On these days that feel like you and me... Heartbreak anniversary

“Good night,” Cinder grunted, sliding into the bed so silently she was like a ghost. Nick found himself almost petrified.

He knew neither Cinder nor Ella would hurt him. Even Cinder, for all her coldness and hostility, didn’t seem to actually want to cause him harm, at least, which was good.

But he was nervous.

After all, with how sensitive she was, saying or doing the wrong thing might be perceived as an attack of his own on her… and that was the last thing he wanted.

No, if he wanted to handle things properly and make sure to show Cinder his best side, he had to do everything perfectly.

If only he could have been sleeping in Mary’s bed, instead of this one right now… but no, that could end up being even worse. Cinder probably wouldn’t want to sleep next to the two of them having sex, either, given how loud Mary could be.

…

Yes, sleeping with Mary would have been nonnegotiable. She wouldn’t have let him negotiate.

So all he could do was lie on his back, staring up into the darkness, barely even breathing and just waiting for sleep to take him.

I hope everybody else is having a better night than I am right now, he thought, willing himself to fall asleep. The day had gone great, better than he had expected, but the night? That was a little bit trickier to say the least.

Nick’s day might have gone well, but there were other people for who the day had been a little bit of a pain in the ass.

And unfortunately, Kim was one of those people.

“Ugh, when I took this Sick Day transformation, I hoped I’d be able to enjoy myself on my day off,” she sighed, scratching her head as she changed her clothes. One of the few chances she would have to do so in the future.

She was maybe being a little too negative to be honest. After all, she had in fact enjoyed herself quite a bit today. Getting the opportunity to not worry about work, or wear those skimpy clothes (well, that part wasn’t so bad…) and just enjoy herself doing what she wanted to do? It was a good time, and she liked it quite a bit.

There were a couple issues that she faced every now and then, though, unfortunately. Like when she’d had to work out with Dani dripping in sweat. And also…

“Is… is she going to stay here all night?” Dani asked, looking to Kim for an explanation about what was going on.

Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin stood in the corner of the room with her arms crossed over her chest, eyes narrowed like a hawk watching every move Dani made.

Not exactly the kind of attitude one would expect from a guest.

“I-I don’t know,” Kim admitted truthfully, looking over at the assassin. The leather-clad woman couldn’t say a word, but her body language spoke volumes, as did the glare she aimed at the blue-haired tomboy putting on her nightgown.

“Stay away from Kim, or bad things will happen to you!” That’s what her face was screaming in the silence.

Dani was very much okay with doing that.

“Sorry about this,” Kim apologized, scratching her head sheepishly. “Today was… well, I told you about my punishment transformation, right?”

Dani nodded. “You mean the one where if somebody touches you, you become subservient and obedient towards them?”

Kim blushed. “It-it’s just submissiveness!” She hotly contested. “I don’t become subservient, don’t put it like that! That makes me sound weird and kinky!”

Dani smirked. “Well, if the shoe fits…”

“DANI!”

“Sorry, sorry. I was just kidding around,” Dani said, shaking her head. “Still, that must suck. So she’s, what, your bodyguard?”

Kim looked over at Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin. “For the rest of the night, I guess, yeah,” she said, nodding. “Trust me? It’s weird.”

Dani nodded. It certainly was that.

“But I don’t have a problem with it if I’m being honest,” Kim continued. “I actually enjoy spending time with her, even if having her look over my shoulder all the time can be a little… eh.”

Normally, Kim would have expected that having someone as skilled as Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin watching her back would have been reassuring. Something to help her relax and ease her nerves.

But just the opposite had occurred. Having a trained assassin watching out for you just made Kim even more paranoid that something would happen that NEEDED her presence, and that was something she didn’t want to have to deal with.

“Is she going to stay in bed with us, though?” Dani asked, glancing warily at Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin. “Wait, isn’t there a curfew or something? Shouldn’t she be going back to her room?”

“Eh, I decided to give her a pass.”

Dani jumped, quickly pulling her nightgown the rest of the way on and whirling around towards the door, to see Dakota leaning against it with an amused look on her face. She was playing with the head of her cane, and her eyes were twinkling.

“Dakota, what is it now?” Kim asked. She had nothing but doubt and suspicion reserved for the other woman after the last few days. “I already told you, I have no intention of taking you up on a third Sick Day, tomorrow I’m going to work. So don’t even try.”

“What? Oh, my, no no no,” Dakota crooned, shaking her head. “I would never do that… not until tomorrow, anyway. I was just popping over to see how you two were doing.”

She glanced over at Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin, who looked back at her, smiled, and gave the host a little wave, which Dakota returned.

“So wait, you’re just going to let her stay here?” Dani asked, frowning. “Can you do that? Doesn’t she need to be in her own room?”

Dakota shrugged. It clearly didn’t matter much to her one way or the other. “Since tonight is for our dear Cinderella, and I doubt anything will happen when the clock strikes midnight, it must be fairly lonely for Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin, to be all alone with just those sweets for company…”

Dani doubted that Dakota was being altruistic here. Nothing about the other woman seemed to resemble that in the slightest.

Dakota took that fully in stride, and just laughed.

“Anyway, three girls sharing a bed is sexier than two,” she pointed out.

A lightbulb went off above Dani’s head.

“…Yes, but four girls sharing a bed is sexier than three,” she pointed out. “So would it be cool if I broke curfew to go sleep in Carly’s room tonight?”

“Oh?” Dakota raised her eyebrow in consideration of that idea. She was in a pretty good mood today, and Dani did raise a valid point…

“Wait, you’d do that for me?” Kim blinked. “…No, wait, of course, you’re doing it for you.” She cracked a wry grin. “She raises a good point, Dakota. Think of the ratings! Knowing Rose, she might even get in on the whole thing!”

Kim wasn’t thrilled at the idea of sharing a bed with three people. She hadn’t had to room with Carly and Marley yet, so it was something she’d avoided up until now. But Dani and Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin seemed like a problem together.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” Dani continued. “That way, there would be more room here for Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin and Kim, too! Kim wouldn’t have to worry so much about bumping into me or her, and triggering her transformation in her sleep.”

Kim nodded. That was also good. She didn’t know when her punishment transformations would wear off, but she didn’t want to wake up in the morning feeling submissive towards Dani, even if the other girl was a friend.

Unfortunately, that suggestion caused Dakota’s good mood to flip.

“Oh… well, when you put it that way, then no, I’m sorry,” Dakota said, shaking her head solemnly. “I can’t allow that.”

“What!?” Dani’s jaw dropped. “Why?!”

Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin covered her silent snicker with her hand as she looked at the tomboy in amusement.

Kim groaned and slapped her forehead. “Because that’s what she wants, Dani. She wants me in bed with more people, so there’s a greater chance of triggering my transformation. That’s why she’s being so understanding to Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin.”

“I’m just trying to be nice,” Dakota replied, holding up her hands. “It’s not a big deal, really. In fact, I’ll be even nicer! Why not invited Carly and Marley over here? And Rose to boot? You girls can all have plenty of fun just getting along together, like a big sleepover! What do you say?”

Kim stared dryly at her, and slowly shook her head. “Did you really think that was going to work?” She asked, exasperated.

Dakota chuckled. “Well… no I did not,” she admitted with a shake of her head. “But still… it was fun to suggest, don’t you think?”

No, Kim did not think that. She just felt exhausted.

“I just want to go to bed,” she groaned.

“Yeah, same,” Dani nodded. They were both just about done with Dakota’s mind games.

“Well, then you ladies have a good night,” Dakota purred, tapping her cane on the ground. “Have fun, Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin! Don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do!”

And with that she was gone, leaving Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin to her own devices. The professional killer skipped over to the bed, wearing a big smile on her face that caused her innocence to shine volumes on everybody.

She looked like a sweetheart, she really did. And Kim didn’t have a huge problem sharing a bed with her, of course.

But there was always that nagging feeling in the back of her mind, telling her that this might not go well. Maybe it was paranoia. Or maybe it was the fact that Dani, Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin, and herself in the same bed was a recipe for disaster.

Whatever it was, Kim just had to hope that nothing bad would come of it. It was all she could do right now.

She just hoped that everybody else was having a good night tonight.

Sylvia looked down at the bounty poster in her hands. She couldn’t believe she’d actually done it! She’d taken the poster, and claimed the bounty. She’d given her night with Nick to someone else entirely, and for what?

For some Victory Points?

Back when she was the host, she couldn’t have ever imagined doing something like this. Offering up VP in exchange for a girl’s night with Nick… the night with the master was supposed to be the most important moment a girl had each round! It was her opportunity to spend time with the master and get him to see her best side! The more chances a contestant had to do that, the better their odds were at forming a genuine connection with the master, and finding happiness in her situation.

And she’d just given up one of those chances, for some VP. When doing stuff with Nick tomorrow night would have earned her even more!

But it’s not like Daddy would be up for doing those things with me anyway, she reasoned, knowing she had good explanations for making the choice that she’d made. After all, right now Nick wasn’t looking at her in a sexual context, he was too busy thinking of her either as his daughter, or as the former host of the show who pulled him and the people he cared about into this situation in the first place.

…

Yeah, given the current context of their relationship, maybe Sylvia had made the right choice in taking this bounty.

At least she’d be earning some VP this week.

“What’s the matter?” Rose asked. She was in the lounge with Sylvia, she was the only one present in fact. Vivian had gone to get changed, and Rose had headed back to her room as well at first, only to pause when she saw Sylvia hovering in front of her door.

Sylvia looked back at Rose and frowned. “Do you think… I did the right thing?” She asked. “Giving up my night with Daddy, just for some VP?”

Rose stroked her chin. “That… that is a good question,” she admitted. “It’s a tough decision. I don’t know if I would have made it myself.”

VP was VP. But it was also important to get as much time with Nick as she could. In spite of Rose’s bluster, though, there was one thing she knew for sure.

“Sylvia, there’s no telling whether or not this was a good decision right now,” Rose said firmly, putting her hands on her hips. “There’s only one way to know if taking that bounty was the right thing to do or not.”

Sylvia looked hopefully up at her. “Oh? And what way is that?”

“If I’m the one who gets your night with Nick, then that means it was the right decision,” Rose bluntly replied.

Sylvia gave her a frosty look.

“…Good night, Rose,” she said, turning for her door.

“Wait, wait, wait, I was kidding!” Rose groaned, chasing after Sylvia and stopping her. “Come on, it’s just a little joking around!”

Sylvia bit her lip and shook her head. “It’s not a joke for me,” she replied testily. “I’m actually really concerned about this stuff, you know?”

Rose frowned. She could understand where the other girl was coming from a little bit. “Yeah, I get it,” she nodded. “But think about it like this. When does Nick like you the least?”

“Huh!?” Sylvia’s jaw dropped. What was she asking when she said that?!

“I figured it out a while ago myself,” Rose said. “Nick likes me most when it’s just the two of us, by ourselves,” she explained. “Whenever other people are around, he doesn’t like me nearly as much, unfortunately.”

Sylvia stared blankly at the other blonde.

“…Isn’t that because you keep picking petty arguments and trying to show off how you’re better than the other girls?”

“That might have something to do with it, but the point stands!” Rose asserted with a firm shake of her head. “Now, back to the matter at hand! I think Nick doesn’t like when you’re too sexually explicit, or when you’re picking fights with other girls.”

“Right, that’s you, that’s what you do,” Sylvia replied.

“Yes, but I make it work. With you, the ‘Daddy’ stuff is a turn-off. So maybe, if putting yourself in that context and spending the night with him is a negative, just getting a day trip where he can spend time with you without that context is just what your relationship needs!”

Sylvia contemplated that, and stroked her chin thoughtfully. “You know, Rose, maybe you’re right!” She agreed, nodding and flashing her a smile. “You’re not as stupid as I thought!”

Rose’s smile shifted to a scowl. “Hey! Uncalled for!”

Sylvia disagreed. With a giggle, she slipped back into her room, reinvigorated and looking forward to what was to come tomorrow.

It promised to be a good day.

Of course, Sylvia didn’t realize there was someone who might end up breaking that promise for her. Dakota had been in a rather pleasant mood all day, because things were looking her way. Not only was Nick getting more comfortable putting the moves on people he would have avoided in the past, like Ella, but everybody was starting to work together for the sake of forming a happy harem

She couldn’t have planned things better herself.

And to top it all off, Sylvia will be giving up her night with Nick. I didn’t expect her to pick that one, but it works out just perfectly. Now then… we must prepare for tomorrow…

She strolled into her room, lost in thought. She didn’t even notice the streamers hanging from the ceiling, or the confetti raining down on her. Not until a party popper went off in front of her face, startling her out of complacence.

“Congratulations!” Nola cheered. She was wearing a green party hat in place of her original top hat, and she held a rolled-up noisemaker up to her lips, blowing into it and extending the long plastic-paper tongue material with “FWEEEEE!”

Dakota stared blankly at her as the refuse landed on her impeccable clothes. Her golden eyes twitched and she resisted the urge to scream.

“Nola… what is going on here?” She asked, using every bit of her patience to refrain from strangling her beleaguered intern.

“It’s a celebration!” Nola declared. “To celebrate 500! Look! We even have a cake!” She gestured to the cake sitting on the table, with the message “Happy 500th!” emblazoned in green frosting.

“I meant to do this before, but better late than never, right?” Nola pointed out, scratching her pink hair sheepishly.

“…500th what?” Dakota looked at her in confusion. “Episodes? Seasons? What are we even talking about here?”

“Uh…” Nola’s mind was drawing a blank. The producers must have kept that part from her.

“Well… still! Congrats!” She blew her noisemaker again.

Dakota scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Still, Nola wasn’t wrong to celebrate the milestone. Dakota summoned up a screen, and took a look at what the chat was saying about these last few days.

“Cinder stonks rising”

“Cinder mid, go Ella”

“Both are nice #TwoGirlsOneBurrito”

“FLAPJACK OCTOPUS IS SO CUTE! #Flapping”

“Flap flap flap”

“Gross”

“Ella gonna get tentacled”

“Mary should have served octopus for dinner tonight”

“That’s gross dude, you’r sick.”

“Are we just ignoring that Kim spent the whole day not getting her transformation triggered?! I feel completely robbed! #KimClique #AshaMob”

“We aren’t calling it #AshaMob it’s #NamelessGang”

“Yeah she doesn’t like Asha”

“Dat Asha tho”

“Kim’s is better.”

“Kim’s ass couldn’t kill you, hers could.”

“Kim’s ass could kill me any day”

“The weirdos are coming out”

“I want Gina’s ass to kill me.”

“Nah, definitely Morgana #Gothicc #MorganaCoven”

“#AmeliaClass”

“Teacher booty”

“When is Milly joining the harem”

“I want Milly to join and be Amelia’s new buddy”

“Milly is Vivian’s mom calling it now”

“That would be a twist”

“What if Milly is Octavia.”

“No fucking way”

“Vivian would lose her shit #VivianRebels”

“This just maeks me thingk, with Gina and Vivian being so opposite, but both rebels, they should totally hook up #GinaParty #VivianRebels #Rebellion”

“I think that would be cool. Amelia doesn’t have enough headaches”

“Neither does Dakota #SylviaSquad”

“I just want everybody to be happy together!”

“We didn’t get to see the pool game, I was robbed.”

“We didn’t get to see Nick and Ella in the pool, either. #PoolWhen”

“Classy wordplay. Amelia would appreciate it.”

“Anybody else worried Dakota is going to sabotage Sylvia’s date tomorrow?”

“No, I assumed that would happen as a matter of course #CultOfDakota”

“If she did that, Nick would never forgive her #SylviaSquad”

“#GetEllaPreggers”

“Dude, time and place.”

“HAPPY 500TH DAKOTA! WOOOOO! FOUR MORE YEARS!”

“A mandate from the people. Dakota won the popular vote this time and everything”

“Unlike Dani, rip #DaniCrew”

“Poor Dani she couldn’t even sleep in bed with Carly and Marley #TeamGamerGirls”

“I’m excited to see what Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin gets up to with Kim in bed tonight #AssassinOutclassin”

“Dat ass(assin)”

“I’d Augment her Synthetic Humanoid Assassins”

“lol”

“That didn’t even make sense”

“I hope everything with Cinder and Ella works out”

“Good time for Nick to make some moves in his sleep”

“Mary should have put some milk in that burrito, see what Cinder is like altered”

“Oh god what does Cinder think Nick’s ideal wife looks like #CinderGang”

“Or Ella, yikes #EllaGang”

“I don’t think either girl would like what came of that.”

“They aren’t different girls they’re the same person don’t forget that’s important”

“Whatver dude they’re crazy”

“Crazy hot maybe”

“Cinder would kill Mary if that happened”

“#MilkMary”

“#GetRosePreggers”

“Yes, get Rose preggers”

“Rose almost has her hair back. Go failgirl! #RoseGarden”

“#Gatekeep #Gaslight #GirlFailure”

“The #RoseGarden way”

“Anyone else excited for Gina’s party?”

“Hopefully Amelia stays far away from the planning committee.”

“Give Vivian control, she’s great at it.”

“Nah she’s got too much control as it is. This is becomingthe Vivian show, bleg”

“She’s just that great”

“No, she’s insulting.”

“Is nobody talking about Dawn!? #DawnPosse”

“Nope. Folks are sleeping on her. And she’s sleeping too.”

“There’s something up with that bed, I just know it”

“Or maybe she’s lazy”

“She’s earned her laziness”

“Can’t wait until tomorrow #SylviaSquad”

“Dakota, be nice to Sylvia.”

“True you had a good day today, do better with Sylvia more like this UwU”

“#DakotaAndSylviaBonding #MomSquad”

“Aww…”

Dakota sighed. This was exactly what she didn’t want to deal with. Whatever. Time to move things forward. It’s a big day tomorrow.

She didn’t feel like celebrating the 500th anything right now.