Why Can't I Wake Up with You?

Sylvia wasn’t sure what to do when she woke up that morning. For a moment, she completely forgot that she had a date with Nick today. After all, they hadn’t actually planned out anything together, so she hadn’t had a lot of tangible things to latch onto.

In spite of all the dates she’d seen in her job as a host, and the other outings she’d been on with Nick before, she wasn’t exactly experienced in the act of dating, especially not with a guy she referred to as “Daddy” all the time.

There was a good chance that things wouldn’t go as well as she would like.

But that was the risk, right? That was the hope?

Maybe things would go badly… but maybe they would go well!

She decided to think positively. That’s what Dakota would have done- thought positively about the possibilities of her date, and see it through to the end.

Sylvia still admired her creator. Even after everything that had happened, even after she’d been cruelly thrown away, a part of her still sought Dakota’s approval. She had treasured the time they spent the other day building that sandcastle together. For the first time, it really felt like the other woman had acknowledged Sylvia in a tangible way.

What she wouldn’t give for something like that to happen again.

But the first thing I have to do to achieve that goal is to prove I can do my role in Daddy’s harem! She reminded herself. Dakota valued compliance above all else. As long as Sylvia could prove she could play the part of Nick’s supportive daughter (while also sleeping with him) then Dakota would have to see that she could accomplish her goals, right?

That was what Sylvia wanted more than anything.

Happiness and acceptance.

Nick would give those to her. She just needed to behave properly.

And make him smile.

Sadly, what Dakota wanted and what Nick wanted were often in conflict.

That’s why Sylvia turned to the only recourse she had for advice, before the morning passed and she had to go meet up with Nick.

Her source of counsel and her roommate, Gina.

“Hey, Gina, wake up.” Sylvia shook the punk girl, trying to snap her out of it. “Come on, Gina! Wake up, come on!”

Gina whapped her in the face with the back of her hand as she turned over in her sleep, and Sylvia just took that on the chin.

No sense making a big deal out of things, right?

“Come on!” Sylvia shook her shoulder a little more insistently. “It’s not like we’re in the Luxury Suite here, you can wake up you know!”

Eventually, after being pestered long enough to get up, Gina finally opened her eyes and turned to look at Sylvia, her vision blurry and tired.

“…Huh? Sylvia… what? Is it morning already?” She muttered, sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes. “What do you want?”

“Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you up, but I really need your help,” Sylvia said, urgent to get whatever support she could.

Gina didn’t know what to make of that. She wasn’t even entirely sure what Sylvia had just said, that was how tired she was.

“…Lemme wash my face first, okay?” She muttered, rubbing her eyes again, and trudged back to the bathroom.

Sylvia waited anxiously as she heard the sink running, then about a minute later Gina came back out, looking fresh-eyed and alert.

“Okay, so what’s going on? What couldn’t wait until I woke up on my own?” She asked, not trying to sound irritated.

Sylvia was happy to say something though. “I thought… didn’t Amelia say that you should work on getting up at a reasonable hour?” She asked, distracted momentarily. “I think that would help you be more mature, right?”

Gina stared blankly at her.

“…Yeah, I’m working on it,” she said bluntly. “Now what’s up?”

“I need some advice,” Sylvia said automatically. “For my date with Daddy today.”

Gina blinked, then she started giggling.

“Oh, wait, you mean… no way, so you actually…? …Oh, that’s fucking rich!” She doubled over with laughter and held her sides.

Sylvia pinched her lips together into a tight line. “This does not seem like something a mature woman would do,” she said crossly.

Gina sobered up quickly after hearing that. “Sorry, sorry, I really couldn’t help myself. But the fact that you’re asking me, I mean, me? Seriously? About how to make this a good date for Nick? You’re kidding, right?”

Sylvia didn’t like the tone of Gina’s voice.

“Why wouldn’t I ask you?” Sylvia protested. “You and Daddy get along great!”

Gina flinched. “I… wait, what? You really think that?”

“Of course I do!” Sylvia nodded. “You don’t?”

No wonder Gina thought it was laughable that Sylvia would be going to her for advice. She didn’t think Nick was a good fit for her at all! Or more accurately, the other way around.

“I… look, I don’t know what you want me to say,” Gina stammered, suddenly a lot less secure in her laughter now that she was put on the spot like this. “I’m just… there’s gotta be someone better-suited for this, right?”

Well, the answer to that question was probably yes. It wasn’t like Sylvia thought Gina was the walking expert on what Nick would like on his date.

But she had something that the other choices didn’t have.

“I… it’s not’s just about Daddy though,” she clarified.

“It isn’t?” Gina asked curiously. “Then what’s it about?”

“Daddy and Dakota.”

Gina flinched.

“…Oh. So that’s why… oh.” She stumbled over to a chair and sat down, rubbing her temples and sighing. “Great…”

Sylvia winced. “I’m sorry, I just-”

“Look, Sylvia, if you want my advice for what to do on your date, I’ll give it to you,” Gina snapped, cutting her off and shaking her head. “But coming to me because I’m the one who knows those two from the past… I don’t know, that’s… I’m not really comfortable with that.”

Sylvia gasped. “What?! No, I’m not-! No, that’s not why! It has nothing to do with your past connection to Dakota, or Daddy! I swear, my girl!”

Now Gina just looked confused. “Then… why? Why me? What have I got that makes you want to ask me of all people for advice, other than the fact that I’m your roommate?”

Sylvia offered her a bright smile in response. “Because you’re the best expert there is when it comes to be a rebellious daughter, my girl!”

Gina blinked, trying to process what the other girl just said.

Then she grinned.

“Oh… well why didn’t you say that in the first place?” She purred, suddenly finding that she liked the direction of this conversation quite a bit after all.

While Gina and Sylvia made their plans, someone else was having a bit of a hectic morning themselves. Nick awoke with a yawn, feeling rather relaxed. He turned over, enjoying the haze of the morning as his dim thoughts struggled to find purchase.

Then he saw the slumbering face of the woman sleeping next to him, and he stiffened.

In more ways than one.

Oh no. Oh, no no no… no! Nick could feel the insistence of his morning wood push up against the inside of his trousers. That was bad. Really, really bad. Fortunately, there was enough space on the bed where he wasn’t touching Ella… Cinder… whoever that was himself. If he had been? Then he might be a dead man right now.

And he would probably deserve it.

Regardless, waking up with an erection was damning in its own way, and he was certain whoever was in control when the girl beside him woke up, she would see it that way too.

I can’t believe I actually managed to fall asleep in a situation like this! It seemed practically impossible. He’d been so tensed and stressed last night with Cinder going to sleep beside him that he had figured he’d be awake the whole night.

But evidently not. He had drifted off to sleep like nothing had happened, and now here he was- sloppy, and woken up beside a beautiful woman who he had a very complicated relationship with, while hoping she wouldn’t notice his erection.

It throbbed in response, almost like it could sense his fear and was purposefully defying him.

Stupid horny thing.

The only chance Nick saw, was if he managed to sneak his way out of bed without waking up his bedmate. And that was a risky proposal if ever he heard one, but it was still better than sleeping beside a ticking time bomb and waiting for her to go off.

So as quietly and carefully as he could, he slowly unwound the sheets from around him, watching the tanned girl carefully at all times for any signal that she might wake up.

It was agonizing, but eventually he managed to extricate himself from the situation, and free himself from the bed.

From there, it was just a matter of getting to the bathroom and taking care of that little impediment in his pants.

He made it halfway before he heard a yawn and a groan coming from the bed, and he froze.

Not sure what to do, and definitely too afraid to turn around or move in any other way, Nick just waited to see what would happen.

At the end, though, curiosity got the better of him, and he figured that if he was a dead man, he might as well face his fate with his eyes wide open.

He turned to see that his partner in bed was now sitting up from under the covers, looking drowsy and still half-asleep.

But which one it was? That he had no idea.

“Good morning…” She said with a yawn when she noticed him. “You sleep okay?”

“Err… yeah, I… I’m fine…” he stammered out. “Good morning…”

She climbed out of bed, not at all looking in his direction, not even to see the erection in his pants. Maybe that was a good thing? But the closer she got to him, the stiffer he became, and in all the worst ways.

But she never said a word, she just passed him on the way to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

What the fuck was going on?

Nick was thoroughly confused. Was that Cinder? Or was it Ella? She had rudely walked right by him, but at the same time, she’d greeted him so casually and politely, with just an “Are you okay?”

Thankfully, his boner was also confused, and by the time the bathroom door opened and the mystery woman stepped out, his erection had calmed down considerably.

“Hello, uh… Ella?” He tried his best.

She blinked, peering out at him from behind her bangs. They covered both her eyes, making it hard to get a good look at her face.

Then she smiled softly.

Nick tensed. “…Cinder?”

She still wouldn’t say anything. She walked past him and climbed into bed, and promptly went back to sleep.

Still confused, Nick just looked over at the other bed, where Mary was snoring blissfully away, completely unaware of what had just happened. He envied her.

Well, whatever that was… whoever that was… it didn’t go the way I thought it would, he thought to himself. I was sure that she’d completely freak out. Did she just not notice or something?

“…Nick?”

He stiffened up in surprise, recognizing her voice. He just didn’t know which “Her” it was.

Ella?

Or Cinder?

…Did it matter?

“Yeah,” he said, preparing to face the music. Too bad he never made it to the bathroom, because he was just about ready to piss his pants. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to talk,” she said quietly. She was sitting up in bed and looked at him with an intensity in her gaze that reminded him of Cinder, but also carrying a gentleness to it that he’d come to associate with Ella.

“Talk?” Nick approached the bed cautiously, **** to inquire about just who he was speaking to. “What did you want to talk about?”

She bit her lip.

“Last night… and yesterday… our date… did you… was it good?” She asked. “Was it a good date for you?”

Again, he had a feeling that it was Ella who was asking. But it could have also been Cinder. If Nick wasn’t so much of a coward, he might have asked. But he had a pit in his stomach that gave him an odd feeling. Like if he tried to push, if he tried to clarify who it was, then everything would come crumbling down on him.

Whether that “everything” was her mental state, the chance of a relationship with her, or the hotel itself, that he wasn’t sure of.

But she’d asked him a question.

“I had fun,” he said honestly. “Especially the parts that didn’t go perfectly. Those were really enjoyable, due to all the surprise.”

The hazy-eyed latina blinked. She looked surprised, and pleased at the same time.

“…Okay then,” she said softly. “…One more question?”

He had the distinct feeling of a mouse staring at a piece of cheese rigged with a spring. He knew exactly what would happen if he accepted her request for another question, but at the same time, what was he supposed to do? Say no?

Nick nodded.

Her voice was as faint as a whisper.

“Do you like me?”

Nick’s voice caught in his throat, and he hesitated. Who had asked him? Which side of his fractured Cinderella was in control right now?

The moment he thought that, he realized that it didn’t matter.

“…Yes,” he honestly informed her. “I like you.”

It might not be love, but it was a start. He liked her, and he wanted to spend more time getting to know her. Whether that was Ella or Cinder he meant, well… they were the same person in the end, even if they were different, right?

The mysterious cutie in his bed seemed content with that answer. She smiled softly and nodded, and then climbed out of bed to come join him.

At the moment, Mary let out a big yawn, a yawn so loud that Nick had to turn and see what was going on.

The door slammed shut behind him. He whirled in surprise, realizing he’d just missed something very important.

Cinder, Ella, whoever she was, she was gone.

He swallowed, and sigh escaped from his lips as Mary sat up in bed.

Who was that? He wondered. Cinder or Ella?

He might never know the answer. And maybe the answer to that question didn’t really matter either.

Some questions don’t have solid answers.

And some do.

“Good morning, Kim!” Dakota popped into Kim’s room with a big smile on her face, happy to wake up the short-haired girl, and her bedmates as well.

Kim had done the smart thing, and bundled herself up in every article of clothing she could find. Not only that, but she’d also wrapped herself up in all the blankets like a big pill bug. She’d created a perfect defense system that had ensured zero human contact would be possible- she couldn’t have been more insulated if she had a bendy straw to breathe through.

Good thing, too, because all that coverage meant she was sweating her ass off, and those clothes were good at absorbing the sweat.

Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin immediately sprung into action, launching herself off the bed and jumping between the bundle of Kim and the smirking host.

The fact that she used Dani’s face as a springboard, well… sometimes collateral damage was unavoidable.

“Ow! Son of a bitch!” Dani cursed, holding her nose. Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin had kicked her right out of bed.

“Good morning ladies,” Dakota purred. “I’m glad to see you’re so… well-rested. Even if you are rather sparsely dressed.”

She was speaking to Dani in particular. The tomboy tended to dress down when going to bed, wearing only some boring old sweats to preserve her modesty.

This time, she’d foregone that, and was standing buck naked.

“…What?” Dani turned red and shielded her breasts from view with one arm, while covering her genitals with her hand.

“Nothing, nothing, I was just surprised. You’re usually more-”

“I didn’t want to get my clothes drenched in sweat, okay!?” Dani exclaimed. “Kim practically flooded the bed last night!”

Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin let out a quiet sigh of exasperation and rolled her eyes. Dakota smirked.

“Don’t be like that,” she said. “I’m sure she isn’t the only one who gets wet while in bed with two lovely beauties. You should be able to sympathize with that.”

Dani glared daggers at her in response.

“What do you want, Dakota?” She demanded.

“I’d like to talk to Kim,” Dakota replied. “Is she still alive in there?”

“Probably?” Dani looked down at the soaked mass of blankets, and started to realize maybe she had overestimated Kim’s endurance.

“Err…”

Blushing frantically and starting to panic, Dani peeled layer after layer of soaked cloth off, before the wrapping began to shake.

“…HAAAH! HAAH!” Kim emerged, soaked through and red in the face, gasping for air as she stumbled forward.

But she’d managed to do it. Through sheer grit and determination, she’d kept anyone else from touching her all night.

“I must say, your dedication is admirable,” Dakota said, holding her hand over her mouth to shield the amused look on her face. “You look a little ragged though. Were you in there all night? How did you manage to breathe?”

“There was enough air,” Kim said snippily, narrowing her eyes at the host. She already knew why Dakota was here, and what she was going to ask.

“Well, good. Now, as for why I’m here-”

“NO.”

Dakota frowned. “At least let me-”

“NO.”

“But if you would just-”

“NO.”

“Kim, you’re being very-”

“I really think-”

“NO. NO! N. O. NO. NO, NO, NO, NONONONONO, NO.”

Dakota sighed in exasperation. “…Come now, Kim, is that any sort of attitude to have? I think that taking another day off work would be very good for you.”

Kim took a deep breath, and calmed herself down.

“…Go fuck yourself.”

“…I’ll take that as a no, then,” Dakota replied with an even smile. “Have a good day. Work starts in two hours, don’t be late.”

Again, some questions don’t have solid answers.

But some do.