"Beautiful Monsters" - Katsumi Oshiro and Chiyo Hamamoto

[PuroQueen]

There were so many reasons to be hating this girl right now. From the way she treated her in the ring, to the way she just barged into her locker room like this. So why was it all of a sudden so difficult! Chiyo felt a knot forming in her stomach as she looked at Katsumi. Despite everything, there was something in Katsumi's eyes that made her heart skip a beat. The girl, once savaged and untamed in the ring, was now sitting flustered and soft-spoken before her.

Chiyo had never been one for admiring opponent's of the heelish persuasion, outside of their technical abilities that is, but she couldn't help feeling a certain respect for Katsumi. After all, Kat had taken her down with meticulous precision, leaving her battered and bruised on the mat. And yet, here she was, telling Chiyo that she was the perfect one. It was enough to make her blush.

"Th-thank you," Chiyo stammered, her face flushing. "I, uh, I'm just glad I could put up a good fight."

Katsumi's sudden fluster caught Chiyo off guard. She watched as the other woman turned her head away, her wide eyes fixed on her boots. And then came the awkward question, stumbling out of Katsumi's mouth before she could even think to stop it. Chiyo couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "No, no, my parents aren't mad at me," she said, shaking her head. "They were actually really proud of me for even getting in the ring in the first place."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing, her voice softening. "I was the one who wanted to do this, you know? I mean, they were scared at first, scared people like you would mess me up, but they're a lot more supportive now... I think" Chiyo continued, her voice trailing off.

Chiyo could feel her heart rate starting to slow down as she spoke. It was strange, being here with Katsumi after everything that had happened. But there was something almost calming about the other woman's presence, something that made her feel like she could let her guard down for a moment. Slowly, and cautiously, Chiyo picked herself up and dusted herself off, taking a seat on the bench just out of arms reach from her former opponent. "How about you? Anyone rooting for you back home? Family, friends... a boyfriend... a-a girlfriend?"

[CyanDimitrik]

Katsumi lets out a very slow breath, a gentle breeze of a sigh. She's rarely ever thoughtful of her actions and the ramifications of them, even in retrospect, but in this one instance, it ran to the forefront of her mind. The way she'd singled out Chiyo's parents, putting her on such a display, tearing her down.

She gently feathers her fingers against her brow. God, she's an awful person. How selfish.

"Good," she says quietly, briefly distracted. That is, until Chiyo asks that question and snaps her back into focus, eyes zipping over.

That question. It's like she dug right into her mind and found the thing she would've preferred she keep on the mum. She only just met this girl, and this is a particularly uncool and unimpressive aspect of her life. Couldn't she ask her about music? Gaming? Anything else?

The punkette stands in silence for a few tense seconds before seeming to compose herself, turning to take a seat on the bench with her. The distance is respectful, at least. She isn't invading her space. It's a sensitive topic, anyway.

"Ah... no. No. No boyfriend back home, or out here. No girlfriend." She cuts her gaze sidelong to Chiyo at that, her stomach knotting a little at that admission. It felt loaded. The question, as well as the answer. And in truth, it was the one solace she'd have in what she's about to say.

"And my parents... that's a big negatory there, too. Look, Pepper, it's kind'a complicated." Did she just call Chiyo Pepper? Yes, yes she did.

"My birth parents didn't want me. They had me, then instantly ditched me. I was one of the lucky ones who was adopted when I was, like, eight or nine. Given their name, everything. Oshiro. And they were really good to me about everything, gave me anything I wanted except one thing, see?"

Brow knit, she looks back over to Chiyo for some indication of understanding. As she continues, her eyes lower again to her thighs.

"But that one thing was the most important thing to me. I fell in love with professional wrestling when I was a little kid. The larger than life fighters, the crowd, the lights, the gear, the music, the struggle, overcoming strong opponents to prove you're the best, the strongest... It was like real life gladiators doubling as superheroes, putting everything on the line for glory and honor and a roaring crowd..."

Narrow shoulders rise, and a wistful sigh escapes her.

"I was so into it. Japanese wrestling, American wrestling, what I could see of lucha libre... but man, my parents hated it. So much. A good girl isn't into that kind of thing, strutting around in their bathing suits, making fools of themselves," she says, spitting out the words in clear recitation of her parents' arguments. "I had to sneak to watch it. And by the time I was, like, sixteen, I wanted to be a professional wrestler. It was all I could think about. I drew doodles of what I'd wear, what my moves would be called... pretty dorky, right?"

She glances again to Chiyo, hunching her shoulders sheepishly with a weak smile.

"Well, when I asked my parents to enroll me in training, they really didn't like that. Forbade it. And eventually, I just gave up on it. I started college, and my path was set. Carnegie Hall, the Acropolis, Madison Square Garden... that was gonna be my destiny. Then, in the middle of the semester, there was this.. tryout. For a smaller federation. I took my shot. They were impressed. Took me in for training."

"Long story short, I had to choose between college and career. I chose to dedicate myself to wrestling. Which meant having to come clean to my parents." Her knees press together, her hands squeezing the edge of the bench. "There was a lot of things being said, like the word 'embarrassment', and 'We have no daughter', and 'Don't come back.' They said I was the worst mistake they'd ever made as a couple. Told me I wasn't allowed to use their name anymore."

Clearly she's still disobeying their wishes. But she continues, her voice a little weaker, "I can't blame'em. They took me in when I didn't have anything. Spent ten years giving me everything I could want. They were putting me through college. And I had to cross the one hard line they drew for me. What kind of daughter does that, huh...? So... no. No family or friends pulling for me. It's just me."

[PuroQueen]

Gagh! Chiyo didn't know why she had asked such a personal question. It was off the cuff, something that at the time felt appropriate considering Katsumi had just asked about her family life. But now, seeing the look on Katsumi's face, Chiyo could tell she was probing a little too deep. But to her surprise, the punk wrestler was actually willing to open up.

Chiyo listened intently as Katsumi spoke, her heart going out to the girl. It was hard to imagine what it must have been like to have parents that didn't want you, and to have to choose between your dream and the people who raised you. She felt a pang of sympathy for Katsumi, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a little proud of the punkette's conviction. She had chosen wrestling, despite the odds, and had dedicated herself to it.

Chiyo grinned at the nickname. It was silly, but it made her feel more at ease. But after that, she just shifted on the bench, unsure of what to say. She wanted to comfort Katsumi, to tell her that she was amazing for chasing her passion, but the words got caught in her throat. She wasn't quite ready to bridge that gap yet. Instead, she settled for a small smile and a nod of understanding.

"That's... that's really rough," Chiyo said softly, trying to convey her support without being too overbearing. "But... but it's amazing that you pursued your dream anyway. And whether I want to admit it not... you're actually really good at it, Kat. You're really something... in a good way I mean, sorta" Chiyo blundered, torn as to whether or not she was ready to trust this girl yet.

"You're really strong, Katsumi. Truly. Your decision wasn't easy... It took a lot of courage. I'm impressed."

Chiyo reflected on her first time watching a wrestling match, right around the same age as Katsumi in fact. As the two girls sat in comfortable silence, Chiyo couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Katsumi. Despite their differences, they were united in their passion for wrestling. And for that brief moment, in the quiet of the locker room, nothing else mattered.

[CyanDimitrik]

It wasn't quite the random outpouring of secrets that it may have seemed otherwise. A part of it relates to what she'd said to Chiyo earlier; something she wants to circle back on. But dredging up the past and that hollowed-out section of her heart has a way of clouding her mind and pulling her into a darker place, feeling alone despite the sound of roaring fans just minutes prior.

When Chiyo first speaks, it might even appear that Katsumi didn't hear her. There's no outward reaction, the Punk Princess only staring down at her lap. Creamy fair skin bordered on either end by black, whether in kneepads or her boyshorts-style trunks. Thinking of herself in light of her decision to effectively throw away her adoptive parents' investment into her life makes her feel very, very unworthy of the gold studs adorning her outfit. But as Chiyo continues, those green eyes return to her, reluctant to accept the compliment initially. She'd argue she's selfish. A jerk. A monster. It's why she struggles to have friends of any kind. Why she only seems capable of hurting people. Though the longer she listens to her, she more the cloud seems to lift; bit by bit.

"Wrestling is all I have. I gave up everything else. It's... that's... why I was so hard on you. But it didn't take you down. I mean, I absolutely took you down physically," she says, hooding her gaze at her, "but I mean, your spirit. The thing that matters. I've been in matches that've been really, really rough. With everything on the line. My career, my life, my... uh, dignity..." Memories of Sienna flash to the forefront of her mind. God, what a close call. And a defining moment for her; her line in the sand, do or die.

She inhales, chest rising in the small bralette, and she exhales in a gentle woosh.

"You make me think of the women I used to watch when I was a kid. The ones that inspired me to do this. Beautiful, bright, a fire that couldn't be stomped out, defiant 'til the end. Even if they had to submit, no one in those arenas or watching at home ever thought they were less than amazing. The audience, chanting their name... like the audience was chanting yours. Calling your moves." Her right hand lifts, crossing her chest to defensively take hold of her left shoulder, letting her eyes lower to the bench. "I've fought some Nasty McAssface people in that ring before. But the audience has never chanted my name before. They've cheered for me, but not like they do for you. I was.. maybe.. a little jealous. Maybe." It hurts to admit that. She yearns for that kind of acceptance and encouragement. If she had to be honest with herself, it's not so much that she likes being booed as she's accepted it as her lot in life. And so she uses it. She thought she'd made peace with it, but it took being in the ring with someone like Chiyo to crack that shell.

"B-but!" She quickly looks back up to Chiyo's face. "I came here because I really wanted to tell you that. And also maybe make sure you're okay. I had to style on you. I had to. But I.. what I saw in the ring, in you, was just... perfect." There's that word again. "I might've started to rub off on you a little. You got pretty aggro. But that's what fighting for your life feels like. And you never stopped being... you."

[PuroQueen]

Chiyo sits still for a moment, taking in Katsumi's words. Her eyes dart around the room, searching for something to hold onto, to ground her in this moment. She's not used to being praised like this, especially not by someone she considered a rival. And yet, she can't deny the warmth that spreads through her chest at Katsumi's words.

"Thank you," she finally says, her voice barely above a whisper. "I mean... thank you for saying all that. It means a lot to me." She scootches a few inches closer to Katsumi, still unsure of what to do with her hands. Should she fold them in front of her? Cross them over her chest? It feels like every movement is being scrutinized, judged.

"It means a lot to hear you say those things. I... I guess I never really thought about it like that before. That maybe people see something in me that I can't see myself." She pauses, biting her lip as she thinks about what to say next. For most of her wrestling career Chiyo had always been adored. She caulked it off to her cute and whimsical nature, but seeing Katsumi so envious of her, Chiyo couldn't help but feel like all this time she had taken it all for granted. The locker room is quiet, save for the rustling of fabric as they both shift their weight

Finally, Chiyo slowly reaches out, placing a comforting hand on Katsumi's shoulder. "And as for being a monster or a jerk or whatever I called you... I'm sorry. That was wrong for me to say, you were doing what you had to do in the ring" she said quietly. Fifteen minutes ago, there wasn't a chance in hell Chiyo would even look at Katsumi, let alone touch her. Now she was actually apologizing to her! But after the soft, vulnerable side of her that Katsumi was sharing with her right now, it just felt like the right thing to do "I see someone who's passionate about wrestling and willing to do whatever it takes to win. And there's nothing wrong with that."

"But, I mean, you're really good at being the bad guy in the ring," Chiyo said with a soft giggle, "maybe that's what's holding you back from getting the kind of support and recognition you deserve." Chiyo pauses for a moment, studying Katsumi's reaction. She doesn't want to upset her, but she also wants to be honest. "But you know what?" Chiyo continues, a small smile shared between them. "You don't need the crowd's approval to be a great wrestler. You proved that tonight. You gave it your all, and you made me work for every move. That's what really matters."

Chiyo gives Katsumi's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before removing her hand. She knows that it's going to take time for Katsumi to fully accept her kind words, but she hopes that she's at least planted a seed of encouragement in her.

[CyanDimitrik]

In fairness, Chiyo isn't wrong. Katsumi is hyper-focused on the moment, every sound, every shift, the feeling of both warmth from the match and the chill in the locker room air. Every flick of Chiyo's gaze, every adjustment in her stance, and perhaps most notably, the way she inches along the bench closer to her. Her heart beats just a little faster than its nervous baseline.

Suddenly, a hand sets over her bare shoulder. She instinctively glances to it before hurriedly looking back to the other girl's face, actively attempting to keep her mind focused in one direction. But it's starting to scatter. This is a different kind of touch. When they grappled, it was to fight and wrestle. To defeat the other person for glory. Nothing friendly about it, nothing remotely affectionate. Even those few times Katsumi remembers - vividly - of when they took it to the mat, the pins, feeling her body beneath her - it was still competition, asserting dominance for the benefit of an audience. To collect the W. This was just a touch, because Chiyo wanted to make contact with her. It earns a little tingle of the nerves, and while it's comforting, it's also encouraging; a different sort of encouragement from what Chiyo is actually saying.

"You don't have to apologize," Katsumi says, dipping her chin. "I know what I am. Even if I wasn't trying to make a point tonight, I still probably would've been mean. I'm mean without even tryin' to be. S'just something kind'a... tilted.. about me. I dunno." She's had a long enough time to recognize it as a flaw, a daily struggle, one she's not confident she can ever overcome. She's built different. But what comes next takes her by surprise. She's good at being bad?

Katsumi begins to smile, relaxing. It's a great thought, the idea that she doesn't need to be anything other than what she is. It's what her intro song is all about, in fact. She chose it as a middle finger to society telling her she's wrong. But to hear it from someone else... She said deserves. The recognition she deserves. She doesn't revisit the idea that she thought just being strong and skilled would be enough to make her happy, but how seeing Chiyo supported so heavily at her cost threw all of that askew. It doesn't matter right now. She's encouraged by what she's hearing, and encouragement is something that rarely hits the scoundrely Oshiro ear.

She takes a scootch closer to Chiyo. She's trying to play it cool, but she has all at once decided to shoot her shot. Well, kind of, anyway! Though she tries to be confident and playful in her delivery, a hint of uncharacteristic shyness bleeds through.

"Maybe so. Sucks that all the best girls wanna go for sweetheart types, though. Not punks~"

The flirt is accompanied with a reach forward, attempting to nudge a couple knuckles gently against Chiyo's ribs. And once done, Katsumi can confirm that the contact does indeed feel entirely different to her from the grappling before.

[PuroQueen]

As Katsumi's knuckles brush against her stomach, Chiyo's muscles instinctively tense. But it didn't take long for her to quickly adjust, her body soon loosened and relaxed. It's a gentle touch, yet it sends a jolt of electricity through her body. She can feel her heart pounding in her chest, and she's acutely aware of the heat radiating off of Katsumi's skin. She looks into Katsumi's eyes and feels herself falling, all of her fears and doubts disappearing into nothingness. It's a strange feeling, one that she's not entirely sure how to process.

"No, not mean, just...different" Chiyo whispered, her breath caught in her throat. She feels a sudden urge to get closer. She moves forward, closing the distance between them until their bodies were just inches apart. Her heart was beating a drum inside her chest, but she's not afraid. Not anymore.

She'd been with other girls before, that part wasn't new, but none who had ever shared the ring with her, let alone beat her this badly. But that didn't make her feeling any less true. She wanted to lean into the touch, to feel Katsumi's hand on her skin for just a little while longer. There's something about the punk girl that just draws her in, something that makes her want to take a chance. Maybe it was that smile of hers. Chiyo found herself smiling too, despite the whirlwind of emotions she was feeling. She was glad that they had recognized each other's worth, even if it had come at a high cost.

"I don't know about that," Chiyo says, pearly teeth beaming beneath a gentle grin. "I've always had a thing for bad girls. You know what they say after all, opposites attract."

As she speaks, Chiyo reaches out tentatively, her fingers brushing against Katsumi's arm, tracing the toned outlines of her biceps before working their way down to Katsumi's fingertips. It was a small gesture, but it felt like a big step for her. Chiyo took a deep breath and looked at Katsumi again, her eyes were filled with a mix of desire and uncertainty.

[CyanDimitrik]

As Chiyo scoots closer, Katsumi finds herself reflexively swallowing. Shoulder very nearly touching to shoulder, and it's all Katsumi could ever want. Just those few little centimeters of space to disappear between them. The proximity without contact is nearly intoxicating, driving her into a single-minded focus, bringing to bear the memory of grappling with her, lying over her, pinning her, tasting her breath, feeling her heart beating against her...

Her lips move to respond to that; the idea that she's not mean, just different. But no sound comes out. Her mind has filed it away. She has other, more pink-haired things to think about, and how much those thoughts are twisting up her sore abdomen. Her bottom lip finds its way between her teeth again, gently nibbling as she studies those big, brown, beautiful eyes. The corner of her lips uptick into a faint grin with her acceptance.

Katsumi's a bad girl. She's into bad girls. Opposites attract. That's a signal, right? Right!? Oh God, she's so new to this. She'd been asked out only once before, and somehow this seems so much more intense a moment! There's a burning terror swirling inside her, warning her to not screw this up, to not read too much into it. She's just being nice, or play-flirting-

Chiyo touches her arm. Her heart jumps into her throat. The feel of those fingertips running along her skin tighten the knot in her stomach by the second. And finally, fingertips align with fingertips. Katsumi's hand lifts, setting to Chiyo's bare lower back, her palm rubbing slowly over the soft skin. Turning a little more to face her on the bench, her other hand raises to lightly set a palm to her stomach and obliques.

"This isn't crazy tension from the ring talking," Katsumi says quietly, her voice falling to a whisper. "Just wanted to- to make that clear." Her attraction to her isn't born of wallowing around with a very attractive girl-next-door type. There's something about her heart, her spirit, that smile, her talent, that's radiant as the sun and so appealing. The fact that they spent a lengthy amount of time struggling against each other, hurting each other, and coming out the other side like this says something, too. At least, in her mind.

Her own relative inexperience with women is something she's trying to keep hidden. But she knows what she wants right now. Her head tilts closer to Chiyo's, just a hint. Then another. Then another, as it begins to angle invitingly for her. Her gaze slowly lids, her heartbeat racing and filling her ears.

[PuroQueen]

The distance between them is all but closed now, giving Chiyo an unobstructed view of the way Katsumi's eyes sparkle in the dim light of the locker room. The realization makes Chiyo feel all giddy inside. She can't help but smile at Katsumi's admission, and the way her hand lingers on her ribs sends a shiver down Chiyo's spine. It's been so long since she's felt this kind of sudden attraction to someone, and it's both thrilling and terrifying.

For a moment, Chiyo is frozen, unsure of what to do next. But then, she takes a deep breath and leans in, letting Katsumi's hand rest on her stomach. The muscles there are taut and toned, coupled with the gentle feel of Katsumi's fingers caressing her features and tracing a path down her lower back. It's a welcome move, and she can't resist the pull she feels towards Katsumi.

As Kat whispers, Chiyo opens her eyes and meets her gaze. The intensity of their connection is almost overwhelming, and she feels her walls slowly crumbling down. She can see the desire in Katsumi's eyes, and she knows that she wants her just as much as she does. The punkette lowers and angles her head, the invitation accepted without hesitation in the young rookie's mind.

"I know," she whispers back, her voice a soft murmur. "I feel it too."

With that, she leans in and presses her lips to Katsumi's, gently at first but then with more urgency as she feels the other girl respond. It's a soft, sweet kiss, but it's also charged with the energy of two people who have just shared an intense physical experience. She pulls away, briefly letting her lips hover against Katsumi's. She notice the hunger and delight in Katsumi's green orbs, and it fills her with a sense of joy and excitement. "You're...sweeter than I imagined" Chiyo giggled, her eyes twinkling with wonder. It doesn't take long for her to dive back in for more.

The sensation is electric, and Chiyo feels a jolt of joy shoot through her body. She wraps her arms around Katsumi's neck, deepening the kiss as she loses herself in the moment. For a few blissful moments, nothing else matters except the two of them, lost in each other's embrace.

[CyanDimitrik]

Time is frozen. The outside world doesn't exist. What remaining workers and crew milling about outside may as well be statues. Katsumi isn't hearing anything outside of a three-foot-range, and she doesn't see anything that isn't immediately in front of her. But she feels everything keenly. The skin of her bare waist, fingertips slowly gliding over her lower back, distantly reminded of how she'd stretched her for her finisher. The other hand subtly rubs along the toned muscle of her stomach, thinking back to the torture she'd given her in that region. Finding Chiyo leaning into it only encourages her more, relaxing the nerves but doing nothing to lessen the tension in the air.

Confirmation of her feeling is a jolt; the last spark needed to start the engine. The touch of Chiyo's lips against hers, however, puts her over. The eyes slide fully closed, and the kiss is pressed with some soft, boiling urgency. Soft and kneading, her warm breath exhaled through the nose breezing against the other girl's cheek. When the kiss breaks, she's left softly panting, lips parted and eyes resting shut. That is, until she speaks again. One eye peeks open to look back at her, starting to grin. "Sweeter..?," she asks. Did she mean personality, or taste?

Curiosity is cast aside in an instant when the kiss reignites. This time, the added feel of Chiyo wrapping her arms around her neck in desire causes the boil to tip over. She moves closer, one knee lifting onto the bench to turn her body more in her direction. Her hands slide further around her waist until her arms have looped her, eager to press directly into her. Whether that means taking it to the bench or standing up with her depends on how Chiyo moves, but Katsumi couldn't care less. She just wants that contact. To feel the two sealed together, chest to chest.

A soft, throaty sound escapes the punkette in the exchange, plaintive and enthralled all at once. "Ch-Chiyo..," she murmurs as the kiss begins to break, refusing to draw her face back from the girl just yet. Every word and enunciation likely brushes her lips to the other girl's. Her breathing has grown faster, heavier, telltale of the excitement growing in her. "This is.. crazy, right..? But can we hang...?" Her face turns, rubbing her nose into her cheekbone. "Like.. go out..? Do you like.. I dunno, sushi? I make great sushi..." With her mind sparking off wildly, she realizes she's starting to ramble. She isn't even sure why she's saying that. She is not a gifted chef, and she knows it. But in her efforts to become a little more capable of homemaking, she's at least practiced. A little. She can only hope she hates sushi and maybe prefers ramen.

Ramen, she can do.