You wake up to the distant sound of sizzling food, the noise of cars outside, and a cool set of sheets laid out over your bare chest. The bed you're in is far more comfortable than the one you're used to sleeping in, and it's warm too, though there's a warm spot to your side that is now vacant.
The hangover from last night is a dim thing easily ignored, little more than a quiet reminder that you went out drinking. The satisfying soreness running through your body is its own reminder of something else you got up to that was just as fun.
You stretch and sit up, then climb out the bed and locate your pants and shirt, pulling them back on. They're in a sorry state, but they'll have to do until you get back to the hotel. You swipe a hand through your messy hair to try and get it back under control, yawn, and then pad out the door on bare feet to find the source of the noise. You don't know Kali's house, but you manage to follow the sound to the kitchen, where the woman is cooking something on a stove with her back to you.
"Good morning," you say.
Kali stiffens. "Ah. Yes, good morning. I hope I didn't wake you."
"It's fine. Is that breakfast?"
"Y—Yes. I felt I should cook since you… well… you…" Kali croaks off and slumps. "Oh my god, are we really doing this?"
"Hm?"
"Pretending this is normal," she says, almost groaning. "That I'd take a boy half my age home like some cougar and take advantage of him. Oh my god, I can't believe I did that. You must think I’m such a slut. " Kali makes an unhappy noise deep in her throat. “Would it even matter if I said I’m not normally like that? It was a bad night, and I was feeling down, and then the alcohol and the mood, and you were flirting and it made me feel good, and it's been a long time since I've had—" Kali cuts herself off violently. "Gods, the alcohol! It's making me say stupid things even now!”
Kali bangs the palm of her hand into her forehead.
"This is the last time I drink ever! I—I'll understand if you're horrified or want to call the police or—"
You step up behind her and wrap your hands around her stomach. Kali freezes, then twitches in shock as you bring your hands up to cup her heavy breasts. You know she's on the edge of a panic attack, but you think this is probably the best way to fix it. To show her that she's worrying over nothing.
It was just a one-night stand, and you’re the last person to get emotional over that. Besides, she showed you a fun time, and leaving her to agonise and feel guilty would be a poor way to repay her for it.
"This would have been better if you were wearing an apron."
"I—I am…" she stammers.
You chuckle into the back of her neck. "I mean an apron and nothing else."
Kali twists and turns herself around between your arms. She's nervous, sober now and having lost a lot of her fiery self-confidence from the night before. You'd never put her at Velvet levels of anxiety. This is more the `I got drunk and slept with someone I shouldn't have` brand. A more understandable degree of panic.
But she needn't worry, and you show her that by capturing her lips in yours. Kali melts into you, hands rubbing over your shoulders and massaging your chest.
And then she snaps out of it, pulling her lips from yours, a guilty flush across her face.
"We shouldn't."
"Why not?" you ask. "You were all for it last night."
"I was drunk last night."
"You were sober enough to invite me home with you, show me there, get me out of my clothes and ride me to orgasm." Kali moans shamefully. "And, judging by that reaction, you were sober enough to remember every last detail."
Your hands cup her full behind. There's too much to grasp with two hands, which is just how you like your MILFs. Kali's own hands remain on your chest, her own rising and falling as her breathing quickens.
"You're sober now," you point out, slowly moving in. "So, if you really want to stop me, you have your chance."
Kali doesn't stop you.
Your lips touch once more.
And a door clicks open.
"Mooom!" calls a voice. "I'm hom—ack!"
There, in the door, stands a girl that you recognise from a bookstore you visited only a day ago. And seeing her again strikes you with the sudden realisation that the woman you bedded, and that you are locking lips with right now, looks an awful lot like her.
A single mother whose daughter is at university.
Really, what are the fucking odds…?
"You!" howls Blake, pointing.
"Mmmpg!" you reply calmly, into Kali's mouth.
"Blake! Dear!" Kali greets, pulling her lips from yours and trying to act, for all the world, like there's nothing unusual going on here at all. Just a boy her daughter's age, in her mother's house, barefoot, clothing rumpled, grasping her mother's ass. "You're home! What a surprise. You don't normally come home this early on a weekend."
Blake's finger is still outstretched, but the bizarre greeting from her mother prompts an equally bizarre response. "It's ten."
"Oh." Kali titters helplessly. "Then maybe it's later than I realised."
"Mom," hisses Blake, ears flattening atop her black hair. "Who. Is. He?"
"Ah. Well. Him."
Kali's tittering turns slightly hysterical, and her eyes flick about, desperately looking for an explanation or an excuse for what even she must be unsure of. You're strangers who met and had sex, and yet rather than leave in the morning you encouraged her for more. Kali is as confused as Blake is, and that might just be your opportunity.
"He is—"
>TAKE CONTROL: "I'm your mother's new boyfriend."
>SAY NOTHING: You're better off staying out of it.
"I'm your mother's new boyfriend," you say, hooking your hand around Kali's waist and smiling at Blake.
Kali freezes.
Blake snarls. "Liar!"
"It's not a lie," you say. "Is it, Kali? We met last night and got on really well. I might not have asked properly yet, but now is as good a time as any. Would you like to go out sometime, Kali? A romantic evening with just the two of us?"
Kali blinks down at you, surprised, but also something more. Her lips flutter, and her eyes search yours, and then a pink blush works its way over her face, and she looks away, all shy and embarrassed.
You can see Blake's stomach dropping in real time.
Obviously, Kali knows you're lying, and she isn't so stupid as to not be able to figure out why. But, at the same time, offering her a date is no great loss on your part, and you're both free to say it "didn't work out" after and spare her any hurt feelings.
"I wouldn't say no to a date…"
"Mom, no!" Blake whines. "Say no! Say no to the date! He's a creep!"
"He is?" asks Kali.
"I am?" you ask. "What did I do?"
"You… well…" Blake flounders. All you did was stand in a bookstore and talk to Tukson. Sure, you might have been caught looking, but that's not a crime. Of course, if Blake knew about your real job then she might have some ammunition to work with.
If you'd tried anything skeevy with her then she'd have ample ammunition as well, but you didn't so much as flirt. You introduced yourself, she threw a huff, and that was it.
Kali might have issues too when she finds out your employment, but that's a bridge you can cross later. Neither of you asked what the other did for work, so you've got the perfect excuse of "it never came up" to fall back on. Besides, it's not like porn stars don't date. There's nothing to say you can't date Kali, and there's nothing to say she won't star in a video if you can open her up to the idea.
Either way, dating her doesn’t promise anything. It doesn’t mean Kali will be inclined to work for you, or that you should stop working. It’s just an agreement to meet up every now and then and spend time together. And if that time is anything like last night, then that’s no chore. The chance to learn more about Blake is just icing on the cat-MILF cake.
"He gives off that vibe," Blake eventually says.
Kali giggles.
"I'm serious, mom!"
"Yes, dear, I'm sure you are. And your vibes have never been wrong before. He's been a perfect gentleman with me – and weren't you saying I should get back on the market and find myself someone? I did just that."
"Someone your own age, mom! He's as young as me!"
"Age is just a number," you say, leaning in to kiss Kali's cheek. The older woman giggles happily, while Blake goes through a whole range of unhealthy colours. "And what can I say? When I saw your mother, I knew I had to take my chance. A beauty like her could be snatched up any day."
Blake takes a long breath and holds it for ten long seconds, then releases it and looks to her mother, blocking you out of her sight and banishing you from existence. "Mom," she says, voice tense. "Can we talk? Privately?"
"Oh dear," says Kali. "I think I'm about to be told off by my own daughter."
"It looks that way," you say. "I guess that's my cue to leave." You turn to Kali, and lean in, and you're rewarded by her doing the same. Your lips meet, and the kiss is far longer than a chaste goodbye's should be.
Blake fumes.
And then growls when Kali writes down some digits on a scrap of paper and slides it into your shirt pocket. Her number, and a silent invitation to continue this again another time. You release her and brush past Blake, doing your best not to spontaneously combust under her glare.
If she had her way, you'd be reduced to ash. Luckily, she doesn't, and you let yourself out and close the door just in time to cut off her tirade. Kali will be fine, you're sure, and Blake will get over herself.
She'll have to know you're welcome in her home.
By the looks of it, Blake comes home for the weekends, so you might be able to run into her there. During the week, she's probably at Beacon in the dorms.
You've got yourself a girlfriend, which is the last thing you expected to happen. It's not wholly honest either if you're being truthful, because you certainly don't intend to stay faithful or locked down to one woman.
Luckily, you can claim that anything else is just work, and you're sure you can convince a lonely old woman desperate for love to take that at face value. And, if all else fails, then you can happily let your dates fail.
How hard can being a bad date be?
But if you do want to bring her over and get her in the business, then you know you'll need to open her up to the idea of filming a video or two, and then of joining your empire more fully. Blake won't approve, but Kali is a grown woman who can make up her own mind, and a body that fine, and the skills to leave you gasping, will surely make a lot of money.
But, for now, she doesn't know what you do, and you're free to keep it that way or broach the subject on your first date. She can't argue you were deceitful if you bring it up at the literal first chance, can she? The worst that happens is that she doesn't like it, you break up amicably, and go your separate ways.
For now, it's Saturday.
Your day is as free as any before it, but there's a lot more that happens on a Saturday than any other day of the week. The city comes alive, and there are special events that take place that don't happen at other times or on weekdays. It might be a good idea to take Emerald to some of those, but you have other options.
There's no saying you have to attend those of course, as there will be plenty more weekends, but they won't be available again until next weekend.
You’re not sure what kind of mood to expect Emerald in when you return to the hotel, but you’re not surprised she managed to make her way down to the buffet on her own and is polishing off what’s likely to be her second plate of breakfast. She doesn’t look upset. She looks clean, rested, and rather pleased with her meal. You stroll over and sit down opposite her, watching her pause in fear, then relax when she realises it’s you.
“Morning,” you say.
“Mm.” Emerald swallows. “Morning.”
“How was last night? I’m sorry I couldn’t come back.”
“It was fine.” If anything, she looks confused as to why you’d think it otherwise, and then she latches onto the wrong idea. “Uh. Are you asking about my butt? Because that’s sore, but not as sore as I thought it would be. The lube really helped.”
It’s not quite the conversation you expect at breakfast, nor, apparently, the one the couple on the next table expected, because they get up and move away before you can think up a proper response. Maybe it’s best to just roll with it.
“Okay. Good. And were you okay with me being gone?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, I just thought me not being there might have been distressing.”
“I got a full night’s sleep without your penis pushing up against my privates,” she says, pointing her fork at you. “And I wasn’t sweaty, or tired, or sore. It was great. Besides, you haven’t done wrong by me yet. You even rang me to say you’d be out and coming back today. It’s not like you lied.”
Hm. That’s true. Emerald is obviously clinging to you, and with good reason, but she’s used to living on the streets alone, so staying in a comfortable hotel room for one night isn’t going to break her.
“Plus, you left your laptop and clothes there, so I knew you’d come back.”
Or maybe she just thought about it as a balance of probabilities. Either way is fine, you suppose, if she isn’t freaking out. Then again, if she really did have a problem then she would have mentioned it on the call last night, or, more likely, made it clearer that she didn’t want to be left alone for the afternoon.
“Well, that’s good to hear. I thought we’d shake things up a little today.”
“Oh?”
“For starters, I thought we’d film a video in the afternoon instead of the evening.”
Emerald’s curious expression fades into a roll of the eyes. “Wow. That’s really shaking things up. Careful you don’t step outside your comfort zone.”
It’s a novel experience being sassed by her, but not an altogether bad one. A little attitude keeps things entertaining, and as long as she stays devoted and loyal to you, then you’re not afraid of a little ribbing. Interesting girls will make for better actresses, and prostitutes if you ever decide to take her that way. No one likes bedding a limp fish.
“The reason we’re going to be doing the video in the afternoon is because I want to trawl the nightclubs later tonight,” you explain. “It’s Saturday, so they’ll probably be packed. I figure it’d be a good chance to scout for potential actresses, but I don’t want us to miss out on money by skipping another video.”
Emerald nods. “Okay… And…?”
“Well, the first thing I wanted to ask is whether you want to come out clubbing—”
“No.” Emerald shakes her head rapidly. You’re a little surprised by the severity of it, but then she explains. “I saw a lot of people drunk when I was on the streets. I always thought they looked like zombies. I don’t want to be stuck with loads of people like that. I’ll just stay here.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“As long as you promise to come back, yeah.” Emerald shrugs, and it doesn’t look like she’s hiding any pain. “And I get the bed, the TV, and your laptop for myself. That’s fun. I don’t get what people like about getting drunk and spending loads of money. And that’s another thing,” she adds, “It’d cost twice as much if I went.”
Those are a lot of good points she raises, and you can’t find much complaint with them. To be honest, you only wanted to bring her along out of a concern that she'd feel abandoned on her own, but you suppose that doesn’t really hold true when you’re having sex almost every day. At best, you’re leaving her for a couple of hours, most of which she’ll be fast asleep for.
In many ways, Emerald is fragile, but in others she’s remarkably resilient, and as long as she’s sure you’ll come back and not abandon her, there isn’t much that can worry her. Though, you can’t help but wonder if that would change were you to bring Kali over and introduce her as your girlfriend.
Emerald might be fine with you having sex – given that you both agreed only the day before that you should be fine having sex with other people – but bringing something deeper into your relationship might leave her feeling threatened.
“What are we doing this morning anyway?” she asks.
“We’re going to check the slave market.”
Emerald pauses. “Why…?”
“Curiosity, mostly,” you say, shrugging. “We’re not in a great position to be bidding on an auction, but this is the grand market. It only happens once a week on a Saturday, and I’ve heard it’s when the best slaves are sold. I thought it’d be a good idea to check it out, get a feel for the prices, and how it all works. For future.”
Emerald hums. “You’re not suggesting I should become one, are you?”
“That wouldn’t be legal or work anyway,” you say. “Anyone who offers themselves as a slave instantly becomes property of the state until they’re sold. If you signed up, I’d have to buy you back to get you as a slave. I’d basically be paying for you when you’re already fully on board with everything.” It’d be pointless, and you smile in what you hope is a convincing manner. Emerald appears to accept it. “There’s really no point. But,” you add, “there’s no reason we can’t use slaves later on. It’d make videos a lot easier since they wouldn’t need to be paid.”
“Hm.” Emerald nods. “It’d be another mouth to feed, though.”
That’s true. Velvet would take care of her own needs if she were to join you, but any slave you took on would require you to cover all their costs. That’s fine. You’re not really intending to go there with a vision for buying anyway. It’s enough to get an idea of how it works so you can judge the profitability for later.
Knowledge is power after all, and seeing the real thing first hand is best.
Author's Note:
Original Quest: https://fiction.live/stories/Running-the-Red-Light/z3DQkYE5X8YBXovZ8/home
Visual Novel: https://andoravn.itch.io/running-the-red-light