The Hazeldale Art Museum was one of Kayla Grace’s favorite places in the city, but today, she wasn’t just here to admire the exhibits, she was here for work. The museum’s newest addition, the Asian Art Conservator Center, had been making waves in the city for its dedication to traditional restoration techniques, and it was Kayla’s task to introduce it to the readers of the Hazeldale Tribune with a special story. Needless to say she was quite excited.
Kayla moved through the museum with purpose. Her loafers clicked softly against the polished marble as she walked through the museum’s main hall, pausing for a moment to admire the intricate statues that lined the path, snapping a quick photo. She was familiar with most of them, after all she was a regular at this place. She loved coming to see each new special exhibit and had been coming to do so for quite some time now.
Following the signs to the conservator center, she was led down a staircase to the lower level. The deeper she went, the quieter everything became. It was more like she was in an office building now than a museum, with hallways that were a bit more narrow and plain decor. Nestled in the back of the building she came across a set of glass doors, the conservator center behind them. A tv was set up on the wall just outside, playing a looped featurette about the center. One of the interviewees was the woman Kayla had come to meet with today actually: Maiko Nishimura.
Maiko was an elegant and beautiful woman, soft spoken and deeply dedicated to her craft. You could tell from the way she talked about the center and about art restoration that she had a deep love for the practice, confident and humble all at once. Kayla stopped for a moment to watch the tv, basking in the glow of Maiko’s endearing personality. Pulling herself away, Kayla headed into the center, ready to meet Maiko in person now.
The change in atmosphere was immediate as she stepped through the glass doors. The conservator center was bright and tranquil, with warm lighting and a faint scent of aged paper and wood polish. The space was lined with workstations covered in tools—delicate brushes, thin sheets of handmade washi paper, and small trays filled with mineral-based pigments. Large scrolls and paintings rested on the tables in various stages of restoration.
“Kayla? That must be you. Come on in, I’m just inside.”
Kayla recognized Maiko’s voice, it was buttery smooth and projected well without ever sounding strained or harsh. Walking over to a sliding door, Kayla peered into the room from which Maiko had called out. She spied Maiko in the corner, adjusting some overhead lights to better illuminate the large scroll that was laid out on a low table hovering just above the floor which was actually a set of tatami mats.
Maiko was just as beautiful in person as she was on the tv. Her long dark hair fell over her shoulders and down her back. She wore a soft, brown sweater tucked into a charcoal-gray skirt, her legs encased in a pair of sheer black pantyhose with tall black socks covering her feet and pulled up to her knees. The tall brown boots she had been wearing were sitting off to the side near the entrance to the room, allowing her to walk across the tatami mat in her socks so as to not track any unwanted debris.
She looked up as Kayla entered and gave a polite nod before returning to her task—carefully rolling up the delicate scroll on the workstation, setting it aside, and then pulling out another one.
Kayla approached the edge of the tatami flooring and slipped out of her loafers, leaving them beside Maiko’s boots. Her sock clad feet crunched softly against the bamboo flooring which was quite soft.
"Miss Nishimura, hello." Kayla greeted with a warm smile. "Thanks for agreeing to do this. I appreciate you taking time out of your day to meet with me.
Maiko straightened, offering a polite bow of her head. "Oh, the pleasure is all mine. And please, just call me Maiko.”
"Will, do," Kayla replied with a grin. “What are you working on here?”
“Oh, just some pieces for our Edo Period display upstairs. I felt like some sections were looking a little bare, so I wanted to expand it a little bit. Should be ready by next month I think. Don’t worry, we’ll send out an announcement once it’s all ready.”
Kayla smiled, “amazing. That sounds really cool. Seems like you’re pretty intimately involved down here then?”
“Yes, very much so.” Maiko smiled faintly, then gestured to the scroll on the table. "I hope you don’t mind. I wanted to finish unrolling this before it settles too long in one position. I was trying to have it all done by the time you got here, but it’s been a busy afternoon. May I?"
"Oh my god, yes, please go for it," Kayla said, pulling out her notepad and pen. "In fact it’s great to get to watch the process. It’s part of what I want to write about—helping people understand how much goes into preserving pieces like this. Capturing some of that detail is what I hoped to do.”
Maiko nodded approvingly. "That sounds great. Feel free to take any photos you like as I do this. Just no flash, please.”
Kayla nodded, watching as Maiko gently brushed the surface of the scroll with a soft-hair brush, moving with practiced precision. Taking out her camera, Kayla snapped a few photos too.
"Wow, this one looks ancient," Kayla observed as she stepped around and took a good look at the painting. "What’s the story?"
"This particular one is about 400 years old, maybe more" Maiko explained. "The pigments are mineral-based, so they’ve lasted remarkably well, but the silk mounting is deteriorating. Our goal is to reinforce it without compromising the original materials."
Kayla jotted down notes. "That’s incredible. And this center—you’re using traditional techniques here? Can you explain more about that and why?"
Maiko nodded. "As much as possible we try and stay true to the original ways of maintaining and preserving art. We work closely with artisans in Japan to ensure that our methods are as thorough and true to the process as possible. The tatami flooring, the kinds of tools, the way we prepare the drying boards, all of it we do with intention in mind."
Kayla’s gaze wandered across the room, taking in the meticulous setup. "It definitely shows, I mean this place looks incredible. I am a sucker for some tatami flooring though, so I may be biased.”
"So am I," Maiko said with a smile. "But yes, thank you for your kind words about this space. It’s been a real labor of love helping to design it and bring this whole space to life. I’m just really thankful the museum was able to secure some good grant money for us. That was huge.”
Kayla took a few more photos, as she and Maiko continued their conversation while Maiko worked on the scroll. Kayla managed to get some really nice photos, and the material she’d gleaned from just this first meetup was solid.
“Wow, thank you for all that,” Kayla said, watching as Maiko put away the scroll and switched off the overhead work lights. “What a neat closeup of your whole process!”
“Did you get some good photos?”
“Did I ever!” Kayla remarked, “yeah it all looks great. I’d love to just schedule a longer meetup with you once I’ve got the story mostly composed. You know, so that you can look things over and make sure it all sounds good and I’ve portrayed things accurately.”
“I would love that,” Maiko responded cheerfully, “just let me know and I can find some time for that.”
"Great! I’ll send over the details when I’m ready."
Kayla closed her notebook, signaling the end of their meeting. They both moved toward the bench near the entrance, where their shoes were neatly lined up. Kayla sat first, pulling on her white cotton socks to make sure they were snug before slipping into her black loafers. Next to her, Maiko reached for her brown boots, pulling them over her sock clad legs with the tops of her socks just peeking over her boots.
Kayla adjusted the strap of her bag and stood. "Thanks again for your time, Maiko. This was really insightful. I’ll be in touch soon."
Maiko gave her a small, appreciative smile. "I look forward to it, Kayla."
With that, Kayla turned and stepped back through the glass doors, heading up the stairs and out from the museum. Her next stop was back at the Tribune. Her first order of business once she was back was to set her bag down and grab some coffee in the break room.
The place was empty save for the coffee pot, which was half-full—lukewarm at best, but she wasn’t about to be picky. She grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured herself a cup. Turning around she leaned back against the counter, swirling the coffee around as she just took a minute to relax.
She was just about to take her first sip of coffee when the door to the break room swung open.
“Kayla Grace,” came the familiar, slightly amused voice of Jennifer Lee.
Kayla didn’t turn immediately, in fact she didn’t even trouble herself with a response. She just rolled her eyes and then took a big sip of her coffee.
Jennifer strolled inside with her usual sharp, confident stride, heading straight for the fridge. She wore a tailored navy-blue blazer over a crisp white blouse, her black pencil skirt perfectly pressed. A pair of sheer black pantyhose covered her legs, ending in sleek, designer heels that clicked softly against the floor.
Kayla took another sip of coffee, willing herself not to focus on anything other than the caffeine entering her system. Especially not the rear end of Jennifer that was sticking out as she leaned into the fridge and grabbed an iced coffee.
Jennifer pulled out the drink, twisted the cap off, and leaned against the counter, eyeing Kayla with a smirk. “So? What kind of peril are you going to get yourself in today?”
Kayla exhaled, finally turning to face her. “No peril. Just a standard piece for the museum. Zero life-threatening danger to be had. Just art conservation. It would be boring if it wasn’t so goddamn interesting, at least in my opinion. Sorry to disappoint.”
Jennifer snorted. “Somehow I get the feeling that you’ll find some way to make this perilous.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” Kayla shot back, despite the fact that she was well aware of her track record.
For a moment, things felt normal—like any other exchange they’d had before. But then, for just a beat too long, Jennifer didn’t move from where she was leaning, her eyes lingering on Kayla. Catching herself, Jennifer turned away, taking a big sip from her coffee as she tried to play things off.
Kayla also turned back toward her coffee, quickly shaking her head. “Anyway, I’ve got notes to organize. Just because it’s a standard piece doesn’t mean I don’t want to knock this shit out of the park. Later, Jennifer.”
Jennifer smirked. “Sure thing, I have some field work I need to get to myself anyway.” She pushed off the counter, straightening her blazer as she whisked past Kayla, brushing into her shoulder with a slight bump as she passed.
Kayla scoffed as Jennifer tossed her hair back before pushing the break room door open and striding through.
The rest of the day was pretty routine for Kayla. She spent the afternoon organizing photos and notes before beginning to put together her story, arranging all of the details in the most compelling fashion. Before she knew it, the clock was already reading 6pm, and it was high time Kayla headed home.
By the time Kayla stepped through the door of her apartment, she was ready to just have a quiet night in. She let out a deep sigh, dropping her bag by the entryway before toeing off her loafers, leaving her sock-clad feet against the cool hardwood floor. Rolling her shoulders, she padded toward her bedroom, already anticipating a much-needed change into something just a bit more comfortable.
Peeling off her skirt and blouse, she swapped them for a soft, oversized t-shirt and a pair of thick black leggings. She stretched her legs out, flexing her feet for a moment before grabbing a pair of thick, slouchy gray socks from her drawer, pulling them snug over her feet. The warm, cozy fabric bunched slightly around her ankles, as the rest of it was pulled taught over her toes.
Just as she was tying her hair into a loose bun, the doorbell rang.
She shuffled toward the door, unlocking it to find Madelyn and Andrea standing on the other side, both bundled up in equally cozy attire.
Madelyn wore a plush hoodie and dark leggings, her feet clad in fluffy white crew socks over some basic tennis shoes. Andrea sported a long-sleeved sweater over a pair of her own leggings with cotton socks bunched over the tops her converse.
The scent of pizza hit Kayla immediately as Andrea lifted the box in her hands with a grin.
“Hope you’re hungry.”
Kayla stepped aside, motioning them in. “Starving. Get in here.”
The three of them settled onto the couch, the open pizza box perched on the coffee table in front of them. Kayla pulled her legs up, tucking her socked feet beneath her as she grabbed a slice.
“So,” Andrea said between bites, “how did it go at the museum? Anything crazy happen?”
Kayla snorted. “You know, it was shockingly normal.”
“Good,” Madelyn replied, “normal is good. Because normal for you usually means no ropes.”
“Exactly,” concurred Kayla, “and after the week I had last, I’m glad. My jaw still aches a bit from the size of that ballgag…god what a fucking nightmare. And to smash my socks against my nose like that…I mean come on.”
She said this as Madelyn and Andrea snickered, clearly amused at Kayla’s unfortunate predicaments. They continued to eat in comfortable conversation, catching up on their respective days, laughing over some ridiculous gossip Andrea had picked up from eavesdropping on some passengers, and swapping complaints about the rainy weather settling in over Hazeldale in the spring season.
Then, after a pause, Madelyn leaned back against the couch with a satisfied sigh and smirked. “So. Guess who’s tagging along with me tomorrow?”
Kayla arched a brow. “For what?”
Madelyn shot a knowing look at Andrea, who groaned.
“Oh wow.” Kayla’s expression immediately turned amused. “Don’t tell me that...”
Madelyn’s smirk widened. “Andrea’s coming to one of my bondage shoots.”
Kayla choked on a laugh, turning to Andrea. “Seriously? What, just to watch or to participate?”
Andrea lifted her hands. “I’m swear I’m just there to watch.”
Madelyn gave her a pointed look. “Yeah, you say that now, but we all know you’re going to want to give it a try once you see how sexy I look all tied up under those spotlights.”
Andrea groaned. “Yes, we all agree you’re hot as fuck, Mads, but I’m just really not in the mood to get tied up tomorrow. I have a date that night and I don’t want rope marks all over me.”
“Nonsense!” Madelyn exclaimed. “The more rope marks the better. He’ll think you’re super kinky that way. Could be a turn on.”
“Yeah, or he thinks I’m a freak,” Andrea countered, “either way, my mind’s made up.”
Madelyn waved a dismissive hand. “We’ll see.”
Kayla smirked. “Well it sounds fun either way. Maybe I’ll have to stop by some time too. I’m sure they’d love to get some exclusive shots of Hazeldale’s ‘reporter in peril’ you know?”
“Oh my god, yes!” Madelyn was so excited. “That would be amazing.”
Andrea shot Kayla a betrayed look. “Way to go, Kayla. Now you’re really giving her ideas. You were supposed to be on my side.”
“I am on your side. I just know how Madelyn operates.” Kayla took another bite of pizza. “And let’s be honest, Andrea—with your little social media presence I mean…you’ve got a lot of fans already. This would probably give you a huge boost.”
Andrea rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it, making Madelyn cackle in victory. The three of them then sat in silence for a moment. A burning thought making its way from Kayla’s mind to suddenly a feeling at the back of her throat, to suddenly…
“Hey so uh, not to change the subject or anything but uh…”
Andrea and Madelyn locked their eyes on Kayla, waiting on bated breath to see what she had to say. Kayla cleared her throat.
“So there’s this coworker I have, he’s been asking me questions about a potential relationship that he’s interested in. Not with me, with someone else…of course. This is about them not me…”
Kayla’s words tangled themselves up, but thankfully Madelyn and Andrea hadn’t seemed to notice.
“Anyway, there is this other coworker and she is always getting on his nerves. In fact they both get on each other’s nerves. Like all the time. But he were telling me that a while back at a company party, when they were both uh…drunk…they kissed, and now everything is awkward between them. He wants my advice. But I’m like…well I just like don’t know what to say. But what do you guys think?”
She finished her thought, popping a handful of popcorn into her mouth as she tried to act as calm and natural as possible. Thankfully it was working.
“Just tell him to get the fuck over himself, and ask her out!” Madelyn immediately piped up.
“Really?” Kayla asked, “you think it’s that simple? I mean they’re coworkers and like this beef they have with each other I mean…it kinda goes way back.”
“Who cares?” Madelyn shrugged, tossing a handful of popcorn into her mouth. “If they’ve kissed then that’s clearly a sign they don’t totally hate each other. And even if they do, they’re never going to find out if they don’t actually sit down, like adults, and have a real date and talk things through.”
“Wow, you hopped right up on that soapbox, huh?” Andrea teased.
“Hey,” Madelyn threw up her hands, “call me crazy, but I think that more people need to be brave and just ask the person out that they like. So what if she says no? It sounds like things are already awkward because of the kiss. Why not just do a full send?”
“Hmm, you're making some good points there,” said Andrea, “I guess I second that. Mads is right.”
Madelyn pretended to drop an invisible mic, making a soft boom sound afterwards. Kayla laughed, but despite her cheerful outer appearance on the inside she was sweating bullets. The more and more she thought about it, the more and more she realized that the only way to get over these feelings she had for Jennifer was to confront them head on. She had been waiting months and months to get over them, but they kept on coming back.
Eventually, Andrea yawned, stretching her arms over her head. “Alright, I should probably head home before I pass out here. Tomorrow seems like it’s going to be an…well let’s just say an unpredictable day, so I’d rather be prepared for anything.”
Madelyn stood, stretching as well. “Yeah, early day tomorrow. Gotta make sure Andrea gets a front-row seat to the magic, and for that I require a good night’s sleep.”
“Thanks for the hangs,” Kayla said, sticking out her feet and giving them a wiggle as she said goodbye to her friends.
After Madelyn and Andrea gathered their things, Kayla walked them to the door, exchanging goodbyes before locking up behind them.
With a tired sigh, she made her way toward her bedroom, climbing into bed and pulling the blankets up around her. The sound of the rain tapping against the window was a familiar lullaby. Usually it would put her right to sleep, but these days she found herself staying up a bit later at night, her mind replaying that fateful kiss with Jennifer.
Over and over and over.
. . . . .
Maiko adjusted her skirt, smoothing the fabric as she made her way across the museum’s dimly lit lower level. The sound of her boots clicking against the marble floor echoed in the quiet hall. She was the last one in the facility at this hour, and it was her job to lock up.
thump. thump.
Were those a footsteps?
Maiko looked up. She could have sworn she had heard something coming from the floor above her. Clenching her fists, she headed up. She had always been built with nerves of steel, and no matter what awaited her above she would face it head on and with resolve.
Arriving in the grand hall, she looked around, particularly in the direction the noise had come from. There was nothing. The museum was dead quiet.
But then, from across the way she spied a door ajar. It was usually open during the day, but at night it was to be closed and locked. She sighed, making her way over and shutting the door. Whoever was in charge of closing the upper level must have forgotten about it. Maiko was glad she double checked, after all this is exactly why there was always someone to do a final walkthrough.
After she felt like everything was closed and secure, Maiko headed back down to her office real quick to grab her bag before leaving. She made her way up the stairs and to the main doors. All that was left was to leave the building, lock up, and then arm the alarm system from her phone.
But as she reached for the door handle, another hand reached out for her, clamping over her mouth.
“Mmmph!” she shrieked, eyes going wide as her voice was muffled by a strong, gloved palm. Arms wrapped around her torso, yanking her back. She kicked her legs, but her attacker lifted her clean off the ground. Her boots swung uselessly in the air.
“Hrrrrmph! Mmmmph!”
A second assailant appeared, grabbing her wrists and yanking them behind her. Rope tightened around them instantly, coarse fibers digging into her skin. She twisted, trying to break free, but they were too strong.
“Wrrrrmmggph! Mmmph!” Her screams came out weak and garbled against the firm grip on her mouth.
The first goon leaned down, voice smug, clearly female. “Going somewhere?”
The hand over Maiko’s mouth was released for a moment, giving her a chance to respond.
“As a matter of fact I wammmmrrrmmph!”
But before Maiko could finish her sentence, something was shoved past her lips—a thick, dry sponge. It expanded instantly, filling her mouth, cutting off her ability to protest.
“Mmmph! Gggggnnnnnph!” She thrashed, her eyes narrowing in anger as her mouth was packed full.
The intruders didn’t waste time continuing to tie her up. With her wrists now bound and her mouth crammed full of sponge, she was much easier to deal with. The second intruder circled around to Maiko’s front, scooping up her legs so that she was now totally lifted off the floor between them.
“Mmmmmrph!” She squeaked as she was hoisted up and carried away.
They dragged her further into the museum, stopping at one of the many storage closets. Throwing the door open, the goons unceremoniously tossed Maiko inside. She landed with a soft thump against a stack of folded linens, struggling to push herself up, hair spilling around her face. But before she could react, they were on her again.
One of the intruders had positioned themselves behind Maiko, grabbing her shoulders and propping her up. Her partner pulled out another length of rope and began looping it around her torso, pinning her arms to her sides in the process.
The thick fibers slid across her fitted sweater, stretching the soft fabric taut against her curves. The first loop circled just beneath her chest, drawing inward and pulling her arms flush against her torso. The next pass wound higher, framing her breasts with a snug embrace that emphasized their shape. Maiko twisted, her breath hitching as she felt the rope press into her, the snug sweater doing little to shield her from the rough texture.
“Almost done, princess,” one of the women sneered.
"Mrmmmph! Mmmph!" Maiko roared through the sponge stuffed in her mouth, her glare as fierce as ever.
The second masked intruder tilted her head, watching Maiko’s cheeks bulge around the gag. “Eh, this gag needs some work. She’s still making too much noise.”
The first goon smirked, crouching in front of her. "Yeah… lucky for us, we’ve got better options."
Maiko barely had time to react before she felt their hands at her feet. Her eyes widened in outrage, her body jerking as she felt one of them tugging at the zipper of her knee-high boots.
“Nnnph mnn nnrm phnnch mm hnnphph mnn frmnhph!!” She roared, as they slipped both boots from her feet leaving her in just her tights and socks now.
“There we go…look at that!” One of the goons remarked with a smirk.
“Hmmmmmmph….” Maiko huffed furiously into her gag, glaring daggers at the women as they slipped her long black socks from her legs, leaving her in just her sheer black nylons now.
One of the goons held Maiko’s discarded socks in her hands, testing their thickness with a wicked grin. “Yeah, this’ll do nicely,” she muttered.
“NNNNNMPH!” Maiko protested, shaking her head as her long black hair shook wildly about.
The goon behind Maiko reached forward and yanked the sponge from her mouth, a thin string of saliva clinging to the damp material as she tossed it aside. Maiko barely had a second to catch her breath.
“Someone hellmmmmmmmph!” Her cries for help were immediately silenced as the goon in front of her jammed her first sock into her mouth.
The sock was soft but dense, balled up into a wad that pushed heavily against her tongue, pressing it downward and preventing any coherent speech. It didn’t taste great either given that she had been wearing them all day, but at least it was soft.
“There we go, nice and snug,” one of the goons said with amusement, holding up the second sock.
“Nnnph mnn nnrmmmph!” Maiko whined frantically, her jaw straining around the massive wad of sock.
Taking the second one now, the woman pulled it between Maiko's lips before tying it off at the base of her neck underneath her hair. Her cheeks swelled as the additional sock stretched her lips even further as it pulled against her cheeks. Her once-furious protests had now been reduced to pitiful, muffled whimpers.
“Phhnph nph phnnnnmph nncnmmmn fnrrrrmmph.!”
Her glossy red lips barely managed to seal around the obscene gag. They stretched wide, trembling slightly from the sheer volume of the stuffing as her cheeks bulged. A small glisten of saliva had begun to form at the edges of her lips, threatening to spill over as she instinctively tried to work her jaw around the massive intrusion. But there was no give. Her mouth was completely packed.
“Perfect,” one of the goons grinned, running a finger along her stuffed cheek. “Nice and quiet now.”
“HRRRMMMGGPH!” Maiko snarled, though it came out as little more than a smothered hum.
The other goon held up a roll of tape. “Time to really seal the deal.”
Taking the tape the women wound reams of it around Maiko's head, trapping her long black hair beneath it. They continued to wrap layer after layer of tape around her mouth until nearly her entire lower face was encased with the shiny sticky material.
“Nnnnrrmph!” Maiko let out a furious, muffled grunt, her breath hot against the adhesive as the goons worked.
Once they had finished, one of the goons tilted Maiko’s chin slightly, admiring their work. “There we go. Now that’s a gag.”
“Nghhhh mnn nnphgnphphnng frmnhmmmmph!”
Maiko glared furiously, her cheeks hot with frustration. She paused for a moment though, her eyes catching something new the goon in front of her was pulling out from her bag. It was a few packs of pantyhose, 50 denier to be exact.
“Pnnphmhnphmmmrrmph?!”
Maiko was genuinely curious what they had planned for these, but at the very least she knew it couldn’t be good. The goons tore one of the packs open and bunched up the sheer nylon material, pulling it wide before lowering it toward her head.
“MMMMPH!” Maiko shouted underneath her suffocating sock stuffed gag, eyes wide as she looked up at the pantyhose looming above her. Unfortunately for her, there was no stopping them now, bound and gagged as she was.
The silky fabric slipped over her scalp, tugging her hair back as it stretched down over her face. It smoothed against the contours of her cheeks and the ridges of the gag beneath. They pulled at least two more pairs over her head, her face now totally buried under the layers of nylon as her vision was now nearly completely obscured.
“Mmmmmmmph…” she moaned under the weight of it all, the tight sensation of the nylons pressing against her eyes, ears, and nose as her primary senses were all but muted now.
“Don’t have much to say now, huh?” One of the goons teased, her own voice muffled now, at least for Maiko, seeing that she had three pairs of pantyhose over her head pressing against her ears.
“Mmnh hmncnnphm nm gnggmn mnn nnnrrrmnph,” came her muffled reply.
“Come on, we better finish up here. This is only part of the job, remember? We need to make sure we actually leave with what we came here for. Let’s not overindulge.”
“Right, let’s get her on the floor then.”
“Mmmmmrrffph…” Maiko tutted as the goons lifted her from the pile of linens and carefully lowered her to the ground, setting her on her stomach. Gripping her nylon clad legs, one of the goons carefully wrapped a bunch more rope around her ankles before pushing her feet up toward her rear so as to hogtie her.
“Gggggmph!” She moaned as the rope was pulled tight, her chest lifting off the ground slightly as her body was cinched together in this restricting position.
The goons stepped back, admiring their work one last time. Beneath them, Maiko lay on the cold closet floor, bound, gagged, and utterly helpless. The sheer nylons clung to her face, the fabric stretching snug over her delicate features, muting her expressions beneath its silky veil. Her lips, still bulging from the thick stuffing packed inside, barely moved against the oppressive layers of tape that sealed them shut.
“Lllmmmmph mmmph,” her grunts were thoroughly muffled under the many layers as she shifted around a bit in her hogtie.
“Guess that’s our cue,” one of the goons said, dusting off her hands. “She ain’t going anywhere.”
The other chuckled. “Have fun, princess.”
“Gggggnnnmph!” Maiko barked back, but her cries fell on deaf, uncaring ears.
Packing their bags, the thugs quickly filed out of the closet, slamming the door shut behind them as their footsteps trailed off.
“Mmmmmmph…” Maiko whimpered, testing her bonds immediately. She pulled at her wrists, shifting her shoulders, trying to find any slack in the ropes encasing her, but it was no use. Every loop had been cinched mercilessly tight, ensuring she could do little more than flex her fingers and clench her fists. She wiggled her feet, her toes flexing through her nylons. Being trussed up like a holiday turkey, that was about all she could do.
The struggle had left her skirt in disarray, the hem riding scandalously high up her thighs. Every wiggle and twist caused it to inch a little higher, baring more of her pantyhose-clad legs as she writhed on the floor. By now it was threatening to rise up over her rear end, she could feel the hem of it sliding over her nylon clad bottom with every squirm.
“Hmmmmmrrrmph,” she sighed, settling down after a rigorous bout of struggling.
With every strained breath, the pantyhose stretched and flexed over her face, molding against her features as she panted through her nose.
“Mmmph…mmrrrrph!” she huffed, twisting her shoulders and arching her back slightly, but all she accomplished was a slow, helpless sway from side to side.
It took her a while to accept this, but she was going to be stuck like this for a good while. It wouldn’t be until early the next morning when the cleaning crew arrived that they discovered her. She was adamant about keeping the press away, no one was to know about what had happened. Well, save for but one lucky journalist.
“Holy shit…” Kayla whispered, seated at her desk at the Tribune. She didn’t plan to have much on her plate the day following her interview with Maiko. All she had to do really was continue putting together her story. In fact, she was hoping to spend some time over at her favorite cafe to do some writing.
But as fate would have it, or perhaps more like routine at this point rather than fate, trouble had found its way into Kayla’s life. This time in the form of a scattered text message from Maiko.
“Kayla, so sorry, but there’s been an incident. Hard to explain, but someone broke into the museum last night. Not sure who. They tied me up, like really really tied me up. So these guys were no amateurs. I want the press as far away from this as possible. But I do need help so if you don’t mind, and if you can be discreet, I’d love to meet with you. I may have some thoughts on who is all behind this. Please meet with me this afternoon and we can talk more in person.”
Kayla leaned back in her chair, reading over the text message again just to be clear she was reading it right. She crossed one of her nylon clad legs over the other, her loafer popping from her sock clad heel as she absentmindedly bobbed her foot up and down.
“Uh oh, something must be up.”
Kayla looked over to see Toby walking up to her desk. He wheeled over an empty chair and sat down, coffee cup in hand.
“Why do you say that?” Kayla asked, spinning her chair to face him as she crossed her arms.
“You’re doing that foot bounce thing,” he said, pointing down at Kayla’s foot, her loafer still dangling in the air.
“Damn, you got me there,” she said, uncrossing her legs so that she could wedge her foot back into her shoe.
“So what’s going on? I thought this was just a standard fluff piece.”
Kayla sighed, crossing her legs again, “yeah, it was. Then I got this text. Here, check it out.”
She slid her phone in Toby’s direction across her desk. He leaned in, reading over it carefully. His jaw popping open when he got to the juicy part.
“Oh, Jennifer’s going to have a field day with this one,” he said with a snicker.
Kayla scoffed, rolling her eyes, “oh, I’m sure. Don’t worry, I started mentally preparing myself as soon as I saw that text. At least this is evidence now that this kind of shit follows me around, that I'm not always running into trouble and asking for it.”
“Good point,” Toby nodded, “but hey I mean, this doesn’t come as a total surprise. What with the whole grant situation and everything.”
Kayla perked up a bit, “wait, what do you mean?”
Toby paused for a moment, cocking his head slightly before realizing.
“Oh my god, did you not know about this? About the beef between the museum and the Smith Auditorium?”
“They have beef? What the hell? Yeah that’s news to me, wow.”
“Yeah, it’s crazy. So get this, both of them were lobbying for that grant money. In the end the museum got it, and like as all of that stands who cares, right? But then, out of the blue, this big ballet event was cancelled. It was this collaboration between the ballet company, which is also owned by the people who own the Smith Auditorium, and the museum. They’d been doing this dance for the New Year like for the last…ten years? Anyway they just up and cancelled it. Rumor has it, the owners of the Smith Auditorium are really mad at the museum.”
“Mad enough…to hire people to tie up Maiko, who just so happens to conveniently be the head of the new conservator program that is directly benefiting from the grant?”
Toby threw both of his arms up. “Doesn’t seem like just a coincidence to me. The timing of it all is just…really suspect.”
Kayla’s fingers drummed against her desk. “Damn,” she muttered. “This just got interesting. Okay listen just…don’t tell Jennifer anything yet. She’s going to be soooo annoying if I end up tied up as a result of this.”
Toby motioned as if zipping his lips and throwing away the key.
“Thank you,” Kayla replied, standing up from her desk and smoothing out her skirt. Grabbing her things she waved goodbye to Toby before heading out to the museum. As she rode the elevator down to the lobby she could feel a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. Try as she might to play it off, she was really damn excited her story was taking a turn for the more interesting. She lived for this kind of thing after all, the chance to cover a breaking story and being the only one with the keys of unleashing it to the world. It was a thrilling feeling.
At the same time, just across town, Madelyn and Andrea were getting their day started. They were shooting with a well known bondage website: Hannah’s Damsels, and they were shooting with Hannah herself at her very own apartment.
It was a cozy, eclectic space, full of life, much like the woman herself. The walls were adorned with vintage bondage photography, art books stacked in neat piles beside plush cushions, and an assortment of plants scattered around every corner, adding a burst of green to the room. The furniture was soft and modern, with cozy throws draped across the couch and the occasional piece of quirky décor—like a retro lamp shaped like a hand or a colorful tapestry hanging above the windows.
Hannah hummed softly as she set up her camera equipment, the clicking of the tripod as she adjusted the angle of the shot. There was a lighthearted energy in the air as she moved around the room, a contrast to the more serious energy of a traditional photo shoot. She was confident, comfortable in her own skin, and her personality radiated that same confidence.
“Alright, Madelyn, I am just about all good here. You ready to go?”
Madelyn, already dressed in the outfit they’d carefully picked out, gave her a mischievous grin. Her look was classic: a buttoned-up white blouse with the top button undone, a tight gray pencil skirt that barely grazed the top of her thighs, sheer black pantyhose, and sleek kitten heels. She crossed her legs in front of the full-length mirror, glancing at herself and letting out a playful sigh.
“Let’s do this!”
Hannah chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. “Yay! Okay, and you remember the gags we were doing today, right? You read over all the details and stuff?”
“Yes, and it all sounds good.”
“Okay, perfect, I’m so glad,” Hannah said, making sure all of the rope and other accessories she would need were ready to go.
Madelyn took a seat at the desk, getting ready to get into character.
“Okay, I have hit record and we are rolling,” Hannah declared, taking one last look in the nearby mirror at her own reflection. She was dressed similarly to Madelyn, in a tight skirt, sheer pantyhose, and tall black boots, her long curly hair cascading down her back.
Andrea leaned forward from the couch, her eyes trained on Madelyn as the scene began. Madelyn was busy, pretending to work away at her desk, stacking papers, typing on the computer, just doing normal office worker kind of stuff. Then Hannah walked into view.
“Jane, listen, we need to talk,” she said.
“Oh, what is it, Miss Meadows?”
“Your performance last month was…well, to be blunt it was shitty.”
Madelyn pretended to pout. Andrea felt starstruck watching her like this. She was such a good little actress! Yeah, she was acting for a bondage studio, but she did it with such professionalism. The both of them were just naturals. It was no wonder Hannah’s site was so popular. That, and she was an excellent rigger.
“Look, I know it was bad,” Madelyn said, “but I’ve been working really hard and I know I can do better. Just give me another chance.”
“I’m afraid we’re all out of chances here, Jane.”
“Oh please, I’ll do anything I just…don’t fire me.”
“Hmmm, anything, you say?”
“Yes, oh my god, literally anything.”
“I might have something in mind, don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.”
Hannah walked off camera for a moment, grabbing some rope and a bundle of nylons in her hands. When she returned she held this up as Madelyn looked it over, a puzzle expression on her face.
“Rope? Pantyhose? What are you going to do with those?”
“Oh, you’ll see. Now, stand up and walk over here. Hands behind your back.”
Madelyn scoffed, but ultimately complied, walking around to the front of her desk. She turned around, her back facing Hannah, as she placed her arms behind her, crossing her wrists as she did so.
“Very nice,” Hannah proclaimed, taking some rope and tying Madelyn’s wrists.
She made a few passes around Madelyn’s wrists before crossing the over the coils she had already made, between Madelyn’s wrists now before making a tight knot. Not only did this ensure Madelyn’s hands couldn’t come free easily, it looked great. Next Madelyn’s elbows were tied as Hannah really smashed them together. Madelyn was flexible though, and this was no trouble to her.
Try as she might to play the role of naive secretary, her body language betrayed her. She was clearly so into this, her eyes watching lustfully as Hannah added more ropes to her torso. At one point, Hannah pulled a knot connected to the chest harness she had applied and it really cinched Madelyn’s shoulders back, a soft breath escaping her mouth as her lips parted. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out, the corner of her mouth turning up in a satisfied smirk.
Once Madelyn’s upper body was sufficiently tied, Hannah grabbed a few pairs of pantyhose and held them up near Madelyn’s face.
“Ready to open wide?”
“For those? You’re going to put those in my mouth?”
“Hey, it’s either that or be fired, remember?”
Madelyn opened her mouth to reply but quickly shut it, her lips turning up into a pout.
“Atta’ girl,” Hannah replied. “Now, open up.”
Madelyn obeyed, parting her lips to allow Hannah to stuff in a wad of pantyhose. The silky nylons were packed into Madelyn’s mouth, with plenty of room to spare for more. Hannah helped herself, packing in a few more pairs. By the time she hit three pairs, Madelyn’s mouth was practically bursting, but she seemed to be taking it like a champ.
“Mrmmmph hhhhmph,” she moaned around the wad of tights, her jaw all stretched out thanks to her mouth being forced wide open. Somehow, and Andrea wasn’t sure how Hannah managed this, but another pair of tights was worked into Madelyn’s mouth, her speech completely garbled now.
“There…we…go,” Hannah said, enunciating every word as she gave Madelyn’s mouth packing a few ceremonious pokes, just to make sure all of it was nice and secure in Madelyn’s gaping gob.
“Mmmmmmmph,” Madelyn moaned as Hannah followed up the gag with oodles of tape wrapped between her lips.
“Alright, now let’s just get you up here,” Hannah announced, lifting Madelyn up slightly and shifting her onto the desk.
“Mrrmmmph,” Madalyn squeaked softly as she was scooted onto the desk.
From here, Hannah tied Madelyn’s legs, first at the knees and then at her ankles. Once she was finished, she stepped back. This was Madelyn’s queue.
“Mrmmmph mmmph!” She groaned, flexing against the ropes as she wiggled her legs up and down a bit.
“Now you just stay put,” Hannah declared decisively before walking fully off screen now.
Madelyn gave a few spirited grunts, bouncing her legs slightly on the desk as she tugged playfully at the ropes holding her arms tight against her sides. Her skirt had started to ride up as she squirmed, revealing more of her sheer black tights—her thighs pressing together with every wriggle. Her glossy black heels dangled loosely from her toes, and after a few determined kicks, the first shoe tumbled to the floor with a soft clunk. The second wasn’t far behind. She flexed her toes back and forth, wiggling them and rubbing her feet together.
Andrea, seated nearby on the couch, couldn’t help but chuckle watching Madelyn’s committed performance. She wriggled around like this, humming through her gag as she playfully struggled atop the desk, her skirt fully pulled up over her ass now as she made sure to turn her backside toward the camera, allowing for some nice shots of her pantyhose clad rear and the white underwear she wore beneath it.
Soon enough, Hannah walked back onscreen.
“Whoa there, looks like someone is enjoying this a bit, huh?” Hannah asked with a mischievous grin, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.
Madelyn paused, then nodded eagerly, her eyes wide and gleaming behind her strands of blonde hair, some of it plastered to the side of her face underneath the tape. “Mmm-hmmph!”
“Oh really?” Hannah leaned in close to Madelyn’s face. “How about we turn things up a notch then?”
Madelyn nodded again, this time more eagerly. “Mmph pmmnphmmmrrmph!”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Hannah purred.
With practiced ease, she pushed Madelyn back onto the desk before swinging her legs around so that she was parallel with the length of it. Hannah took a long length of rope and connected Madelyn’s ankles and wrists in a very snug hogtie.
“There we go, nice and tight,” she said, giving Madelyn’s rear end a playful slap.
“Mmmmhhhmmph,” Madelyn replied, clearly savoring every moment.
“Here, let’s get this off real quick,” she said, slowly unwrapping the tape from around Madelyn’s face. With a deep breath, Madelyn spat out the soggy wad of pantyhose, her jaw aching but her eyes still sparkling.
She blinked up at Hannah, her lips glossy and parted, catching her breath.
“Good girl,” Hannah murmured, brushing a few strands of blonde hair out of Madelyn’s face. “Now, let’s see… what should we stuff that pretty little mouth with next?”
Madelyn didn’t answer—she just gave a breathy chuckle and tilted her head expectantly.
“Ah, yes, I know just the thing,” Hannah exclaimed before kicking one of her legs up on the desk next to Madaleyn, her boot landing on top with a gentle thump.
Madelyn’s eyes flicked down to the boot, then up to Hannah’s face, catching the playful gleam in the rigger’s eye. Her breath hitched slightly, the anticipation mounting as she realized exactly what was coming next.
Hannah slowly unzipped her boot, revealing not only the rest of her nylons but the cute pair of socks she wore over them. They were white with little hearts on them, reaching her mid calves in length. Hannah removed her boot in its entirety, letting it fall to the floor as she arched her sock clad foot back and forth.
Madelyn let out a faint moan and wiggled in place as Hannah rested the still-warm sock right under her nose, letting her catch a whiff.
“Get a load of that,” Hannah teased, giving Madelyn’s cheek a soft pat.
Sitting down on the desk now, Hannah reached down and removed her other boot so that both of her feet were clad in only her socks and tights now. The socks didn’t remain on her feet too much longer, for as soon as she was free from her boots Hannah was peeling off her socks next.
Madelyn licked her lips in anticipation as she watched Hannah wave the socks around.
“You ready to be a good girl again and open wide for me?” She asked.
Madelyn happily complied, stretching her mouth wide open for Hannah.
“Perfect,” she purred, taking one of the socks and gently pushing it past Madelyn’s lips and into her mouth.
The first slid in easily, filling her mouth but only partially. The second sock took more effort—Hannah pressed it in slow and firm, watching as Madelyn’s lips stretched around it.
“What a good girl,” Hannah whispered, giving her chin a little tap. “Look at you with those cute little socks in your mouth. God, you’re adorable!”
“Phhnnh mnnnnrrmph.” Madelyn groaned deeply, her jaw full again, cheeks puffed and lips parted. Her eyes fluttered slightly as she adjusted to the gag, squirming on the desk with a soft arch of her back.
Hannah wasted no time sealing it in. She pulled a fresh roll of clear packing tape from her back pocket and began wrapping it around Madelyn’s head, tight and fast—once, twice, three times—each pass smoothing the socks deeper in place. The last wrap cinched over her lips, pulling them snugly closed, the socks now locked deep in her mouth.
“Now that,” Hannah said, tearing the tape with her teeth and smoothing it down, “is a properly gagged damsel.”
She stepped out of frame again, giving Madelyn the opportunity to writhe around on top of the desk, moaning and mewing into her sock stuffed mouth as she carefully squirmed atop the desk. Hannah adjusted the camera during this part too, getting closeups of Madelyn’s fluttering feet and her exposed nylon clad rear.
“Oooookay, I think that about does it,” Hannah announced about ten minutes later, “let’s get you out of there.”
Madelyn gave a muffled sigh of relief—or maybe disappointment—as Hannah approached the desk, her fingers already working the knots at Madelyn’s ankles. She moved with practiced grace, gently peeling the tape from Madelyn’s face before plucking the soggy sock stuffing from her mouth.
“Mmmph… wow,” Madelyn murmured once her jaw was free. “Those were some thick socks.”
“Yeah and you did great with them,” Hannah said with a wink, carefully untying the last of the hogtie. “I’ve been wearing those all morning so I’m sure they were nice and tasty for you.”
Madelyn chuckled breathlessly, sitting up and stretching her arms overhead as the ropes slid off her torso.
“What did you think, Andrea?”
Andrea stood up from the couch, walking over to just behind the camera as she watched Hannah continue to untie Madelyn.
“Yeah I mean, you were great,” she said with a smile, “you were really great, actually. That was fun to watch.”
“Well, I do aim to entertain,” Madelyn replied with a mock curtsy.
A few minutes later, the trio gathered in Hannah’s cozy breakfast nook for some lunch. They had just one more thing planned and then that would be a wrap on the day.
Madelyn flopped onto the bench seat beside Andrea, still in her tights and blouse, her cheeks flushed and hair slightly tousled. “Whew. Nothing works up an appetite like being hogtied on a desk.”
Andrea laughed, watching as Madelyn tugged her blouse straight and crossed her nylon-clad legs under the table. “I’ll bet. It looks like you were having fun though.”
“Oh, loads of fun,” Madelyn replied, eagerly reaching for the bowl of sliced fruit Hannah had set out.
Hannah slid into the seat across from them, now barefoot in just her nylons. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and grabbed a slice of apple, grinning as she looked at the two of them.
“You were beautiful up there, Madelyn,” she said, resting her chin in her hand. “That last gag is going to be a big crowd-pleaser for sure.”
Madelyn smirked, her cheeks still slightly pink. “I’ll bet. Folks love a good resourceful kidnapper after all.”
“Okay,” Hannah began brushing some crumbs from her hands, “so once we’re done with lunch here, we can finish with just a fifteen minute break as we relax for a bit, then I have one more scene I want to shoot.”
“Perfect,” Madelyn replied, “oh hey, can Andrea be in it?”
Madelyn turned toward Andrea who was already giving her the side eye.
“Don’t you think it would be fun if we did a scene together?” Madelyn said this as she batted her eyelashes at Andrea. She was really trying to sell her on this idea.
“I don’t know, Mads,” Andrea said, hesitancy in her voice.
“Well have you done any bondage modelling before?” Hannah asked.
“Not so much modelling as getting to experience the real deal, you know? Being friends with Kayla Grace has roped me into more perils than I can count.”
Hannah laughed, “oh yes, I can imagine that. Okay, so you’re familiar with the idea of being tied up and everything, so that’s good. I mean it would be really neat to star in your first real bondage studio session. People go crazy for a first timer.”
“It’s true,” Madelyn nodded, “some of my earliest work just like blew the fuck up. Besides, you’ve got that whole nylon foot fetish social media account. I’m sure your fans would go absolutely crazy if you posted some bondage content.”
“That is a good point,” Andrea couldn’t help but agree.
“And those tights you’re wearing,” Madelyn added, gesturing toward Andrea’s legs, “chef’s kiss. You’ve already got the vibe.”
Andrea rolled her eyes and sighed, but despite her initial reluctance she couldn’t help but admit that she was indeed interested at the idea of being tied up with Madelyn. It did look like a lot of fun, being tied up in this kind of a context at least. Plus, she knew it would be a huge hit with her online fans.
“Okay, sure what the hell, why not,” she finally agreed.
“Oh my god, yay!” Madelyn exclaimed, clapping her hands together excitedly.
“Awesome, okay let me get a few things prepped first,” Hannah said this as she stood up from the table, “I just need to print out my waiver for you and have you sign a few things. Shouldn’t take long. After that we can get rolling.”
“Yay,” Madelyn cheered, reaching over and giving Andrea a side hug, “oh my god you are going to have a blast!”
Andrea looked down at her legs, absently smoothing her tights. “I hope so. We’ll see how sore I end up later…”
Madelyn chuckled before the two of them went back to their lunch, making sure to fill their stomachs before the shoot ahead.