(The Arena- late night. Once more Utena has found herself wandering, found herself here... and once more someone is waiting for her. We pick up as the discussion turns personal... and the archivist reminds herself to start logs at the beginning of her session instead of going back and capturing scrollback buffers. ;p) Utena says, "I don't know what I'm doing here... I don't even know what I was thinking. I can't have been thinking very clearly to come in here at the middle of the night like this." Touga leans over and whispers in your ear. "And since when was your thinking clearly something that was a priority, hmmm?" Utena turns BRIGHT pink. "..." Touga chuckles and brushes a few strands of hair out of your face. "Such a charming color... perhaps we can find you a dress that would well match that complexion..." Utena says, "stop!" She staggers a few steps away. "..." Touga chuckles and wraps an arm around your waist. "Or perhaps something a little... fancier, but more to your taste than that rather dull black uniform... after all, duelists are allowed to wear their uniforms in public..." Utena turns her head away. (And her movie uniform is NOT dull, thanks!) "let go..." she murmurs. "I don't want to be dressed up like some toy or doll." Touga shrugs and lets you go. "Ah well..." Utena brushes her fingers over her burning cheeks. *o.o* Touga asks, "But if you have such an aversion to it, Tenjou-kun... why are you blushing so? Or is it only the dressing up that you want to avoid...?" Utena whirls around, "It's the way you TREAT me! Like I'm a helpless child that has to be babied all the time... !" Her eyes flash dangerously. "I'm NOT a damn child, and I'm CERTAINLY capable of dressing myself... The way you treat me makes me feel like... like I'm worthless!" Utena says, "It's EMBARRASSING to be treated like that... " She draws her voice back, tones dropping a register, softening. "... really embarrassing." Touga leans back with a small smile on his face. "Worthless? Hardly... but you try to be so independent, you fail to realize that you need other people to support you, Tenjou-kun. If you can not deal with a little teasing..." Touga walks up to you, still smiling. "And since you will not let me help you were it matters..." Utena says, "I need other people like you need other people?" Utena retorts, softly, but with a slight edge as she crosses her arms. Looking up when you move back into her line of sight. "You know, when it comes right down to it, I don't have many friends. I've got a lot of people that distantly look on me as something interesting, but if something else came along, they'd be gone- I know that. I'd rather have two real friends than fifty hangers on who are just waiting for me to trip and fall down." Touga looks at Utena for a moment, and just laughs. "How well you understand me, Tenjou-kun. Do you know what it feels like, when everyone looks at you as like a horse at auction, or a piece of meat? When every part of you, body and mind, is wanted for some purpose that you may not agree with? And how fascinating it is to find someone who did not look at you that way, and has no changed since you knew them?" Utena counters softly, "I went through that every day until I got here, Touga." Utena says, "Sure, the first few times.. it's cute. But it starts to get creepy when girls are lining up a hundred long every single morning." Utena says, "And they're all chanting and waving and giggling and blushing..." Utena turns her head again, her chin aiming toward her shoulder. "That's embarrassing, too. When it comes to lunch, when it comes to mos any time that actually matters, they're not there, but they all sure wanted to be seen with me when all their other girlfriends could see them too." Touga says, "You were an idol, Utena... still a person, if one set on a pedistal. But if that is how you want to see it... you are welcome to that. I am not one to try and change your opinion." Of course, Touga's position results from the fact that his similar treatment hsa caused him to view many people as... slightly less than human. "Everyone wants something from me. Except you, for some odd reason..." Utena says, "Using someone, whether as a rose bride or a boyfriend or anything else is just wrong." is her comment as she lifts her head again. Touga smiles slightly, and shakes his head. "You at least have time to escape from the people wanting to use you. For me, the only escape from the screaming girls is the duels, or the council..." Utena asks, "Oh, come on. You said it yourself, this is a different world, right?" Utena says, "Somehow, I don't see the hordes following any of us around these days." Touga says, "And how different are the people in this world from ours? If nothing else, they simply have not noticed us yet. We are not necessarly the center of this world..." Utena nods, once. "No, we're not..." She brushes her fingers through her hair. "And... that's a good thing, isn't it?" She looks up, her eyes searching in yours as if looking for basic confirmation- yes, it's good we're fading. Touga shakes his head, and turns away slightly for a moment. "Perhaps... but how many of us know anything less than the life we had, Tenjou-kun? Not all of us always wanted to be normal... but we each have our own dreams." He steps towards you a moment later, brushing a finger along your cheek. Utena sighs, pressing her hand over your finger, holding your palm against her cheek. "Why do you have to make this so damn hard on me, Touga. I can't get tangled up with you like that... not now, the way things are..." Touga smiles and cups your cheek with his other hand. "But when will there be a good time to 'get tangled up' with me, Tenjou-kun? After all, it is our mistakes that make us better people... and we both need something to fight for, now." Utena closes her eyes, resting her hands absently along your wrists, lightly, not attempting to move you. "I just..." She stumbles around, looking for decent words. ".. it's not -right-... it's .." Like collaborating with the enemy, except.. Utena's never really been sure there -were- any enemies to begin with... "... I'd never be able to keep all those other girls off of you," she changes direction swiftly, tone becoming a bit cynical. Touga leans forward so that his face is only a few inches away from his, a small quirk of a smile on his lips. "I can manage that quite well on my own..." he says after a moment, looking into your bright blue eyes. "And you never had doubts before, until I was foolish enough to try and dominate you..." he says, moving a step closer, and sliping one hand around your waist. "But I want you beside me now, not behind, or ahead, of me." Utena closes her eyes again; blush returning to her face in force as you gently pull her to you, like the fisherman delicately reeling in a koi on the hook. "... I don't know what would happen if we tried it again," she breathes, "We're... we're duellists now. Things are different. We still haven't fought... I.. just don't see how I can be a prince and a princess at the same time." Touga smiles slightly and runs a finger along your lips - although he's never been a fisherman, the old habits of a charmer are hard to break. Especially when they work. "But it is because of that uncertainty that we should try... and nothing has changed, except the location, and the age, and our experiences." He pauses for a moment, and leans foward so his face is only an inch away from yours. "But have I asked you to be a princess? You are a partner... I can not force you to be less than you are..." Utena, in truth, isn't sure -what- to do. Her gut instinct that usually serves her so well is eerily silent, passing the matter to other parts of her that are far less productive. The poor girl's caught in a loop. She can't be a prince if she's with Touga; she knows that much.But who does she have to be a prince FOR,right now? No one needs her in THAT capacity... but shouldn't she be strong anyway, and... augh! This is too much thinking, in all the places she's terrible at it! That thumb brushing her lips is -terribly- distracting as well... "... I... I -want- to believe you. I really do... I just... it's... " Wrong. But, it's not wrong... damn it! Utena says, "I was so happy before, and I .. don't want to try and bring back something that was good once but... might be different, I..." She's fumbling, though. Of course, not taking any definitive action essentially leaves thins up to Touga... and that may not be the best thing in the world now, is it? But the red haired duelist notices the inner confusion, and the faint tremble in the girls body. His hand around her waist gently presses her against him, what he hopes is a reassuring smile on his face. "What is it that you are so afraid of, Utena..." he asks after a moment, his fingers gently running across her face and down to her neck. "You sound so afraid... but I won't take your noble heart from you... if you need to be strong, let me help you..." Utena reaches up gingerly, sifting her fingertips through the soft red folds of your hair near the crown of your head, watching how the thin red strands flicker and fall back, soft as feathers. "... " Then shepresses her forehead against your collarbone suddenly, turning her body against yours and grasping bits of your jacket in both hands. "... I'm scared of myself. Those feelings.. I wasn't lying before, Touga... " Utena doesn't lie, it's not really in her nature to; you knew that. But she says it with desperate urgency. "I .." She chokes on a breath, "... I'm scared of how much I /wish/ we could..." Touga leans foward slightly as you run your fingers through his hair, and almost leaps in startlement at the sudden burt of action and emotion. Recovering quickly, he gently tilts your head back with one finger, his eyes meeting your blue ones. "Is that not we are fighting... to make a world where our wishes can come true? And you should not be scared Utena... not of me..." He smiles slightly, and stops any further questions for a moment by leaning down and claiming your lips with single passionate kiss. Utena's eyes sink closed; otherwise she's deeply still, as if frozen or holding her breath. The hard grip on your jacket loosens, her hands flattening out, and she sighs a deep sigh under your lips. Letting go? Maybe; some tension is draining out of her body. But oh, some part of her thinks she SHOULD be scared.. anything that can pull on her this strongly IS scary, no matter how softly he speaks to deny it. It IS scary, terrifying, a huge vast thing. Touga breaks this kiss after a long moment, not opening his eyes as he cradles you against him... somewhat protectivly, but not tightly enought that you could not pull away if you tried. But for someone to actually force Touga to care, to set aside all of his preconcieved notions about women and being used is more than simply playing hard to get... part of him wonders if he will be able to raise a sword, should the day of their duel arrive. A prospect that is most terrifying of all, for it leaves him with few options. But for now he simply savors the contact, leaning back down to brush his fingers along your cheeks. Utena turns her cheek, resting it against theleft side of your chest, breathing quietly against you, making no moves to escape for themoment. She murmurs softly, ".. this is all so weird.. it's like.. all of a sudden, I just don't know what the rules are any more... back then..everything made sense. It all fit.. I knew what was going on and what I was supposed to... but I never once thought about the future, or anything but day to day. Now.. I'm here.. and no one can tell me what to do..." She laughs, very softly. "And now I'm really on my own. That's scary too..." She nuzzles her cheek against you, for a moment, then tilts her head back, and touches her fingers against your jaw, small touches. "You're warm..." she whispers, those intensely blue eyes with no shadows gazing at you. "... So.. what do we do now?" Touga gently runs a hand along the line of your jaw, marveling at the feel of your skin for a moment before he replies. "Perhaps we can escape..." he whispers quietly, before looking down into your bright blue eyes. "Now we are gone from Ohtori... we simply have to shake off the last of its bindings, and truely escape." After a moment he runs his hands up the curve of your back, carrying just a small bit of the fabric of your uniform with the motion. "Now... we should return you to your apartment... sooner or later..." Utena quirks a brow at the 'sooner or later' part, and that deep blush comes RIGHT back to her face; it's starting to look like it may be a permanent addition to her features whenever you're near her. "I suppose you'd rather it be later..." She grins faintly, in a manner suggesting embarrassment at her own thoughts, but her response to your other statements is a surprising one as she simply remarks, "We were before Ohtori." She rubs the back of her neck, stepping back a handful of paces, letting her hand trail down the length of your arm from shoulder down to wrist as she pulls back. Touga looks down at his hand for a moment and closes his eyes for a moment, picturing the day that they had met... and everything that happened afterwards. "Akio has played with our fates all of our lives. Even when we were young.. It will end... he can not keep doing this forever." Touga shakes his head and turns away from Utena, looking out at... nothing, lost in his own thoughts. Utena says, "You know where to find me." Utena says softly. "I think I should go home and get some sleep, too. We've GOT to quit meeting in the middle of the night like this, Seitokaichou... you'll miss out on your beauty sleep." She slips by you, brushing her fingers against your hand, and leaving the area, shaking her head at herself, just slightly. . o O ( I guess I just agreed we're... dating... o.o; )