The Bet

[whybeanstho]

Yo, Yoimiya!

[The booming voice of Arataki Itto resonates throughout the small apartment they share in downtown Inazuma, a loft that came relatively cheap for its location in the city. The buzzing of cars and people passing by the third story window could be heard all throughout the place, walls thin as a sheet of paper. But with it all comes the excitement of the city, and for these two, a plethora of food to gorge themselves on whenever it came time to feed. Inazuma in this day and age has everything to choose from, and food filtered in from all over the world.

It was a perfect set up for them both.

But for now, Itto sits at their small kitchen bar, eating his dino-shaped chicken nuggets that he'd microwaved from out of the freezer. On the plate is some barbeque sauce to dip them in, and he of course is trying to talk to her with his mouth full.]

Ain't it about time we go out and do some grocery shopping? MAN my stomach has been rumbling for the past week or so.

[In goes another dino nuggie, eating them up like they're water.]

If I don't get some food in me soon, I'm gunna shrivel up and wither away! Hey, you think I could talk Shinobu into...I MEAN, ahem, do you think she'd do us a solid and find us a sweet spot to pick up from?

Comments

one psl we said 🤡 honks my clown nose

[niwabi]

[ With a little ding, the oven timer goes off, indicating that the frozen pizza (garlic-free, of course!) tucked inside is cooked to perfection. Yoimiya takes it out with a pair of goldfish patterned oven mitts, carefully moving it to the bar kitchen bar where her good ol' pal Itto sits. But even through the sounds of her feet clicking against the apartment floor and pepperoni sizzling, she can still hear her buddy's loud voice even if she was on the other side of the room.

The aroma of baked bread, mozzarella, and pepperoni melding into one fills their humble kitchen with a delicious smell that nearly makes her mouth water. After taking a quick whiff, she reaches over to grab a nearby pizza cutter and slice it into several portions. Itto is more than welcome to have a slice if he pleases, especially since...

She's just going to casually reach over to grab one of his dino nuggies! Before he's even allowed to protest against the nugget thief, she pops it into her mouth like the brat she is. ]

Oh yeah, I'm willing to bet if you asked, Shinbou would totally come through. No one is anywhere close to being reliable like her. Heck, I'm sure she'll get back to ya with the perfect spot in less than a day.

[ Despite that Shinobu gives him a hard time and throws a few stink eyes his way, she has no doubt his "second in command" will come through for him when he needs it. She might be tough on him at times but there's no way she'll let her "boss" wither away into nothing.

Now that she's had a fill of Itto's dino nugget, she grabs a slice of her pizza, admiring the blood-red tomato sauce dripping down onto the plate. It looks positively delectable and damn near close to what they are actually craving. ]

You wanna know what I've been thinking? What if we spiced things up on our next shopping spree?

[ A small, devious smirk curves on the corners of her lips, a telltale sign this mischievous little imp has a fun idea in mind. ]

[whybeanstho]

Hey, hey, hey, hey, HEY! First of all, xnay on the uggiesnay! Those are mine!

[Itto quickly pulls his plate of nuggets away from Yoimiya, while simultaneously eyeing up the pizza she's put in front of them both. He knows he can have a piece, she wouldn't of put it there if he couldn't. But man, this was his last bag of nuggets...]

Second of all, what kind of spice we talkin'? I hope you don't mean something like not getting the extra-special-garlicky-one-of-a-kind pizza crust you know I like.

[He snatches a piece of pizza off of the serving plate, taking a bite out of it, and then another, and then another till he gets to the crust. Which! Doesn't! Have! The garlic on it!!!!]

[niwabi]

[ Xnay on the uggiesnay... oh, she's absolutely jotting that down in her book of "Things Itto Says". She swears he fits right in with those kids and their new fangled words such as gyatt, rizz, skibidi, and sigma. ]

Oops. Sorry about that! You know, I'm so used to that silly little rumor about us not capable of eating garlic that I bought out of habit, y'know?

[ She knows that look when she sees it, that's the expression of a man who did not get his favorite extra-special-garlicky-one-of-a-kind pizza crust. Giggling, she places her clasps her hands together, bowing her head in an apology except... she's absolutely not sorry at all. ]

But before I go into a tangent on people misunderstanding us...!!! [ Archons, help. She's got a lot to say about that. ] My idea might not contain garlic but it's still extra special if I do say so myself!

[ drumroll please... ! ]

What if we made our next hunt a little more interesting by having a contest? Like say... who can find, bite, and sleep with a virgin the fastest?

[whybeanstho]

[Yeah, he's not buying that from Yoimiya. He knows she's not sorry. He's been living with her long enough by now to know that she probably thought it was funny to annoy him a little.]

Oh ho ho! So you're saying that you want to challenge the number one, all-around superstar Arataki-Bachelor-Of-The-Century-Itto to a contest? You know I can leap into bed with a virgin faster than the hare can beat the tortoise here! One look and I've got em charmed and practically begging for me to drink the sweet, delicious life force outta them!

[Itto grins wickedly back at her, so confident in his abilities here that he goes to take another bite of pizza without looking- and accidentally smushes the piece against his cheek instead of his mouth. The oni snaps it back, blinking a few times and trying to silently play it off like he meant to do that. Totally. How could you doubt him?]

[niwabi]

[ Oh goodness, of all the names she's heard from him, all-around superstar Arataki-Bachelor-Of-The-Century-Itto is a new one for her. What a mouthful... it's impressive that he could say it without accidentally biting his tongue. But now that Itto has accepted her challenge and is taking it by the horns, she needs to step up and give her buddy a run for his money.

After all, she can't this dork show her up. Not with a title like that. ]

Game on! Hehehe, I sure hope you live up to your big talk. I'll be extremely impressed if you manage to snag a cute, unsuspecting virgin before the charming, Naganohara-Bachelorette-Of-The-Millennium-Yoimiya.

[ Not only did she steal his nuggie but also his title. This little imp is out for blood today! But then again, it's not like she needs to come after him, not when he's making himself look silly. Yoimiya can no longer contain her giggles as she bears witness to cheese and tomato sauce coloring his cheeks red. Yeah, she totally believes you meant to do that, buddy.

Nevertheless, she hands him a paper towel, totally not doubting him whatsoever. ]

And to make things even more spicy, why don't we add in a special condition? We're not allowed to use our powers to lure our... targets in. We have to go in with our natural charms! Surely Mr. Bachelor-Of-The-Century can handle that, right?

[whybeanstho]

[What's with that??? Yoimiya just busting out her own title like it's the coolest thing since sliced bread and the internet...that's some BS if he's ever heard it.]

You think you're so slick with that made up title of yours, [he says after snatching the paper towel out of her hand and listening to her conditions,] but I'll show you who's boss. I don't need my powers to land an appetizing one! All I have to do is stroll in, shoot 'em a wink or two, and they're gunna practically be falling right into my arms.

[He wipes the pizza sauce from his face, acting like it never happened. Nope. Definitely not.]

And, just to make it even better, loser has to do the dishes for a month. You ready to face defeat, Yoimiya????

[niwabi]

[ Oh yes, Yoimiya knows she's slick. Slick as him taking that paper towel to wipe the tomato sauce from his face that is totally not there. ]

Oooh, that's a sweet deal you just threw at me. No dishes for a month? You got yourself a deal, friend.

[ And to make it official, she holds her hand out to shake on it. ]

You better have your gloves ready and be prepared to get soaked for a month because I'll be coming out of this as the winner with a super cute guy at my side, and I don't have to do the dishes.

[whybeanstho]

Ohhhh, it's on in Babylon, I can't wait to see the look on your face when I bring home the bacon.

[Itto takes that hand of hers, giving it a firm shake. He's so confident in himself that he'll win, and after he eats the last of his nuggies and another piece of pizza, he's going out on the town.]

Let's have a nice, clean competition! And may the best competitor win.

[He cracks his neck a few times, shoves a few more nugs in his mouth and starts gobbling up another slice of pizza...one that he didn't even make.]

I hate to tell ya dis Yoimiyaaa, [he says with his mouth stuffed,] ...girls are way more likely than dudes to be virgins. I'd be shurprised if you managed to find a guy out there who's still a virg.

[niwabi]

[ With that handshake, their bet is set in stone and Yoimiya vows to win and get out of doing horrible dishes. Cleaning after Itto isn't exactly the most pleasant experience...

No wonder why Shinobu scolds him. ]

Never say never! I'm sure there's some cute guy with no experience that's ripe for the picking. We were all virgins at some point. Including yourself, Mr. Casanova.

[ wow what's up with him eating her pizza after the side eye he gave her for swiping a nuggie??? Not that it matters since she made the pizza for both of them. But just for good measure, she takes a few more of his nuggets, specifically the T-Rexes. ]

Besides, you can look at this like I'm playing this on hard mode. It will make my victory all the more sweet Arataki-easy-mode-Itto.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Shinobu comes through as expected. There's a big party happening downtown, and it's exclusive. The guy that she provides for Yoimiya is young, around twenty years old or so, ginger with a highlight in his bangs, blue eyes. She also adds that a big DJ will be there that night, so expect it to be dark except around where the lights from the show would be. It still might be hard to make out the target under these conditions, but do your best, she adds before the text messages stop.

It's the next night, and the night club where DJ Xilonen is playing is bumping hard as people filter in and out, letting the music drift into the street and fill the air around the building with electricity. The sound of a heavy bass reverberates everywhere, and the bouncers at the door refuse anyone who isn't already on the list entry. They stop Yoimiya immediately at the door, eyeing her up with a level of exhaustion, like she better not be wasting their time.]

Name.

[One of them holds a clipboard, pen at the ready to go through the list of names and see if she's on the list. They've never seen her before, so it's highly likely she's just trying to test her luck and get in...]

[niwabi]

[ Thank the stars above for Shinobu, Yoimiya doesn't know what she or Itto would do without her. Itto especially. Her intel is perfect, curly ginger locks and blue eyes as deep as the ocean surrounding Inazuma... the guy in the picture is quite the looker and admittedly, totally her type. One look is enough to tell her this guy is perfect for her needs, and she will stop at nothing to ensure he belongs to her.

This is how Yoimiya finds herself standing in front of the most bustling club in all of Inazuma. Despite that she's here strictly for hunting purposes, she's quite excited to see Natlan's most famous DJ in person. If the line wasn't so packed, she'd already be dancing up a storm from the sick beats pouring out of the venue, Xilonen really knows how to get a party started. Unfortunately for the blonde, the bouncers immediately stop her when she comes near the door. Naturally, the nightclub has amped their security since they're hosting a famous DJ. It's not a surprise and she knows full well she's not on the list, tickets to see Xilonen were sold out the moment they went online.

However, she's not about to let that stop her. Yoimiya might not be a special guest or have tickets in her possession but she does have a special trick in her arsenal. ]

Naganohara Yoimiya.

[ She flutters her lashes at the bouncer, saying her name with the utmost confidence even though she is most definitely not on the list. The guy gets distracted by her big gold eyes and sugary sweet smile. That cute face is enough to wake anyone up, he thinks to himself, quickly coming to his senses once he realizes he's been staring a bit too long. He quickly clears his throat and diligently scans the list of names attached to the clipboard. ]

Hmm. I don't believe I see you— 

[ But before he can get another word in, Yoimiya brazenly steps within centimeters of him, getting on her tiptoes to whisper into his ear. ]

You can make an exception for lil ol' me, can't you...?

[ She completes her special trick by blowing a gust of hot breath against his earlobe, sealing his fate and wrapping him around her finger. ]

Yes. Right this way...

[ Without another word, the bouncer steps to the side to allow Yoimiya entry. Perfect. She'll keep this poor sap in mind just in case she's unsuccessful in tonight's hunt, never hurts to have a backup plan, or backup food in this case. Giggling, she sends him a cute wink as she enters the club. She and Itto might have agreed to refrain from using their powers on their target but they never said they couldn't use it on other people. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[As she enters the club, darkness wraps around every person save for the light show coming from the front of the stage. Huge screens are hung up behind Xilonen showing all sorts of different graphics that match the music, and giant amps sit on either side of her and hang from the ceiling blasting music. The place has truly turned into a rave, and the only other light that can be clearly seen is at the bar, but only behind the bar- it's more for the bartenders than the patrons. Tables litter the back area, with lamps with incredibly dim lights, only enough to be able to see the drinks and food on them. Otherwise, the rave lighting is all there is.

At the bar, several people are trying to get the attention of one of the bartenders, ordering drinks left and right and keeping them so busy they can barely keep up. One man with auburn hair sits at the bar, drinking his drink while keeping an eye out for any pretty girls that might swing his way. He gets the feeling, just a gut instinct that this just might be his night, and adjusts himself to be open for anyone to approach him to, you know. Talk, or something. >:)]

[niwabi]

[ Now with the hard part of the way, Yoimiya strides into the club full of confidence and without a care in the world. It's no wonder why tickets to see Xilonen were sold out, this place is absolutely bustling with excitement, and the music is exhilarating with people dancing in every corner of the club. If she wasn't focused on finding her target, the ambiance would easily draw her in to dance the night away.

But... who says she can't have a little bit of fun with her target? (˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧ As soon as she finds the guy she's looking for, they are absolutely hitting the dance floor. Yoimiya glances around with her phone in hand, looking for signs of bright ginger hair. The club is dimmed, but thankfully, she's got better eyesight than most in the dark. She spots a head of auburn hair from afar, the reddest she's seen since entering the club. It's hard to tell if that's the guy but, she figures there's no harm in approaching. She puts on her best charming smile, taking a seat next to him while motioning for the bartender's attention. ]

Hello! I'll take a Sex on the Beach.

[ She places her order with a giggle, deliberately flickering her gaze over to the gentleman seated next to her. ]

I hope this seat isn't taken~ I'm sure a good looking guy like you has a lovely date for the evening.

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's not long until this man's wish comes true- a pretty blonde comes strolling up to him and taking a seat. He turns his body to be more open towards her, slowly noting all of her features and realizing how cute the girl really is. He can't see everything, given how dark it is in the club, but he can see enough to know if he lands this one, he's going to have a good night.

And as luck would have it, she already starts brazenly hitting on him.]

Oh no, you can go ahead and take that seat. I was hoping someone I could treat tonight would come fill it.

[The bartender gets to work making Yoimiya's drink, and the man leans against the bar so he can really get a good look at Yoimiya, making it obvious that he's interested.]

Is a lovely lady like yourself alone too, tonight?

[niwabi]

[ Despite the club's darkness, Yoimiya can feel this man's gaze studying every inch of her cute face and body. She doesn't need her enhanced vision to figure out this guy is totally checking her out, she's very well aware of her good looks and knows how to flaunt it to her advantage.

She pulls her phone out of her purse to pretend like she's checking a text message, purposely shining her phone's light on her face for her target to get a better look at her golden doe-eyes and a smile as sweet as honey. ]

Yeah, I was supposed to hang out with a few friends but they ended up cancelling on me at the last minute. Kinda lame but what can you do? I figured it'd be a huge waste not to see the famous DJ Xilonen while she's in town.

[ The bartender returns with Yoimiya's drink in tow, handing it to her. She puts her phone away, bringing the glass to her lips while she makes obvious eye contact with the guy, checking him out without a hint of shame. ]

There is a silver lining to every situation, though. If my friends were here, I probably would have been out on the dance floor and not be the lucky lady filling this seat.

[monoceroscaeli]

[This man's gaze couldn't become more hungry- the light from Yoimiya's cellphone perfectly illuminates the part of her he couldn't see all that well, and she's gorgeous. He's determined to take her somewhere else tonight now, no matter what. He's got his ways, and by the looks of it, it may not be all that hard to "convince" her to come with him.]

I'd say so. I'll be thankful your friends ditched you. If you're looking for a good time tonight, you ended up in the right place. Hey, bartender!

[He calls for more drinks, asks for two more Sex on the Beach- one for him and another for Yoimiya- and tells them that all of her drinks are on him tonight. The bartender quickly leaves to make two more drinks, and he turns to her with a friendly smile.]

Let's have a few more drinks and we can go out and dance a little. I want to get to know the lady who's been kind enough to take the time out of her day to talk to me. What's your name?

[It's not long before the drinks come, set down next to them before Yoimiya even has a chance to finish her first drink, all according to plan.]

[niwabi]

[ Oh, how generous of him! Not the first time a man has bought her drinks for being cute but this is the fastest record for her, she can't wait to brag to Itto when she's had her full of this gentleman. ]

Hehe, how kind of ya. Since you've been so generous I owe you a dance return.

[ She shoots him a wink, downing the rest of her previous order so she can the man's patronage. Besides, dancing when buzzed out is the best, doesn't hurt to be flat out drunk every so often]

I'm Naganoahara Yoimiya. What's your name? And are you from around these parts?

next day at the beach!

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's a perfect day for a date on the beach, and Ajax texts Yoimiya about meeting up for lunch and then off to the beach. After taking her to a small, hole in the wall place serving Liyuean food, they make their way down to the beach where many others have decided to spend their day. Ajax sports a larger backpack, filled with fishing gear, a few towels with sunscreen, and his swimsuit to change into. Lazy waves lap up onto the beach, the water filled with adults and kids alike as they enjoy the sun. A nice breeze kicks up, easing the bite of the hot sun, but not enough so that those sunbathing can't enjoy getting a good tan as they relax on their towels and beach chairs.

Ajax's eyes brighten at the sight of it all, happy to of come here today in any capacity. It's so unlike the beaches in Snezhnaya, and he's like a kid at a waterpark, wanting to dive right in and have fun. Stopping, he plucks his swimsuit out of his bag before settling for one particular spot on the beach for the two of them to set up shop with their stuff in the sand.]

Wait for me for a moment? I'm going to change and see if we can fish off of the dock from over there later, [he says as he points to a dock a little off in the distance,] and check to see how much it costs to rent a few surfboards. I was serious when I said I wanted to learn.

[He grins confidently at her, as if he'd become a pro at it in no time or something.]

I figured we could hang out here first and do a bit of relaxing fishing to round the day off.

[niwabi]

[ Donning an extravagant swimsuit for this occasion, excitement courses through her veins as she and Ajax approach the beach. The sun is shining, the water is crystal clear, and the large waves are the perfect crescent shape for surfing, their trip to the beach is already going without a hitch! Inside her bag she has to change into, a few Inazuman snacks, extra sunscreen, and two boogie boards just in case surfing doesn't work out but she has a feeling they won't be needed, Ajax strikes her as the sort of lad who is a quick learner. And from how serious he is, it wouldn't surprise her if he picks it up practically on the spot.

This is the perfect setting for a perfect date and best of all is Ajax's reaction. The expression on his face melts her heart, he looks like he's right in his element, ready to dive into the water at any second. She's extremely glad Ajax brought her here because gosh, the Liyuean food smells absolutely divine, she makes a note to grab Mora Meat and Qingxin Flower Cakes for the two of them to snack on. ]

Yeah! That sounds like a great plan. If we're here long enough, you might even get to see the jellyfish light up the beach at night! It's stunning.

[ Yoimiya shuffles through her bag to pull out a large beach towel with goldfish all over it. She begins laying the foundation for their spot, setting the towel down along with a large colorful umbrella she brought from home. ]

I'll get everything ready while you change. Hehe, you just focus on your handsome self.

[ She can't help herself as she giggles, sends a wink his way before going right back to fixing up their little pad. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Seeing the water lit up by jellyfish at night sounds amazing. It's a sight he never would have dreamed of existing until she says it right now, and now he absolutely wants to stay long enough to see it. They're definitely prepared, as Yoimiya is providing everything he didn't bring to have a lovely time out at the beach. The wink elicits a smile out of him, nodding his head and taking off towards the dock to take care of what he needs to before heading back.]

Always flattering me, haha. Well, lovely, I'll be right back-!

[And soon he's gone, disappearing into the crowd of people on the beach only to return about twenty minutes later in his swimsuit and with a few surfboards under his arms.]

We're in luck, [he says as he trots up to Yoimiya, laying the two surfboards on the sand next to one of the towels,] I grabbed the last two. Hope you're in the mood to hit the water.

[niwabi]

[ By the time he returns, Yoimiya has already finished setting everything up for their cozy little nook on the beach. The towel is nice and laid out, the bright umbrella is popped open and ready for the shade, and of course, she's got an ice chest filled to the brim with drinks. Luckily for her, she doesn't have to wait long for him. As soon as he comes into view, she can't help but admire him. Blue and white are certainly is his colors, he's got an appearance that could turn heads from all directions his way.

And don't even get her started on those chiseled pecs and abs.... there's no doubt he is a snacc. ]

Oh, how perfect! It's like those surfboards were waiting for us with our name on it.

[ Yoimiya excitedly picks up the surfboard, ready to roll whenever he's settled in. ]

Let's go! In case it doesn't work out I also brought boogie boards with us but... something tells me you're gonna pick up the ropes right away.

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's sort of endearing how Yoimiya likes to keep her eyes on him like that, and it doesn't go unnoticed. He, in turn, is doing pretty much the same, except it's hard to keep it respectful. His eyes have scanned her more than once since she showed herself off in her bikini, but his mom taught him better than to be shameless about it.

But now, as she holds the surfboard, ready to go, he can't help but set a hand on his hip and notice how sexy and cool she looks with a surfboard. Be jealous, beachgoers. This is his date (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧]

I hope I live up to your expectations.

[Getting a hold of his own, he walks with Yoimiya down to the water, watching on as others swim out when a wave is coming to catch it and surf back in. Seems easy enough...]

Hmmmm...so, what, you just paddle out and stand up when the time is right? Or is there more to it than that?

[niwabi]

[ Oh, she can sense those gorgeous blue eyes all over her, Mister. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ This is the face of a girl eating up his stare, she knows she looks cute and she is most certainly aware she chose the best bikini for the occasion.

Look out beachgoers, this is the hottest couple on the beach fr fr. ]

Hmm... you got the gist of it! For newbies, it's recommended to practice your balance on the sand first. Buuut, I get the feeling you're more comfortable with water than most people. So, what we can do is practice on the shallow water as your first lesson.

[ BUT FIRST! Before they get into the water, Yoimiya pulls out a little container of surf wax she brought for the occasion. She'll start off by applying it to her board then Ajax's. ]

But before any of that, slathering on surf wax is crucial. If we don't, the board's surface will be too slippery to paddle on, let alone stand.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Sounds like good of a plan as any, he'll follow her advice and practice in the shallow water. But it still seems like he's got a lot to learn- he hadn't even thought about the idea of slipping off the surfboard itself. Makes sense to put some kind of wax or resin or whatever it actually is on the board.]

I see...do you also have to apply it to your feet and body? Going up against the sea itself must be a perilous battle. Best to be prepared in any way possible.

[He says that with his full chest, like he's really looking at going surfing like it's some kind of medieval war or something.]

I can help with that, [he says, as he holds his hand out for her to put some of the surf wax on it.]

i almost accidentally flagged your gag tag

[niwabi]

[ She's impressed he's asking all the right questions, the telltale signs of a guy who is serious about learning how to surf. The way he puffs out his chest is priceless, he looks like he's about ready to throw himself into the fighting ring and conquer the waves as if they are his opponent. Makes sense given his rather interesting hobbies.... ]

Yeah! You got that right. Even if your board has traction, you will still fall off if your feet are slippery. So give your feet a good waxing and make sure you especially get your back foot.

[ Now that her board and feet are properly slathered, she places the tub of wax in the palm of Ajax's hand. ]

Whenever you're ready, we can head out to the ocean! We'll start by mastering the paddle technique and then proceed from there.