I still don't own anything except Tsubasa.

Dressed Different

"Aaaaahhhh, but she was so cute..." Aoi groaned quietly. Ever since Tsubasa had met Aoi-chan the day before, most of her sentences and thoughts now seemed to revolve around his cute alter ego, and it was annoying. "I wonder if she's takes pictures every Saturday or if that was a one-time thing. Ah~, I wish I'd remembered to ask for her name..."

So annoying. He felt something ugly curl in his stomach and he scowled. He'd never thought it was possible to be jealous of yourself, but there you go.

"Ugh, stop talking about her so much!" He pointed his pen at her threateningly, and she just smiled back. "She probably wouldn't have told you her name anyway. You probably looked like a scary guy."

Tsubasa blinked. "A scary...guy?" She repeated, glancing down at her more or less flat chest hidden behind layers of the male school uniform. She fiddled with her hair thoughtfully. "Eh? Am I really that masculine-looking?"

"A few of our classmates still aren't sure of your gender," he confirmed with a nod, returning his attention to his book. Self-study was supposed to be a time of quiet reflection and learning, but the teacher was usually knocked out at his desk and everyone did whatever they wanted as long as they didn't wake him up. "Maybe you should try dressing a little more like a girl."

She tilted her head thoughtfully, still playing with the strands. "Like a girl...? You want me to wear a skirt and make-up?"

Aoi fought the urge to smile at her bemused expression, and masked it with a pointed frown. "The make-up sounds too complex for you, so just start with a skirt. You should try wearing the girls' school uniform to school tomorrow for a change."

She made a quiet sound of understanding, and dropped the hand in her hair to the table. "So that's the kind of girl you like? Girly ones?"

For some reason he felt his face flush lightly. "It has nothing to do with what I like and don't like," he replied haughtily. "Girl's should dress cutely, that's all there is to it!"

"Hmm, for a guy who wears dresses, you sure have a lot of opinions on what should and shouldn't be huh?" He rounded on her with a scowl, and she laughed and held up her hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry! Just for you, okay?" She grinned and picked up her own pen. "Just for you, I'll wear the female uniform. As a special treat, I'll even let my hair loose, okay?"

Aoi huffed and nodded, relaxing back into his seat. He couldn't help but wonder what Tsubasa in a skirt would look like. She was tall and slender, and she probably had good legs. She wasn't cute, but her androgynous features gave her face a disarmingly charming appearance that wasn't all that hideous.

Okay fine, so she was good-looking! He'd actually overheard some girls talking about her, although he wasn't sure if they knew she was actually a girl. He ruminated over this in the safety of his own mind.

For girls, Tsubasa existed on that safe middle ground: she was tall and androgynous enough to resemble a boy, but she wasn't. She was charming and good-natured, and easy-going enough to put people at ease. With a little bit of effort, she could actually end up being really popular, and yet she chose to hang out with him instead. It was weird.

"Aoi-kun!" She called to him, and he turned to see her holding out a piece of chocolate. "I was going to eat it after lunch, but I got hungry now..."

"You eat the most unhealthy things," he frowned. "Chocolate isn't good for you, it'll make you break out in spots."

She puffed out her cheeks briefly. "I don't think there's any proof of that. Besides, you already have such smooth skin. Chocolate isn't going to change that! Come on~!" She waved the chocolate in his face temptingly, until he sighed and gave in, and plucked the slightly melted piece from between her fingers.

Tsubasa watched him with a smile as she licked the chocolate stains off fingers, and Aoi felt his cheeks redden. "You're so annoying. What are you looking at?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking that right now, we both taste like chocolate."

"Don't say something like that so casually!"

oOo

The next day, Aoi had almost forgotten what he'd asked Tsubasa to do, although he remembered the second he heard her voice. "Good morning Aoi-kun!"

"Good morni-!" Tsubasa walked over to him cheerfully, her skirt swishing at thighs clad in black tights. The skirt emphasized her thin waist, while the shirt made her look slender and willowy. She had let her hair hang down to just below her shoulders, still pinned out of her face with her clip.

In spite of these changes, she still looked exactly the same. She still looked like the Tsubasa he'd always known, but in a skirt. There was no drastic change in her appearance, but what had he honestly expected, that donning some new clothes would turn her into a beauty queen? Well, maybe with a little bit of make-up...

"So, how do I look?" She spun around as she walked over to him, batting her lashes exaggeratedly. "Am I cute yet?"

"Gross," he recoiled back in shock at the out of character move. "Don't ever do that again!"

Tsubasa laughed. "Aw, but you're the one who asked me to wear this!" She replied, looking down at herself. "My mom was so happy when I told her I wanted to wear it, but I warned this was a one-time deal. Skirts are comfortable, but they're a hassle to move around in."

He arched an eyebrow. "'Move around in?'"

"I mean, I can't run in them without having them stick to my thighs, I can't lift my legs above a certain height etc.," she shrugged. "A hassle."

"You shouldn't be lifting your legs so high anyway! What would you even do that for?"

"Kicking."

"Girls shouldn't be violent!"

"Opinions, opinions..."

"Don't patronise me!" He batted at the hand that she'd used to pat his hair with a disgruntled scowl. "At any rate, at least you look more like a girl now." She mumbled something under her breath that he didn't quite catch, so he brushed it off. "It's time for class. There are only so many times you can be late, even if you are new."

oOo

"Stop eating such unhealthy foods!" Aoi scolded as he watched her take large, happy bites of her yakisoba bread. "You're going to get fat."

"Being fat isn't the worst thing that can happen to a person," she said between bites of bread and fried noodles. "Besides, it tastes good! Not all of us have time to make cute lunches for ourselves in the morning."

He frowned and took a bite of his grilled octopus sausages. "Then at least try to buy something healthy instead. You look so unrefined." There was a dollop of sauce at the corner of her mouth, and he sighed a longsuffering sigh. "Come here."

"Hmm?" Tsubasa leaned closer curiously, and her eyes widened when he produced a clean tissue and wiped away the smear of sauce. "Oh, thanks!"

Aoi looked away, stiffly scrunching up the tissue in his hand. "Eat properly," he got to his feet just as stiffly. "I'm going to throw this away."

"Aw, you do care!"

"Shut up!" He marched over to the trash bins a few yards away, pushed against the walls. He tossed the tissue into it, and then he wanted to toss himself inside as well, or Tsubasa. What was he doing? Cleaning her face like that, what was he, her girlfriend?! He was acting like a high school girl with a crush!

Well, you're not one of those things. He wasn't a girl, yeah, but he definitely did not have a crush on Tsubasa. Any weird feelings were probably because she resembled Misaki and he was probably just transferring any residual feelings he'd had for the waitress onto his classmate. He did not like Tsubasa. I don't like Tsubasa. I don-!

When he turned to go back, he found that there were three girls standing in front of Tsubasa, and one guy standing out of the way with his arms folded. None of them were in their class, and he didn't even think the boy was in their year. Aoi frowned and walked back, wondering what they were talking about.

"...wear the boy's uniform anymore?" One of the girls asked.

"Oh, yeah I'm still going to wear it. This is just for a friend. He wanted to see what I looked like in the female uniform."

"You look nice! The skirt makes your legs look great!"

"Tsubasa-kun, you're so tall!" One girl gushed. "How tall are you?"

"I think I'm about 5'10," she replied with a pleased smile. "I hope I don't get any taller though."

"Are you afraid of not being able to get a boyfriend if you get too tall?"

"No, not really...ah, Aoi-kun!" She'd spotted him, and so had everyone else apparently. Aoi lifted his chin and walked over to her, ignoring the not exactly totally friendly stares. As soon as he sat down, the small group took their leave with cheery goodbyes directed at Tsubasa. "They came over to talk to me. They're not in our class are they? One of them told me they thought I was a boy!"

The ugly curl of something was back, and he looked away. "Is that so?"

"Mmhmm," she replied, apparently not noticing his feelings. "They were nice though, but they're not friends of yours are they? Because you like dressing in female clothes?" He turned back to her with wide eyes, and she nodded as though confirming something. "Then they're not my friends either."

"Oi, you shouldn't just-!" There was a loud scoff, and they both looked up in surprise. Apparently the guy hadn't left, and he was glaring at them. Aoi arched an eyebrow. "Can we help you?"

Another scoff. "Well aren't you both perfect for each other. So you made her wear a skirt, big deal, it still doesn't change the fact that you're an weird boyish looking girl that's too tall to get a boyfriend, and you're a cross-dressing weirdo. You can both be freaks together."

Tsubasa stared up at him silently, and then made a low sound of realisation. "Ah...you're stupid."

"What did you just say?!"

"That you're stupid," she got to her feet, showing that she was taller than the guy by at least three inches. "How we choose to dress is none of your business. I thought only old people close to death with nothing to do gossiped like this, but apparently it's a thing for stupid, boring guys with nothing else going for them," she lifted her head and glared down her nose at him. "You could be close to death though. Get lost."

He snarled at her for a few seconds, but eventually retreated. She turned her back on him and stretched, beaming widely. "Hey, can we go back to that cute cafe we went to before? I want to try more of the desserts!"

Aoi gaped up at her, and nodded silently. He was never telling anyone how that sudden act of aggressive protection made his heart beat just that little bit faster.

It's because she looks like Misaki. I don't like her!