LOG: Oshitari Yuushi and Echizen Ryoma/Ryo'ko
Who: Oshitari Yuushi and Echizen Ryoma/Ryo’ko
What: They meet to give Ryoma an ego boost
When: the first day of the genderbend
Where: The cafeteria
Rating: pg 13
From one “date” with a lovely lady to another in one day. Oshitari Yuushi was really getting around today. He had just finished helping Keigo with her...problems. It had been quite the enjoyable experience. He also had seen a sweet vulnerable cousin. And why wouldn’t he. He was worried for Kenya, after all. That had been...even more enjoyable. And something he rather wanted to do again. But first the Casanova of Hyoutei had another stop to make. That being to the school cafeteria to meet with another of the newly minted young ladies in the camp. Ryoma Echizen.
He hadn’t seen Echizen in years. However, he still remembered the attitude and the rest had just been conjecture. In his mind eye, he had seen Echizen as this petite young minx with Grade S zettai ryouiki. And being the leg man that he was, he did so enjoy that little space of flesh between the top of the stocking and the bottom of a too too short skirt. And so what if he has sort of been hitting on Echizen? Echizen was a woman at the moment, and Yuushi firmly believed that all women should be treated as the highly attractive beings that they were.
He entered the cafeteria and wasn’t too surprised that there weren’t that many bodies around. Most, he supposed, were like Keigo...and had locked themselves away for the time being. If made him wonder how he had escaped unharmed, retaining possession of his little tensai when so few others had. But that was a worry for another day. Instead, he looked around for the young man....woman...he was supposed to be meeting here.
Quite honestly, Ryoma had been almost a no-show. He (no she) had been downtown, shopping with Kevin, and when they returned home, she had in fact bought herself a sailor fuku. Simply to get the chance to try it on for once in her life. Referring to herself as a girl was one of the reasons she simply wanted to hide away somewhere and most definitely not meet up with Oshitari Yuushi of all people... But.
The sailor fuku suited her. The thigh high socks - very tight-fitting - accented her legs that weren't all that bad, if she could say so herself... Well, save for the ugly scar on her right ankle of course. It made the sock look odd and wobbly, but there wasn't much she could do about that. Her hair was ridiculously long and she had it tied up in twin tails - which Yuushi had pointed out, all so very kindly - and it tickled her neck and back like mad... But she couldn't risk having it hanging out outside the wheelchair either, didn't want it to get caught up in the wheels.
The cafeteria was surprisingly empty, so she quickly spotted Oshitari. Deciding that it would be better to approach him as quickly as possible to get the awkward stage over and done with, she called out:
"Hey! Over here."
He heard the voice. Higher in pitch. Almost...cheerful in a strange way. And since there wasn’t many other people, it must have been for him. Turning, the tensai immediately spotted a young woman he had never seen before. He smiles to himself. He loved it when he was right. Twin tails. Cat eyes. And....the stockings showing just a little bit of thigh. Oh yes. Lovely. He didn’t note the wheelchair until after a long moment of feasting his eyes on the creature that was Echizen.
He put on his best meet and greet smile, which was perhaps only a step below pervert in a dark alleyway, and walked over. His stride smooth and a bit lazy. Oshitari Yuushi never hurried for anything. He took his sweet time in all he did. Something that both delighted and infuriated his past lovers.
“Hello there.” He greeted. “Aren’t you lovely today, Echizen.” He was hedging a bet that this young lady was indeed the one and only Echizen Ryoma. He would feel silly if it wasn’t.
"Yeah, I am." Ryoma said, holding her head ridiculously high to counter the fact that she felt incredibly self conscious like this. Not to mention weirded out. "... I hope." And that little line slipped out before she could help herself. So lame... "You look kind of like my cats do when they've caught a fat rat, though."
Perhaps, instead, he should have gone with his unreadable poker face. But it was fine. He could look without touching, even if touching was a lot of fun. He was a gentleman when it counted, somewhere deep in there. Besides, what the young lady needed right now was some confidence and that Yuushi could easily provide.
“Hope no longer.” He murmured, that silken tone in his rich accent becoming a velvet purr. “You are a vision of beauty in a sea of ugliness.” Because all women deserve to feel beautiful and special. “I thought I heard angels singing when you called out for me.” He said the line with such honesty sincerity that it was hard not to take it completely seriously. There was a reason why he was well received at most debutante parties. “I fear I don’t have a rose, or I would have presented it to you. But then it would have become jealous and wilted on the spot by being next to you.” But enough of the compliments... “I am pleased you’d agree to meet with me, though.”
"Whoa..." Ryoma's eyes widened and she could feel herself blush - why did she do that, that was utterly stupid and she acted like a bimbo and was this what having a blood system full of estrogen did to you? - and actually had to look down for a moment, before she managed to gather her wits about her enough to look up with a tiny smirk.
"It's like you've opened a book on the worst, sappiest pick-up lines ever and somehow made them your own. Gotta hand it to you, you've got talent, Oshitari-san." She held out her hand - thin and small, with stupid looking wrists, if she could say so herself - for him to... do something or the other with.
The hand was held out to him. It looked frail. He took it so carefully in his. Carefully, as if she was fine china. In the next movement, he was kneeling before her, on one knee. His movements were elegant and refined. If it wasn’t for his shirt and jeans, he could have easily passed for some romantic earl in a girl’s novel. He even had the poetic ponytail for it. “It is the greatest pleasure.” He stated and brushed his lips, silky smooth and full of such wickedness, over her knuckles, kissing her hand. “To once again make your acquaintance.” He looked up, still bowed over her hand. “I am but a humble servant to your beauty and at your command.” With that, he stood again, letting the hand go by gently placing it into her lap.
“Now, what’s say we move our little...rendezvous...somewhere more comfortable, hmmm?” He nodded towards one of the tables, where they could sit and talk.
He had actually kissed her hand. And not just some quick peck on it either, like he was simply doing it because it was the proper thing to do and he'd rather do something else entirely, but... There had been a certain sensuality to it, and it both flattered and disturbed Ryoma. Golden eyes lingered on him for a moment before she nodded, green strands of hair flying in front of her face. She brushed it aside with an impatient gesture and started to wheel over to the table he had singled out for them.
"So... You have any idea why you're not... infected?" She had thought she'd say 'affected', but infected sounded so much better. Because honestly... Something had to be very, very wrong here.
He followed behind her. She was independent. He would not offer to push her chair for her. But he did do what any gentleman would. He removed a chair in her way so that she could put hers in it’s place. Only once she was comfortable did he sit. Sit and remove his glasses for a moment, as if to clean off some imagined smudge on them. Perhaps it made him look a bit more contemplative. Then they were back over the bluenette’s eyes.
“Honestly,” He stated, “I haven’t the slightest idea why I wasn’t touched by this. Perhaps it is just the whim of fate or there might be something about me that prevented me from changing. I certainly isn’t because I’m enjoying it. Which I am. It’s not often I get to be surrounded by so many incarnations of Venus. There is a lovely goddess wherever I turn.” And so not to make Echizen jealous he added, “though you are highest among them.” Like he would have told any other “girl” had he been talking to her instead. “And I’m sure to get my comeuppance later.” He wouldn’t tell Ryoma what he had been up to earlier, but Yuushi knew that his cousin nor his former captain were going to forgive him any time soon for taking such advantage of a bad situation.
“I could give some explanation, but I doubt it would be correct. So I’ll just go with, I’m a lucky bastard...though I shouldn’t use that word in present company. You’re a lady now and I should remember your delicate ears.” From teasing, to down right flirting.
And that blush wouldn't leave her alone. Unconsciously, she reached out to toy with her hair, it was so long now, it was good for fiddling with, because she felt she had to keep her hands busy somehow. So... She was nervous. And that was completely, utterly stupid and pathetic, but what could one do? "I... I still remember each and every curse I've ever learned, believe me. You don't have to act all weird, okay?" She huffed, tugging at her hair. "I'm still me." But then again, she had never spoken a lot with Oshitari Yuushi, so what would he really know about who he/she was? The craziness of the entire situation apparently made her brain shut down considerably. "I... And I'm not delicate!" She would not add a 'stupid' after that. She would not. Stupid tsundere stereotypes and whatnot...
He laughed. It was the sort of sound that filled an entire room and made it feel like the listener had been dipped in a bath of rich warm chocolate. He couldn’t help it. He supposed that was true enough. Keigo was still Keigo and Kenya was still Kenya. They just had been...unwillingly reassigned. Of course it would be the same for Ryoma. Why wouldn’t it be. But it was still cute to hear such words from such a pretty girl. And the way she played with her hair. She really was quite a fetching creature.
“Of course you’re not. You’re a strong, beautiful woman and I apologize profusely for insulting you and insinuating such a thing. I will refrain from doing so again.” Such ease. Such grace. Yuushi was as much a master at the apology as he was at the compliment. “Say you forgive me.” He entreated, looking over the rim of his glasses with a truly sorry look upon his face. A face he kept perfectly straight, regardless of how close Echizen teetered on one of his favorite cliches in get girl games and harem anime. And that he got to talk to all three in one day...the sporty babe, the elegant heiress, and now the token Grade S tsundere. He was so so glad he had transferred here.
"Woman, huh? Man, that sounds weird..." She coughed. "And I'm not even twenty yet. You realize that, right?" So, basically not a woman. Completely and perfectly legal though. Whatever that had to do with anything... She felt herself being drawn in by his gaze and she coughed again. "Stupid!" Okay, there it was. "Of course I forgi-- Man, there's nothing to forgive in the first place. Okay? Just don't be weird." She gave a small toss with her head, hair flying and her slender neck stretched, her skin pale and supple. (She really needed to spend more time outside, but she could hardly find the motivation for that, even less now, as a girl. It just felt off.)
Resistance....Resist...he could do it. He could bite his tongue and not say those words. Those words that rested in the deepest, most sexual corner of his mind. He could make her a woman. He had the right parts for the job...and so did she...And he knew just how to make her enjoy it. Every last second of it. But he could resist. He fought the temptation and won against the lounge lizard in the dark recesses of his brain. It had just been too bad that the others hadn’t been so lucky in that most noble of battles.
He watched her hair flying about and laughed again. “All right. All right. I won’t be weird.” An impossibility really, since Yuushi didn’t quite know the criteria Echizen was operating on. “And I’ll try to do what I can to help you.” And any other damsel in distress...or out of that dress....
"R--right. Okay. So... What do you know about girls? I mean... I've never dated one. I know An and I've talked with some other girls here and there and all, but... I really don't know how they tick. What's expected of me and all, you know? I'm gay, so I've never even dated a girl. … But does that make me straight now?" She blinked, the very image of utter confusion.
What did he know about girls....Now that was a question. What didn’t he know about them? He knew a great deal, and none of it G-rated. A slow smile formed, thinking about the things he did know, but he managed to wipe it away before it became obvious that he was thinking dirty thoughts.
He hummed slightly, thinking. “I’ve dated them.” Boys. Girls. It didn’t matter to Oshitari Yuushi. When he was in love...he was in love. Gender didn’t matter. “And I’m afraid even a tensai like myself can’t get into the head of one. I know the phys. ed stuff about them. All that stuff health class teaches you. I know how to make one feel special. I also know how to make a girl slap me silly, though not a knowledge I’m terribly proud to possess.” He unconsciously rubbed his cheek in the memory of the probably numerous times he had been slapped...or punched...or both.
“As for what’s expected of you, the world has changed, you know. Girls can do everything boys can. So, it’s a matter of what you want to do. Having a different gender shouldn’t change that. Just because you have a rather nice chest now doesn’t change who you have always been.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back to look at her. “And no one is asking to get into your panties unless you want them there. And if you still like men...it means you like men. Gay. Straight. It’s all just a label. You are what you are and you like who you like.” He finished with a small nod to her.
"Yeah, no one's getting anywhere near something like that, okay?" Ryoma snapped with maybe a little too much fervor behind it. She inhaled slowly and looked down on the floor, again tugging at her hair. "... Sorry. Not trying to bite your head off or anything. Thanks. For replying and all, I mean." She looked up, suddenly curious. "So what the hell did you do to make some girl slap you?"
He just nodded and reached out to pat her on the shoulder in a soothing motion. There...there there. It’s all right, the touch said. He pulled his hand away a second later and shook his head. “Uh un, Echizen.” He chided, wiggling a finger about. “You should know that a gentleman never kisses and tells. Just suffice to say that I may have deserved it a few of those times.”: Well...more than a few...Okay...Most of the time... “I just sincerely hope that I don’t incur your wrath and get a palm upside the face.” He was sure Echizen, despite her stature and her health status could pack quite a punch.
She couldn't help but smirk. "Maybe you'd just get a tennis ball in the face. It's been known to happen." She paused, making a vague gesture towards her chair. "Not that I play much anymore. And people are all talking about picking tennis up again, you know? Don't know how to feel about that." And why did she mention this to him? She hardly even knew him... Feeling confused and more than a little embarrassed, she shut herself up, staring down at the table again.
“It has indeed. I have a technique just to protect my head from such things.” He was the man of 10000 techniques....though most had nothing to do with tennis. “But I’m sure you’d find a way around it and Cool Drive my face into next week.”
He noted her motion to her chair and he frowned a little. “I can’t answer that for you. I can’t tell you how to feel. I know I don’t want to retake up tennis. As much as I enjoy being the shadow king behind Atobe’s throne, I have better things to do with my time. I’m going to be a doctor and I can’t afford to interrupt my studies, even with something I enjoy as much as I have tennis. You however...if you wanted to play...I’m sure you still could. And you’d give all of us bipeds a run for our money. I’ve seen the paralympics. I’ve seen a man with no legs run a race against the able bodied and get to the semi-finals. If you wanted to play, you will play. If you don’t want to, you won’t. I doubt this.” He gestured to the wheelchair, “is that much of a setback for a person like you.”
"It's more the psychological aspect of it, I guess." Suddenly her hands felt empty. She wanted a cup to curl them around. Cocoa, coffee, tea... Anything. And, surprisingly enough, she wanted something warm. Even though the sun beat down on the windows of the cafeteria from outside. She figured it was because the warm beverages helped settle her stomach after she had taken her medicine. "But yeah, I have been practicing. I know I can do it. But..." And she hated the 'but' that far too often managed to slip into her vocabulary nowadays. It was a sign of uncertainty, of weakness. And it was annoying. "Anyway." She forced a smirk to her face. "For you, tensai-sama, I wouldn't settle for a Cool Drive. Maybe I'd even try out the Samurai Drive on you~"
He glanced down and noted the position of her hands. He stood a moment and went to retrieve a cup of tea, since he didn’t know how the girl took her coffee. He was a genius after all. He could read body language well enough. And the body language told him there was a lot more to it than just this much. But he wasn’t a doctor yet. There wasn’t much he could do.
“But you’ll do it in your own time.” He handed her the cup. “You’re not one to be rushed by anyone else. You have your own schedule, am I right?” He sat back down and smiled at her before it turned into a frown. “The Samurai Drive? You’d be so so cruel to my handsome face? I will have to remember to never get you mad at me.”
She nodded, slightly startled that he had gone up to fetch some tea, almost like he was a mind-reader or something. It never occurred to her that he had been interpreting her body language, and done so correctly. She mumbled a quick 'thank you' and blew on the tea. "That's not cruelty, that's flattery. The best for the best and all that~"
Yuushi chuckled. “Flattery? So I guess that means you like me. That’s good at least.” Because he did want to be liked. Even if it wasn’t sexual in nature, he was a social animal and he enjoyed being around people. “And you should rest assured that I like you too.” He winked playfully. “I was correct. You are very very charming.”
"I... I totally am not," she blubbered, and then stared at the tea cup as if daring it to prove her wrong. When it hadn't even done anything offensive in the first place... Poor cup.
"... Thanks. You're not too bad either. Really."
That was something Yuushi doubted in a way. After what he had done to Keigo...what he had done to his own cousin...he doubted he was anything but a nice guy. But he lived without regrets. Besides, Echizen didn’t have to ever know about his taboo lusts. Instead, he focused upon her. “I think you are. And I can’t be wrong about this sort of thing. So believe this hapless romantic when he says so.” He doubted very little would after the day he had had.
She sipped thoughtfully on her tea, leaning back in the chair. "You're about the first person ever who doesn't seem to wonder what has happened," she pointed out, nodding towards her legs. "You're too busy flirting or flattering or whatever it is you're doing." There was a small pause, and a small smile came to her lips. "I like it."
He laughed at that and shook his head. “That, my dearest Echizen, is because...” He paused dramatically. “It’s really none of my business.” He finished. It wasn’t. It was none of his business how or why Ryoma had ended up in that chair. Sure, a part of him might want to know, but that was human nature, to wonder what had occured to take the greatest star of their tennis world and put him in a chair. But it was only an inkling of wonder. In the end, it didn’t really matter much and he wasn’t going to press to find out either. Rather, he’d continue on as he always did. Taking things and seeing their beauty, both outer and inner. “Plus, I think I’m doing neither. I am merely a truth teller, telling the truth as I see it in my eyes. If I am doing anything right now, I am making a friend.” At least he hoped he was.
"A friend...?" She almost whispered the word, tasting it. One more friend would most definitely be welcome. Something to counter the less friendly people in her life. And a new acquaintance, someone to get to know and who didn't seem as focused on tennis as some of the other people in Ryoma's life right now. She found that she liked the idea. A lot. "I... think you are. Only, of course, if you're planning on staying my friend even when I revert to my real body." Because she would. No doubt about it. Probably. Hopefully.
It looked like she didn’t have many friends. He was suddenly very honored that she thought that maybe he could be. He adjusted his glasses a little. “Now now, Echizen, I am no such fair weather friend. Besides, I’m equal opportunity. My cousin would call me a depraved bisexual.” He pointed out. “I’ll be your friend, no matter what gender you are.” That was a promise.
"Then... I'd say I'd gladly accept your friendship, Oshitari-senpai." She smiled, slowly, and then extended her hand once again across the table.
Oh. She should have known better by now. Her hand was out again and Yuushi just couldn’t help himself. Once more he took it and with delicate ease, lifted it to his lips to kiss her knuckles. His playful smile brushed against them before he returned the hand. “You have made me a very happy man, Echizen.”
"Same here," she mumbled. There was a beat, and then she looked down at herself, at the way her chest protruded. She blushed and made a vague, dismissive gesture with her free hand. "... Or, you know. Whatever."
What: They meet to give Ryoma an ego boost
When: the first day of the genderbend
Where: The cafeteria
Rating: pg 13
From one “date” with a lovely lady to another in one day. Oshitari Yuushi was really getting around today. He had just finished helping Keigo with her...problems. It had been quite the enjoyable experience. He also had seen a sweet vulnerable cousin. And why wouldn’t he. He was worried for Kenya, after all. That had been...even more enjoyable. And something he rather wanted to do again. But first the Casanova of Hyoutei had another stop to make. That being to the school cafeteria to meet with another of the newly minted young ladies in the camp. Ryoma Echizen.
He hadn’t seen Echizen in years. However, he still remembered the attitude and the rest had just been conjecture. In his mind eye, he had seen Echizen as this petite young minx with Grade S zettai ryouiki. And being the leg man that he was, he did so enjoy that little space of flesh between the top of the stocking and the bottom of a too too short skirt. And so what if he has sort of been hitting on Echizen? Echizen was a woman at the moment, and Yuushi firmly believed that all women should be treated as the highly attractive beings that they were.
He entered the cafeteria and wasn’t too surprised that there weren’t that many bodies around. Most, he supposed, were like Keigo...and had locked themselves away for the time being. If made him wonder how he had escaped unharmed, retaining possession of his little tensai when so few others had. But that was a worry for another day. Instead, he looked around for the young man....woman...he was supposed to be meeting here.
Quite honestly, Ryoma had been almost a no-show. He (no she) had been downtown, shopping with Kevin, and when they returned home, she had in fact bought herself a sailor fuku. Simply to get the chance to try it on for once in her life. Referring to herself as a girl was one of the reasons she simply wanted to hide away somewhere and most definitely not meet up with Oshitari Yuushi of all people... But.
The sailor fuku suited her. The thigh high socks - very tight-fitting - accented her legs that weren't all that bad, if she could say so herself... Well, save for the ugly scar on her right ankle of course. It made the sock look odd and wobbly, but there wasn't much she could do about that. Her hair was ridiculously long and she had it tied up in twin tails - which Yuushi had pointed out, all so very kindly - and it tickled her neck and back like mad... But she couldn't risk having it hanging out outside the wheelchair either, didn't want it to get caught up in the wheels.
The cafeteria was surprisingly empty, so she quickly spotted Oshitari. Deciding that it would be better to approach him as quickly as possible to get the awkward stage over and done with, she called out:
"Hey! Over here."
He heard the voice. Higher in pitch. Almost...cheerful in a strange way. And since there wasn’t many other people, it must have been for him. Turning, the tensai immediately spotted a young woman he had never seen before. He smiles to himself. He loved it when he was right. Twin tails. Cat eyes. And....the stockings showing just a little bit of thigh. Oh yes. Lovely. He didn’t note the wheelchair until after a long moment of feasting his eyes on the creature that was Echizen.
He put on his best meet and greet smile, which was perhaps only a step below pervert in a dark alleyway, and walked over. His stride smooth and a bit lazy. Oshitari Yuushi never hurried for anything. He took his sweet time in all he did. Something that both delighted and infuriated his past lovers.
“Hello there.” He greeted. “Aren’t you lovely today, Echizen.” He was hedging a bet that this young lady was indeed the one and only Echizen Ryoma. He would feel silly if it wasn’t.
"Yeah, I am." Ryoma said, holding her head ridiculously high to counter the fact that she felt incredibly self conscious like this. Not to mention weirded out. "... I hope." And that little line slipped out before she could help herself. So lame... "You look kind of like my cats do when they've caught a fat rat, though."
Perhaps, instead, he should have gone with his unreadable poker face. But it was fine. He could look without touching, even if touching was a lot of fun. He was a gentleman when it counted, somewhere deep in there. Besides, what the young lady needed right now was some confidence and that Yuushi could easily provide.
“Hope no longer.” He murmured, that silken tone in his rich accent becoming a velvet purr. “You are a vision of beauty in a sea of ugliness.” Because all women deserve to feel beautiful and special. “I thought I heard angels singing when you called out for me.” He said the line with such honesty sincerity that it was hard not to take it completely seriously. There was a reason why he was well received at most debutante parties. “I fear I don’t have a rose, or I would have presented it to you. But then it would have become jealous and wilted on the spot by being next to you.” But enough of the compliments... “I am pleased you’d agree to meet with me, though.”
"Whoa..." Ryoma's eyes widened and she could feel herself blush - why did she do that, that was utterly stupid and she acted like a bimbo and was this what having a blood system full of estrogen did to you? - and actually had to look down for a moment, before she managed to gather her wits about her enough to look up with a tiny smirk.
"It's like you've opened a book on the worst, sappiest pick-up lines ever and somehow made them your own. Gotta hand it to you, you've got talent, Oshitari-san." She held out her hand - thin and small, with stupid looking wrists, if she could say so herself - for him to... do something or the other with.
The hand was held out to him. It looked frail. He took it so carefully in his. Carefully, as if she was fine china. In the next movement, he was kneeling before her, on one knee. His movements were elegant and refined. If it wasn’t for his shirt and jeans, he could have easily passed for some romantic earl in a girl’s novel. He even had the poetic ponytail for it. “It is the greatest pleasure.” He stated and brushed his lips, silky smooth and full of such wickedness, over her knuckles, kissing her hand. “To once again make your acquaintance.” He looked up, still bowed over her hand. “I am but a humble servant to your beauty and at your command.” With that, he stood again, letting the hand go by gently placing it into her lap.
“Now, what’s say we move our little...rendezvous...somewhere more comfortable, hmmm?” He nodded towards one of the tables, where they could sit and talk.
He had actually kissed her hand. And not just some quick peck on it either, like he was simply doing it because it was the proper thing to do and he'd rather do something else entirely, but... There had been a certain sensuality to it, and it both flattered and disturbed Ryoma. Golden eyes lingered on him for a moment before she nodded, green strands of hair flying in front of her face. She brushed it aside with an impatient gesture and started to wheel over to the table he had singled out for them.
"So... You have any idea why you're not... infected?" She had thought she'd say 'affected', but infected sounded so much better. Because honestly... Something had to be very, very wrong here.
He followed behind her. She was independent. He would not offer to push her chair for her. But he did do what any gentleman would. He removed a chair in her way so that she could put hers in it’s place. Only once she was comfortable did he sit. Sit and remove his glasses for a moment, as if to clean off some imagined smudge on them. Perhaps it made him look a bit more contemplative. Then they were back over the bluenette’s eyes.
“Honestly,” He stated, “I haven’t the slightest idea why I wasn’t touched by this. Perhaps it is just the whim of fate or there might be something about me that prevented me from changing. I certainly isn’t because I’m enjoying it. Which I am. It’s not often I get to be surrounded by so many incarnations of Venus. There is a lovely goddess wherever I turn.” And so not to make Echizen jealous he added, “though you are highest among them.” Like he would have told any other “girl” had he been talking to her instead. “And I’m sure to get my comeuppance later.” He wouldn’t tell Ryoma what he had been up to earlier, but Yuushi knew that his cousin nor his former captain were going to forgive him any time soon for taking such advantage of a bad situation.
“I could give some explanation, but I doubt it would be correct. So I’ll just go with, I’m a lucky bastard...though I shouldn’t use that word in present company. You’re a lady now and I should remember your delicate ears.” From teasing, to down right flirting.
And that blush wouldn't leave her alone. Unconsciously, she reached out to toy with her hair, it was so long now, it was good for fiddling with, because she felt she had to keep her hands busy somehow. So... She was nervous. And that was completely, utterly stupid and pathetic, but what could one do? "I... I still remember each and every curse I've ever learned, believe me. You don't have to act all weird, okay?" She huffed, tugging at her hair. "I'm still me." But then again, she had never spoken a lot with Oshitari Yuushi, so what would he really know about who he/she was? The craziness of the entire situation apparently made her brain shut down considerably. "I... And I'm not delicate!" She would not add a 'stupid' after that. She would not. Stupid tsundere stereotypes and whatnot...
He laughed. It was the sort of sound that filled an entire room and made it feel like the listener had been dipped in a bath of rich warm chocolate. He couldn’t help it. He supposed that was true enough. Keigo was still Keigo and Kenya was still Kenya. They just had been...unwillingly reassigned. Of course it would be the same for Ryoma. Why wouldn’t it be. But it was still cute to hear such words from such a pretty girl. And the way she played with her hair. She really was quite a fetching creature.
“Of course you’re not. You’re a strong, beautiful woman and I apologize profusely for insulting you and insinuating such a thing. I will refrain from doing so again.” Such ease. Such grace. Yuushi was as much a master at the apology as he was at the compliment. “Say you forgive me.” He entreated, looking over the rim of his glasses with a truly sorry look upon his face. A face he kept perfectly straight, regardless of how close Echizen teetered on one of his favorite cliches in get girl games and harem anime. And that he got to talk to all three in one day...the sporty babe, the elegant heiress, and now the token Grade S tsundere. He was so so glad he had transferred here.
"Woman, huh? Man, that sounds weird..." She coughed. "And I'm not even twenty yet. You realize that, right?" So, basically not a woman. Completely and perfectly legal though. Whatever that had to do with anything... She felt herself being drawn in by his gaze and she coughed again. "Stupid!" Okay, there it was. "Of course I forgi-- Man, there's nothing to forgive in the first place. Okay? Just don't be weird." She gave a small toss with her head, hair flying and her slender neck stretched, her skin pale and supple. (She really needed to spend more time outside, but she could hardly find the motivation for that, even less now, as a girl. It just felt off.)
Resistance....Resist...he could do it. He could bite his tongue and not say those words. Those words that rested in the deepest, most sexual corner of his mind. He could make her a woman. He had the right parts for the job...and so did she...And he knew just how to make her enjoy it. Every last second of it. But he could resist. He fought the temptation and won against the lounge lizard in the dark recesses of his brain. It had just been too bad that the others hadn’t been so lucky in that most noble of battles.
He watched her hair flying about and laughed again. “All right. All right. I won’t be weird.” An impossibility really, since Yuushi didn’t quite know the criteria Echizen was operating on. “And I’ll try to do what I can to help you.” And any other damsel in distress...or out of that dress....
"R--right. Okay. So... What do you know about girls? I mean... I've never dated one. I know An and I've talked with some other girls here and there and all, but... I really don't know how they tick. What's expected of me and all, you know? I'm gay, so I've never even dated a girl. … But does that make me straight now?" She blinked, the very image of utter confusion.
What did he know about girls....Now that was a question. What didn’t he know about them? He knew a great deal, and none of it G-rated. A slow smile formed, thinking about the things he did know, but he managed to wipe it away before it became obvious that he was thinking dirty thoughts.
He hummed slightly, thinking. “I’ve dated them.” Boys. Girls. It didn’t matter to Oshitari Yuushi. When he was in love...he was in love. Gender didn’t matter. “And I’m afraid even a tensai like myself can’t get into the head of one. I know the phys. ed stuff about them. All that stuff health class teaches you. I know how to make one feel special. I also know how to make a girl slap me silly, though not a knowledge I’m terribly proud to possess.” He unconsciously rubbed his cheek in the memory of the probably numerous times he had been slapped...or punched...or both.
“As for what’s expected of you, the world has changed, you know. Girls can do everything boys can. So, it’s a matter of what you want to do. Having a different gender shouldn’t change that. Just because you have a rather nice chest now doesn’t change who you have always been.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back to look at her. “And no one is asking to get into your panties unless you want them there. And if you still like men...it means you like men. Gay. Straight. It’s all just a label. You are what you are and you like who you like.” He finished with a small nod to her.
"Yeah, no one's getting anywhere near something like that, okay?" Ryoma snapped with maybe a little too much fervor behind it. She inhaled slowly and looked down on the floor, again tugging at her hair. "... Sorry. Not trying to bite your head off or anything. Thanks. For replying and all, I mean." She looked up, suddenly curious. "So what the hell did you do to make some girl slap you?"
He just nodded and reached out to pat her on the shoulder in a soothing motion. There...there there. It’s all right, the touch said. He pulled his hand away a second later and shook his head. “Uh un, Echizen.” He chided, wiggling a finger about. “You should know that a gentleman never kisses and tells. Just suffice to say that I may have deserved it a few of those times.”: Well...more than a few...Okay...Most of the time... “I just sincerely hope that I don’t incur your wrath and get a palm upside the face.” He was sure Echizen, despite her stature and her health status could pack quite a punch.
She couldn't help but smirk. "Maybe you'd just get a tennis ball in the face. It's been known to happen." She paused, making a vague gesture towards her chair. "Not that I play much anymore. And people are all talking about picking tennis up again, you know? Don't know how to feel about that." And why did she mention this to him? She hardly even knew him... Feeling confused and more than a little embarrassed, she shut herself up, staring down at the table again.
“It has indeed. I have a technique just to protect my head from such things.” He was the man of 10000 techniques....though most had nothing to do with tennis. “But I’m sure you’d find a way around it and Cool Drive my face into next week.”
He noted her motion to her chair and he frowned a little. “I can’t answer that for you. I can’t tell you how to feel. I know I don’t want to retake up tennis. As much as I enjoy being the shadow king behind Atobe’s throne, I have better things to do with my time. I’m going to be a doctor and I can’t afford to interrupt my studies, even with something I enjoy as much as I have tennis. You however...if you wanted to play...I’m sure you still could. And you’d give all of us bipeds a run for our money. I’ve seen the paralympics. I’ve seen a man with no legs run a race against the able bodied and get to the semi-finals. If you wanted to play, you will play. If you don’t want to, you won’t. I doubt this.” He gestured to the wheelchair, “is that much of a setback for a person like you.”
"It's more the psychological aspect of it, I guess." Suddenly her hands felt empty. She wanted a cup to curl them around. Cocoa, coffee, tea... Anything. And, surprisingly enough, she wanted something warm. Even though the sun beat down on the windows of the cafeteria from outside. She figured it was because the warm beverages helped settle her stomach after she had taken her medicine. "But yeah, I have been practicing. I know I can do it. But..." And she hated the 'but' that far too often managed to slip into her vocabulary nowadays. It was a sign of uncertainty, of weakness. And it was annoying. "Anyway." She forced a smirk to her face. "For you, tensai-sama, I wouldn't settle for a Cool Drive. Maybe I'd even try out the Samurai Drive on you~"
He glanced down and noted the position of her hands. He stood a moment and went to retrieve a cup of tea, since he didn’t know how the girl took her coffee. He was a genius after all. He could read body language well enough. And the body language told him there was a lot more to it than just this much. But he wasn’t a doctor yet. There wasn’t much he could do.
“But you’ll do it in your own time.” He handed her the cup. “You’re not one to be rushed by anyone else. You have your own schedule, am I right?” He sat back down and smiled at her before it turned into a frown. “The Samurai Drive? You’d be so so cruel to my handsome face? I will have to remember to never get you mad at me.”
She nodded, slightly startled that he had gone up to fetch some tea, almost like he was a mind-reader or something. It never occurred to her that he had been interpreting her body language, and done so correctly. She mumbled a quick 'thank you' and blew on the tea. "That's not cruelty, that's flattery. The best for the best and all that~"
Yuushi chuckled. “Flattery? So I guess that means you like me. That’s good at least.” Because he did want to be liked. Even if it wasn’t sexual in nature, he was a social animal and he enjoyed being around people. “And you should rest assured that I like you too.” He winked playfully. “I was correct. You are very very charming.”
"I... I totally am not," she blubbered, and then stared at the tea cup as if daring it to prove her wrong. When it hadn't even done anything offensive in the first place... Poor cup.
"... Thanks. You're not too bad either. Really."
That was something Yuushi doubted in a way. After what he had done to Keigo...what he had done to his own cousin...he doubted he was anything but a nice guy. But he lived without regrets. Besides, Echizen didn’t have to ever know about his taboo lusts. Instead, he focused upon her. “I think you are. And I can’t be wrong about this sort of thing. So believe this hapless romantic when he says so.” He doubted very little would after the day he had had.
She sipped thoughtfully on her tea, leaning back in the chair. "You're about the first person ever who doesn't seem to wonder what has happened," she pointed out, nodding towards her legs. "You're too busy flirting or flattering or whatever it is you're doing." There was a small pause, and a small smile came to her lips. "I like it."
He laughed at that and shook his head. “That, my dearest Echizen, is because...” He paused dramatically. “It’s really none of my business.” He finished. It wasn’t. It was none of his business how or why Ryoma had ended up in that chair. Sure, a part of him might want to know, but that was human nature, to wonder what had occured to take the greatest star of their tennis world and put him in a chair. But it was only an inkling of wonder. In the end, it didn’t really matter much and he wasn’t going to press to find out either. Rather, he’d continue on as he always did. Taking things and seeing their beauty, both outer and inner. “Plus, I think I’m doing neither. I am merely a truth teller, telling the truth as I see it in my eyes. If I am doing anything right now, I am making a friend.” At least he hoped he was.
"A friend...?" She almost whispered the word, tasting it. One more friend would most definitely be welcome. Something to counter the less friendly people in her life. And a new acquaintance, someone to get to know and who didn't seem as focused on tennis as some of the other people in Ryoma's life right now. She found that she liked the idea. A lot. "I... think you are. Only, of course, if you're planning on staying my friend even when I revert to my real body." Because she would. No doubt about it. Probably. Hopefully.
It looked like she didn’t have many friends. He was suddenly very honored that she thought that maybe he could be. He adjusted his glasses a little. “Now now, Echizen, I am no such fair weather friend. Besides, I’m equal opportunity. My cousin would call me a depraved bisexual.” He pointed out. “I’ll be your friend, no matter what gender you are.” That was a promise.
"Then... I'd say I'd gladly accept your friendship, Oshitari-senpai." She smiled, slowly, and then extended her hand once again across the table.
Oh. She should have known better by now. Her hand was out again and Yuushi just couldn’t help himself. Once more he took it and with delicate ease, lifted it to his lips to kiss her knuckles. His playful smile brushed against them before he returned the hand. “You have made me a very happy man, Echizen.”
"Same here," she mumbled. There was a beat, and then she looked down at herself, at the way her chest protruded. She blushed and made a vague, dismissive gesture with her free hand. "... Or, you know. Whatever."