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She was sitting on the couch in the common room next to her dorm- she'd considered just leaving Utage after they'd finished, but something about that felt… wrong, after their… outing. They're at opposite ends, facing the center. Any closer and she. Well, probably she'd just curl up into a ball until the girl up and left.
"I-um…"
"Mhm?"
"Th-thank you for taking me, Utage…" she whispered.
"Of course girlie! I was more than happy to. Consider it your payment for indulging me."
"I- no, it's… no trouble at all."
True enough- trouble wasn't the word she'd use to describe it. It was a lot, sure; with every outfit, every style that she didn't quite remember the name of, every little tidbit Utage insisted she remember for when she styled her hair and tucked her undershirt. But in the quiet moments when it came together, and Utage's guiding hands kept her from avoiding the mirror… it was nice. The person in the mirror looked… nice, up close.
"I-it's, just… I'm. Not used to this, whole… 'dressing up' thing. I think I've spent more time in my flight gear than anything like… that."
"Oh, honey…" Utage shifted towards her. She shifted back less. "This was never about anything as petty as 'dressing up'." Her expression was nothing but kind, the smile she always wore much warmer when it was just her.
"Everyone should be free to feel pretty, Contrail. Including you," she added, arms planted in front of her, leaning in. "Especially you."
"I-I…" Contrail stammered, tail retreating, trying to make herself smaller. Her eyes darted to look at anything except the girl in front of her, unsuccessfully. "M-me? But I d-don't… I'm just-"
"Hey, hey~" Utage cooed. "You're not 'just' anything, 'kay? You're my friend, you're cute, so you get cute outfits. That's how it works!"
Contrail's face went hot. "C-cute?!" she squeaked. This was rapidly becoming too much to bear. She wasn't, couldn't be, shouldn't be any of those things, logically, right? But if it was someone like Utage saying it…
"You are. Adorable, even." she whispered- when did Utage get so close? "And I'll say it as many times as you need to hear it."
Something was breaking, like a wave. "W-wait- I- you shouldn't-"
"Shouldn't what? Tell you the truth? Tell you that you deserve to be happy with yourself?" The chimera's words were saccharine sweet, but there was something almost… predatory about her eyes. The same as when she was trying on that one pair of shorts that was far too skin-tight for her. The same as when she guided the scared zalak over to the mirror for the first time.
"I… I just- you're doing all of this and I-" Contrail's voice cracked as her throat seized. The dam broke, and it wouldn't be too much longer before Utage saw her and-
She was smiling, wider, gladder.
"See? What did I say? Adorable," her voice dripped affection like honey.
Contrail hiccuped a sob, and went wide-eyed. "Huhn?"
"See, I know a lot of cute girls," Utage drawled, now basically right on top of the poor zalak, "and they're always so, so cute when they cry, like this."
Before Contrail could so much as respond Utage took her hand and cupped Contrail's cheek, wiped away the tears, and continued. "So fragile, so…" She bites her lip, stifling a noise that Contrail wasn't prepared to interrogate. "I'm being selfish, I know, but… I just can't help it. Honestly." She almost sounded apologetic, somehow. It didn't reach her eyes.
Contrail couldn't keep up. "I-I-I- huh? W-wait, but-"
"Aw, hey, don't worry, it's okay~" Utage stroked Contrail's cheek, pulling her in closer, into a hug. "Just let it alllll out for me, 'kay? It's okay…"
It's not like she had much of a choice- the sheer overwhelm of Utage being so close and so caring and kind, she thought, made the waterworks keep coming, and Contrail's light sobs muffled against Utage's shoulder, as she rubbed her back gentle as a fine mist.