to try and sell clothes to the two of them, but after hearing that she’d just feel like a sleaze.

“I mean, a nice set of pajamas wouldn’t be the worst thing,” Marley clarified, clearing her throat. “Something more traditional, I guess. Since it is going to be a slumber party.”

She glanced at the shelves stocked up with sexy underwear.

“…But most people don’t actually go to bed looking like they’re ready for sex,” she pointed out.

Kim shrugged. She didn’t really see anything wrong with going to sleep half-naked. Sometimes when she was too exhausted after work she did it herself, too drained to bother changing out of her “uniform”, which was as revealing as half the stuff here.

“I get that,” she said, even if she personally didn’t see the point. “Keep in mind though, Sylvia’s not exactly much for traditional styles.”

“Good point,” Sylvia admitted. “Thanks to my Slip into Something Less Comfortable transformation, I’m only able to wear clothes that are pretty skimpy.”

She couldn’t even really picture herself in the soft trousers and long-sleeve button-up shirts that made up a traditional set of pajamas.

Marley glanced at Sylvia’s current outfit, and had to admit- she had a point. Sylvia had mimicked Gina’s style slightly, but once her transformation suppression had worn off, the punk style she’d been rocking had needed to make a few adjustments. No leather jackets for the rebellious daughter, no matter how sexy they may have looked! No, right now, Sylvia was wearing a black shirt that clung to her slender figure and looked like it had been gone after with a pair of scissors, cut high above her midriff and with the sleeves torn off as well. And instead of faded jeans, she wore a pair of booty shorts that looked like they’d been gone after with a weed whacker.

So while she definitely played up the rebellious daughter, she still had more skin exposed than not at the moment.

“Exactly my point!” Kim continued, nodding eagerly. “These pieces of lingerie are just perfect for wearing to bed, at work, or out on the town, whatever makes you most comfortable!” She slapped her chest, proudly standing on display of her own wares.

Marley stared at her.

“…With clothes over them, right?”

Kim blankly stared back at her.

“…With clothes over them, right?”

“…Sure thing, whatever floats your boat!” Kim chirped. “The customer is always right, after all! So what do you think, Sylvia? In the market for anything in particular? You know, some sexy lingerie might just get Nick’s motor revving…”

Marley rolled her eyes. She was laying it on a little thick at this point. Even Sylvia could probably tell she was getting played.

That being said, Sylvia was just happy Kim was embracing her transformation so positively, that mattered way more to her than getting a good deal on some clothes.

…But she had her own standards. “I’m not going to buy any sexy underwear,” she said adamantly, shaking her head.

That surprised both the other women.

“You’re not?” Marley was thoroughly confused- knowing Sylvia, she expected her mom would be more than happy to buy as many sexy outfits as she could afford!

Kim looked a little disappointed, but since Sylvia was still indicating her intent to purchase something, she powered right through that.

“Then what could we get for you?” She asked.

Sylvia ignored her to address Marley first.

“I know you’re thinking I’d look great in some of that stuff, and really, you’re right,” Sylvia said, holding her head up high with pride. “But you need to think strategically, my girl! In spite of what Kim might say, wearing clothing like that isn’t liable to make Daddy fall for me. Just the opposite- if I’m too forceful flaunting my sexuality, it’s likely that he’ll be bothered by such an overt display. I’ve got to focus more on the playfulness and innocence, to coax him into seeing me sexual and innocent at the same time. It’s the only way I’ll get him to take me seriously!”

She finished her explanation to looks of shock from both girls.

“…Well, I guess I get that logic,” Kim mumbled.

“Okay, but if you realize that, why are you still so hyper-focused on sex appeal?” Marley questioned. Sylvia’s statements and her prior actions weren’t exactly meshing here.

“Because sexy stuff is hot?” Sylvia bluntly answered, looking at her daughter as if she couldn’t understand why Marley was confused. “Really my girl, this is something you’ll just have to figure out for yourself when you grow up.”

She patronizingly patted her daughter on the shoulder and Marley’s eye twitched. Marley could have pointed out that not only was she technically older than Sylvia right now, but her body was more matured and developed as well, but she decided to hold her tongue and let her mother have her fun. Even if it came at the expense of her own pride.

“In that case, I think I have something you might be interested in,” Kim said, clearing her throat and drawing their attention back to the sale. “It’s the perfect combination of innocent and sultry that could only be for you, Sylvia!”

Kim sure wasn’t lying. A few seconds later she returned from the back room with an outfit that had Sylvia seeing stars. It was very simple- a bright red set of pajamas that matched the excited girl’s dyed hair perfectly. But it also solved all the problems Sylvia had pointed out about wearing a set of pajamas- for one thing, this outfit came pre-cut, with short sleeves and a nice peek at her midriff, and the top buttons were conveniently missing, giving a tantalizing taste of any potential cleavage. It gave Sylvia the appearance of a young woman who had long-since outgrown the clothes she’d worn as a child, but still stubbornly wore them anyway.

As the former host checked out her appearance in the mirror, she had to admit- Kim had completely nailed the look she was going for, a combination of innocence and sex appeal that could get her Daddy’s motor running even if he tried to deny what he was feeling.

Marley whistled and nodded in approval. Then she glanced over at Kim.

“…So if you had stuff like that available in the first place, why bring us over to the lingerie?” She questioned.

Kim offered a cheeky yet professional smile in reply. “Company policy, of course,” she chirped. “Floor models have more broad appeal than the backroom stock.”

They were probably pricier too. Marley didn’t bring that up though. No harm in Kim getting a commission for work done well.

“So what do you think?” The tomboy asked. “Would you like to buy it?”

“It works for me,” Sylvia nodded. She stroked her chin thoughtfully as she continued to admire her look. “For now, anyway. I may be back some other time to do more shopping.”

Kim perked up when she heard that, and Marley looked at Sylvia with an intrigued expression on her face.

“Oh, really?” She asked curiously. “You want to buy more clothes?”

Sylvia nodded. “I’ve actually been thinking of changing up my style a bit,” she said, bouncing her red locks with her hand as she turned back to the other two. “You know- depart a bit from my current punk look.”

Kim looked excited to hear that, while Marley raised her eyebrow. Part of her had anticipated that; or, more accurately, she’d been wondering if her hypothesis would bear fruit. Now that Sylvia was no longer sharing the Romance Suite with Gina, the two weren’t influencing each other anymore. With that in mind, Marley had been curious whether or not Sylvia would continue to mimic the punk girl’s style, or if she’d stop copying her and switch to something else.

Maybe Sylvia could sense what Marley was thinking, because she suddenly began to clarify that it wasn’t like that at all.

“Don’t get me wrong, I still like these clothes!” She assured them both. “I just think I shouldn’t commit to only one style, you know? I mean, can you imagine, wearing the same thing over and over again? Like a schoolgirl uniform? That would be a little strange, my girls.”

Kim’s eye twitched but she kept her professional smile frozen to her face.

“…You were the one who gave me that transformation,” she icily pointed out to her customer, unable to refrain in spite of the fact that it might jeopardize her sales.

Sylvia wasn’t that petty though, and just chortled, “Well, technically it was the audience who voted for it, so let’s not split hairs, my girl.”

Marley rolled her eyes. “And what about someone liking wearing tight sweaters, is that strange?” She asked, not really upset but just playfully teasing her mother.

Sylvia shook her head. “Come on, Marley, you know I didn’t mean it like that!” She said, slapping Marley playfully in the arm. “Anyway, nothing’s set in stone just yet. I’m gonna probably think about this for a few days, maybe figure out if there’s anything else I want to do… for now, though, I’m definitely considering an image change.”

She thought that maybe if she kept changing things up, then she could keep Nick on his toes. If her Daddy stopped seeing her as specifically one thing or another, it would be easier to get him to stop seeing her as his daughter, which was what she was aiming for.

…Well, not really. Her primary goal was for Nick to both see her as his daughter and also want to have sex with her, but those things were currently rather mutually incompatible so she would need to prioritize. And it was clear to everyone what Sylvia’s top priority at the moment was.

Marley sighed and couldn’t help but smile at her mother’s amusing antics. She loved Sylvia, she really did, but at times it was hard to imagine that the woman who nurtured her from a little sprout could be so zany and immature.

“Well, we have a lot of styles here,” Kim assured Sylvia. “If you like, we can arrange to have more ‘traditional’ outfits ordered to suit your tastes? Ones that are compatible with your transformation, of course.”

Sylvia nodded. “That would be just well, my girl,” she agreed, imagining Kim having to sort through the stockroom and find “normal” outfits specifically tailored to be short and skimpy. It was the kind of thing that would get a girl with an exhibitionist streak all fired up.

Not that Kim had one of those, of course. She would never.

“In the meantime… maybe change up my hair a bit?” Sylvia wondered, taking another glance at the mirror. “Couldn’t hurt…”

“You sure about that?” Marley raised her eyebrow. “I mean, that fiery color is pretty good for you, don’t you think, Kim?”

Kim nodded. “It definitely suits you,” she agreed. Not that she would know much about that, either. Dyeing your hair had always seemed like a worthless extravagance. Paying money to turn your hair a different color, when that money could be used to put food on the table? How spoiled did you have to be?

…She maybe was letting her own life color things a little too much. She should probably stop doing that if she was being honest.

Sylvia laughed and shook her head. “No… I think the color is fine. But I don’t really want to change the style, either…”

“You sure? I really felt like a new person when I got my haircut,” Kim said, indicating to her short hair. “Although I suppose you would rather your hair be longer, right? Like before?”

Marley winced and gave Kim a warning look. Talking about Sylvia’s time as a host had to be done delicately, or else-

“Nah, I didn’t actually care much about my hair one way or another back then,” Sylvia said, dismissing her daughter’s concerns with a wave of her hand. “If I wanted to, I could have used my powers to style it any length or color or shape I desired! Just didn’t bother with it.”

Kim nodded. “I guess that makes sense. So you like that length then? And that style?”

Marley suddenly felt her mother’s bright blue eyes on her. Sylvia was smiling adoringly.

“I do,” she said, nodding. “This length… it’s perfect. This is the style Marley likes, after all!” She wrapped her arm around Marley’s waist and pulled her in close. Well, as close as she could, with Marley’s massive breasts pressing against her side.

Marley grinned dopily. She had no idea that Sylvia had settled on that length because it matched how she cut her hair! How sweet.

“I guess that makes sense,” she agreed. “I like my hair this long, too.”

“Aww, you two are so cute together,” Kim chirped. She almost recommended the girls buy matching outfits. Almost. It was her job, after all. But that would probably kill the tenderness of the moment, so she refrained.

Some things were more important than making money.