Chat 156 ( Pushing buttons)

“Heard about what happened with Ikki,” Stella spoke out from her position on her bed. She was seated with her knees against her chest and leaning against the wall. She had this sort of teasing grin on her face. 

I gave her a blank look as if asking what she was up to. She just grinned in return. Honestly, I did not expect that little scene to make its way to Stella so quickly. I had just finished building back up the kid after all. It could not have been more than thirty minutes since I did so.

I should have expected that moment to make its way across campus as students are nothing if not gossip-filled morons. I just assumed Stella was not really connected with the social scene around her. She has already made her opinion on most of her peers rather clear. Then again she must have some friends she talked to other than me…Even if I could not think of who that could possibly be.

Maybe she saw it on the school forum? Whatever the case I just sighed and nodded with a shrug.

“The guy really needed the kick in the ass to get his shit together,” I spoke out mildly as I leaned against the wall of our room. She let out a snort and gave me a knowing look.

“No doubt about that. He was wandering around like his soul left his body. I just assumed you did not really care for him.” She spoke out with a grin but an odd glint flashed in her eyes as if she was fishing for information but hiding her motivations.

I raised an eyebrow at that but she just smiled guilelessly at me. So I just shrugged at her again as I responded.

“I don’t care about the prick. His whole attitude in the face of defeat pissed me off but honestly, the major driving force for me was to spark that potential I told you he had. Not that I expect him to be a decent opponent for you or my student by this point but I’m interested in seeing how far he can push himself.” I spoke out coldly, making my interest in this manner rather clear.

The last thing I needed was for her to think I was doing this for her in a misguided attempt to give her a rival she could grind out her edges on. Actually, there was a worse scenario where she thought I was doing this in an attempt to win over his sister.

That sort of behavior would send signals that my relationship was not as stable as I said it was. Meaning her attempts to seduce me would increase massively seeing a kink in the armor. Then again after I took Ayase as a student I think she already assumed part of that.

That or jealousy of the closeness I shared with Ayase blinded her to that facet.

“You are still on that? Before his fight with your little student, I could maybe see him pushing himself into something respectable but when he fell apart I knew he would never be strong.” Stella declared with a distasteful look on her face.

Stella really was someone who appreciated the reckless charge for what you wanted. So seeing Ikki crumble like a house of cards must have been rather insulting to her.

“Well, I can’t deny that his showing was less than impressive but he has one last trick I am interested in seeing. If he could reach that level he might be able to show off that spark I saw in him.” I spoke out with a shrug and she just let out a sigh.

“Whatever, by this point, I don’t think there is anything he could show that would change my opinion of him. If you crack that easily when life throws obstacles at you then you would be better off never wanting those things. Hesitant hands will never grasp the things you reach for after all.” She spoke out firmly as if her words were the only truth that mattered here.

I mean I got it. I even agreed with her approach here for the most part. Ikki crumbling like that just showed off how weak his mentality was but I don’t think a single defeat defines someone. I have to believe that even as you are shattered apart you can still pick up the pieces.

I let out a small dark laugh as I figured out one of the reasons I really disliked Ikki. The way he was reminded me far too much of myself and that was biting. I suppose a reflection filled with flaws can really get your hackles rising as you recognize those oh-so-familiar traits even as the flaws burn at you.

“He might surprise you down the line,” I say evenly. I may not believe that he could but I was willing to put the option up there for the future. As long as the chance was not zero a protagonist could pull off some frankly ridiculous things after all.

She snorted again and rolled her eyes, clearly not believing me but willing to drop the subject as she lost interest in it. She had her reasons for prying into this and while I could not figure out what she was searching for it looks like she found it.

The tension that was forming on her shoulders had faded after all.

In a far more relaxed state, she let go of her legs and rose from the bed with a sly smile forming on her face as she stretched. I was confused for a moment about why she had that smile but as she stretched the fabric of her shirt clung to her prominent bust. Defining it in a way that drew my eye despite my own thoughts.

I looked away quickly but a knowing look flashed in her eyes and that sly smile grew. I clicked my tongue as she got one over me. She had made her intentions to seduce me rather clear and while she had not pushed too hard she pulled tricks like this all the time.

What happened to the innocent Tsundere who would blow her top at the mere thought of living with a boy? The change really was jarring after witnessing her as she was earlier.

Maybe her finding out about her Device and how to properly wield it had put her in a far more relaxed mood. No, Stella was actually really fucking bold in the original story as well right?

She was the type to molest her crush in his sleep while she mounted him sniffing the guy. Then she would enter the bath while her crush was in there to show off her killer figure to get his attention. Sure, she had a breaking point before she returned to Tsundere mode but it was clear that Stella was far more provocative than he ever gave her credit for.

“Do you really have to do things like this? You know it’s going to go nowhere. I already told you I have a relationship.” I spoke out blandly but she just walked over to me and smiled brightly with a confidence that could change the world.

I just wished she did not use her newfound confidence to seduce me.

“Pointless? Hardly. I can tell you like it Prince-san. Despite protesting you still look whenever I do it. You catch yourself pretty quick but you still look every single time.” She spoke out slowly with a grin that seemed like it was going to consume me.

As if to prove her point she ran her hands along her body in a slow sensual manner that again drew attention to the curves that would drive countless weebs mad.

I gritted my teeth and looked away quickly again. I knew she had a point but I never really put any weight into the small sparks of desire that such actions would bring me. Then again she was the first person to actually use that lust against me.

“That’s just a physical reaction, it means nothing.” I spat out as I tried to believe in that statement with everything I had. I gritted my teeth and tried to remember the feeling of Ashley against my body and the burning-hot desire that sparkled in me when she was by my side.

“Is it?” She asked teasingly as she trailed her fingers up my chest. Her fingers poked me as she trailed up my chest before she drew a circle on my neck with her finger. I shudder at her touch before taking a step back and glaring at her.

“Too far Stella.” I spat out with a glare. I could not really do all that much about her stroking my desire with her actions and attire but I can draw the line at her touching me like that.

She just took in my words and shrugged with a grin on her face.

“Fair, but you will give in Prince-san. I just have to chip away at your defenses over and over until you give in to that want in your eyes.” She spoke out simply not affected by my denial in the slightest.

I narrowed my eyes and just left the room. Arguing against this would only allow her to win more points in her book. It was for the best if I just took myself out of this equation. As I left the room I heard a bubble like laugh coming from her as if she was celebrating a win.

That notion had me gritting my teeth but in a way, she did win. She knew I had these buttons and she was going to push them as much as she wished.

This was not going to work out in the long haul. I needed to make a firmer stance with her. Even if there is a devil on my shoulder whispering in my ear that I already have given into the Harem lifestyle. What was one more body to the pile?

I hated that the whisper made some sense to me.