Stress Relief Ch. 09

Ari woke up the next day to find her that her phone had frozen in the night from being overloaded with notifications. Great. She sighed, alone in her bed as the morning light squeezed in.

Well, now she has this to deal with.

As she walked through her house, finding more and more evidence of Jake's stay here while she had been away (a moved gallon of milk here, a pair of pants thrown recklessly over there), she hoped that she still had a job.

While she turned her phone off and on, she understood that there could very well be the words "you're fired" written on it, but instead she found a series of texts that confused her.

Nia: Hey.

Nia: Can we talk?

Nia: Don't worry, we're okay.

Nia: Well, maybe we're not okay right now, but rather, we will be.

Ari narrowed her brows down at her phone. "Huh?" She thought. After texting back a quick "sure" Nia promptly replied.

Nia: Thank you.

Nia: The usual place?

Ari: the cafe?

Nia: Yes.

Ari: sure

With that, they'd settled on a time and before she knew it, Ari was splashing cold water on her face to try to wake herself up. She wanted to be as alert as possible. Obviously, she didn't want to lose this great friend she'd made, but beyond that, she needed to be ready to negotiate to keep her job.

So much was riding on this, not just for her but for Nia too. That part made her tense up too. How would this affect her boss's public image? Ari tried to calm herself down as best she could. Before she knew it, she was sitting in that same cozy cafe where everything had started. It was a little cliche, but she was fine with it. She was fine with anything as long as she remained employed.

The front door opened and Ari turned around. She breathed in deeply when she saw Nia striding in. Someone who hadn't spent much time with her would definitely say she was as confident as ever, but Ari could see a few details that let her know some anxiety was hiding just underneath the surface.

The way Nia fumbled for a millisecond as she reached for her purse. The way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes as she spoke to the waitress. Finally, the way she paused briefly as she found Ari.

"I'm so fucked, I'm so fucked, I'm so fucked!" Ari repeated in her mind before trying to calm herself down again.

Well, if there was anything positive about the situation it was how unbelievably gorgeous Nia looked. She wore a white business suit and a golden necklace. She looked like some kind of cheesy gangster, but she made it work.

"Hello." She said, sitting across from Ari. "Are you alright?"

Ari thought, "wow, that's the first thing she asks me?"

"I... I don't know yet." She replied honestly. "I guess it depends."

"On...?"

"On what you tell me." She responded with a small voice and looked down at the table. She was ready for what was to come next. She expected it, even.

But instead, Nia quickly said:

"You're not fired if that's what you're worried about."

She couldn't keep herself from breathing an audible sigh of relief. Nia smirked. Then, the futa added:

"It was just as much my fault as it was yours, after all. I... Um, wasn't thinking clearly."

Ari nodded.

"Y-Yeah, same here."

"Well..." One of the employees went and placed two cups of cold water on the table and Nia quickly took a sip. "It looks like we're a thing now."

"I, uh, yeah. I guess so." Ari nodded.

"Well, let's talk about it," Nia said and leaned back in her chair. "Have you seen what they're saying?"

"Not much, but I get the gist of it," Ari responded.

"Good. So, you're aware the public now seems to believe... Well..."

"That you and I..." Ari couldn't finish the thought.

"That we're in a relationship. A romantic one." Nia clarified. Both girls blushed, but Nia was quick to regain her composure. "It's become quite a thing on social media."

"Okay..." Ari nodded slowly. "So... What are we gonna do about it?"

"I spoke to some people about that, people I trust quite a bit, and they all had the same thing to say."

"Oh? So they already came up with an answer?"

"Y-Yes." Nia stuttered for a moment. "Although... It would require your cooperation."

"I'll help!" Ari announced a little bit more loudly than she would have liked to. She quickly put her hands to her mouth and leaned in. "I'll help. Just say the word."

"Hold that thought." Nia put her hands up. So, basically, ehm..." Nia looked away. "The plan that was laid out to me was... To go along with it."

"Huh?" Ari raised a brow. "What?"

"To go along with what they're all saying." Nia reiterated and Ari's jaw planted itself on the table as she gaped at Nia in shock. "That, we should, you know, pretend to be together."

"Seriously?" Ari asked. "Why?"

"Well, here's the thing." Nia scratched the back of her head. "So, most of the responses to our... fling, have been positive. A lot of people are happy and excited to see me out there with another woman in public. I've never really been the type to exhibit things like that. And people are liking this... New me. In fact," she reached for her phone and showed Ari a few messages. "I've been receiving a few requests to do commercials, sponsorships, some LGBT+ parties. Hell, one rapper asked me to be a music video where I get a lap dance from some pop star." She chuckled.

Ari couldn't believe what she was seeing. Yes, there were a few hateful messages here and there, but mostly the responses were... Pretty damn good.

"You, I think you can see my point," Nia concluded.

"Uh, yeah..." She dipped into her chair and breathed out. "Wow," Ari said.

"Yes, so, the big social media gurus I have working for me believe this is actually an opportunity. That we can pose as a couple for some time, go out, soak up some love and be in the public eye in that way for a while... Then we'd break up, let everyone know we're still friends despite it all, and go our separate ways." Nia's eyes widened and she was quick to add: "romantically, I mean. I don't wish to fire you at all. I treat the contracts I sign as promises, your job is secure for as long as you want it."

"Oh... Okay." Ari looked at herself. "This is a lot to take in."

"I can definitely understand that." Nia reached across the table and placed a hand on one of Ari's own. Ari looked up and saw empathetic red eyes looking back at her. She almost shook her head. What Nia didn't know was, a large part of why it was a lot to take in was because of the feelings churning inside of Ari's mind and soul.

A part of her had seriously begun debating with itself about whether or not she could seek this kind of relationship with Nia in a serious way, without the premise of faking it or whatever. At the same time, her heart was still a little bit wounded from everything that had happened (and was happening) with Jake.

But... It did make sense. As much as it felt like Ari's heart was being toyed with, not by Nia but by fate, she had to agree with whichever experts pitched this to the futa. It probably was the best course of action.

Ari wasn't entirely naive. She knew very well there was no way the futa returned her feelings, as confused as they were. Nia was simply in another plane of reality. She didn't live in the same dimension. All this was, all the past month or so had been, was a dream. A dream in which Ari could spend some time in that other world with the futa.

And all this was now, was another chance to extend that dream. So, would she do it? In all honesty, it didn't really matter how she felt about it. She'd do it regardless just out of sheer guilt over the situation. So, she nodded and said:

"Yeah." She tried to put some energy into her voice. "Let's do it."

"You're sure?" Nia asked, clutching her hand a little more firmly. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable at all. We can try it, and if it gets to be too much for you, if I'm too much for you, just let me know."

Ari nearly said: "I'd take as much of you as I'm allowed. You could never be too much for me."

Instead, she said:

"Okay. Yeah, it makes sense. Let's try it."

Nia smiled and reached over the table, giving Ari a hug.

"Thank you for helping me out here. You're such a wonderful person."

"Nah, that's not true at all." Ari replied.

"No, seriously. I've come to like you quite a bit. I wouldn't want to be stuck fake-dating anyone else." She said with a wink and Ari laughed.

"Yeah, I couldn't have asked for a better fake girlfriend either."

"Oh, I'm touched," Nia said dramatically and both of them laughed. Ari shook her head light-heartedly. Well, it seemed like this was going to be a long year.

---

With the plan being made official, just six hours later Ari was dressing up. She was on the phone with Taylor while she looked herself over at her bathroom. She wore a red v-neck dress and a subtle shade of lipstick with her hair in a ponytail.

"OMG, you're actually going on a date with Nia Stone!"

"I think I'm aware of that," Ari replied with a smile as her friend fangirled in her ear. She left out the part about it being a fake date though.

"When the hell did you two start dating?!"

"About a week ago."

Because they'd been spotted in Halfgreen, Ari decided that their relationship had started there. A small part of her felt like the relationship, if they ever were going to do it, *should* have started there. But, it didn't.

"HOW? WHY? WHO? WHAT? WHEN?" Taylor asked and Ari smiled to herself. She definitely hadn't forgotten just how strange her situation was. Well, even though the date was fake, she was going to allow herself a few minutes of smugness over it.

"We..." Ari figured she could be honest about this at least, "she hired me for the massage stuff I do."

"Oh?" Taylor was surprised on the other end of the line. "Seriously?"

"Yeah and, uh, we just happened to hit it off."

That was pretty much what actually happened, with the only difference being that it didn't lead to a romantic relationship, but instead to a lot of fucking.

"But... Do you still do massage stuff for her?"

"Oh? Yeah." Ari nodded.

"Huh..." Taylor replied softly and Ari raised a brow.

"What's up? You sound concerned."

"Ari, do you plan on continuing your massages for her? I get she must pay a fuck-ton but, sleeping with your boss... I don't think I've heard a story where that ends well."

And, in the span of one phone call, Taylor managed to externalize all of Ari's concerns.

"Yeah..." Ari nodded, "but... Honestly, I think she's worth it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Trust me Tay, she's pretty much as amazing as you could imagine."

"Wow." Taylor said as Ari smiled to herself. "You're whipped as fuck."

"TAY!" Ari cackled. "I'm not whipped!"

They paused for a moment as both girls laughed. Then, Taylor once again had that concerned tone.

"And here I thought you'd be recovering from the whole thing with Jake, still."

"I... I kind of am. But," she tried to reassure her friend, "I'm doing good, I think."

"Okay... Just," Taylor started, "be sure not to give her too much of yourself... This kind of thing, it might be mean of me to say, but it could always end poorly."

"Yeah, yeah. I know."

"Okay, now, GO EAT HER ASS FOR ME!"

"TAAAAAY!" Taylor hung up as Ari blushed furiously.

Well, she couldn't stall any longer. With one deep breath, she exited her home.

Or, rather, she tried to. Jake was standing outside her door. As soon as she exited, he whistled at her and looked her up and down. Ari looked back at him in disgust as his eyes stayed fixed on her chest.

"Damn. Did you know I was coming over?" Jake asked.

"Leave."

"Okay, where are we going?" Jake asked with his eyes still on her tits.

Ari nearly yelled at him, but instead, she took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes.

"Jake, you and I are fucking done. Over. I don't want anything to do with you anymore. Leave."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jake, who apparently finally internalized just how serious Ari was, finally got angry about it. "Who the fuck do you think you are? Who do you think put up with your 'I want to be a massage therapist' bullshit for so long? Now you just wanna throw me away? What the fuck?"

"Every single fucking month I spent with you was a month I wasted," Ari stated. "I should have dumped you so much sooner, but I didn't. I don't know why I didn't, but at this point, it doesn't matter. Just fucking leave."

"This isn't over. You can't just throw me away like this." Jake pointed at her and said but Ari rolled her eyes, locked her door, and stepped past him.

"Give me your key." She demanded.

"What!?"

"This is my house. Give me your key."

Jake clicked his tongue, took his key, and threw it across the street. With that, he turned around and walked off, stomping angrily. "Why do I feel like this isn't over?" Ari sighed and thought.

"Whatever." She said out loud. "I have a date to get to."

---

The front of the well-known establishment "Alter" was as busy as ever. Not that Ari had ever done more than drive past it. This was her first time actually eating at the place. Nia had contacted her and decided that they may as well start keeping up appearances today, and thus, she told Ari that the two of them would eat here and that she would cover the expenses.

All Ari had to do was show up and look like Nia's girlfriend. So, why then was she so nervous?

A black limo pulled up in front of the restaurant and everyone who was filed up into a line suddenly turned to look at it. Nia exited the vehicle wearing a black dress, heels, and black lipstick. Ari was shocked. This was an entirely new look. The futa strode up to Ari with a confident expression on her face.

"Don't look so surprised." Nia leaned forward and kissed the corner of Ari's lips. For a moment, Ari forgot that at least part of this was an act. "It's not like I don't always look at least a little attractive."

"Wow," was all Ari could say in response. Nia laughed and wrapped an arm around her. The two of them completely skipped the line and the people in it didn't seem all that angry about it.

The inside was about as elegant as the outside. Red and black furniture with chandeliers and beautiful employees attending wealthy-looking customers. Nia walked through it like she owned the place and with Ari by her side, she may as well have done the same.

"Table for two." She said at the front.

"Ah, Ms. Stone. Right this way."

They were led to the left corner, where only one table to the side could see them. From here, Ari had a stunning view of the nightlife of Lowlight City.

"I hope you didn't wait for me too long," Nia said. Ari shook her head, knocked out of her thoughts.

"No, it was alright. You, uh..." She blushed a little and looked away. "You look beautiful."

"Oh my, is that the girlfriend talking or the wonderful massage therapist?" Nia asked with a smirk.

"Both," Ari replied with a shy smile. "You're kind of stunning."

"You're not too bad yourself." Nia grinned as drinks were quickly brought to them. "Ah," Nia said, "it's already started."

"Huh?"

The futa cocked her head to her left (Ari's right) and the girl launched a discreet look. She found that the people next to them were holding up their phones secretly aimed at the pair. Ari might have never noticed.

"This is good." Nia indicated before placing a hand over Ari's own. "Remember, if you're uncomfortable at all after this, just let me know."

"I will." Ari nodded. "But I don't think that's going to happen."

"Hm?" Nia raised a brow.

Ari decided to have some fun with this. She needed to let loose after what happened with Jake.

"I don't think there's much you could do to me that I wouldn't want." She said with a low voice and Nia's eyes flashed a brief tinge of lust.

"Seriously." Nia gulped and said again. "What we've been doing... It hasn't been this kind of thing. Let me know if I take things too far. I don't want to take advantage of you."

In her mind, Ari said: "I don't think you have to worry about that."

"Okay." She replied with a smile.

Then, dinner started. It wasn't too much. Just chips and some exquisite meats Ari hadn't heard of along with a martini on her side and tequila on Nia's end. The meal itself was full of laughter and smiles. This scandal, it seemed, hadn't done much to ruin the chemistry that already existed between them.

That in and of itself was a problem. The longer this went on, the more Ari felt like she wanted it. As in, she wanted it to be her reality.

Nia did a good job of distracting her though.

She watched Ari with wolfish eyes. Ari noticed her eyes dipping to her breasts on more than one occasion. If that was how Nia was going to act, two could play at that game. Discreetly, she pushed her tits together, pushing them out as she leaned forward to give the futa as good a view as she could.

Nia bit her bottom lip and brought her eyes up to look at Ari. There was a question in her expression and if Ari was reading it right, it wasn't exactly suitable for an audience. With a clear of her throat, Ari stood and walked to the bathroom. Nia followed shortly after.

Ari walked in first. Nia locked the door afterward.

The restroom was pristine. Not a speck of dirt to be found. It was spacious too, Ari considered for a moment that this place could be bigger than her living room. As she looked around, a pair of hands went around her waist.

"You're such a fucking tease," Nia whispered against her neck.

"If that's what it takes to get you in here, then it's worth it."

Nia spun her to where they were basically hugging now, their eyes level with each other.

"You sure you can handle me?" Nia asked.

"You've fucked me pretty hard already. Yeah, I think so."

"One of these days, Ari," Nia started with a grin, "you're going to get me way hornier than you're willing to take responsibility for."

"If I can't walk the next day, I'll blame you." Ari shrugged. "Easy."

"I'll take the blame then. It's worth it."

With that, she leaned in and the two kissed in what was now a well-rehearsed act. Ari felt like she knew every strategy Nia liked to employ. The biting of her lips, the subtle swipes of her tongue. It was a familiar bliss.

Nia pinned Ari to the white wall and inclined her head to allow for an even deeper kiss. Trusting the futa to carry her, Ari moved to wrap her legs around Nia's waist and the futa picked her up. She was already starting to feel a hardness coming from the businesswoman. It made her hungry.

She smiled into the kiss, loving the fact that she could have this effect on such a powerful person. "I never really thought of myself as such a fucking bottom, but whatever." She thought. "It feels so good."

Then, Nia briefly let Ari's legs fall back down, bringing her hands up to her cheeks.

"Huh?" Ari wondered as Nia looked like she was planning something.

"Open your mouth." The futa instructed. Ari did as instructed and then, Nia actually spit into it. Shocked, Ari's eyes widened. Nia put her palm over Ari's lips and got close enough to where their noses touched. "Swallow it."

Ari had no idea how to feel about this, but she did it and the look Nia gave her was worth it.

"Good girl." Nia brought her hand away and the kissing resumed but with a much more passionate pace. As their tongues danced, Nia lifted up her dress and lowered her panties. Instantly, Ari felt a hard cock poking her belly.

The kiss ended with a strand of saliva connecting them and Nia looking into her eyes with demand. Ari knew what she was asking for without the futa even having to say anything at this point. So, she dropped to her knees and quickly kissed the head of her dick.

A few tentative licks later and Nia had her hands on Ari's head with a grin on her face.