Chapter 19: Really?! You mean that?

Nishikata woke up relatively late the next day, extremely flustered already. He'd just remembered that The and Takagi had slept in the same bed, and now her hands were wrapped around his back and legs were intertwined with his. Nishikata jolted his legs and arms back as he thought about how he'd escape this predicament. This movement caused Takagi to wake up.

Takagi: *yawn* "Nishikata?"

Nishikata: "G-good morning Takagi."

Takagi wrapped her arms around Nishikata even tighter, causing him to blush more.

Nishikata: "U-uh Takagi? A-are you sure about this?"

This seemed to jolt Takagi back to her senses, causing her to blush and recoil, although she quickly regained her composure.

Takagi: "O-oh! Sorry, Nishikata! I… got carried away…"

Nishikata: "N-no, it's fine. I was just making sure since you were half awake. Anyways, let's get some breakfast. We need to get ready for school, we've already slept in."

Takagi quickly got up and was about to run down before she remembered that she was dressed in her nightgown.

Takagi: "You go ahead. There should be some cereal on the counter and milk on the top layer of the fridge. You should get some ready for us while I change."

Nishikata dashed out of her room with his backpack and headed down the stairs. Takagi looked at him while he exited her room with a slightly disappointed look. In truth, she had wished that their moment could've lasted a bit longer, but quickly got dressed and headed downstairs. Before long, they were out the door and had run into Nagatoro and Senpai.

Nagatoro: "Sup Rie-chan! Did you have a good time last night?"

Nishikata turned completely red, about to deny it, but Takagi had other ideas.

Takagi: "Yep. Nishikata and I had a nice time yesterday. How'd you guys do with S&S?"

Nagatoro: "We~ll I didn't want to but Senpai insisted on making me a very specific character-"

Senpai: *blushing* "Shut up! You were the one who suggested it!"

Nagatoro: "Uwah! Pervert-Senpai just needs an excuse to imagine me as a catgirl! Still, the designs he drew were amazing and he was so gross, I just had to accept!"

Senpai: "We had a good time. I personally really like the mechanics of 5E. It seems a lot simpler."

Nishikata: "I know, right?"

And so, the 2 of them geeked out over Swords and Spells on the way to school making Nishikata completely forget about the fact that he was holding Takagi's hand. Before long, they were there.

Takagi: "You guys want to meet up in the art room at lunch? We could get started on fleshing out our characters."

Nagatoro/Senpai/Nishikata: "Sure."

With that, they each headed to their classes.

Nakai: "Hey Nishikata!"

Nishikata moved his arm to wave back but then realized that he was still holding Takagi's hand, making him blush.

Nishikata: "H-hey Nakai."

Nakai shot him a thumbs up and a smiling nod, which made Takagi smile. Then, they headed into class. Back in class 1-C, Nagatoro was once again being interrogated by her friends.

Gamo: "You going to hang out with Paisen at lunch again, Hayacchi?"

Nagatoro: "Uh… yeah."

Gamo: "Nice! Hope you have a fun time!"

Nagatoro: *blushing* "It's not like that! We're just trying out a game called swords and spells. It's a bit… y'know otaku for me but it looks like it could be fun-"

Gamo: "Well damn, Hayacchi, looks like Paisen's rubbing off on you!"

Nagatoro: "I-"

Nagatoro: I mean, I "have" known Senpai for a while now. I guess it makes sense that we would both affect each other a bit.

Nagatoro: "I guess so."

The morning passed slowly, but I'm going to skip it because nothing of importance happened and you want to see the good stuff. As always, Senpai was the first one in the art room with Nagatoro coming in moments later.

Nagatoro: "Su~p Senpai!"

Senpai: "Sup, Nagatoro."

Nagatoro: I'm actually nervous about playing Nekotoro in front of anyone who isn't Senpai… But! I'm pretty sure that Nishikata couldn't care less and Takagi would probably find it funny. Besides, it's worth it to have fun!

Nagatoro: "Are you excited for S&S? What am I saying, of course, you are! You just can't wait to make Rie-chan play another catgirl, can you, pervert-Senpai!"

Senpai: "I'm not a pervert! And you're still the one who suggested it."

Nagatoro: "I only did it because I knew you wanted it, gross Senpai!"

Nagatoro once again began running in circles around Senpai, noodling him from all directions when Takagi and Nishikata walked in.

Takagi: "Sup Naoto, Hayase-chan."

Senpai and Nagatoro both nodded back at the 2 of them and Nagatoro immediately went back to running around and noodling Senpai.

Senpai: "Don't you think we should get started on our session 0?"

Nagatoro: "Alright, gloomy Senpai!"

Nishikata: "So Takagi, what were you planning on playing?'

Takagi: "Well if everyone else is ok with it, I was thinking of playing a high elf wizard."

Nishikata: "Nice! Have you decided on your spells?"

Takagi: "Yep!"

Nishikata: "Alright Naoto, Hayase, what about you 2?"

Nagatoro: "I'm playing a Tabaxi monk but I flavoured it so that in my backstory, I was affected by a true polymorph spell which turned my face and torso human. You've got kinky Senpai over here to thank for it."

Nishikata: "So are you playing it as a human or Tabaxi?"

Nagatoro: "Tabaxi."

Nishikata: "Excellent. Naoto?"

Senpai: "I chose to be a hill dwarf cleric of the forge with a hammer and shield."

Nishikata: "All right! So the campaign setting is basically your bog-standard fantasy setting with mages, and warriors. We're doing a setting called Lost Vaults of Fandelver which is for newer players. Now that we've got everything established, let's actually eat a bit."

The 4 of them each pulled out Bento and proceeded to eat. A few seconds after they all finished, the bell rang signalling the end of lunch.

Senpai: "Before we go, I have an idea."

Nagatoro: "What is it, gross-Senpai?"

Senpai: "Well, what if today at art club, we all did oil paintings or sketches of our characters?"

Nagatoro's face lit up with excitement before she shot herself back to her senses and regained her composure.

Nagatoro: "Sure, Senpai! Of course, we'll be drawing each other's characters, right? You've got plenty of experience, after all, pervert Senpai!"

Senpai went flush at the mention of the art he'd made of Nagatoro posing in her cat costume that he'd made before the president challenged him to the art duel.

Senpai: "S-sure. What about you 2, though?"

Takagi: "What if I drew my character while Nishikata drew the scene we'll be in?"

Nishikata: "Great idea, Takagi-s"

Nishikata stopped himself from saying the honourific, causing Takagi to smile.

Takagi: "Let's head to our classes."

And so they did. School seemed to drag on with the seconds passing as if they were running through mud. Finally, the school day was over.

Nagatoro: "Su~p Senpai!"

Senpai: "S-sup, H-Nagatoro."

Senpai had been psyching himself up the entire day to call Nagatoro by her first name, but in the end, he'd gotten cold feet. Nagatoro, however, had noticed the attempt.

Nagatoro: "So, Senpai! Are you trying to call me by my first name? That's so gross!"

Senpai: "N-no. I wasn't…"

Nagatoro: *smirking* "Don't lie to me, N-N-Senpai!"

Nagatoro and Senpai both went red at Nagatoro's failed attempt at calling Senpai by his first name. Thankfully, they were both saved by Nishikata walking in.

Nishikata: "Sup guys!"

Nagatoro/Senpai: "S-sup."

Nishikata: "A-am I interrupting something? You both look a little red…"

Nishikata himself reddened a little at his own words while Senpai and Nagatoro both turned into the colour of a tomato.

Takagi: "Sup, everyone!"

Senpai immediately came back to his senses and went into the back, emerging with 2 canvases. He went between the prep room and the art room 2 more times, the first emerging with 2 more canvases and the second, emerging with some oil paints.

Senpai: "I thought we could use paints to add more detail…"

Nagatoro: "Of course you want my character to be as detailed as possible, pervert-Senpai!"

Senpai: "Anyways, here's how to use them."

Senpai spent the next 10 minutes explaining how to use oil paints. I won't say what he said because I've never used oil paints.

Senpai: "So any questions?"

When he didn't get a response, he continued.

Senpai: "Alright. Let's start."

Nagatoro: I've never painted before so I'm just going to sketch.

With that, the 4 of them began sketching and painting. Before long, they had finished.

Senpai: "Alright, who wants to show first?"

Nishikata tentatively turned around his canvas. He seemed to brace himself for their opinions.

Takagi: "I love it, Nishikata!"

What the 3 others saw was a detailed clearing in a forest. In the centre, there were 2 dead horses and foliage lined the outside. It was truly almost like they were sucked right there.

Senpai: "I-I can definitely see the passion coming from this piece, Nishikata. This is really going to help set the mood later. Thank you, Nishikata!"

Nishikata perked up.

Nishikata: "What about your's, Takagi?"

Takagi: "Here it is."

Takagi had drawn a thin character adorned with a hooded purple robe. She wore a blue crystal with a rune that Nishikata recognized as the symbol for Divination. She had a backpack with many pouches along the outside and a spellbook in hand. She had yellow eyes, pointed ears, a large forehead and long brown hair.

Nishikata: "I-it looks beautiful, Takagi."

Nagatoro: "Yeah, way to go, Rie-chan!"

Takagi: "Aw, thanks, guys!"

Senpai thought the same way he'd felt about all of their recent works. The same passion was still there, as was the basics. Sure, the painting was sloppy at times, but that would improve with time.

Nagatoro: "Well, Senpai, what do you think of mine?"

Nagatoro spun her canvas to reveal a sketch of a very short, bearded Senpai wearing very oversized armour and wielding a warhammer twice his height while wielding a shield that had a religious emblem on it which covered more than half his body.

Nagatoro: "I said, what do you think?"

Senpai couldn't help but smile. Sure, Nagatoro was definitely using it to poke fun at him, but he could sense the love that she'd put into it. On top of that, her drawing was quickly getting more refined as well as more detailed.

Senpai: "I… I really like it, Nagatoro. There's so much detail and passion in this. And… you're getting better. You're doing way better than that first sketch at the zoo, and that wasn't even half bad!"

Nagatoro got a huge smile on her face when hearing her Senpai's praise. Sure, it was one thing to use the same compliments that he'd used time and time again, not that that made them worthless, but it was another when he genuinely complimented her skill in his own personalized way.

Nagatoro: "Really?! You mean that?"

Senpai: "Y-yeah. It looks amazing."

Nagatoro smiled even wider and threw her arms around Senpai before coming back to her senses, causing her to recoil and causing both of them to blush. Takagi saw the tension and acted accordingly.

Takagi: "Naoto, can we see your painting?"

Senpai, still blushing, readjusted his glasses and spun his canvas around to reveal an extremely detailed painting of Nekotoro battling a horde of goblins. It was almost as if everyone had been sucked straight into the scene, like they were right there, watching Nekotoro swipe at goblin after goblin. No one said anything, and frankly, they didn't need to. Senpai got the message from the bewildered expression on each of their faces. Soon, Nagatoro was the one to break the silence.

Nagatoro: "Wow, your painting is so detailed, Senpai! Honestly, though, it feels a little lewd! My measurements look exactly like a 1 to 1 recreation of real life! Of course, you had to be authentic there, pervert Senpai!"

Senpai: "I-I'm not a pervert!"

Nagatoro: *giggling* "Still, I really like it. Good job, Se~n~pai!"

Nishikata and Takagi both shot Senpai a thumbs up which he returned with a smile.

Nishikata: "Well club period's almost over so why don't we head to my place to start the campaign?"

With that, the 4 of them packed up and started heading to Nishikata's house.