"I don't need one."
From his confused expression to his answer, Rhys' response to her offering to be his wing-woman earned a chuckle. The fact that neither Rhys nor Shiori seemed to notice their chemistry amused her quite a bit and a smirk soon followed, "Sure, sure~âĢ" Akira practically sang, clearly entertained by his answer, her mood brightening back up considerably. It wasn't her place to meddle, but she definitely couldn't help seeing that more was going on than simple friendship. Where it would go was anyone's guess, still, she couldn't resist teasing them whenever she got the chance, These two are adorable, they're so clueless. Akira mused, her smirk widening a bit. They certainly were fun to tease, that much was certain.
"I just need you to be.. you."
"I mean, there are a few rumors, so I suppose I could believe you." Akira continued her trail of thought before completely registering what he had said next. It felt like it was best to not think too far into that last bit. Letting her arms swing back and forth casually, Akira shifted closer to the hoop they were going to use for their game of horse. It was equal parts to dispel the nervous energy she was feeling and to loosen up her muscles a bit for the next round of their seemingly endless competition. It was... how was she even supposed to respond to that? Wracking her brain, Akira just grinned, "I don't know how to be anything else." Brushing it off, not allowing herself to overthink anything seemed most beneficial, it kept things simple. As simple as it could be, given the circumstances, at least.
"Oi! Y-You know I wouldn't have... if I had known."
Though it didn't last, All was better in Akira's mind the moment she saw how he responded to being called a pervert, a Cheshire grin forming on Akira's face, "Hahahaha! I dunno~ I've heard some stuffff on you, Reese..." Akira teased further, purposefully taking care to not go into much detail. This was normal, what they did before she told him the truth, and it helped return the heaviness to a more manageable situation. Well, for her, she wasn't even sure how the teasing made her friends feel. It was all in good fun, at least, that is what she hoped.
"And what do you mean too bad you're not...? Fuck, do I need to say that I am straight?"
Referring to the rumors about him and Sora, given the pool and the azure haired boy's knack for drawing attention every other time he's found with Rhys, "I support you, either way, ~" she continued dismissively, waving her free hand as she held the ball, nearly crying from held back laughter. It was too fun to lean into the rumors, regardless of what she had observed between him and Shiori, or her support for the two. Rhys' reactions made it too sweet to stop poking fun at him, but there was a game to get to, and she was determined to beat him at least once!
"Never."
Her rival's response to her jab that he might now be afraid to play, lest she wins the next game made her feel better, as she was concerned her gender would slap on an undesired handicap. It did not always happen, but it did on occasion, Not afraid to lose to a girl? Good. As long as he doesn't start throwing games... this seems to be fine, better than I ever could have expected. the mere thought made her pout a bit. Her brother and his friends never let Akira win, ever. Her competitive streak was nurtured over the years as a result of having to keep up with guys her entire life, but hatred of losing just came naturally. Having someone purposefully lose, felt more like Akira had lost in the end. Being faced with kid gloves, it was a handicap she never wanted, "Good, I'd have to kick your ass if you started going easy on me." She mumbled a bit, passing him the ball when his hand extended for it.
"I'm shooting behind my back."
Nodding, Akira began to chew on the inside of her cheek. She'd done that shot before, she wasn't a stranger to this game, it was her suggestion after all, but it wasn't a shot she had a high success rate with. Maybe it was her stature working against her, or she just wasn't great with her consistency, Akira wasn't sure as she was bad enough at math and science especially. As things stood, Akira was a little nervous about attempting the shot, but she didn't plan to back down or complain. This game was her idea and there was no room for excuses. She would do her best, and that was all there was to it. She hated people who made excuses all of the time for their lack of knowledge or skill, she was a shit student, but she owned it. What was the point of lying about it?
Trying to blame others or circumstances for failure was only an excuse to not better oneself, and Akira...she wanted to become the best version of herself. She didn't have money or fame to lean on, just her character. She wasn't the smartest girl in the room, or the girliest, she didn't want to be, what mattered most to Akira was how a person treats other people, especially when they think that no one is looking. Anyone could pretend to be nice for a reputation boost. With the shot in mind, if anything, Akira only made the shot about half of the time, maybe a little more or less, "Show off~" She rolled her eyes playfully after he made the shot, shaking her head. She was a good sport, one of the many things her parents had instilled in their children from a young age, and she felt by remaining one, it honored their values. Everyone hates losing, but what matters is how one responds to losses. Inspiration to do better, learning material. As bitter as it was, as much as she wanted to win, each loss was a lesson, so she clapped her hands at his successful shot.
"Your turn."
Swinging her hands to shake off some of her nerves, Akira retrieved the ball. Waving her left hand in a 'shoo' motion, Akira waited for Rhys to surrender the spot he shot from. Running her free hand through her hair, Akira closed her eyes. She wasn't going to let her grandmother and her teasing throw her game off again. Refusing to let anything mess with her head this game, Akira did her best to clear it, like she practiced the few times she volunteered at the local dojo. Taking the ball in both hands for a moment, she attempted to push her focus onto it. To picture a successful shot. Peering over her shoulder one time, to ensure her body angle was correct, Akira faced forward, the hoop to the back of her head. Then she just went for it, for better or worse. It felt like the shot went in slow motion, but Akira let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding when the ball edged the rim and fell inside.
Retrieving the ball, Akira bounced it a few times, "Since we both made it... how about a reverse layup next?" Akira smiled almost ear to ear. It was one of her favorite shots, one of the ones that she practiced the most, and one that she was less likely to fail. As they both had made the shot, it was her turn to decide after all, and so she took off toward the baseline, dribbling the ball until it was time to prepare for her shot. Scooping up the ball a little later than one normally would for a regular layup, with a flick of her wrist Akira drove the ball into the air and subsequently, the hoop. That shot always boosted her confidence, even if it probably looked a little funny with her modest height. It wasn't that she thought the shot would be difficult for Rhys, it was just one she had a lot more experience with. There we go. Back to burning off steam. As things should be.
Charm: +1 to Rhys
Athleticism: +1 to Akira
Athleticism: +1 to Akira