A giggle left her lips when she saw the image. This wasn't the first time Sabine had received an illicit image from someone, but it was usually someone she was at least involved with.
[SMS]: Oh la la~
[SMS]: Is this an offer or did you just want to show off?
[When you think about making a holiday related post but then you remember that none of your muses are American so none of them celebrate Thanksgiving.]
Leiko frequently stayed late after scheduled practices just to hone her techniques, but for the past several months, that extra time was spent on a newer task. She’d accepted Bea’s request for Hecaball tutoring, so there was no way she wasn’t going to take it seriously. She had to admit, she half expected the other girl to be a lost cause, but she showed a lot of determination, and she was improving fast.
“Great work today!” she said cheerily, wiping the sweat from her forehead as the pair entered the locker room. “You’re really getting the hang of the movement! Footwork’s really good, you just can’t be afraid to get a little rough, you know? It’s a contact sport after all, and we’re all tough. No one’s gonna break from you tackling too hard!”
“Oh, right.” The girl was a little quieter than usual today. “Guess I’m just not used to it yet. I used to be afraid of going up the stairs too fast, now I gotta switch my whole brain over to full-body checking people. It’s different.”
It was something Leiko had noticed too. Bea seemed to shy away from physical contact a lot in their training, pulling her punches so-to-speak and trying to stay out of everyone’s way as much as possible. It was like she was worried about getting hurt.
“Yeah, it definitely takes some getting used to. I remember when I first started, I was the same way. It’s only natural, no one wants to get hurt out there, but that’s what all of the gear is for.” She wondered if she should probe a bit. After all, they’d been working together for some time now. It wouldn’t hurt to learn more about her protege. “Is there something that’s holding you back? Maybe if you share what you’re thinking, we can try to find a workaround.”
The blue-haired girl seemed hesitant at first. She rubbed at her arm and took a seat on a bench. It was a moment before she answered.
“I... I’m sure you’ve heard people talk about me. I’ve heard it too. No one really knows the full story though. See, I’ve never really told anyone about it, but I was born with a pretty rare condition. Osteogenesis Imprefecta, or ‘brittle-bone disease.’ For most of my life, I couldn’t do anything on my own out of the fear that I’d break something. Even something as small as stubbing my toe could fracture down my whole foot. The first augments I ever got were actually an experimental treatment. They replaced or reinforced my bones, and now they’re tougher than normal ones. I guess my brain’s still programmed to not want to bump anything too hard though.” She sighed and cast her gaze downward.
Leiko bit her lip as she listened. Sheesh, that had to have sucked. After all of that, she couldn’t even keep up her usual smile. She sat down next to her student with a slight huff, placing a hand on the other girl’s knee to comfort her.
“I’m really sorry. That must have been hard. And I know it can be difficult to change a habit like that. They have a nasty way of sticking around.” She paused a moment, looking over the girl. She could tell she was trying to avoid eye contact. Was that because of the topic, or because of her touch, she wondered. “How long ago did you get them?”
“I started the procedure about three years ago. It wasn’t until last year that I finished the recovery. Lots of laying in a bed and physical therapy.” Bea breathed in deeply through her nose, letting it out slowly before she continued. “But that’s also when I started watching Hecaball. At first it was just something to pass the time, but I kind of fell in love with it.” There was another pause, and her lips pursed in thought, as if she wasn’t sure if she could keep going. “And you.” The statement was barely a whisper on her lips, quickly followed up by a recovery. “I mean, I always used to see myself in your shoes. I would think that, maybe if I wasn’t born with this disease, maybe that could be me on T.V. inspiring everyone else. You were so strong, and confident, and powerful, and I wanted to be like you. That’s what really got me through all the surgery if I’m being honest. I probably would’ve given up without that motivation, but now I’m living a better life than I could’ve ever imagined. You really are my hero.”
“Bea....” It was an involuntary reaction, as was the slight tightening of her grip on the other’s knee, and her eyes falling away from the girl. Perhaps it was the heartfelt confession, perhaps the appeal to her ego, or perhaps her emotional state was simply high from the workout. Whatever it was, she felt genuinely touched. She really was a sweet girl, wasn’t she? A little naive, but eager to prove herself. It made sense now, and she couldn’t help the little pain in her heart, knowing what she knew.
“I’m sorry, I’m just kinda talking now, this isn’t about my playing anymore. I-I’ll just stop.”
“No, please don’t apologize. I appreciate the honesty, and I’m glad to hear that I was able to help you so much, even before we met. I’m also glad that you feel comfortable enough to open up to me like that. I know this started off as just a little tutoring, but we’ve really gotten close, haven’t we? It’s kind of weird, as much as I’ve tried so hard to get where I am, I’ve never really tried to make friends. Even the other Knights are more like cohorts than acquaintances to me. You might be the first person that-”
Her analysis of the situation was interrupted by the feeling of a warm softness pressing against her lips. Her eyes widened a bit in surprise, looking down at Bea who had leaned into her. It only lasted a brief second before the other pulled away.
“Oh gosh, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking. I just-, all this talking, and the feelings, and I shouldn’t have-”
Now it was Bea’s turn to be interrupted. Leiko’s hand brushed delicately against the other’s chin, turning her head back to face her. She smiled warmly, just looking at her a moment. Her sister’s words swam through her head, and she suffered a brief indecision. The thoughts were just making things complicated however, so she opted to simply ignore them and lean in for another kiss, this one longer and more passionate. Instead of being a surprise, this one was shared between the two girls. It felt like a long while before the two pulled apart. No words were exchanged for the first few seconds. Then with a blush, Bea finally broke it.
“I guess my impulsiveness is a good thing. Take that, mom.”
Leiko giggled a bit at the reaction. It was cute that it was the first thing she thought.
“Well, it’s like I said. We have gotten really close. Besides, you were pretty obvious about the whole thing.”
“Oh... you knew the whole time then?”
“Yep! But can you blame me for wanting to make sure it wasn’t just because I was a celebrity? I mean, I’ve had so many fans that just try to ask me out for that reason. I think now I can tell pretty clearly you actually like me, and not just who I am on T.V.”
“You know, it almost feels cruel, but it makes sense.” The girl stood, rolling out her shoulders. “It feels good to have everything out in the open though. We should probably wrap up and head home now, right?”
“Well... we did just finish a pretty rigorous workout. We’re the only ones here right now, so the showers are open. I think I could go for one, if you get my meaning.”
“Right, good idea. I’m kinda sweaty too.” The meaning of the words didn’t hit her right away. It took a moment before they clicked, and the instant they did, it showed on her face.
“Oh!” This expression of epiphany was very quickly replaced when it fully sank in what Leiko was implying.
Rook’s heart dropped when the alert crackled through the speakers of her crappy radio. An avalanche in Smokey Gardens, that was bad. Real bad. She huddled herself up in the makeshift home she’d set up in this vacant building, trying to keep her warmth and tears from sneaking away.
“Kat... Molly... Poppi... don’t you dare let this get the better of ya’.”
“Chiyo! Chiiyoooo! Did you see me?! Did you see that shot?!”
“I did! You played well tonight.”
“Thanks! I tried really hard an-”
“But you could have done better.”
“Hm?”
“You had some very good plays, yes, however, your second shot toward the end of the game failed to land. Had you executed your shot properly, you would have secured a very comfortable lead for the Knights, all but guaranteeing your victory.”
“But... Chiyo, we still won, and I helped!”
“Victory is not simply about the result, nor is it about intent. Victory is won through minimizing negative results and maximizing positives. Had the game been tied, or worse yet, tilted in the opponent’s favor, your miss would have sealed your fate. Furthermore, the opponent scoring two points is unacceptable. You and the others must tighten up your defense. Offense isn’t everything.”
“Um... yes, sister. Thank you for the advice. I’ll work harder, I promise.”
