Kat Allergies

[Noob]

Despite everything she was feeling right now, the familiar nickname was rather comforting. All Suzume could do right now was just frantically shake her head no. She didn't hate Katsumi in the slightest.

Suzume opened her arms wide and just went in for the hug! Oblivious to Kat inching forward, Suzume would lurch forward. Misjudging the distance a little, she'd end up bonking her head a bit harder against their shoulder than intended. That hardly mattered now though. "Nnnff! Nuhhh I don't hate you." She'd reply, a bit muffled at first as she buried her face against Kat's shoulder for a brief moment before pulling back slightly.

After wiping away a few tears, Suzume took another deep breath. "And I'm sorry I made you feel that way!" She just hoped that would make Kat feel a little better.

[CyanDimitrik]

"Unf!" The impact of the Suzume bullet hits a little harder than Katsumi had anticipated. But her arms quickly lashed about her mousy friend in an embrace. Words weren't really needed at that point, being aggressively hugged did wonders for her sense of belonging. Growing up in an extremely conservative, social-minded adoptive family meant some things were emphasized - performance, self-maintenance, presentation, education, craft - while other things were sacrificed - displays of affection, personal indulgences, seeking self-fulfillment, among others. And coming from a long span of years of rejection can make a single, heartfelt hug feel momentous.

Katsumi tightens her arms around her shoulders to squeeze more securely, prolonging the moment. Her head tilts, cuddling her cheek atop her messy brunette locks. And then - the hug is released in favor of smacking her on the shoulder.

"You jerk!," she barks. "Why would you mess with me like that, huh!? You know what I've been through! That was so mean! Ugh! What're you gonna do to make up for it now!?"

Fists plant to her hips, elbows bowed out wide to either side, head cocked to peer at Suzume, while her right foot taps impatiently.

[Noob]

Suzume was more than glad to keep hugging Kat. She'd slowly begin to smile. "You're gonna mess up my haaair" She'd whine, chuckling slightly as Kat cuddled up against the top of her head. Eventually the two let go of each other and Suzume would take a step back. She winced a little bit as Kat took a tone closer to the usual only to end their hug by calling her a jerk. Feeling she deserved worse though, She was happy to be let off with just that. At least that's what she thought was happening at first.

And just like that Katsumi seemed like she was back to normal. "I didn't mean to!!!" Suzume whined, now taking another step back. "I know I'm sorry I'm sorry!" She continued to apologize. One more step back had her propped up against the door to the gym. Quickly she'd scramble a few steps to the side, just to get out of a hypothetical person's way even if the LAW gym was notoriously underpopulated.

"Ummmm... Ummmmmm... Do you wanna like go get a bubble tea or something? My treat? They got REALLY sweet ones at this shop near here." She'd suggest. The two of them had seemingly been about to workout and pre-workout was basically sugar and caffeine...right?

[CyanDimitrik]

Indeed, life is back to normal. Katsumi is bullying her nerdy friend, Suzume is back to cutesie flailing, and all is right in the world. Except it remains hammering in the back of Katsumi's mind that she and Suzume totally did it earlier. Can they really be all casual and breeze on past it?

The punkette's smiling face would suggest they could. "Fine, fine. Your treat!," she concurs. "And then I'll consider your debt repaid. I mean, for now. Unless I see something else I really want. Then I might be sad again. Gawd, is this why people are such bitches all the time? To make people do stuff for'em? I can see why they'd wanna," ponders aloud the socially irredeemable Oshiro.

But she steps forward and nudges at Suzume's shoulder to attempt to get her to lead the way. "What have you been up to, anyway? You have any more matches? Any I can watch? I still haven't gotten to watch you in your wins yet. Ya gotta gimme details so I can look'em up!"

[Noob]

Once again her friend was up to their old antics. Suzume rolled her eyes and would just lightly punch Kat on the shoulder. "I'll beat you up" Was all she responded with before she was nudge forward. Eager to repay her debt now, she'd start walking. "Well I wasn't entirely kidding about the whole noodle arms to well not noodle arms thing. I've really been trying to get stronger before getting into another official matchup." She'd explain. While she was maybe the slightest bit more toned to an observant onlooker, it really didn't show.

"But aside from...well us...I haven't been fighting too much." She replied. Things had been pretty quiet since that spike in excitement. "But OH! Yeah you totally have to see my last match this way you can see my new move the way it was supposed to be viewed!" She'd say, bouncing on her toes a bit at the last part. "But right yeah, you gotta catch me up on your stuff too!"

[CyanDimitrik]

"Well, um. Hey. Something I, like, never do for people, but you're, um, like, my people, so it's like whatever, but," rambles Katsumi, "if you wanna spar or something? We can do that. Help ya get prepared. Tell me what you wanna focus on, I'll try to help." her head turns, offering Suzume a genuine smile.

The notion of helping competition improve is just absurd to her. But Suzume doesn't feel like competition. Not because she looks down on her, but because she likes her. She wants good things for her. That's what being a friend is, isn't it? It's just so weird to want to help someone who will, potentially, be using what you give them against you! That's what being... work friends... in professional wrestling means. Maybe. It's weird. She feels like she's hurting herself, but she made the offer anyway, and without regret.

It just happened to come out awkward.

Friends is hard, okay?

"Aaanyway, um, from me? I keep having matches with newcomers," Katsumi laments. "And I don't get it. I left a while to get more training, a total makeover," she tips her head back and fluffs her silky hair, "and came back even better than I already was. But I'm being booked to be.. I dunno. The barrier to entry. It fucking sucks. I want a title shot already!"

She sighs, gaze lowering to her feet. "My next opponent's this girl named Chiyo. She did some time in the indies. I think I have to hurt her."

[Noob]

Finally Suzume wasn't the one rambling. It was actually nice to hear someone else do it for a change. "Yeah. I'd like that. Just gotta figure out what I REALLY need to focus on." She'd reply as the two kept walking.

"So they have you crushing the hopes and dreams of all the newbie fighters?" She'd soon ask. Suzume couldn't help but remember her first match against Katsumi. She had barely been in the league for a few weeks before they had practically put her through the canvas. That certainly tracked. While Kat might not have appreciated the position she was in, Suzume couldn't help but admire it. When she first joined the league she had high aspirations just like everyone else. But now she was relishing the thought of basically being a LAW gym leader, denying entry to those without the willpower to make it in the league. "Sucks? But that's so cool though! You're basically a gym leader. Prolly Brock cause you're tough as rocks."

The thought of a title shot seemed a bit more foreign to Suzume though. She wasn't even close to a place where she could think about that. While she had been part of a title match before, her victory assured her she wasn't about to get the title for that particular match. "A title shot huh? Well if ya ever get one, let me know so I can come cheer for you."

Suzume was a bit surprised to see Kat's reluctance to hurt Chiyo. As far as she knew, that was Kat's specialty in the ring. "Isn't that what people usually do in the ring?"

[CyanDimitrik]

"I'd rather be Lance," Katsumi says dryly. "Or Red. Yeah. Think I'd rather be Red."

Her hands stuff into that central pouch of her hoodie at this point, feeling a little more closed off from the outside world. Though after a beat, she realizes Suzume paid her a compliment. Her gaze shifts back to her, half-smile tugging her lips. With a dip, she diverts to the side to lightly shoulderbump her before resuming the casual stroll.

"Yeah, no. I mean... I think I have to hurt this girl. To make sure management knows not to keep pairing me with newbies. To put me in line for the belt. I'm tired of gettin' passed over for prissy prima-donnas and pornstar bitches. I'm a legitimate fighter." Her lower lip stiffens as she continues, her gaze hardening ahead. "I didn't come out here to be the new talents' litmus test. I'm here to compete. To prove I'm the best. That I've got what it takes, and I'm at the top of my game. I didn't become a professional wrestler to be filler content. I came to be the main event. The trendsetter. The champion."

Her head turns once more to Suzume. "I'll make'em see that."

[Noob]

Suzume tilts her head to the side, now trying to imagine her friend with a cape. Her mind shifts to seeing them just silently and patiently waiting at the peak of a mountain. None of that really fit Kat. "Hmmm...ya might be more Giovanni." She'd respond. Almost as soon as she did, Katsumi would respond with a little bump, shoving the smaller girl to the side. "Waaah!" She'd gasp, clearly exaggerating a stumble to the side before rocking back and lightly bonking Kat with her shoulder in return.

Soon Suzume would just listen as the two of them continued their stroll. She was a bit concerned with what Kat was saying at first. Sure she understood the motivation but it at least somewhat sounded like she wasn't too sure of her actions. "I mean...you don't HAVE to do that. It's not like this is THAT serious...is it?" She'd ask. At this point she wasn't really even questioning whether Katsumi could do it. Although as Kat continued she began to regret the question. It was clear they were aiming for the top where things were perhaps a little less just fun and games. "But ummm well I guess that's true and all."

[CyanDimitrik]

Katsumi actually pauses her strolling at that, a frown touching her lips. Her head cants, gaze lowering to the sidewalk before them, as if the thrum of the metropolitan city had ceased to exist around them. Finally, she turns her face to Suzume. "I gave up everything to be here," she reminds her. "College, my future, my... family. Everything. I do have to." Her eyes lower again, now landing on the toes of her pink and white cross-trainers. If she didn't have wrestling, she'd have nothing. It's her life. And if her life isn't going anywhere... is it really worth anything?

She expels a soft sigh, trying to purge the thoughts.

Resuming her walk, she supplies, "Anyway..." She was just crying. She doesn't need to look more like a bitch in front of the Suzubean. So she stuffs those hands into her hoodie-pouch-pocket with more determined energy and squares her shoulders. "You promised bubble tea! Don't try to distract me!"