"So, Fox," Coco said. "When you say you're blind, is that 'legally blind' or totally blind?"
Fox, who been reading from a Braille textbook, 'looked' up at his partner.
"I sometimes think I can make out shapes, but the doctors tell me that's my imagination working. According to them I'm totally blind," he said.
"So I could be naked right now, and you'd have no idea," Coco postulated, a hint of sly smile in her voice. One of the things Fox found fascinating about his new friend was her ability, conscious or otherwise, to put so much of her mood into her words. It was as if he could actually see her face; right now he was sure she had the beginnings of a wicked grin turning up the corners of her mouth.
"Not necessarily," Fox denied, wagging a finger at her. "When I lost my sight, my other senses got more acute. I can sometimes pick up the sound people's clothes make as they move around, or smell the perfume from the detergent they washed them in."
"Interesting," Coco said, her voice still faintly amused. "I just got back from taking a shower, though, so I could be naked."
"Well, everybody's naked under their clothes, Coco," Fox said. He grinned. Coco already knew that he could perceive the world around him well enough to fight monsters, but it seemed she was curious just how much detail he could pick up on. Fair enough.
"When you went to take your shower you were wearing flip-flops. I heard them going 'zip-zop' as you walked. You had clothes of some sort on. Not your battle gear, but something, and whatever kind of underthings you prefer."
"You can tell by listening if I'm wearing a bra?" Coco sounded incredulous.
"Maybe," Fox teased. "You were carrying a towel, and something else soft, a robe I'd guess, in one hand, and that little plastic bucket you use for your shampoo and conditioner and stuff in the other. Your right hand, I should say, because I heard the bucket hit the door while you were turning the knob on your way out."
"When you came back you were wearing the robe, carrying the towel draped over your arm. You threw your dirty clothes in the basket at the foot of your bunk, pulled out the privacy curtain, and I'm guessing got dressed, however dressed you are."
"Why do you only guess that I got dressed?" Coco asked. Her voice was serious now, underlain with curiosity.
"Time," Fox said. "You were behind the curtain for a while, several minutes at least. Plenty of time to put on some clothes."
"Okay, so you're just assuming that I put some clothes on," Coco said. "Not an unreasonable assumption, but an assumption just the same." There was a pause. "Why?" The question was more direct than Fox had expected, and it threw him off a little.
"I don't consciously consider every little detail when I'm 'looking at' my surroundings, Coco," he stammered. "My mind fills in the blanks based on previous experience. In this case, most people prefer to wear clothes, especially around other people, so it's a reasonable assumption that you got dressed again."
There was another pause, longer this time. Fox got the impression that Coco was nodding thoughtfully. When she spoke again, her words confirmed it.
"That makes sense," she said. "You don't do that in the field, though. Do you?"
"I pay more attention to detail then, but I still have to make assumptions," Fox said. "Like, I've been told that Grimm are black with white and red markings. So, whenever I meet a Grimm, I assume it looks like that. Because, you know, I can't smell, taste, feel, or hear colors."
"Understandable," Coco allowed. "And I suppose even when you know someone is wearing clothes, you have no idea what they look like."
"Pretty much," Fox said. "Unless I touch them, like I did with your shirt and beret the day we met."
"Or they're described to you," Coco said.
"Even then it helps to touch them," Fox said. "You might tell me your sweater was pink and fuzzy, but I'd still need to touch it, since 'fuzzy' is used for more than one texture."
Coco made an amused sound. "Well, pink's not really my color," she said. "I prefer shades of brown. Still, this has been a very informative conversation." Her voice had turned serious again. "I think you're going to have to touch my battle gear. All our battle gear, actually, so you have the best possible understanding of it."
"Any time you want to," Fox agreed. "Just let me know."
"I'll put it on now," Coco said. "No time like the present." She stepped away from him and drew the privacy curtain again. Fox tilted his head and listened. The curtain muted the sounds slightly, blurring Fox's perception of what was going on behind it.
"So, Coco," he said.
"Yes, Fox?" she answered.
"Were you naked?" Fox asked. The mental image of having a face to face conversation with his team leader, when she didn't have a stitch of clothing on, made his blood stir. Of course, Coco had probably been wearing something -shorts and a tee shirt, maybe - and had only been messing with him. She liked her ribald repartee, after all.
"Maybe," Coco said, the grin back in her voice. Shortly thereafter she drew back the privacy curtain.
"All set," she announced. "Now, where do you want to start feeling me up?"
Elsewhere, Velvet and Yatsuhashi were strolling around the campus, familiarizing themselves with the layout. Velvet was grateful for the company. Being Faunus in a world dominated by Humans wasn't easy, especially since so many Humans looked down on her kind as inferiors. Being shy and quiet didn't help. Bullies assumed she was weak, and therefore easy prey. She wasn't, but she was a gentle person and hated hurting people, even bullies who richly deserved it. Given that, and the fact that bullies could be found even in a school like Beacon, it made sense to her to have a companion who could frighten them away by his mere presence. She hadn't even had to ask. When she'd announced she was going for a walk, Yatsuhashi had got up and come along without a word.
"What do you think of Coco?" Velvet asked. Her own initial impression was that Coco was both competent and friendly, even if she could be a bit brash at times.
"Hmmm," Yatsuhashi rumbled. "She's very forthright. Bold, even. It's a little unsettling, though it seems mostly directed at Fox."
"You think she doesn't like him?" Velvet asked, looking up at her companion.
Yatsuhashi chuckled dryly, then looked down at the rabbit-eared girl with a knowing smile.
"Rather the opposite, actually," he answered.
Velvet's eyes widened. "You really think so?" she asked.
Yatsuhashi shrugged. "Maybe. I could be wrong, and I'm not sure he feels the same way, but that is the impression I get."
The two walked in silence for a bit, then Yatsuhashi spoke again.
"What do you think of Coco?"
"I like her," Velvet admitted, blushing. "Like you said, she's forward, and bold. Everything I'm not but wish I was."
"What do you mean?" Yatsuhashi said, a puzzled frown wrinkling his brow.
"I'm so shy I can't stand it," Velvet said. "I have the worst time making friends, and I can hardly bring myself to open up to anyone."
"You don't seem very shy to me, Velvet," Yatsuhashi said with a gently bemused grin.
Velvet's blush deepened. She locked her hands together and actually cringed.
"I...you see...I mean..." Velvet turned redder with every word until, in desperation, she reached up, grabbed her rabbit ears, and pulled them down over her eyes.
"It's just," Velvet finally managed, her voice weak, "you remind me of my dog." She let go of her ears and looked up at Yatsuhashi. "He's huge, like you are, but he's the gentlest thing in the whole world, except to people who are mean to me and...you make me feel safe." When the last word was out, the ears came back down.
Yatsuhashi laughed. Not a spiteful laugh, but a kindly one.
"Velvet, that's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me."
Velvet peeked out from behind her ears, her face still crimson, but her expression hopeful.
"You see," Yatsuhashi went on, "I have a similar problem. I have a hard time making new friends because people are intimidated by my size. I'm not worried about why you feel comfortable around me, I'm just glad that you are." He smiled again, and Velvet relaxed.
"So we can be friends then?" she said hopefully.
"I think we already are," Yatsuhashi answered. Somewhat to his surprise Velvet threw her arms around his midsection and hugged him. He returned it gently, if a bit awkwardly. When she drew back her cheeks were wet, but she was smiling, and wiped the tears away with her sleeve.
Wordlessly Yatsuhashi offered Velvet his elbow. Blushing again, but not so brightly, she placed her hand in the crook of his arm and let him lead her on their way.
"If Coco does like Fox," Velvet said, "I hope he reciprocates, and it works out between them." Yatsuhashi gave her a look, and she elaborated. "Imagine how awkward the next four years will be if things don't work out between them."
Yatsuhashi made a non-committal sound. "If she likes him," he said. "She could just be teasing him for her own amusement. It's possible she has a bit of bully in her."
"Oh, I hope not," Velvet said. "I'd be disappointed if I liked her and she turned out to be a bully."
"Well, it's too early to tell," Yatsuhashi said. "But I think she does like him, if only as a friend."
"Those jokes, though," Velvet said. "Like that one about...you know." She was blushing again. "When she said that I about died of embarrassment. I could never make a joke like that."
"You laughed, though," Yatsuhashi reminded her.
"Well, it was funny," Velvet said.