random scenario meme.

[yoloed]

the random scenario meme


comment with your character.
respond to others
lbr — no one uses rng. just go wild, and maybe kinda sorta pick from the scenarios below?
post picture prompts OR write starters OR whatever!
have a grand ol' time

TYPES OF SCENES
① Action → Gun fights, bar brawls, fights to the death are all possible scenarios.
② Angst → Characters suffer emotionally or physically from relationships breaking up, death, injury, etc. Hurt and comfort themes are included.
③ Crack → Genderswaps, super powers, sudden compulsions are all possible outcomes.
④ Fluff → Something that is devoid of angst. It's light-hearted and might have the overtone of romance.
⑤ Gen → General fun, things that didn't fit in the other categories.
⑥ Sex → First times, kinks, even dubcon are all possible themes of sex related scenarios.
⑦ Your choice → Think of your own scenario, choose one of the above or make a combo even!

ACTION.
① Zombies → It's the zombie apocalypse, lock and load!
② Bar brawl → You had one too many drinks, said something wrong, and now you're being asked to take it outside.
③ Chase → You're caught in a high speed chase.
④ Gun fight → You're caught in a big shoot-out.
⑤ Fight with a friend → You're fighting with a friend, all out.
⑥ Interrogation → You're being interrogated for some offense you've done.
⑦ Aliens → Aliens are attacking and you're not going to take your probe laying down!
⑧ Final battle → This is it. The battle that will end all the fighting for you. Will you win? Will you get that peace you want?
⑨ Training → You're not actually fighting, just training for the inevitable.
⑩ No hope → You know this fight has no hope. It's not going to end well for anyone involved, but you can't turn away.
⑪ Sneaking in → You're stealing a diamond or sneaking in to kick some bad guy butt, but whatever it is, you have to practice stealth.
⑫ Blue wire → You're faced with a bomb that needs to be disarmed.
⑬ Fight for honour → You've been disgraced or someone you care about has, so it's time to fight for honour.
⑭ Showdown → Time for a cowboy-style showdown. Whoever draws the fastest wins.
⑮ War → You're caught in the middle of a war here. Remember to keep your chin up and keeping fighting.
⑯ Apocalypse → The apocalypse finally happened and now you're left to scavenge and fight for whatever is left.
⑰ Sabotage → It's time to sabotage someone's plan! How is entirely up to you. Do you set up a bomb in their toilet? Do you double cross them at the last minute?
⑱ Big damn hero → You know you have to handle this one alone, so that means disarming or knocking unconscious the person who wants to join you.
⑲ Fight club → You know the rules... you're in an underground fighting ring and you're fighting with all you've got.
⑳ Threaten → You've just been sent here to rough them up a little, threaten them into behaving.

ANGST.
① Injury / illness → Your character has become injured or ill! To what extent is the mun's choice.
② Last moments → You character has been gravely injured and this is their last chance to say their last words.
③ Depression → Your character is depressed, what actions they take is up to the mun.
④ Betrayed → You character has been betrayed by the other. How do they react?
⑤ Tortured → Your character is being tortured and needs rescuing or at least a sympathetic ear to help him through it.
⑥ Jealousy → Your character is feeling jealous and must deal with it, how will they do it?
⑦ Breakup! → This relationship has gone as far as it can, it's time to breakup.
⑧ Broken → For whatever reason, the character is broken, mentally or or physically.
⑨ Fight → You can't even be in the same room as your friend or lover without arguing anymore.
⑩ Lost → You lost the biggest fight of your life and now all you can do is try to pick up the pieces.
⑪ Worst nightmare → Whatever you fear the most is now real or maybe you're just trapped in a dream together, but whatever it is, it feels too real.
⑫ Addicted → You're addicted to something, alcohol, drugs, sex, whatever. It's destroying your life and you can't do anything to stop it.
⑬ Hurt you → You're being forced to hurt someone you love either by betraying them or even being forced to shout things you don't mean. It's for their own good in the end though.
⑭ Separation → You were forced to leave this person for their own safety and while you've been miserable without them, you really didn't mean to run into them again... maybe it was by accident or you were watching them from afar this whole time.
⑮ Becoming a monster → You are slowly changing, becoming a monster: vampire, zombie, demon, something you can't recover from and no-one can help you.
⑯ Frozen → You are entirely helpless, frozen, to stop some kind of disaster.
⑰ Prison → You were very bad and now it's time to pay the price by turning yourself in or maybe the law just finally caught up to you.
⑱ Fear → You're not sure why, but you are suddenly terrified and you can't deal with it. You need help.
⑲ Hated → You are now hated by the person you loved the most.
⑳ Down and out → You're living on the streets, you've hit rock bottom, and you don't know what to do.

CRACK.
① Sexswap → Uh-oh, you're suddenly the opposite sex!
② Forced confessions → No matter what it is and no matter how hard you resist, you're going to be compelled to spill some deep dark secret!
③ Mind-reading → You've suddenly got the ability to read minds!
④ Animal → You're suddenly part animal or transformed into an animal!
⑤ Awkward pick-up lines → You're compelled to use bad pickup lines on whoever is closest!
⑥ Back in School / Graduated → You're suddenly back in school! Or if you were already in it, you've aged and long since graduated!
⑦ Vampires, werewolves, and zombies, oh my! → You're suddenly a vampire, werewolf, or zombie! Maybe even a demon or a devil, whatever creepy crawly you can think of. What do you do now?
⑧ Ghost → You're suddenly a ghost or at least invisible. What are you going to do with this new ability?
⑨ Awkward conversations → So did you just fart or what? Any conversation goes, as long as it's embarrassing and awkward.
⑩ Crossdressing → For whatever reason, you're suddenly dressed in clothes of the opposite sex.
⑪ Suddenly naked → Oops! Your clothes are suddenly gone.
⑫ Suddenly a kid → You're a kid again! Have fun with that second childhood.
⑬ Fortune cookie → You've suddenly received a note with something that will happen in the future, either precise or vague.
⑭ Super power → And suddenly you're like Superman! Any power goes.
⑮ Bodyswap → Somehow you've changed bodies with the other person.
⑯ Back in time → Somehow, you wound up in the past again. Do you try to correct something or just sit and wait for time to jump? Maybe it jumps to various points in your life or maybe you actually think you're back in the day. Have fun, run wild with the idea!
⑰ To the future → Is it everything you've dreamed? Is it horrible? Whatever happens, you're here to witness what happens to you in the future. Either you take the place of your future self or you're just there to watch. Might cause some confusion if people start seeing double though...
⑱ Angels, mermaids, and fairies! → You're not necessary something dark or evil. You're just something different. How do you deal?
⑲ Locked in a closet → For some reason, you're locked up in a closet with someone else. Do you make nice and try to figure your way out or what?
⑳ Finger trap → You're caught in a Chinese finger trap... with somebody else! You can't figure out how to get loose either... have fun with that.

FLUFF.
① Cuddling → For whatever reason, characters feel like being close and cuddling.
② Pillow talk → After the main event, characters are up for some pillow talk.
③ Celebration → Anniversary or some other big event is taking place and characters want to celebrate!
④ Love confession → Someone has finally decided to confess their love and today is the day!
⑤ Appreciation → You feel the need to show appreciation for that person closest to you, even if it's just a pat on the back.
⑥ Apologies → You made a mistake and now it's time to make it up in some way you know the other can't refuse!
⑦ Get back together → Why did you break up again exactly? Whatever the reason, it was a huge mistake and you both know you can work through it.
⑧ Date night → You've planned for a wonderful night together and you can't wait to get it started.
⑨ Family → You've either found out you're pregnant or you've already got that addition to your family.
⑩ Marriage → You're just about to get hitched or maybe you're enjoying your honeymoon. Maybe you've been together for years now! Whatever the case, it's time for that next big step.
⑪ Meeting again → It's time for that happy reunion finally!
⑫ Love at first sight → For whatever reason, you are now insanely in love with the first person you set eyes on.
⑬ Flirtation → You can't resist to do a little bit of harmless flirtation all of a sudden.
⑭ In the snow → Look outside! It's a winter wonderland, so why not go out and play in it?
⑮ Engagement → You've planned it all out and now it's time to finally pop the question.
⑯ Friendly games → You've set up the game station or board games for a friendly competition!
⑰ Gift → Time to give that special someone a gift just because.
⑱ Recovery → You're taking care of someone who's just recovered from some illness or injury.
⑲ Healing → Time to help mend that someone who's been through hell and back.
⑳ Better than ever → You've finally got everything you've ever wanted here. What is your ideal life and who does it include?

GEN.
① Nice meeting you → It's your first time meeting this person! You bumped into each other on the street, in a bar, at work... whatever!
② Drinks → You're out for drinks! Or just chilling at home with some beers. Wherever!
③ Lost → You're lost and you kind of need help finding your way to where you're going. A little help with directions?
④ Costume party → You're at a costume party, both of you are wearing masks. Do you keep the anonymity or take it off and see whose company you've been enjoying?
⑤ Wrong number → Oops, actually you didn't mean to call that person...
⑥ Drunk → You're already drunk! Drunk dialing, stumbling into someone, showing up unexpected... what type of drunk are you anyway? Aggressive, loving, happy? How does the other react?
⑦ Old friends → you haven't seen this person in a long time!
⑧ Rivals → you're suddenly rivals! Or maybe you have been all along...
⑨ Problems → you've got a problem with each other, just got in a huge fight, whatever. Try to work it out!
⑩ What are your intentions... → This person? They're dating a close friend, family member, etc. You need to find out if they're going to hurt them! Or you need to discuss your friend/family's dating choice.
⑪ I saw you → you saw the other person doing something bad and you need to confront them about it.
⑫ Sorry but no → the other person has feelings that you just don't share. They don't necessarily have to be romantic... maybe you just don't agree with their sudden desire to quit their job and start a business making tiny, fuzzy teddy bears.
⑬ My hero → you need to tell this person how much they mean to you. They've been your best friend or your role model your whole life and they need to know.
⑭ Enabler → you're enabling the other (or each other) to do something bad, really bad. Addiction, stealing, killing, or just any other self-destructive behavior.
⑮ Cooking → Time for an impromptu cooking lesson!
⑯ Oh, sure, I remember you... → It's that awkward moment when someone comes up and seems to know you, but you have no idea who they even are!
⑰ Rescue! → One of you was in trouble, but you came to the rescue!
⑱ Boss → One of you works under the other. Is your relationship good? Are you scheming things? Or do you hate each other?
⑲ Perfect crime → You and the other person have just pulled off the perfect crime... or you're planning to! What are you doing? The heist of the century, an assassination?
⑳ Movies → movie night! Maybe it's a sleepover. Whichever the case, it's time to eat a lot and have fun.

SEX.
① First time → it's your first time together or your first time ever! Enjoy the awkward times!
② Bondage → You and your partner decide to experiment a little with ropes or handcuffs or whatever you'd like to tie your partner up with.
③ Rough / Aggressive → Your characters want it rough.
④ Romantic → Slow and gentle, meaningful, that's how characters want it.
⑤ Dubcon → Character A wants Character B and it doesn't really matter if Character B wants it as bad or not.
⑥ In public → Characters feel like taking a risk and doing it in a public place.
⑦ Roleplay → Naughty nurse fetish? Pirate kink? You and your partner decide to try it out now!
⑧ Healing → You've both fought hard or gone through a rough time and it's time to get some R&R in.
⑨ Last time → This is the last time you're going to this because you're breaking up or maybe your lover is running off to sacrifice their lives in some heroic way. The possibilities are endless, but you better make this one count.
⑩ No strings attached → You're just friends with benefits. Nothing wrong with that, right?
⑪ Anonymous → You met in a restroom or bar, any location of your choosing, but you don't even know each other's names.
⑫ Toys → You're eager to try something new, so why not toys?
⑬ Aphrodisiacs → You've been slipped a strong aphrodisiac somehow and now you absolutely cannot control yourself.
⑭ Show → You're putting on a show by either doing it right in the club or filming it for a bunch of people.
⑮ Ménage à trois → It's time for that threesome you've always dreamed of.
⑯ Non-penetrative → Frottage, handjobs, whatever you want to try out.
⑰ Controlled → You are under mind control and must do whatever your lover asks of you.
⑱ Hatesex → It's not just rough or aggressive, you absolutely cannot stand each other.
⑲ Extreme → Fisting, knifeplay, whatever you can think of so long as it tests the boundaries.
⑳ Fantasy → This is just a fantasy, a dream, and you know it, but what is your ideal fantasy and how willing is your partner?

Comments

fluff → healing or something in that ballpark idk fkdjg

[scaling]

[ The time following a successful heist, that impossibly long period between the collapse of a Palace and the confession that follows, is always stressful in a quiet way. Well, maybe more quiet for Akira than the rest of the Thieves. When the others express their anxiety over it in the group chat, it's him they look to for reassurance. That's just part of the mantle of leadership—and, if he's being honest, sometimes it feels like the most he can offer in this role.

Truthfully, though, the wait after Shido's feels heavier than the others. There's no reason whatsoever to believe that it might be their last job, but there's so much finality tied to it in his mind. Maybe it's just everything that's happened until now, or it could even be his own connection to Shido. No doubt the guy's got a whole laundry list of crimes to confess, but if his case were to come up, then...

There's no use thinking about it too much, or so he tries to tell himself as his mind retreats to a common point of comfort: asking Ryuji to hang out. One way or another, his presence always seems to calm Akira's mind—although recently, it's started to send his heart racing. Romantic feelings are inconvenient like that, but it doesn't really take away from their time together.

The video came he invites Ryuji over to play isn't new but one he bought a couple of months ago. Still, Akira thinks he'll appreciate the retro fighting game. He thought about suggesting the batting cages, but he's still a bit worried about Ryuji's condition after their explosive (ha) escape from Shido's Palace and what followed. Besides, staying in the attic means they can have hot drinks near the space heater to chase away the winter cold.

With said drinks in hand, he leads the way up the stairs, glancing over his shoulder. ]

Don't let Makoto know I invited you over to play games this close to finals, or I'll really get it.

it is time... _(:3」∠)_

[skulleon]

[ there aren't many things ryuji knows very well in the world; chalk it up to being a dumb teenage boy overall, or whatever cosmic joke chose to sacrifice his brains for more brawn (he won't complain). but even he knows when something's amiss, no matter how deeply it's buried underneath an innocuous invitation. what makes sense in the summertime makes less sense at the beginning of winter, and while he doesn't have it in him to say no, he wonders at the same time, what's happening?

for that matter, isn't akira technically on some sort of house arrest? ryuji didn't pay a lot of attention to it past laying low and twice-a-week snack runs for akira, which, again, doesn't compute. doesn't he live above a restaurant? there's food there! eat some curry!

it can't be helped. ryuji's eyes are all over him at the door, in the entrance to leblanc, trailing after him as they turn to ascend the stairs. out of sheer habit he glances over one shoulder, in case someone followed him here, or if someone's waiting to pounce them off of the welcome mat. if it's happened before, it can happen again, right? how covered-up is a wanted boy's (fake) death, really?

maybe he's over-exaggerating. maybe he's losing his mind? either way, akira drags his feet—immediately sympathetic, from ryuji's dog-tired point of view—and this is. a concern, one he'll keep his mouth clamped shut about if the need never arises. the last thing akira needs right now is another lecture. final exams are the furthest thing from his mind. ]

Uh, pretty sure that's gonna be all on me, not you! [ bold of akira to think his friends would ever suspect him of any wrongdoing, as high of a pedestal they put him on! ] Can't believe she still wants to be miz prim-and-proper at a time like this...

[ okay, it's a little mean. sorry, makoto. ryuji takes the stairs two at a time, landing emphatically at the top of them. ]

Sometimes you just gotta go wild! ...well, maybe not you, 'cause, y'know.

[ the injuries, and everything. but that's why the games are here! he can still go-all-out in spirit, and it's almost as good as the real thing! probably. ]

[scaling]

I don't know about that this time. With my luck, I'll end up back just in time for finals...

[ Which he'll probably bomb, considering how little work he's put into keeping up with the material. Ryuji has a point, though—they'll probably just brush it off as circumstances beyond his control, despite how easily he could've just asked Ann to borrow her notes. It's nice to avoid the scorn sometimes (especially when he's had to deal with so much at school, even months after his transfer), but mostly it's just quietly frustrating.

But the stomp of Ryuji's feet as he mounts the top of the stairs jolts away those thoughts. Right. It's all fun today.

The attic isn't quite toasty, but it's a vast improvement over the outside cold. Morgana's gone to check in with Futaba while she monitors the situation, leaving the space quieter than usual, a void Ryuji's voice has no trouble filling with its default volume. ]

I can still go wild on you in this game.

[ Akira sets down the drinks in front of his bulky TV and drags over a couple of chairs for them to lounge around on. ]

You should be taking it easy too, anyway.

[skulleon]

[ is it really going to be so easy? akira's the one in charge here (always has been), so he's probably got some sort of plan or trick up his sleeve. yeah, it'd make sense. best not to argue the point when this isn't what ryuji signed up for today. all his fussing and fretting won't change what's already happened or leave a huge impact on the future. he's just kid who's lucked out to be in the position he's in, it could've happened to anyone.

or so he tells himself. enough of this moody horseshit! there's a challenge being laid down on him, and he isn't going to take it lightly! ]

What're you talkin' about? This is all I ever do!

[ this is his chair now, whether akira wanted it or not. ryuji sprawls out, careless. ]

Forget school, man, I can never focus. It's even worse now...

[ and not because he thinks about akira, all the time: his condition, how he feels, if he's healing up at all or not, since it looks as though he's been wearing the same bandages forever. he changes them, doesn't he? maybe if ryuji gets a good look, later on...

at the bandages. of course. not the person wearing them. that part isn't important. ]

[scaling]

[ The way Ryuji throws himself down in the chair naturally draws Akira's eyes. Or, well, maybe it's only natural because his brain has conditioned itself to follow his every move, trying to satisfy a vast, empty well of curiosity with these fleeting glimpses. Right now it's the skew of his legs and the space between, unabashedly wide and probably the perfect size for Akira to slot himself between—

He averts both his gaze and his thoughts, turning back to the TV. ]

Then let's forget it. [ Says the one who brought it up in the first place. He grabs one of the controllers and tosses it at Ryuji before busying himself with slotting the cartridge into the game console. ] You can focus on this, right?

[skulleon]

[ done and done. since it wasn't a heavy topic to begin with, they can easily look past it. ryuji doesn't really know how to tell his best friend the game probably won't be what he's focused on, though; being young and a phantom thief to boot means he's at least somewhat mastered the art of the white lie. ]

Dunno, I was always more into the 3D stuff, but...

[ his reflexes aren't sharp (those are best left to their other friends), so it's impressive he doesn't fumble with the controller. with the distance so short between them and the television, ryuji tries to get a peek, since he doesn't actually know what it is he signed up for. all he had to hear was games and akira, which felt like an instant in. it's almost unfair how quickly he leapt on the opportunity. ]

Whoa, they made this kinda shit back then?

[ here he'd always thought avenue assailant was one of the first fighting games, hitting the arcades well before he was born, but...apparently not... ]

[scaling]

[ The screen flickers to life, a MIDI tune filling the room as Akira plops himself into the other chair and shoots Ryuji a small smile. ]

Cool, huh? The guy at the shop said copies of this one don't come up for sale too often.

[ He'd snatched it up for a rainy day (or, rather, one of those nights where he's too exhausted from the Metaverse to even think about venturing beyond the walls of the cafe), but it seems it's serving a greater purpose now, putting that smile on Ryuji's face. But just because he likes to see it doesn't mean Akira is about to hold back from kicking his ass. He presses the start button and follows the menus to the character selection screen. ]

[skulleon]

Wait, don't tell me you spent your life savings on this junk...

[ if you never see it, that means it's a rare item, doesn't it? surely there's better uses for akira's money than one-and-done games he's going to waste on an afternoon with his main man. then again, as long as he's happy, it doesn't matter a whole lot... ]

Damn, how're you s'posed to tell who's who? Everybody looks the same!

[ the game, pay attention to the game. not the vague chill in the room, and definitely not akira, despite the sneak peeks he keeps getting of the guy out of the corner of his eye. life is good, and it's like any other day after school (whether or not akira's there), so this is normal. right? everything's good. ]

[scaling]

It wasn't that much.

[ What life savings, anyway? Well, Ryuji doesn't need to know that he was sent here with nothing more than a box of the barest essentials, much less anything more than some pocket change. These days, part-time work and the occasional gift from Sojiro for doing well in school gives Akira more than enough to treat himself every now and then.

Biting back a laugh at Ryuji's confusion, he scrolls through the options. Okay, they do look pretty similar. ]

Just... look at the colors and stuff. Use your imagination.

[ As he teases, Akira picks out a character dressed all in black. He looks like he's supposed to be a ninja or or a martial artist or something... so maybe he'll be strong and fast? ]

[skulleon]

You gotta be kiddin' me...

[ one look at akira's face lets ryuji know he isn't joking around, on both accounts. if he insists, he'll...squint as hard at the small screen as he can, as if trying to will the characters in question into existence. nothing's happening. ]

Dude, you're really full of it! [ what a clown! it gets ryuji to laugh derisively nonetheless, which probably wasn't the point here. ] Never thought I'd be glad to grow up with good graphics, eheh... [ who should he choose, then? the pink guy with the star on his head's awfully appealing, but then again, he's pink, so it'll just cause akira to start something...

well, it's either that, or the biggest chunk of pixels on the screen. slow and steady won't work for him, especially if akira's already got a trick up his sleeve. star man it is. ]

Whatever, you're gonna get creamed...

[ he's got this. this'll show you, akira. ]

[scaling]

[ God, Ryuji actually squints at the screen as if that will help. Akira doesn't bother trying to hold back his quiet chuckle, shielding it behind a hand. He wonders how people would feel about Ryuji if they knew he's one of the most earnest, gullible people on the planet. They'd probably be a bit kinder to him. And he'd probably have a lot more competition.

Not that it's really a competition in the first place. Ryuji's made his preferences pretty clear time and time again. Akira is simply admiring from a distance. ]

That one, huh...

[ He lets his comment hang as he proceeds through the rest of the options, knowing that will get under Ryuji's skin more than anything. Good, rile him up a little. It's as much of a mind game as it is a match of skill.

The screen switches to the arena, showing their fighters facing each other, a countdown overlaid. 3... 2... 1... START! Let the button-mashing begin. ]

[skulleon]

's wrong with that one!? What's that supposed to mean!

[ they haven't even started yet, and ryuji's already riled up. his heel bounces off the floor, knee bobbing up and down excitedly. it's almost like he thinks this is a real match, instead of one only on the screen... ]

You little...

[ okay! fine! button-mashing it is, since there's only two of them anyway. how hard can it be?

immensely, from the looks of it, since nothing happens no matter how many combinations he tries. ] For real!? What kinda game is this if nothing works! [ not for ryuji, at any rate. akira doesn't seem to be having any issues. is this really the first time he's ever played this? ]

[scaling]

[ Actually, "skill" might be a stretch. Akira actually doesn't know what he's doing either. These old games don't spell everything out the way the old ones do. It's probably just the initiative that gives him the upper hand now; once he lands that first hit, it seems like he just manages to lock Ryuji's character up in a flurry of attacks, whittling down his health bar.

But his wild button pressing can only take Akira so far. He doesn't actually know how to block or counter or even how to chain those punches and kicks into more potent special attacks, so the cracks will soon begin to show in his offensive. ]

What happened to creaming me?

idk WHY i thought i'd already hit this i'm so SORRY

[skulleon]

Shuddup, you gotta build up to it! It's not a race!

[ except the timer's going down, so in reality, there's only so much ryuji has left to do before the round ends. normally these older games aren't too tough for him to tackle; why he's struggling now is anyone's guess. ]

C'mon—lemme just—

[ no good. he's no match for the time-honored secret technique of a solid button mash. they're lucky to get to do a best two-out-of-three, or his grumbling would be a lot louder right now. ]

It's fine, I got this...!

[ will encouraging himself help? like martial artists who belt out their kiai before the assault begins. it's what he'll roll with, copying akira's strategy as he dives in for the offensive. maybe it really is about whoever can rush in first, getting a much bigger lead off of his opponent's health bar the second time around. ]

See, what'd I tell ya...

[ he's mouthy, instead of focusing on the game, which is just ryuji all over. ]

no worries!

[scaling]

[ He's got a one-win lead, but Akira knows how little that means in this situation. Even if Ryuji got off to a bad start, that doesn't mean he's out of the game.

Akira readies himself for the start of the second round, prepared to rush in again—but Ryuji beats him to it this time, getting that split-second advantage that allows him to chip away a good piece of his health bar right away. ]

Not bad...

[ Not bad at all. But Akira was paying some amount of attention to what he was doing last round, and so he thinks he's picked up the function of a few of the buttons. At the very least, he's certain of the block button, and so he tries to utilize that now to defend himself from Ryuji's flurry of attacks. ]

[skulleon]

Wait a 'sec, you can block?!

[ why didn't anyone tell him! akira has to, one way or the other, or he'll, he'll...pummel the crap out of him, although definitely not in the game, at the rate this is going. ]

Tell me how, I wanna block too!

[ that's fair, right? unless he can figure out the combination to throw, which—no, it's not these, they just make him jump up and kick in the air. that'd be great if it's where akira's character is, which is nowhere near close right now. ]

[scaling]

[ Of course Ryuji notices his little advantage. Akira hums softly at the demand, watching those amazingly ineffective flying kicks. Should he, now...

Oh, okay. It won't be any fun beating him when he's mostly defenseless, not for either of them.

Leaning over, he indicate the button by tapping it on Ryuji's controller. ]

This one.

[skulleon]

That's what the other button's for? Gimme a break...

[ wow, akira, you're awfully close. this normally wouldn't matter much, but leaning together like this shows a clear indicator of the dark circles underneath his eyes, and it worries ryuji a little. does the guy never sleep? what else is there to do when they're all playing a dangerous waiting game here? ]

Er... [ wait, this isn't the time for that, ryuji's still losing health. ] Hey! At least let me use it, what the hell...

[ it's almost a loss as-is. with the fine art of blocking master, it doesn't mean he has no chance at a victory now. he's just veering awfully close to it. feels familiar, somehow, like art imitating life. yusuke should be here to see this, he can jot the idea down for a new piece. ]

[scaling]

[ He is awfully close. Perhaps it was his body fulfilling an unconscious desire, shifting into Ryuji's space like that, but he takes full advantage of it by staying in that position for a moment. You know, just to make sure he's got it. Pressing that single button. Right.

But just for a moment. Akira can't let down his guard, so back to the game it is, pressing another combination of buttons on his own controller. Through some slow trial and error, he's starting to figure out which each does. It seems to be pretty successful, too.

Well, until Ryuji actually gets off a successful block. That just throws off his whole rhythm. ]

Look at you.

[skulleon]

[ okay, cool, why's he still here...personal space has never mattered all that much with akira compared to anyone else, but it's. a little disarming? this must be his other secret technique he hasn't clued ryuji in on, abruptly coming to the conclusion after he's half-moved, half-gotten-shoved away by ryuji's shoulder. ]

Geddoff—hey!

[ did it work? the block worked! now he's got the window of opportunity for number two, oh-so-unsubtly leaning in to akira's bubble now. this'll show him. ]

You can copy me too if you think it's gonna help, but— [ what is this? a combo? actually, ryuji doesn't know how he pulled it off, so if akira is memorizing the way his friend's fingers mash the buttons, well, good luck to him. he won't be able to replicate it twice. ] —ha! See that!?

[scaling]

[ Usually he's more particular about personal space, but Akira can't exactly complain about having Ryuji push into his like this. Something about that vibrant demeanor draws him in like a flower towards the sun—although it does mean having those loud exclamations right near his ear. ]

I don't need to copy you to win.

[ No, he's definitely not looking at Ryuji's hands. His eyes are locked firmly on the screen because Akira knows if he were to look over now, it would put his face nice and close to Ryuji's and that's... dangerous.

He smashes a few more buttons, trying to swing the momentum back in his favor, but it's too late. The screen announces the result of the second round, congratulating Ryuji. ]

Time to settle this.

[skulleon]

[ ryuji's unaware of the internal struggle; he's just excited he won! he forgets to tone it down until after the fact, seeing how he's still squished right against akira. it's working to his advantage, though, so there's merit in keeping it up for a while longer. now the battle truly begins. ]

You're totally gonna wish you picked up a different game, dude...

[ he sort of? knows what he's doing now? if nothing else, it's a good first strike, though he lacks in the follow-through to really exploit akira's openings. life imitating art, he supposes, but he won't give up just yet. ]

[scaling]

[ He should probably nudge Ryuji away, as distracting as his presence is, but Akira simply isn't that strong. The warmth of that shoulder smushed up against his feels better than the little space heater chugging away to keep his room comfortable ever did.

Turns out, he suffers a little for his indulgence. They trade blows more evenly now that they've both got a better handle on the game, Akira far quieter about the ones that he lands, just a little bit distracted by the bundle of activity beside him.

Not so distracted, however, that he misses the bar underneath his health filling up and beginning to glow. Is it a gauge for some kind of special attack? Unsure of how to trigger it, he starts pressing random buttons on the controller. ]

[skulleon]

[ the rounds never lasted long enough to see this yet—and how come akira's got one? ryuji wants one too, damn it, none too shy about announcing such. ]

What kinda bullshit's that! C'mon, I can still getcha—

[ except he can't. ready or not, here comes akira with the finisher! just when things were getting good, too...ryuji's jaw drops at the victory jingle, barely able to process what he just saw. how'd this guy go from nothing to being a natural in the span of, what, four minutes tops?

wait. only this long? huddled together, it feels at least twice as long, and ryuji hurries away to sit up straight in his own chair. ]

Man, that's just beginner's luck...

[ which means he can get a taste of it next time, can't he? ]

[scaling]

[ There! Akira doesn't quite whoop and celebrate like Ryuji would, expressing his victory with a little fistpump and then a subsequent stretch over his head, as if working out the tension he built up—more from dealing with Ryuji right up beside him than the game itself.

It's a shame when he finally moves away. Akira hides the slight droop of his posture in the way he lowers his arms back down, resting them on his upper thighs.]

How does it feel being creamed?

[ He can tease Ryuji a little bit after all of that big talk. (As if he doesn't tease Ryuji anyway.) It was a much closer match than expected. Without that special attack, it's entirely possible the result would've gone the other way. ]