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       #Post#: 384--------------------------------------------------
       The Natatorium 
       By: GGJ5 Date: April 28, 2013, 3:51 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       The natatorium, or indoor pool, is a separate building from the
       main part of the school. It's not just an indoor pool-- it also
       houses two substantial locker rooms, a diving tank, and water
       polo facilities. Students with Enhancements connected to water
       are permitted extra swimming hours and a code to access the
       building as needed, but most students' access is limited to the
       hours that school is in session. Students are required to take
       swimming as part of their education at the Academy, so every
       student will eventually have to step into the waters. In the
       winter, the water is heated, but during warmer weather, it is
       pleasantly cool. There are two diving board-- one low and one
       high dive, but these are specifically relegated to the diving
       tank.
       The outside of the building is as spectacular as the students
       who use the natatorium: It was modeled after the Beijing
       Olympics Natatorium. And like its inspiration, the building
       glows a beautiful, oceanic blue in the night sky. During the
       day, a soft blue glow radiates from the walls, often difficult
       to see in full light. However, on cloudy or rainy days, the
       natatorium especially shines.
  HTML http://cdn2.vtourist.com/4/4175064-National_natatoriumH2O_cube_Beijing.jpg
  HTML http://media.mlive.com/baycitytimes/photo/8224234-standard.jpg
       #Post#: 386--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Natatorium 
       By: GGJ5 Date: April 28, 2013, 4:24 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Erin Spenser
       She'd known for a while that Yukito couldn't swim, but figured
       it was some weird Dr. Ramsey rule for him, what with the wings
       and all. After all, that's what he said if anyone asked him why
       he wasn't swimming like everyone else: That Ramsey wouldn't let
       him. And of course, here, that man's words were law. But of
       course, she couldn't complain too badly at the moment... that
       law allowed her access to the natatorium whenever she wanted it.
       All she had to do was give the right code at the door. And since
       the code was her thumb print, it would be pretty easy.
       It had surprised her that Yukito had asked her to teach him to
       swim, though. He'd seemed perfectly content just to sit outside
       on the dry ground. But then, Erin knew she wasn't so good with
       gauging people's thoughts.... she was like the Anti-Reese. But
       it was a nice surprise, Yukito's asking her. He trusted her
       enough to let her teach him, and the thought alone sent a smile
       across Erin's face each time it occurred to her. He wants ME to
       teach him. He trusts ME. He wants to spend time with me! It
       certainly wasn't a real relationship, but it was so, so nice,
       and so much more than she expected.
       It was dark out, now. She'd left quietly, her parents being the
       secretly-old-people they were and already having gone to bed. It
       made things like this convenient, though. The air was not as
       warm as she'd like it to be, and she thought how nice it would
       be to be in the warm water instead of out here as the
       temperature dropped. Erin shivered as she walked up to the
       oceanic building, the blue hue shining onto her face. She pulled
       tighter on her green crochet top, trying to keep some warmth on
       her. The fact that she was wearing thin Nike shorts didn't make
       anything any better, and so when she saw Yukito, Erin gave him a
       hurried wave. "Hey! You're here already! Awesome, let's go in.
       I'm freezing."
       Pressing her thumb onto the keypad outside the main entrance,
       Erin waited for the little 'beep' that would signify the doors
       were unlocked. It didn't take long. She tugged on one of the
       doors and gestured for Yukito to enter. "Welcome to my little
       kingdom," Erin said, then immediately regretted it. How lame
       could you possibly sound? He'd been in here plenty of times
       before, anyway... and it wasn't like it was actually hers. Jeez,
       Erin...
       #Post#: 399--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Natatorium 
       By: Mascii Date: April 29, 2013, 10:50 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Yukito Ramsey
       Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. He paced back in forth in front
       of the magnificent natatorium, with nowhere left to hide and no
       good excuse to bail. Wearing black swimming trunks he had bought
       that afternoon and a tank top beneath a light jacket, he felt
       like he was already over-exposed. Why had he asked Erin to meet
       him here?
       "I have a confession to make..I can't swim..Would you teach me?"
       He actually took a moment to hit himself in the head repeatedly.
       How could he be such an idiot all the time?
       Just play it cool, Yukito. You're fine. He made himself stand
       still, although he still played fitfully with his cell phone in
       one hand. He had put it on silent, hoping the claim would serve
       as a back-up excuse if Hal were to try and reach him.
       "Hey! You're here already! Awesome, let's go in. I'm freezing."
       He looked up to find Erin walking toward him, seeming to skip
       her way toward him without even trying. She wore a colorful
       little outfit, with a crochet top that she tugged at
       half-consciously. The blue glow from the building made her look
       very different, and Yukito wasn't sure in what way, but it made
       him nervous. He worked up enough nerve for a little "hello"
       smile, but it didn't stay. His stomach was already churning with
       apprehension. He followed her to the door, and she pressed her
       thumb to the keypad, unlocking it. Since Erin was a special
       water Enhancement, she was allowed private access to the
       natatorium, although he wasn't sure this was permitted at all
       times, he was willing to overlook the loophole.
       "Welcome to my little kingdom," Erin greeted, and one side of
       Yukito's lip curled in amusement.
       She seemed so much in her element, and they hadn't even gotten
       inside. Yukito slunk in after her, Erin's footsteps confident,
       her feet knowing the way because she'd been her hundreds of
       times, he was sure. Sometimes during P.E. he came in to wait for
       Reese, and he knew Erin was one of the best swimmers they had.
       Although she wasn't the only water Enhancement, she was always
       full of energy. And even though she seemed like a silly sort, he
       knew she was a hard worker when she put her mind to something.
       "It's a colorful kingdom," he said once they were inside, his
       voice sounding strange, echoing back to him. The place was
       deserted, of course, but there was plenty of light to see by,
       and the sound of the sloshing water filled the room tenfold. He
       couldn't think of anything else to say, so he just studied the
       enormous pool. There were the swimming lanes, of course, which
       is where Erin seemed to excel, but there was also a general pool
       area for the kids to play around in, as well as a generated
       whirlpool area, meant for more intense workouts but usually used
       for fun. There was also an area designated for diving.
       He had always been secretly fascinated by the diving board.
       Yukito clutched the messenger bag on his shoulder a little more
       tightly, unaware of how stiff and out of place he appeared. This
       was not the Yukito that challenged Reese to a for-fun war for
       Erin, this was not the same Yukito that had posted that horrid
       image of himself online for the world to see. This was the real
       Yukito, the one that was scared of everything, and didn't know
       what to do with himself. He tried to bury his misgivings under a
       tight-lipped little smile, but it felt like plaster to his face.
       He couldn't fake Reese's confidence forever. And he could have
       used it now.
       #Post#: 410--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Natatorium 
       By: GGJ5 Date: April 29, 2013, 10:06 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Erin Spenser
       "Welcome to my little kingdom," Erin announced, then immediately
       regretted it. It sounded super lame. She wanted to sound cool,
       not lame! Her pace quickened, the quiet tap of her bare feet on
       the tiles hastening. She made a beeline for the shallow end,
       then slowed down a bit once she looked back at Yukito.
       "It's a colorful kingdom," Yukito observed, echoing her really
       lame metaphor.
       She laughed it off. "Yeah, well... it only looks this pretty at
       night." Finally she noticed he'd brought a big old bag along
       with him. Her brow wrinkled. "What's that about, Yukito?"
       Quizzically, she pointed to the messenger bag. "You don't need
       anything to swim besides your body. It's the life skill you
       carry around with you every day, no matter what!"
       Yukito just clutched it more.
       Erin worked her lips, trying to think of where to start. Was he
       scared, or something? Was she scaring him somehow? Or she could
       be reading into things.... she did that sometimes. He was
       probably just cold or something. He'd feel better once he got in
       the water. So, she told him so. "If you're cold, don't worry--
       the water's heated when it's cold outside." She sent him an
       elated smile, because in her head, heated pools were some of the
       best inventions ever. "So, get in the water..." Gesturing
       quickly to the steps that lead into the shallow end, Erin tugged
       off her crochet top and let it fall on the icy poolside tiles.
       Her shorts went on top the little pile, and then she pulled her
       hair back into a pony tail, deftly tying it up with the band
       that had been on her wrist.
       Really, she took just a tiny bit longer putting her hair back
       than she needed to... just a small bit, and if she was honest
       with herself, Erin would admit it was because she was hoping
       Yukito would notice her. Personally, Erin thought she looked
       cute in her striped swimsuit
  HTML http://cdn03.cdnwp.celebuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/05/05/selena-gomez-bikinis-poolside-in-florida-8-435x450.jpg...<br
       />the one dresscode would never let her actually wear during
       school hours, but at least now she could. And part of her was
       hoping she might be called cute by Yukito, too... even though he
       hardly struck her as the type to randomly drop compliments. Erin
       let the moment pass and quickly slipped into the water, just to
       the first couple of steps before turning back to Yukito. "You
       probably shouldn't swim dressed like that, by the way. It'll be
       a lot more uncomfortable with all that soaked stuff on you."
       #Post#: 416--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Natatorium 
       By: Mascii Date: May 1, 2013, 12:01 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       OOC: Yukito's brace is in this design
  HTML http://www.delatorreop.com/images/devices/400x400/166.jpg,
       but
       the materials are different. BIC:
       Yukito Ramsey
       He knew he should have played it cooler, tried to be the
       relaxed, nonchalant guy that he sometimes imagined himself to
       be. But all he could do was stand there, his hand unconsciously
       tightening its hold on his messenger bag, his eyes fearful.
       Erin looked up at him, already partway in the water, her lips
       working in distaste at his hesitation. "If you're cold, don't
       worry-- the water's heated when it's cold outside." She sent him
       a grand, encouraging smile, "So, get in the water..." He nodded,
       putting his bag down and slipping his shoes off. Still wearing
       his tank top, he slipped off the button-up shirt and set it on
       the pile semi-folded. When he turned around, Erin was peeling
       clothes off left and right. He actually jumped as first her top
       and then her shorts fell into a little pile, revealing a striped
       pink and purple bikini that revealed a lot more of Erin than he
       had ever seen before. His face flushing, the cell phone he had
       been holding hit the hard floor with a loud clatter. Yukito bent
       down to pick it up and place it more carefully in the bag, his
       face still burning.
       He was quite certain Erin's father would not approve.
       Erin slowly pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and Yukito
       slowly edged his way toward the water, the reluctant moment of
       entry pushed off as far as he would dare. He slipped down the
       first two steps, finding that Erin had been entirely right when
       she'd said that the water was warm. He looked back up at her,
       then his eyes flitted away just as quickly, staring at the
       bottom of the pool at his feet. So much for playing it cool.
       What kind of a guy will she take you for?
       "You probably shouldn't swim dressed like that, by the way.
       It'll be a lot more uncomfortable with all that soaked stuff on
       you."
       His face, if possible, became even redder, and his hands
       automatically went to the hem of his white tanktop, clinging to
       it. It was thin, but it was still a comfort to have it there.
       “Eh..it should be fine...I don't mind..” It would be too weird,
       he realized. He hadn't noticed how it would look when he had
       originally asked the favor of her, but the two of them alone at
       night, dressed like that, and her hands trying to guide him...
       The thought made him twist at the fabric of his tank top. Pull
       yourself together, you idiot. You're the one who asked. Stop
       making things difficult.
       “Sorry...” he mumbled to the pool floor, unable to even
       elaborate as to why he was sorry. "Um...but...this..." He slowly
       lifted the end of his tank top to reveal the brace underneath.
       It was made of a pliable, but sturdy leather, with large
       metallic buckles binding it together in the front. He suspected
       he didn't need the brace as much as Hal said he did, but it was
       still a comfort to him to wear, so he didn't usually take it off
       unless it was a necessity. The brace had been custom made to fit
       him, but it still had to be tied at its tightest setting, a thin
       trace of skin revealed between the three straps.
       #Post#: 419--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Natatorium 
       By: GGJ5 Date: May 1, 2013, 10:00 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Erin Spesner
       "You probably shouldn't swim dressed like that, by the way.
       It'll be a lot more uncomfortable with all that soaked stuff on
       you." Erin looked Yukito up and down quickly, wondering if he
       realized just how weird that would all feel to swim in.... at
       least, in her opinion. The more weighing you down, the more it
       would work against you in the water. You couldn't really let it
       get to know you well if you were blocking it out with wads of
       cotton all over you.
       Yukito tugged a bit on the edge of his shirt, as if to say, "Oh,
       this? Is this what you mean?" But instead, he said hesitantly,
       “Eh..it should be fine...I don't mind..”
       Erin shrugged. "Okay, if you say so." It was odd, sure, and sort
       of made her feel like she was the odd one out here, but it
       wasn't that big of a deal. Just a personal preference. Plus,
       she'd seen his pictures without a shirt, and thought he should
       be perfectly content to toss it off for a bit. But whatever....
       “Sorry...”  she heard Yukito mumble. Everything was just a bit
       easier to hear in the echoes of the natatorium at night. She
       looked up at him, curious. What was he already apologizing for?
       "Um...but...this..."
       He lifted the edge of his shirt just enough to reveal the brace
       he wore. The one he'd kept harping on that might ruin her
       attempt to hug him. The one Hal always made him wear. And the
       one Natalie got him to remove for those pictures he was too shy
       to show.... A little twinge of jealousy went through her. Why
       did he feel safer around her than he did around Erin? For a
       moment, her face fell.
       "You don't have to wear it, though," she said after a moment, a
       bit unsure if it was a statement or a question. "Not every
       second." Taking the few steps out of the water and back onto the
       poolside tiles, Erin shook her hands off of the excess water.
       "Here, just..." The filler words tumbled out in a half-mutter as
       Erin tugged at Yukito's shirt a bit. "Jus take it off right
       quick and we'll get you out of that thing. There's no way you
       could swim with that, obviously! C'mon..." She tugged at it
       more, both hands lifting the shirt up and off his body. Just the
       brace remained, and it didn't look too hard to remove. "So you
       just unbuckle these things, then?" Erin asked as her hands went
       to loosen the lowest band.
       #Post#: 420--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Natatorium 
       By: Mascii Date: May 1, 2013, 11:03 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Yukito Maki
       “Eh..it should be fine...I don't mind..”
       Erin shrugged. "Okay, if you say so." He felt a stab of guilt in
       his stomach. It was obvious she thought he was being weird, and
       she was trying to just brush it off. But he was already
       irritating her, and he had been the one to make a move, this
       time. It had been he who asked her to teach him to swim, and he
       was dragging his feet. But could he really change how he was so
       quickly? This was just himself. Just 'Yukito'...
       “Sorry...” he mumbled, and she lifted her head to him, an
       eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Um...but...this..." He lifted the
       edge of his shirt a tiny bit, revealing the leather and metal
       brace beneath that Hal insisted he wear at all times. Yukito
       certainly didn't abide by this rule completely, but he stuck to
       it pretty well. And there were other reasons why he felt better
       with the brace on..
       Ever since he'd come to live with Hal, even the slight touch to
       his abdomen brought back a sweeping nausea and dizziness to
       Yukito, so much so that sometimes he actually became ill. An
       unexpected tough to the skin with skin, and he didn't know what
       he would do. He didn't want Erin to see that side of him.
       Erin looked at the brace, and a look of distaste washed over her
       expression like a dark cloud. He allowed his shirt to drop,
       wishing that expression away. He hadn't thought it looked that
       bad... Or maybe she was just irritated with him again for
       something else putting off the actual lesson? "You don't have to
       wear it, though," she said matter-of-factly. "Not every second."
       He gave a curt little nod, unable to respond with anything else
       before she stepped back out of the water, shaking off the excess
       water as she approached him. Yukito fought hard not to step
       back, unsure what she was going to do, and unable to speak for
       the sudden lump in his throat. Without any warning, she began to
       tug at his shirt, her half-coherent mutters serving as a filler
       for the silence between them. At first, Yukito stood frozen and
       stiff, unable to move as her cool hands brushed against his
       skin. After a moment or two, though, he got his brain back to
       earth and lifted his arms, allowing her to pull the shirt off
       over his head. The room instantly seemed to cool, then, and
       Yukito shivered, more from the psychological shift than one from
       temperature. Staring wide-eyed at her, he automatically crossed
       his arms on his chest, one hand rubbing awkwardly at his elbow.
       Erin, however, was absolutely undeterred. "So you just unbuckle
       these things, then?" Erin asked as her hands went to loosen the
       lowest band.
       "W-Wha-!" He jumped a bit, then, his automatic reaction to take
       hold of her hands and push them away. Halfway through the
       movement he managed to catch himself, so that he had merely
       placed his own hands over hers. "Aaah.." he stared at her, his
       muscles tense as he gripped her hands and held them still. What
       could he say? She had just started stripping everything in
       sight; first herself, then him, and she thought nothing of it.
       Was he not supposed to, either? He felt so confused, and his
       face was burning so hot, he was sure his cheeks were flushed a
       horrendous shade of red, and would be red-hot to the touch.
       "J-just...not so fast..." He still held her hands in his, and he
       tried to give her a smile, one that would make things less
       awkward, less challenging for him. "Heh..." He released her
       hands, dropping his own and waiting for her to unbuckle it.
       Sure, he could do it himself, but could he really argue when she
       was so set on doing things her way? He had asked, right? That
       was more than he usually did..
       I don't want to admit one of my greatest weaknesses in front of
       you, Erin. I still have a little pride, you know..
       #Post#: 430--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Natatorium 
       By: GGJ5 Date: May 4, 2013, 12:06 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Erin Spenser
       "You don't have to wear it, though," she said matter-of-factly,
       seeing Yukito's brace. "Not every second." Part of her thought
       he might cling to that and give up trying to learn to swim. That
       was the very last thing Erin wanted at that moment. If he
       started backing out because of the stupid back brace that wasn't
       even a permanent fixture on his body, she was going to feel
       absolutely crushed, and she knew she wouldn't be able to hide
       that.
       Thankfully, though Yukito nodded-- to say, hopefully, that she
       was right-- he didn't have to always wear it. So, Erin hopped
       out of the water, halfway dried off her hands, and tugged at his
       shirt until it came off. Then, she could actually see the brace.
       Honestly, Erin thought it didn't look like it did much of
       anything. Maybe make his posture nicer, or something, but
       really, such a chunky piece of stuff on your body all day for
       pretty posture? Surely birds with imperfectly aligned spines
       existed. And they probably flew just as well as the birds with
       perfect spines.
       She looked closer at his brace, reaching to undo one of the
       bands. "So you just unbuckle these things, then?"
       "W-Wha-!" Suddenly, Yukito jumped, making Erin jump in turn.
       "What?! What's there?" She looked around, expecting to see a
       snake or something crazy like that. But there wasn't anything.
       Yukito had just taken her hands in his and was holding them
       there, and her attention was quickly drawn back to him. She'd
       done something. She had that feeling in her stomach that came
       when she'd done something without realizing it... "What is it?
       What'd I do?"
       "J-just...not so fast..." Still holding onto her hands, Yukito
       gave her a tiny smile, but his face was really red. Was he
       secretly getting sick and not telling her, or something?
       "Uh, okay.... your face is really red, by the way. You aren't,
       like, with a fever or something? Because I don't think
       you-know-who would like me giving you pneumonia or something
       because you swam with fever... " Erin talked as she purposely,
       deliberately pulled out the first band from its position, then
       the second. "Jeez, this thing has to drive you crazy sometimes.
       I can only imagine wearing it in, like, the summertime... and
       then you just happen to get an itch on your stomach and the
       brace would be like, 'no, screw you, I'm a brace!'" Part of the
       word vomit was in hopes to distract Yukito.... apparently, he
       was pretty nervous.
       Erin's hands were pulling out the third and final strap now. She
       looked up and met his eyes. "Yukito, you don't have to be
       nervous with me, really. I won't let you drown or anything. We
       won't even go close to the deep end today." She sent him a
       smile, hoping to reassure him a bit. "And I won't tell anyone,
       either, if you don't want." Gently, she took the hard casing of
       the brace into her hands. "Not too terrible, right? You ready to
       get in now?"
       #Post#: 432--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Natatorium 
       By: Mascii Date: May 4, 2013, 2:47 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Yukito Ramsey
       His reaction was as if she had done something to physically hurt
       him, an over-dramatic sort of “W-Wha-!” as he gripped her wrists
       in his hands, stopping her from continuing.
       "What?! What's there? What is it? What'd I do?"
       "J-just...not so fast..." He was still holding onto her hands,
       but he attempted a small smile. He didn't want to ruin this
       whole evening for her, but if she moved much faster, he didn't
       know how he would react, but it would be embarrassing for them
       both..even more so than now.
       "Uh, okay.... your face is really red, by the way. You aren't,
       like, with a fever or something? Because I don't think
       you-know-who would like me giving you pneumonia or something
       because you swam with fever... " At the first mention of
       redness, Yukito raised one hand to touch his own cheek, feeling
       it burning beneath his fingertips from the crimson blush there.
       Reese always made fun of the fact that he turned red as a cherry
       at the slightest provocation, but there was nothing he could do
       to hide it. Distracted by this thought, Yukito was jolted into
       the realization that Erin was already working on the second
       buckle. "Jeez, this thing has to drive you crazy sometimes. I
       can only imagine wearing it in, like, the summertime... and then
       you just happen to get an itch on your stomach and the brace
       would be like, 'no, screw you, I'm a brace!'"
       Yukito looked down at her as she messed with the final strap. He
       still felt very out of place, and having a girl 'unstrapping'
       him wasn't exactly the best mode to make him feel comfortable,
       however. She glanced up at him, and he let his eyes flicker away
       from her face.
       "Yukito, you don't have to be nervous with me, really. I won't
       let you drown or anything. We won't even go close to the deep
       end today." He nodded silently, knowing that there wasn't room
       in his throat for anything but a thin line of air to get
       through, and that wasn't helping his lightheadedness. "And I
       won't tell anyone, either, if you don't want." Yukito though for
       a moment on that, unsure what exactly she was promising to keep
       quiet about. He felt the sudden release of the brace as she
       removed the final strap completely. In her hands, she held one
       of his last defenses, and she didn't even know it. We haven't
       even gotten in the water, and she's already slipped away so much
       from me. He tried to think back to the exact moment he had
       allowed that, but even with reflection, he wasn't sure. It had
       just..happened. In Erin's way. "Not too terrible, right? You
       ready to get in now?"
       Another silent nod from Yukito, and he followed her into the
       pool. He was thankful that the water was warm, and after a
       moment he began to imagine that the water was one large blanket
       that would somehow shield him, and he sank in almost to his
       shoulders, giving a second go at that smile he had attempted
       earlier. It felt a little more natural now, but he was still
       unnerved.
       What is going on with you, Yukito? You took off the brace for
       Natalie's photoshoot, too... he had surprised himself multiple
       times lately. Each spontaneous decision still hung in a sort of
       limbo where he wasn't sure if he had made the right choice or
       not. But either way, here he was...in the Academy pool in the
       middle of the night with a girl.
       He stood there for a moment, his lips working as though his
       words were physically fighting to be let out, and at last he
       mumbled at a rushed pace, “That suit is nice.” Before looking
       away from her deliberately, lying to himself mentally and
       denying that he had said anything, trying to avoid making his
       face flush cherry-red again. “So...what do I do?”
       #Post#: 448--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Natatorium 
       By: GGJ5 Date: May 5, 2013, 9:31 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Erin Spenser
       "Not too terrible, right? You ready to get in now?" She set
       Yukito's brace and shirt in the same pile as her own. Suddenly
       he seemed so much more.... reachable. Like the brace had been
       hiding him on the inside, too, and maybe now she could see that
       inside-Yukito come out a bit more. Was this how it had been for
       Natalie? For those pictures that Yukito hadn't wanted to share,
       but Natalie had shared with her? If it was.... what did that
       mean?
       Yukito gave her a little nod and stepped down into the water
       with her. The smile he sent her was still small, but Erin was
       beginning to think that maybe it was the only smile he knew,
       most of the time, anyway. After all, he had a pretty massive
       load to bear. It was probably really hard to smile a lot when
       your heart hurt, and you were scared of what the person closest
       to you could do...
       Suddenly, a quiet voice fluttered out of Yukito's mouth, pulling
       Erin from her darkening thoughts. “That suit is nice.”
       "Huh?" It took her a minute to register the muttered compliment.
       She giggled a bit. He sounded like he was scared to say that, or
       something... like she'd take it the wrong way! "Oh, thanks! I
       just heard 'suit' and thought you were talking about, you know,
       a tie and jacket type suit... and it was confusing for, like,
       two seconds."
       Yukito was looking somewhere else now. It occurred to Erin
       then... he was embarrassed. He wasn't red because he was hot. He
       was blushing... a lot. Was it the good kind, because he thought
       she was cute or something and felt shy? Or was it the bad kind,
       where he was feeling humiliated for some reason? It was
       impossible to tell... Erin worked her lips, trying to figure out
       how she could make sure he didn't actually feel embarrassed...
       This time, the voice that interrupted her thoughts was a bit,
       just a bit, more confident. “So...what do I do?”
       "Well," she answered, walking to stand next to him. "I'm
       guessing you don't hang out in water much, so you need to get
       used to how it feels. Walk around in it and stuff, so you can
       get a feel for how you gotta move your muscles and how much
       force to use and all that stuff. Physics, I guess." She offered
       him her hand. "We can walk around in it for a bit until you feel
       like you got it, then we'll practice kicking your feet for
       swimming. Oh, but we'll be holding onto the wall, so you won't
       have to worry about floating off or something like that." She
       sent him a smile, one she hoped was encouraging. Erin hadn't
       really taught someone like Yukito before. And she wasn't sure if
       he was scared of the water, or just inexperienced. That one
       difference could change everything, but she didn't think he'd
       answer if she asked... "Okay?" she asked instead, holding out
       her hand in case he wanted to take it... for balance purposes,
       of course.
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