bakerstreet | ✨ you only get one chance...

Itto, my man! It's not often that I say this, but I felt the same way! You have a way of spreading good cheer that's impossible to resist - like everything will be OK no matter what.

All your muscles aside, that has to be one of your unsung strengths.

Really? With all the people you meet? [ It actually surprises him a little bit that Thoma isn't out there making instant buds with pretty much everybody. Of course, he's not gonna linger on the thought too long when he's getting all these compliments! ] Aw, that's way nice of you bro. Seriously, I appreciate it! But I'm just doin' my job, y'know? I'd be a bad example for the kids around town if I didn't keep this vibe goin'!

[ But he still looks very proud in spite of his attempt at humility. ] Speaking of muscles, my dude, I got the feeling you have some crazy ones under all those layers. You n' me oughta do some training together sometime!

Yes, of course!

[ Itto is the most receptive person he's ever met - enthusiastic and energetic in a way that makes Thoma feel his sincerity, where it might be too much from anyone else. this, he suspects, is the reason why Itto and the Arataki gang never get in serious trouble, although many still misunderstand their intentions.

Itto isn't wrong anyway: in a rigid society like theirs, it's nice to have another sort of influence around!

his attempt to hide his smile at Itto's proud expression is sidelined when his own muscles somehow become part of the conversation--?? ]

O-oh, uh, not at all! Heh, I have just enough muscle mass to do proper housework but nothing as impressive as your physique! I guess you could say I'm more geared towards cardio than anything? But if you promise to take it easy on me, I'd be interested in learning how the great Arataki Itto trains.♪

[ Itto would probably give at least half the credit on that being receptive part to Thoma on account of all the good ideas the guy has. Sure, he's not afraid to get excited about stuff, but part of that involves there being stuff around to get excited about in the first place.

He catches on to Thoma trying not to smile too big there, which just gets him grinning on his behalf. No worries! It's his job to cover his bros when they need a buddy to spot them. Smiles can be included in that! ]

Dude, I know you're being modest here. Traveler told me all about that polearm you go waving around! Anybody that can use a weapon as good as they say you do is more than meets the eye, no doubt! [ A wave of his hand, like needing to take it easy on him is ridiculous. ] C'mon, you don't gotta look like me to be strong! Heck, guys like Gorou and Heizou are tiny, but look at how tough they are! You gotta have some confidence, my friend! [ Itto folds his arms and nods as if he needs to approve of his own statement. ]

[ he winds up rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, although Itto's compliments clearly have a visible effect on him. the oni's got a point too, after all. he never wants to be on the receiving end of one of Heizou's punches!! ]

I suppose you're right. But it's not really the polearm practice as much as it is housework! I think my muscles began developing around the time I got tall enough to reach the ceiling with my duster. No one ever really stops to think about it, but when you clean, you need to use a lot of the same muscles, and you're going in rotations, almost like training!

[ hm...... based on his calculations, Itto probably doesn't have the cleanest place.... 🤔 ]

Do you want me to show you one day? It's more fun than you might think! We can treat it like training and finish it off with a good meal!

[ Is it weird that Itto sorta does? Like, is it a "boys will be boys" kind of thing that he thinks he'll only be able to properly appreciate the power of Heziou's strength if he gets slammed in the gut personally, or is that just Itto being Itto...? ]

Housework can do all that? Seriously? [ Itto's leaning in, eyebrows raised like Thoma just told him some kind of wild secret. He narrows his eyes a little, looking him up and down as if staring long enough will give him a glimpse of how shredded he actually is and it'll all click into place. Mumbled to himself: ] Like training, huh...?

[ ... bro... 💀 ]

Ahhh, I dunno, bro, seems a little, uh... boring-ish? [ A hand gets waved around after he straightens back up. ] No offense, 'course, but I'm kinda a high action guy. Ya dig? Dunno if twirling around a feather duster is gonna get my blood pumping even if it does get me the gains I'm lookin' for. [ And yet he's clearly still thinking about it, eyes closed in thought and a hand to his chin. He's definitely waiting for Thoma to keep convincing him. (Only partially because the idea of going for food is really tempting.) ]

[ it is absolutely Itto being Itto, BUT ALSO. if there's ANYONE who could survive Heizou's punch with genuine enthusiasm still left on the other side, it would be Itto for sure. and Thoma would be hovering around close by to make sure that he's alright, of course! ]

Seriously.

[ there's a playful glimmer that might dance in his eyes and his lips might be quirked up, but Thoma is really serious! he has to fight not to smile even wider when Itto looks him up and down, looking very much like a child at the window of an ice cream shop. that is to say, very endearingly concentrated. ]

No offense taken! You do have a point, after all. I can't say that housekeeping work is as fun as getting high action, but there's something really special about finishing your workout and also seeing that your space is super clean! It really helps you concentrate and that means your mind is even stronger than ever too, you know? Strength starts here, [ a tap to his temple ] after all!

Haven't you ever noticed that when you're really fired up for something, you accomplish your goal faster? Oh, and that's also what the food at the end is for! When you have a nice warm meal after that kind of workout, you just feel so accomplished! There's nothing quite like it!

[ Thoma should probably stop being such a good friend, because him being the most reliable guy alive makes being even more reckless than usual sound like waaay too comfortable of a prospect for Itto...

He's slowly nodding to himself. He probably would have shut down if Thoma kept insisting on the fun of it, but one of the other many things he appreciates about his buddy here is that he's willing to level with you if you ask for it. It probably would be good if there was something he could do to work out his muscles and his mind, right? Itto's a pretty sharp guy, if he says so himself, but you don't stay that way by neglecting to take care of the biggest muscle of all!

(He does not know if the brain is a muscle or an organ.)

Plus, Granny Oni would probably appreciate it if he helped out at home a little more. Plus, if he's doing it with Thoma, isn't being with a pal enough fun on its own? ]

Hmmmmmm... [ There's a short second longer where he lingers, eyebrows furrowed as Itto's obviously trying to wind up anticipation for his decision. Then his eyes pop open, and he's laughing loudly. ] Alright, my man, you've convinced me! [ Congratulations to Thoma for earning a very firm slap on the back to show his enthusiasm! ] You really are amazing at this kind of stuff, huh? I don't know how people can ever disagree with ya. You're just like our bro Ayato like that, y'know? You guys should be putting your heads together more often with the kinda ideas you could come up with together! Oh, hey, speaking of our bro, you think he'd wanna join us? [ 💀💀💀!!! ]

[ Thoma... will try, especially when Itto genuinely picks up on things that most people would take for granted, but only because he's worried about his friend's safety!! not because he doesn't believe in him 100%!

in terms of whether he's convinced Itto or not though, Thoma isn't banking on either outcome - which is why he winces when that very firm slap lands on his back, but just a little bit!! insignificant enough to immediately turn into a smile which then takes on a mild panicked edge at the mention of Ayato. ]

Oh, ah, him-?

[ why does that sound so awfully informal when though it's technically grammatically correct! Thoma is also the last person who would ever say anything mean about the Kamisato head, even if his words can be considered as painful truth, so he finds himself struggling to figure out a roundabout way to save everyone involved from Ayato's cleaning efforts. thankfully, Ayato does have an extremely busy schedule! ]

Ah, if you wanted to invite him, you might find yourself waiting forever! I always peek at his calendar to get a good idea of what his day will be like and I think he's going to be busy until next year, easy. Plus, when you do a deep clean training session, the last thing you wanna do is feel rushed, so it'd be hard to invite him out for just an hour or something like that, too. But I'll tell you what, maybe when we get a groove going, we can invite him over for a meal to show off all the hard work you've been putting in? I'll do the cooking!

[ Both that slight wince and the proceeding panic go so far over Itto's head that he actually starts smacking poor Thoma's back even harder. They did just have a discussion about how solid Thoma probably actually is, so Itto's totally sure he can take it just fine!

It's really entirely beyond Itto's comprehension that there could be something out there that Ayato isn't good at. He's never even thought about it, because his bro being the champion of everything is such a blunt truth to him that he's never had a reason to ponder it. If Thoma did ever have the nerve to say it, Itto would just think he was joking. ]

Ahh, c'mon, it can't be that bad! What kinda bro am if I can't be a little patient for a bud- [ WHAT. ] Next year?! [ This is one of the most horrifying things he's ever heard. So horrifying that he's grabbed Thoma by the shoulders to start urgently shaking him about. ] Thoma, what the heck are we doing cleaning?! We gotta help our bro! That's way too much work! Hasn't he ever heard of work one day and take three off?! [ 😭 He genuinely has no clue. ]

[ Thoma has always idly felt sorry for children's toys - subjected to rough play because kids never know any better, being spun, shaken, dropped - and now he fully understands and identifies with them, all thanks to Itto!

his oni friend is strong, as even through his casual gestures of affection, Thoma can feel heat blooming from where his back stings. he's ready and willing to wait it out until it's over, only to end up feeling like he's in the very center of an earthquake. and despite it all, he's still struggling to try and hide his amusement at Itto's endearing horror.

this is the proper reaction to an overworked schedule, isn't it?? ]

I-Itto, calm down! [ he reaches up with one hand to grasp one of those massive forearms (honestly, b u i l t) in an attempt to get Itto to stop shaking him. ] It's not ideal, but he's someone very important and as such, he has a lot of things to do every single day. If he doesn't, not only do they pile up but so do problems! And when problems go ignored, they only get bigger, you know?

But I promise, what would really help him is being a good friend, giving him more to smile about and letting him be himself. You can do that, right? Like with your beetle battles! That kind of competition lets him play and exercise a part of himself he usually has to keep locked away. That's way more than anything else we could do!

[ Even with all the bragging he does about it, Itto doesn't put half as much consideration into his strength as he should. It's not anything close to a lack of confidence in himself, but more like confidence in everyone else! He would feel a little bad about Thoma's empathy with children's toys if he knew about it though, since Itto usually ends up breaking those a bit more often than he'd like to admit. ... Or dropping them in ditches. Or losing them in the nooks of street corners and never seeing them again. ]

How am I supposed to be calm?! Why aren't you uncalm!? [ Seriously! Is Itto the only one understanding the gravity of this situation? He lets go of Thoma's shoulders only to grab on his arm and shake it around instead. (Does concentrating it all into one limb make it easier to deal with or harder?) ] But that's exactly my point! He's our important bro that's gonna burn out entirely if we don't do something to help! How are we being good bros to him if we're letting him never take any breaks at all?! Even big shots need to breathe!

[ By the time Thoma is done trying to talk him down, though, the swinging Itto's been doing with his poor arm has mostly stopped. It's seriously not fair how good he is at making sense. ] Jeez, man... [ He crosses his arms and steps back, clearly pouting. ] 'Course I can! But it still feels like there's something else we could do... D'you really think your idea from before is enough? [ 🥺 ]

[ thankfully, it's not difficult for Thoma to accept signature clumsiness and forgetfulness as integral aspects of who Itto is... and it helps that he knows that as long as he stays life-sized, Itto won't ever leave him behind or forget him!! the only real damage? by the time Itto has stopped feeling the need to convey his urgency, Thoma has to reach up and push his headband up to where it belongs on his forehead, shaking his head ever so slightly until his hair is back to its original state.

if he smiles at the sight of Itto's pout, it's a very soft and fond one, meant to be understanding and void of amusement at his friend's expense. perhaps accomplishing a task, like creating a gift, would be enough to distract Itto from his distress? it's worked before. Thoma rubs his chin thoughtfully. it can't be anything too ornate or it'll be a surefire way to make Itto lose interest. ]

Actually, now that you remind me about it... I remember him mentioning that it would be nice to have a bigger box for all of the brushes that he receives as gifts. Have you ever done woodwork before? I'd be happy to teach you! We can gather some planks of wood, make it together, and I'll see if there are any gaps in Ayato's schedule where you can stop by and give it to him? I don't think anything is quite as uplifting as knowing your friend has been thinking about you and made something just for you!

What do you think? Is that something you'd be up for? It doesn't have to be anything too ornate or fancy! So long as it's something you do your best with, I'm sure my lo- he would be happy with it.

[ In a bit of a backwards way, it's probably a lot better for Thoma that Itto is far too preoccupied with overreacting to stop and help him fix the frazzled state he left him in. The only thing that can match his strength is his sheer eagerness, and who even knows how poor Thoma would have ended up with two oni-sized hands complete with ten impressively (by his standards!) long fingernails trying to finagle things back into their rightful places?

Just that understanding smile is enough to have Itto's pout lessen a little bit. Itto is, as always, all at once and impressed and grateful that he managed to fall into such an easy rhythm with a guy so darn good at making everything seem easy. Of course the two of them could find a way to help their bro together! He's clearly waiting to see what Thoma comes up with, and almost patiently at that. Almost, because he's back to leaning in like their very lives depend on figuring this out.

Itto's eyebrows are raised about as high as they'll go, and his mouth forms a little "o" the more Thoma explains. His fists are clenched in excitement and he's nodding along in awe of how cool of an idea it is. When he finally answers, it's almost a little revently. ] You'd teach me? Really? [ He looks like he has stars in his eyes. ] That would be... [ His voice starts picking up! ] so... [ Louder...! ] AWESOME!

[ And hopefully his bro tied his headband pretty tight, because now he's getting grabbed in a sideways hug that would for sure have him losing his balance if he wasn't definitely, totally shredded and able to take on anything just like Itto has no doubt he is! ] Thoma! How'd you get so smart, huh?! You really have the answer to everything, man! Ayato's gonna be so pumped when he sees what we got in store for him! Hahaha, dang, is he lucky to have us or what?!

✨ you only get one chance...

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me taking notes from mister miyagi

i'm imagining thoma with ripped arms from cleaning vs arataki "skipped arm day" itto & crying

HAHAHA 😭 itto would still be cute!!! but why does itto make it SO EASY for thoma to bs things omg

it's just natural to wanna impress him that's why!!!

this has to be it!! 🥲 the best yes man there is......

not me taking forever to tag this back LMAOOooooo!!

our other threads are SO INTENSE LMAO I don't blame u....

thank goodness we can depend on itto the palate cleanser

our man itto... 😭 refreshing ginger amidst the CHEESE!

when you get too caught up in the cheese and leave your son behind for days and days.......