Welcome to Gaia! ::

Along with a handful of recruitment posters for the Swimming Club, Dekana had also posted Mentor and Tutor posters for his services. A few people had answered and one such appointment had been made for this fine day with the sky a nice bright grey and the lake relatively placid.

He waited on the docks for his noon appointment, lounging about with the tail dipped in the water.

The sound of footsteps caught his attention and his ears twitched as he looked over to find a girl shrieking as she hit the water. The vacant gaze as she looked out was so at odds with the expression of surprise that he stared for a moment before realizing... she's blind?

He rose and, mopping his face with a hand, padded over. In a rare attempt to be somewhat professional, Dekana cleared his through from a few feet beside the girl then spoke, "I'm Dekana... are you here for lessons?"

The boy held out a hand in what he hoped might the path of a sweeping hand so the girl could catch his physical location. "Have you ever been in the water before?"

His hand remained relatively loose as she fumbled with an awkward handshake, gripping it and giving it a pump when she finally settled. "Angeline." He swallowed as he thought this over, "Nothing deeper? Does the water make you nervous?"

Dekana walked around in front of her and backed up a bit, fingertips brushing her shoulders, "I'm going to have to ask you to trust me completely then... I wasn't expecting you to be sightless - you are blind right? Are you alright with physical contact? I will have to show you by movements rather then demonstration."

"I also have a very long tail that I will be using to help teach you, do not worry if you feel it brushing against you." He was surprisingly serious. It was his first time trying to give a lesson in a deliberate capacity without actually harassing or otherwise irritating someone and he'd drawn a Blind Girl. He puffed out a breath.

That, at least, was a relief. This would have been even more awkward if he wasn't even allowed to show her... he was a do-er not a talk-er. Biting his lower lip thoughtfully he nodded to her request then realized she couldn't see it and cleared his throat, "Uh... sure."

He brought his tail around before him and bumped it against her hands. "There, see? Er- feel?" Dekana had no idea how one was supposed to address a blind person? Was learning still seeing to them? He puffed out his cheeks in irritation at himself.

"Alright, come out deeper until your toes are barely touching the bottom." The instruction was firm as he stepped back, his tail adjusting so that Angeline could still follow that by touch. "Then I need you to flip onto your back and float... don't worry, you won't sink. I won't let you." He smiled helpfully then hoped the smile could be heard.

Oh.. he overdid it. Dekana made an apologetic face as she grew more concerned and nervous, closing the gap to set hands on her shoulders, his strong presence comfortable in the water. "Just turn around, okay, and lean back slowly. Inhale deeply as you do so. I'll hold you, don't worry..." He was attempting to be soothing as he waited for her to turn, hands gently bracing to help keep her head above water.

"The water sounds so full when your ears are below the surface. It's very serene. Tense your stomach muscles a bit and breathe, deep breaths." His tail shifted to support her length, enough of it available as a hand-grab if she needed it.

"Really?" He blinked then grinned, shrugging a bit, "I guess it could... I've never been close to a volcano.

When she was finally on her back, floating in the water, he made an approving sound, "You're welcome. It's not too bad, hey? I'm going to let go bit by bit. Tense your stomach muscles a bit - I'll cradle your head so you don't inhale water."

Slowly, bit by bit, Dekana gave her body to the water completely, pausing when she seemed unsure or nervous then continued until he had his hand splayed against the back of her neck where it met the shoulders. "How's that?" His hands were gentle as he supported her.

Dekana was amused by Angeline's discomfort. She was trying so hard to do this despite the apparent rebellion her nerves were having... and it was, well, endearing. He steadied her again, letting her feel the floating sensation as he made soft, soothing sounds on reflex.

When she started wiggling enough to make the fish extremely nervous, he cleared his throat and let his tail drift back to her legs. "You look fine! If you're comfortable you're probably doing it right, for your own reference. Water in your lungs is bad. Now... you've apparently got enough energy to power one of the school's wings so how about you try kicking? Point your toes and kick, slowly at first to get a feel for it."

She relaxed a little bit, thankfully, but then she... "What? You...? Huh? You kick... like, scissor your legs...." Dekana was completely perplexed by the idea wouldn't know what kicking was and, unfortunately, it was plain in his voice.

"Uhm...." He flailed a bit, making faces that were probably best left unseen by his pupil as he shifted down her body and took both ankles, his tail helping to support her head like he promised.

He knew, as soon as he took those ankles, that anyone walking by would think he was trying to have his way with the ghoul. Despite his beet red cheeks and stiff backed posture, he determinedly continued to illuminate this poor, unfortunate soul.

Cupping the ball of one foot, he corrected the toes into an elegant point and then the other and then... "I'm going to show you how a kick feels..." He stared at her face as he took her left leg and lifted it so it that it was out of the water up to the knee. "Keep your knee tensed..." At the same time, he lowered the other leg, spreading Angeline's legs appropriately for a kick, if a bit exaggerated for demonstration.

Then he reversed the leg's positions and scissored them the other way - Left leg down, right leg up. "See? Like that... repeatedly."