Pairing 1: Catshipping (Cathy | Cathy Kathrine/Rio Kamishiro | Rio Kastle)

Propaganda: Since Rio dislikes cats, she must overcome that to bond and fall in love with Cathy so I love the potential in character development even if its reatively low stakes | A lot of choices made with Rio's character still bother me immensely. But then I gloated when I remember she got revealed to have a fear of cats. I started picturing the encounters between her and Cathy, and it's been wholly endearing. Speaking of which, Cathy is my favourite character, and I add a lot of extensions to her character, more than those who are part of the main cast. Zexal falls into the shounen/boys media bracket where female characters are given one extremely quirky trait to make them stand out, and typically nothing else. But I don't obey how somewhat dismissible they can become, and give Cathy, Pip, and other gonzo female characters the most thought...and so I have started thinking Rio would be a perfect maiden... who just needs to get a bit used to felines. Shock therapy with Rio and Cathy!

Pairing 2: Birdshipping (Mizael/Kotori Mizuki |Tori Meadows)

Propaganda: They’re both bitches (positively) and I think they’d work well together as a relationship, not just romantically. I am also incredibly charmed by the idea of Kotori getting with an alien since she has little to do with the barian and astral wars. Just the idea of Kotori, a human girl with little to do with barian stuff, helping Mizael re-adjust to society and eventually them getting to know each other better tickles me in a very funny way.

   Cathy and Rio understood this intimately. Even if it did come from different places of understandable teenage angst, of neglect. Rio had no parents. They had died in an accident. Cathy may as well have had none on account of how absent they were from their life. But the fact remained, regardless of the specifics of their circumstances, they were quite lonesome, Cathy externally and Rio internally.

   There was this idea that homes would be these cosy, bustling places full of joy and laughter.

   No disrespect to Ryouga, Rio loved him very much but he could be distant, at times. He wasn’t exactly a bundle of mirth. He was different after the first accident in the backseat of their family car and different again after Rio’s accident with Thomas. 

   And same for Cathy, she may have had her dozens upon dozens of pet cats and strays she looked after, all their names and quirks committed to memory but their company could only go so far. She loved them dearly but the conversations were direly one-sided.

   So instead. They lived in these big mansions of luxury and opulence but their most basic needs of socialisation were going unmet but, they had each other. 

   Now, at least.

   It had taken some mileage before their relationship had turned romantic. Let alone platonic. But once they had made that connection, it would turn out that they had much in common, as much as they did in contention given Cathy’s affinity to cats and Rio’s aversion to them.

   They got talking, for a start. Just about the weather, at first, how classes were going and what kind of grades they were getting. Eventually it wasn’t just small talk and that’s how they discovered that the cat was out of spare lives and the ice princess really was stuck in a castle all her own.

   But it didn’t have to be that way, they both pointed out to one another.

   They could change things. At least in small ways. Cheerful company to shorten the miles, or so the saying went. Though, in their instance, it was more like company to make these big, empty buildings they belong to finally feel… homey.

   Though Rio’s nose did perpetually wrinkle at the idea, she did agree to visiting Cathy in her own home whenever she could. It was becoming more and more frequent, for longer and longer. Even meals eaten together, it was nice. Rio wasn’t sure if she could call such visitations to be dates but they were definitely dating each other.

   “I promised Ryouga that I would be home early tonight,” Rio murmured as she carded her fingers through Cathy’s soft, grey hair, “he’s trying to make an effort, you know. I appreciate it.”

   “But I had you first.” Cathy snuggled into Rio’s lap possessively.

   Rio giggled, “I don’t think that’s quite right chronologically.” 

   “Can I come with at the very least?” Cathy asked.

   “No, he wanted to be just us, y’know.” Rio said. “You’d feel the same way, right, if your Mother and Father wanted to have a special dinner with you.”

   Cathy hummed to herself. She didn’t want to say it out loud but Rio was right. The unfortunate thing about dating the school sweetheart who was top of every grade and academic class, she had a very annoying habit of being right more often than not. Cathy pouted.

   “Maybe some other time, though.” Rio said. She placed her hand by her side.

   “Yes, maybe some other time.” Cathy agreed, mumbling. Already, she missed the feeling of Rio playing with her hair and massaging her scalp, she tried not to show it but it just emphasised how defeated she sounded after Rio gently rejecting her offer.

   Or seemingly defeated.

   Cathy really was like a cat, and this was the only time Rio would consider a cat cute but she did know when its belly was up, that meant it felt safe and vulnerable. The same thing for Cathy. Her mannerisms were odd but readable with the right.

   She looked adorable with her head in Rio’s lap, her body all laid out along the bed that they were sharing, the four posters and all its elegance of her bedroom. The resemblance was too much, especially considering Cathy’s physical eccentricities, too, like how her hair pricked up untameable or the slits to her eyes. Though, her eyes were closed in her daydream.

   She rolled over and snuggled into Rio’s lap. Rio laughed as Cathy curled up against her, knees to her chest and nuzzling Rio’s skirt-covered thighs.

   “You can’t go if I don’t get up though.” Cathy said.

   Rio laughed, “Yes, that’s also true.” she conceded. “I simply do not have the heart to push you off.”

   “Good. I would break up with you if you did such a heinous thing to me.” Cathy primly informed her.

   “Good to know.” Rio laughed.

   Cathy rolled over again and she opened her eyes. Her expression was… sad. Not fully sad, perhaps more bittersweet.

   “Rio,” she said, “can I tell you something?”

   “You can tell me anything, Cathy, I promise.” Rio replied.

   “You feel like home.” Cathy said and her words surprised Rio.

   She felt them right in her heart. Deep in her heart.

   With a heavy sigh, Cathy got up and she pecked Rio’s cheek.

   “I look forward to having dinner with you and your brother, one day.” Cathy said. She sounded dear and genuine.

   That, too, Rio felt very deep inside her heart, maybe even her soul.

   “That’s very sweet of you to say, Cathy, maybe one day soon, I’ll look forward to it as well.” Rio replied with a smile.

   Cathy smiled but she could never help herself to a dash of mischief, her smile turned into a smirk as she said, teasing, “He might be a fish but I promise I won’t eat him, nya.”

   “Oh, you darn cat.” Rio playfully retorted and despite having just promised not to, she did push Cathy away from her just slightly, making her sway upright on the bed.

   Still, Cathy’s gaze on her was soft and fond, “You go and have a good dinner with your brother, okay?” Cathy said, following up her teasing with something earnest again.