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The grey haired Uma Musume took a deep breath. For some reason, even before she saw who her roommate was going to be, she had a feeling it would be this person. Her first real rival in Central, the Uma Musume who first let her experience the zone, and her...
She shook her head. Speaking of firsts, first impressions were important too. She opened the door.
"Yo! Ogurin! Ya miss me?"
Only to be greeted by silence.
"Ah..." Right. Tamamo thought to herself. Oguri was probably out training or knowing her, eating another meal-
"Tama, do you mind moving? You're blocking the entrance way."
"My bad, my bad. Let me grab- Wait what the!"
Tamamo Cross turned to face Oguri Cap, the Uma Musume who would be her roommate from now on.
"Ogurin?!" Was all she could muster at the sight of her rival standing there unsurprised.
Oguri had a blank look on her face as if she was confused as to why Tamamo was confused. "Yes?"
"...how long have ya been standing there?"
"Since you were standing in front of the door?"
The innocent reply only served to make Tamamo more embarrassed. "GAH! Why didn't you say somethin'! And why aren't you surprised I'm back?!" Not only did she fail to surprise Ogurin, she also made a fool of herself.
"It looked like you were deep in thought so I didn't want to break your concentration... Also Fuji Kiseki told me you were moving in as my roommate."
The commotion had caused others to peek out of their dorms. Hurriedly Tamamo pushed Oguri in along with her suitcase.
What a terrible first impression!- or well at least it wasn't actually Oguri's first impression. But still, Tamamo was still happy in a way. Ogurin hadn't changed much, at least personality wise. As she watched Oguri strip out of her-
"-Oi! What are you doing?!"
Oguri tilted her head as she looked at Tamamo. "Changing. I just got back from a run." Why was Tama so confused and flustered?
"At least give me a warning before ya start stripping!"
Tamamo turned around to give Oguri some privacy. Sheesh, this girl...
Once Oguri had changed into her normal clothes Tamamo turned around.
Things had already not gone as Tamamo had planned but now things could get back on track.
"I-"
"Welcome back Tama." Oguri warmly smiled as she interrupted Tama.
Tamamo sighed but smiled. "I'm back."
--
It was hectic getting used to the swing of things again. Whether it be lessons, practice, or finding and guiding Oguri, Tamamo had her work cut out for her. Super Creek offered to help her but Tamamo had a bad feeling that accepting Creek's help would be starting down a path she wouldn't be able to return from .
After a long gruelling session of practice, Oguri and Tamamo found their ways back to their shared room (despite Oguri's best attempts to get them lost). Tamamo collapsed onto her bed and didn't even bother telling Ogurin off for changing in their room. At this point she was just used to it.
Normally Tamamo would've done the same and changed but today was so tiring she didn't bother. How did Oguri do it? She was impressed at how much her rival had grew since they had last seen each other was her final thought before her eyes closed.
In her dreams she dreamed of running alongside Oguri. Not as practice, but in a real graded race. Her breaths ran ragged, her legs hurt, her arms numb, but despite all the pain, she loved it. The goal line was so close she could smell it.
"-Shouldn't I be seein' it?!"
Tamamo awoke with a start. Right. Just a dream. She looked at her roommate expecting her to be asleep but she was up.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Oguri asked.
"Nah, nothing like that." Tamamo looked at her roommate and smiled. "It was a good dream."
Satisfied, Oguri resumed what she was doing. "Say Ogurin... What are you doing anyways?" Tamamo asked.
"Making a midnight snack." She responded.
Right, right. That made sense and would explain why Tamamo smelled food in her dream. It would also explain why Ogurin was using an electric stove and had eggs, flour, and-
"That's not a midnight snack, that's a midnight meal!"
--
Tamamo barely got any sleep. Besides the fact that Oguri's cooking had woke her up, there was just so much to comment on that Tamamo was up all night. She had forgotten how Oguri was just a walking bag of potential one liners that Tamamo would have to remind herself that she didn't need to respond to everything. Admittedly, it was a good way to keep her straight man act sharp at least.
The next day at lunch Oguri made her way to Tamamo to ask her a very important question.
"I think I know how to make you sleep better tonight."
"Huh?" Tamamo was eating her udon trying to not worry about Oguri's massive pile of food that was teetering on falling.
Everyone else in the cafeteria was steering away from the leaning tower of croquettes. Tamamo wanted to comment on it but remembered what she had decided earlier that day and restrained herself. Instead she waited for Oguri to finish.
Oguri continued. "If I take your first time tonight, I think you'll sleep easier from now on."
"HUH?!" Tamamo slammed her hands down on the table. "What did you just-" but her delivery was cut short by the impending pile of croquettes falling towards her.
--
The rest of the day was a blur for Tamamo. Doubly so considering she had spent majority of it in the infirmary resting up for croquette induced injuries. The situation was so comical she could laugh. Oguri had apologized repeatedly before being shooed by the nurse so that Tamamo could rest.
What the hell was Oguri talking about? Tamamo thought to herself. Her first time?! Sure she had heard from others that it would make them tired and sleepy but they weren't in THAT kind of relationship!
Plus, why did it sound like Ogurin was already experienced?!
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Tamamo screams caused the nurse to rush over. Tamamo apologized for the outburst and continued her screaming, internally. There were so many questions Tamamo had and so little answers that she was going insane.
She thought back on her relationship with Oguri. The two of them were close, obviously. In many ways, Tamamo had considered Oguri not just her rival, but her best friend too. In the time that they were separated from each other, Tamamo thought about what it would be like if they could race just one more time. The different steps Tamamo would take to beat Oguri, the way that Oguri would adjust back, and their hopefully endless and eternal rivalry.
The more she thought about Oguri, the more she realized that she wanted to race Oguri for the rest of their lives together.
"Geez, what are you talking about, it almost sounds like you're in love with"-"
Tamamo's face flushed . I-in love? Her? With Ogurin?
P-psh. That wasn't possible. Oguri might've been her first rival, but she wasn't going to be her first love too. That'd be ridiculous! Her first love was going to be someone beautiful, someone she would want to be with forever, someone who understood her, someone just like... Someone just like Ogurin.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" She screamed again.
Annoyed at Tamamo's outburst, the nurse told Tamamo that if she was healthy enough to scream like that, then she was healthy enough to be discharged.
The sun was setting and Tamamo found herself slowly heading back to her dorm room. She found herself standing in front of the door, taking a deep breath, and-
"Not this time!" She whipped around ready to catch Oguri off guard. But she wasn't there. Instead the door opened and Oguri looked at Tamamo.
"Oh, are you feeling better?"
...
Tamamo quietly entered the room and went underneath the covers. She couldn't look Ogurin in the eye, not right now at least.
Oguri was concerned. "Tama? Are you okay?" The pile of blankets moved and Tama's head popped out and nodded.
"Great, I'll get some stuff prepared for your first time tonight. You should change because we wouldn't want to get your clothes messy." Without waiting for a response, Oguri quickly left the room.
"At least wait for me to say yes!" Tamamo threw the covers off and replied, but Oguri had already left.
--
"...I shoulda known. Why didn't I see this coming?" Tamamo lamented as she sat on her bed watching Oguri.
In front of Oguri was a takoyaki pan, batter, octopus, as well as some toppings and sauce. Smug, Oguri handed a ladle over to Tamamo who was still staring in disbelief.
"Trust me," Oguri looked confident, "when you eat a midnight snack, falling asleep is a cinch."
Tamamo didn't know if she wanted to start with the fact that takoyaki wasn't a midnight snack, or the fact that it wasn't midnight yet. Hearing Oguri's stomach grumble convinced Tamamo that Oguri was just hungry and didn't want to wait for midnight, either that or she had another midnight snack prepared.
Instead she found herself somehow accepting the ladle and preparing takoyaki straight in their dorm room.
"This is what ya meant by first time huh..." Tamamo said listlessly.
Oguri nodded. "Yeah, I thought that maybe you hadn't had a midnight snack like this before so I wanted to make you some. Like a welcome party!" She added, with sparkles in her eyes.
Tamamo laughed. Looking at Oguri's eyes, Tamamo found herself lost in them. She loved how Oguri's eyes looked, whether it be the immense pressure they emit while racing, the listless eyes that made Tamamo wonder if Oguri had any idea where they were, or the star struck eyes she made when she stumbled upon a buffet. She loved them all. She...
"I guess I really do huh..." Tamamo said to herself.
Oguri cocked her head. "Um... Shouldn't you be flipping them soon?"
Ah! Tamamo rushed and hurriedly flipped the takoyaki.
"Wait, why am I cooking for my own welcome party!"
As if realising that Tamamo had a point, Oguri grew flustered. "O-oh... I just really wanted to try your cooking and I didn't even think about that! Here I'll do it!" She reached over but Tamamo stopped her.
The request actually made Tamamo happy. "I-it's fine! I'll show ya what real Osakan takoyaki tastes like!"
Oguri clapped her hands in excitement and watched Tamamo cook. True to her upbringing, she was an expert at making takoyaki and had a plate ready to eat quickly.
But would it be suitable for the Grey Haired Monster? Tamamo nervously watched Ogurin take a piece and put it in her mouth. Oguri smiled from ear to ear and grabbed another one right away.
"Heh!" Tamamo smiled smugly. "Eat up, there's more where- hold on, I didn't eat any yet!"
Oguri had already finished the plate. She looked at Tamamo guiltily. "S-sorry... They were just so good... I loved how they tasted..."
Loved... The word made Tamamo flush bright red. "L-loved them huh? Loved them as much as me?" Tamamo tried to tease Oguri.
"No." Oguri flatly responded. "Of course I love you more."
The only sound in the room was the takoyaki sizzling. Tamamo cleared her throat. "Sorry, one more time?"
"I love you Tama." Oguri said.
Tamamo blinked.
Oguri stared at the takoyaki plate. "Is it burning?"
"Ack!" Tamamo quickly flipped them over again. Forget what Ogurin just said, there was takoyaki at stake!
Cooking that batch, Tamamo took one of them (while Oguri took five) and ate them. Damn, she was good, she thought. Glad to know that even though it's been a while she could still cook.
"So," Oguri said before pausing for a bit, "...what's your response?"
"About?"
"Me saying I love you."
Tamamo's cheeks flushed red. "O-oh."
She already knew her answer but even then... Quickly she shoved another takoyaki in her mouth to gain some tako courage.
"Of course I love you too ya big idiot!"
"And I suppose you love the smell of takoyaki in the entire dorm?"
"Nah not really-" Tamamo responded on reflex. But that wasn't Oguri that was... "Uh oh..."
Fuji Kiseki was standing in the doorway looking rather displeased. Oguri and Tamamo were both lectured about why cooking in the dorms was banned. After a lengthy lecture and a confiscation of their cooking tools, Tamamo and Oguri were left alone.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Tamamo screamed again, though smartly into a pillow. Now Fuji Kiseki knew too!
Oguri sat next to Tamamo and scratched her cheek. "Um... Tama?"
Tamamo sat up. Her cheeks were still bright red.
"One more time?"
This greedy... Tamamo looked at Oguri who was looking rather embarrassed.
"You were my first rival here, the first Japanese Uma Musume to beat me at my peak, and now..." She took a deep breath. She was determined to get one over Ogurin. Like a flash of white lightning, Tamamo grabbed Oguri's chin and planted her lips on Oguri's lips.
"You're my first love, and the person who got my first kiss." Tamamo composed herself and watched as Oguri's white cheeks became a bright pink.
"Heh, how'd ya like that?!" They hadn't competed in a race yet but Tamamo was sure she just took the first victory. At least, the first victory in their relationship.
Oguri touched her lips and looked at Tamamo. "I think I want more." She crawled on the bed towards Tamamo.
"H-huh?" Tamamo's composure crumbled at Oguri's attack. Before she knew it, she found herself pinned down to the bed.
"I'm still hungry after all." Oguri smiled.
Tamamo knew she should've spent more time training stamina and power.