- Location
- Somewhere in the stacks
- Pronouns
- She/Her
There was a fox involved. And she did want to eat flesh, in a matter of speaking. :B
A Catgirl's Last Chance for High School Romance - COMPLETE
- Thread starter Artificial Girl
- Start date
- Original Romance
There was a fox involved. And she did want to eat flesh, in a matter of speaking. :B
ColdGoldLazarus
Contrary Quester, Spreadsheet Queen, Pink Flamingo
- Location
- Challenger Deep
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Not even that.
But yeah, shoving her away is honestly more likely to cause problems at this point. The exact last thing Hanako needs right now.
PhDEevee
Mathematician and Questgiver
- Location
- Sydney
Maybe it's just my impression of this quest, but it generally seems to be the case that we can't avoid problems, because the problems Hanako encounters are largely unavoidable - what we can do is trade one problem for another and try to deal with the problems that exist. And that's good quest writing.
For instance, take Erika's issue with Akane. That was pretty much always going to happen, even if it didn't have to be Akane, because Erika is insecure (probably for quite understandable reasons). On the other hand trying to tiptoe around Erika ending up hurting Akane's feelings. That was dealt with by being honest with Akane and Akane just generally being awesome. However, the root of this survives - Erika still has deep insecurities that are going to take a hell of a lot of patience and understanding to deal with.
Similarly, the situation with Hanako's mother can't really be resolved without a lot of luck, time and patience (I say luck because sometimes people aren't willing to become more accepting for the sake of the happiness of their children
). But some clever thinking has outmaneuvred some of her more manipulative behaviours so far, and gained an ally in Hanako's father.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Okay, people might not like this vote that much. But hear me out.
I'm going to dismiss meta arguments because I don't think they belong. The main argument I see is that it will upset Erika.
My rebuttal: … And? People aren't cost-benefit machines that analyze every portion of their life for suboptimal outcomes, you know. xP Sometimes people consider consequences. Sometimes people really think things through. Sometimes they genuinely think that in the end it's likely Erika will find out and things will spiral out of control.
Sometimes you're also making out with a hot girl who is into you, you have a great rapport with, and has been nothing but nice to you this entire time. There has always been this spark of attraction there, and Hanako is obviously into her in some capacity. So... I'm not seeing much reason for her to not go for it. There will be a voice warning her about how dangerous it is, but that voice will sink into nothing, or so quiet as to be irrelevant. She can just love what's happening right now, just like everything about her kind of wants her to. Hanako is new to this, and she just met someone else that clearly is into her, and she is into them. She gets thrown into this situation. I can't imagine her showing restraint and rationality.
She's living in the moment. That may not be the best choice, maybe even the wrong choice, but it's a human choice. People make mistakes. They don't take the optimal outcome every time. They don't go the safe route. Sometimes they set logic aside and just do what feels right. Like now. I think this story is about humanity, and if we want to capture that, there's something we must do.
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
I'm going to dismiss meta arguments because I don't think they belong. The main argument I see is that it will upset Erika.
My rebuttal: … And? People aren't cost-benefit machines that analyze every portion of their life for suboptimal outcomes, you know. xP Sometimes people consider consequences. Sometimes people really think things through. Sometimes they genuinely think that in the end it's likely Erika will find out and things will spiral out of control.
Sometimes you're also making out with a hot girl who is into you, you have a great rapport with, and has been nothing but nice to you this entire time. There has always been this spark of attraction there, and Hanako is obviously into her in some capacity. So... I'm not seeing much reason for her to not go for it. There will be a voice warning her about how dangerous it is, but that voice will sink into nothing, or so quiet as to be irrelevant. She can just love what's happening right now, just like everything about her kind of wants her to. Hanako is new to this, and she just met someone else that clearly is into her, and she is into them. She gets thrown into this situation. I can't imagine her showing restraint and rationality.
She's living in the moment. That may not be the best choice, maybe even the wrong choice, but it's a human choice. People make mistakes. They don't take the optimal outcome every time. They don't go the safe route. Sometimes they set logic aside and just do what feels right. Like now. I think this story is about humanity, and if we want to capture that, there's something we must do.
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
KarvokaQueen
Queen of the Coffee Cups
- Location
- City of Coffee, Upside-down land
Gotta agree with broken base here. Hanako isn't a flawless, clear-minded individual. Its make sense for her to lose herself on the moment here.
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
PhDEevee
Mathematician and Questgiver
- Location
- Sydney
Changing vote, because I am fickle, unlike Hanako. Characters should be allowed to have moments of weakness.
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
Disparate Dawn
Extrasolar Cuddle Being
- Location
- Roy Batty's Psychedelic Gay Bar
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
Rajvik_wolfboy
Wolf amongst the stars.
- Location
- Florida
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft
AKuz
Been Better
- Location
- A Rising Tide of Horrors
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
I honestly don't think Hanako has the presence of mind, or the attitude to go first to shoving her.
<.<
>.>
...and I think it makes for a better, more "human" story,
I honestly don't think Hanako has the presence of mind, or the attitude to go first to shoving her.
<.<
>.>
...and I think it makes for a better, more "human" story,
- Location
- USA
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
Im gonna have to go along here, while it's not the optimal option and my heart tears me in half to pick it, I don't think Hanako would have the presence of mind to throw her off right now. She's clearly attracted to her, experiencing a wild kiss in a time where she's stressed the heck out. Afterwards we'll just have to pick up the pieces and try and fix this whole mess.
Im gonna have to go along here, while it's not the optimal option and my heart tears me in half to pick it, I don't think Hanako would have the presence of mind to throw her off right now. She's clearly attracted to her, experiencing a wild kiss in a time where she's stressed the heck out. Afterwards we'll just have to pick up the pieces and try and fix this whole mess.
- Location
- United States
Making Hanako faithful isn't going to make this a less human story or have her be flawless. I don't understand where this is coming from.
Also, Hanako still has all the drama aside from her girlfriend to deal with. Even then, a relationship with an insecure girlfriend isn't going to be easy whilst faithful let alone this.
Also, Hanako still has all the drama aside from her girlfriend to deal with. Even then, a relationship with an insecure girlfriend isn't going to be easy whilst faithful let alone this.
- Location
- madison
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
I think stunned followed by "i'm taken" is in character.
I think stunned followed by "i'm taken" is in character.
PhDEevee
Mathematician and Questgiver
- Location
- Sydney
Wow, you have pretty harsh standards for what constitutes faithfulness, don't you? It's important to note here that this decision is basically a 'how does Hanako react on the spot' vote, rather than necessarily incorporating all that she thinks about it afterwards. The closest thing to unfaithfulness here is the third option, which is basically 'this is amazing, I'm kissing back, Erika doesn't need to know', which is still a secret I'd expect Hanako to keep for like zero seconds before exploding with guilt.
Letting someone kiss you because you don't expect it, have no idea how to respond and because it feels nice complicates things, but what makes it unfaithful is how you treat the moment afterwards.
Mechanical
Initiate Action: Buzz
- Location
- Somewhere Strange
[X] You're so overwhelmed you're not quite sure what to do. Maybe just... go along with it until it's over? Then explain? Yeah. That sounds good. Gosh, her lips are soft.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I'm not sure where flawless came from? I don't think anybody has claimed that. But while I didn't quite claim the former, you could argue I did. So let me try to quickly break it down
A. A hot girl really wants to make out with you. You're new to relationships, and even new to this whole "gay" thing. This girl has been nice to you this entire time, you think she's attractive, and you're far away from Erika; so there IS an argument to be made that she'll never find out. You have a strong rapport. And, it must be emphasized, she is evidently really into you. This caught you completely off guard, so you kind of are going on autopilot here.
B. Pull away because you could upset Erika and keep you faithful.
Which one is closer to the one an actual person would do? I wouldn't say that it makes the story less human, that sounds insulting, I would say we picked a choice that is less akin to the sort of thematic direction the story should, in my opinion, go.
(Also honestly I think I could make a strong case that the whole Erika thing is a meta argument rather than a textual argument, but it'd be a cheap shot given the vote totals so I won't.)
I would argue it is her inexperience with intimate contact that would cause Hanako to push her away. She's only been kissed once after all so it's not like she's got any muscle memory built up for this.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Sure, that's a fair interpretation.
54. Explanations
- Location
- Somewhere in the stacks
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Oh God. Oh God. You're frozen on the spot, arms not quite sure whether to push her away her pull her closer. The kiss lingers for what feels like hours, though in reality it's only a few seconds until Kaylee pulls away. She smells like sweat and deodorant and foxes and part of you desperately wants to hold her closer and another screams for you to just run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. Kaylee's hand cups your cheek and she grins, her face flushed.
"...Yeah, you seem pretty gay to me." Your cheeks are on fire and you have to make your mouth work after that whole thing. You swallow, then manage to stammer a reply.
"I--Okay, I am gay," you start, tripping yourself over your words as you go. Hanako, take a breath. Breathe in, breathe out. Kaylee's hand drops back into her lap and she leans back on the bench seat, blinking as she watches you struggle for words.
"Okay." You repeat the word like it's some kind of mental anchor, then steel yourself. "And. You're really hot. But I--I can't do this, I'm sorry." Kaylee blinks.
"What? Why? Are you scared of your parents?" You wince. That hit closer home than you expected but it's not quite the right reason. You hurriedly shake your head.
"No! I--I have a girlfriend already, Kaylee!" You blurt at last, bowing deeply from your awkward sitting position.
"I'm really flattered and everything but I have a girlfriend and I can't do this sort of thing, I'm sorry!" Kaylee snorts quietly and then laughs, leaning back and covering her eyes with one hand. Her cheeks are red as yours, maybe redder. You dunno, you don't have a mirror.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry. I should have asked or something--I had no idea. Oh my God. I'm so embarrassed." She's covering her face with both hands and turning away from you. Her ears flatten and her tail fluffs a little. You almost feel guilty for setting your boundaries but you know it's better that you did. You laugh nervously.
"Y-Yeah. It's... Sorry," you say again and she shakes her head.
"You don't need to be sorry. It's my own fault for just. Rushing in like I always do." She sighs again and finally turns back to you. She's still blushing and her chin is resting in one hand as she looks at you.
"You really are super cute. Whoever that girl is, she's lucky. You guys go to school together?" You giggle at the flattery, then nod in a short, sharp embarrassed motion.
"Y-Yeah. She's actually my junior in our club for spooky stuff..." Kaylee nods.
"Aw, high school love. That's adorable!" She's grinning from ear to ear, apparently over her embarrassment. Or at least over it mostly. She sighs and looks awkwardly away again, looking out over the valley.
"Sorry for putting you on the spot like that," she adds after a moment.
"It's okay! You didn't know." You hold your hands up, trying to placate her. "We can still be friends, right?"
"Yeah, that's true," she says, grinning. "Besides, you need an onee-san to look out for you baby queers." She reaches out and ruffles your hair between the ears in a way that reminds you of your dad and you blush again.
"You're only like, two years older than me."
"Yeah, but that's like twenty in gay years."
"There's no such thing as gay years."
"Yes there are. You'll find out when you graduate from baby gay to adult gay." You roll your eyes as she cackles at you. It's starting to warm up and the dappled shade of an overhanging tree keeps most of the sun off. You lean back a little, quiet and pensive for a long moment as you stare out over the valley. Kaylee's head tilts.
"You okay?"
"...Yeah," you murmur. "Just like. I've been gay for like four months and there's already so much going on."
"Damn, you move fast. Already got the girl and everything," Kaylee says in what you are beginning to realize is her usual teasing tone. You huff and roll your eyes.
"I'm concerned about how to come out to my mom. I... she doesn't approve? I think? And she doesn't like that I'm going to help with this camping trip for an LGBT youth group. It's supposed to be like, a job but she doesn't know I actually go to the support group and stuff." Kaylee grimaces.
"Oh. God. Yeah that shit is awkward. I... never really got to come to my mom. My dad knows, though. He's pretty laid back about it, thankfully. Though part me thinks he still expects me to bring a boy home when I get out of my 'experimental phase' or whatever." She raises her fingers to give some air quotes to the words. "Honestly the best thing to do with your mom is wait until you're out of the house. Distance will make it harder for her to fuck with you and having an unsupportive parent is fucking hard."
Not as hopeful as some of the other advice you've gotten, but it makes sense. You nod in agreement.
"I wish being gay wasn't so complicated," you say.
"Me too," Kaylee admits. "But I wouldn't want to be anything else."
"....Me either," you agree. Which is kind of surprising. Only a couple months ago you would have said that you hated it and now... now you feel like it's a part of you that you never want to let go of. It feels important and right to let yourself be who you really are. You smile at the thought, then glance at Kaylee.
"You wanna come to our place for dinner tonight? Grandma always makes waaay too much food and they'd probably be happy to have an extra mouth. Plus your hair will freak out my mom." You snicker. You're feeling bold today, sitting here with a warm summer breeze ruffling your hair and this newfound comfort in your identity. Kaylee arches a brow at you and grins.
"I mean, that's a good reason but what are you all having?"
"Grandma said she was going to make somen because it's so hot this week. And there's a watermelon for dessert."
"Nice. I am totally in then." Kaylee gives a thumbs up. The two of you sit there a few minutes longer, finishing off lunch and guzzling water, then start off down the hill back into the valley. It's easier than the trek up, even if it's hotter now. By the time you get back down it's mid-afternoon and the two of you are sweaty and exhausted as you reach your grandparents house. Kaylee whistles in admiration at the stately old house as you open the door and remove your shoes.
"I'm home! And I brought company for dinner!" You call out. Your grandmother makes an almost immediate appearance.
"Welcome home, Hana-chan! This must be the fox you met," She smiles at Kaylee in that warm, grandmotherly way that's always so... comforting and welcoming. "She has very fancy hair," she adds.
"Oh, uh. This is Kaylee Yamada--" Kaylee bows towards your grandmother.
"Oh! Are you related to the Yamadas who run the farm down the road?"
"Yeah. That's my aunt and uncle. I'm staying with them until I move to Center City this fall and start getting ready for university."
"Oh that's so lovely. I didn't know they had such a pretty niece." Grandma clucks her tongue. "Well, the two of you should go get cleaned up." Kaylee blinks and starts to protest.
"Oh, no--I didn't bring a change of clothes, I'll be fine--" Grandma shakes her head.
"Nonsense. I'll lend you something to wear so you don't have to sit around in all that sweat. Hana-chan, be a dear and show her where the bath is? I'll bring some clothes and towels in just a moment." And your grandmother vanishes off into a side room. You shrug helplessly at Kaylee.
"Grandmas, right?" She nods in agreement with your wisdom and you lead the way through the house. You stop to drop off your bag in your bedroom and then it's off to the bath. Kaylee hesitates.
"...I can go after you if you want," she says after a moment of awkward embarrassment. "I don't want to make things weird." She rubs the back of her neck, apparently rather conscious of her mistake up on the hill.
[ ] Pff. You're both girls and you trust her to respect your boundaries. Plus you need someone to scrub your back, right? Right.
[ ] You're not sure you could handle the embarrassment. Better to bathe separately, but you insist that she go first. She's a guest and grandma would want to make sure she's taken care of.
[ ] ...Yeah. You'll go first. Nothing wrong with that. You're not really sure you're ready to handle communal bathing right now, even if it's kind of not such a big deal.
"...Yeah, you seem pretty gay to me." Your cheeks are on fire and you have to make your mouth work after that whole thing. You swallow, then manage to stammer a reply.
"I--Okay, I am gay," you start, tripping yourself over your words as you go. Hanako, take a breath. Breathe in, breathe out. Kaylee's hand drops back into her lap and she leans back on the bench seat, blinking as she watches you struggle for words.
"Okay." You repeat the word like it's some kind of mental anchor, then steel yourself. "And. You're really hot. But I--I can't do this, I'm sorry." Kaylee blinks.
"What? Why? Are you scared of your parents?" You wince. That hit closer home than you expected but it's not quite the right reason. You hurriedly shake your head.
"No! I--I have a girlfriend already, Kaylee!" You blurt at last, bowing deeply from your awkward sitting position.
"I'm really flattered and everything but I have a girlfriend and I can't do this sort of thing, I'm sorry!" Kaylee snorts quietly and then laughs, leaning back and covering her eyes with one hand. Her cheeks are red as yours, maybe redder. You dunno, you don't have a mirror.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry. I should have asked or something--I had no idea. Oh my God. I'm so embarrassed." She's covering her face with both hands and turning away from you. Her ears flatten and her tail fluffs a little. You almost feel guilty for setting your boundaries but you know it's better that you did. You laugh nervously.
"Y-Yeah. It's... Sorry," you say again and she shakes her head.
"You don't need to be sorry. It's my own fault for just. Rushing in like I always do." She sighs again and finally turns back to you. She's still blushing and her chin is resting in one hand as she looks at you.
"You really are super cute. Whoever that girl is, she's lucky. You guys go to school together?" You giggle at the flattery, then nod in a short, sharp embarrassed motion.
"Y-Yeah. She's actually my junior in our club for spooky stuff..." Kaylee nods.
"Aw, high school love. That's adorable!" She's grinning from ear to ear, apparently over her embarrassment. Or at least over it mostly. She sighs and looks awkwardly away again, looking out over the valley.
"Sorry for putting you on the spot like that," she adds after a moment.
"It's okay! You didn't know." You hold your hands up, trying to placate her. "We can still be friends, right?"
"Yeah, that's true," she says, grinning. "Besides, you need an onee-san to look out for you baby queers." She reaches out and ruffles your hair between the ears in a way that reminds you of your dad and you blush again.
"You're only like, two years older than me."
"Yeah, but that's like twenty in gay years."
"There's no such thing as gay years."
"Yes there are. You'll find out when you graduate from baby gay to adult gay." You roll your eyes as she cackles at you. It's starting to warm up and the dappled shade of an overhanging tree keeps most of the sun off. You lean back a little, quiet and pensive for a long moment as you stare out over the valley. Kaylee's head tilts.
"You okay?"
"...Yeah," you murmur. "Just like. I've been gay for like four months and there's already so much going on."
"Damn, you move fast. Already got the girl and everything," Kaylee says in what you are beginning to realize is her usual teasing tone. You huff and roll your eyes.
"I'm concerned about how to come out to my mom. I... she doesn't approve? I think? And she doesn't like that I'm going to help with this camping trip for an LGBT youth group. It's supposed to be like, a job but she doesn't know I actually go to the support group and stuff." Kaylee grimaces.
"Oh. God. Yeah that shit is awkward. I... never really got to come to my mom. My dad knows, though. He's pretty laid back about it, thankfully. Though part me thinks he still expects me to bring a boy home when I get out of my 'experimental phase' or whatever." She raises her fingers to give some air quotes to the words. "Honestly the best thing to do with your mom is wait until you're out of the house. Distance will make it harder for her to fuck with you and having an unsupportive parent is fucking hard."
Not as hopeful as some of the other advice you've gotten, but it makes sense. You nod in agreement.
"I wish being gay wasn't so complicated," you say.
"Me too," Kaylee admits. "But I wouldn't want to be anything else."
"....Me either," you agree. Which is kind of surprising. Only a couple months ago you would have said that you hated it and now... now you feel like it's a part of you that you never want to let go of. It feels important and right to let yourself be who you really are. You smile at the thought, then glance at Kaylee.
"You wanna come to our place for dinner tonight? Grandma always makes waaay too much food and they'd probably be happy to have an extra mouth. Plus your hair will freak out my mom." You snicker. You're feeling bold today, sitting here with a warm summer breeze ruffling your hair and this newfound comfort in your identity. Kaylee arches a brow at you and grins.
"I mean, that's a good reason but what are you all having?"
"Grandma said she was going to make somen because it's so hot this week. And there's a watermelon for dessert."
"Nice. I am totally in then." Kaylee gives a thumbs up. The two of you sit there a few minutes longer, finishing off lunch and guzzling water, then start off down the hill back into the valley. It's easier than the trek up, even if it's hotter now. By the time you get back down it's mid-afternoon and the two of you are sweaty and exhausted as you reach your grandparents house. Kaylee whistles in admiration at the stately old house as you open the door and remove your shoes.
"I'm home! And I brought company for dinner!" You call out. Your grandmother makes an almost immediate appearance.
"Welcome home, Hana-chan! This must be the fox you met," She smiles at Kaylee in that warm, grandmotherly way that's always so... comforting and welcoming. "She has very fancy hair," she adds.
"Oh, uh. This is Kaylee Yamada--" Kaylee bows towards your grandmother.
"Oh! Are you related to the Yamadas who run the farm down the road?"
"Yeah. That's my aunt and uncle. I'm staying with them until I move to Center City this fall and start getting ready for university."
"Oh that's so lovely. I didn't know they had such a pretty niece." Grandma clucks her tongue. "Well, the two of you should go get cleaned up." Kaylee blinks and starts to protest.
"Oh, no--I didn't bring a change of clothes, I'll be fine--" Grandma shakes her head.
"Nonsense. I'll lend you something to wear so you don't have to sit around in all that sweat. Hana-chan, be a dear and show her where the bath is? I'll bring some clothes and towels in just a moment." And your grandmother vanishes off into a side room. You shrug helplessly at Kaylee.
"Grandmas, right?" She nods in agreement with your wisdom and you lead the way through the house. You stop to drop off your bag in your bedroom and then it's off to the bath. Kaylee hesitates.
"...I can go after you if you want," she says after a moment of awkward embarrassment. "I don't want to make things weird." She rubs the back of her neck, apparently rather conscious of her mistake up on the hill.
[ ] Pff. You're both girls and you trust her to respect your boundaries. Plus you need someone to scrub your back, right? Right.
[ ] You're not sure you could handle the embarrassment. Better to bathe separately, but you insist that she go first. She's a guest and grandma would want to make sure she's taken care of.
[ ] ...Yeah. You'll go first. Nothing wrong with that. You're not really sure you're ready to handle communal bathing right now, even if it's kind of not such a big deal.
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