18+ Private [Wintersday] Choo, Choo! Here Comes the Train Wreck!

[Aerial]

..

"I can't understand why I couldn't just wear something I had packed-"

"You mean one of your ugly hoodies?"

"Bitch, you better take that back!"

"Gigi, hun, this is a date."

"Maybe for you. I thought we were supposed to be celebrating me. Y'know, me winning the charity competition-"

"I must say... I did a damn good job considering my canvas and limited time."

"Are you ignoring me?"

"Alright! It's almost showtime!"

Disgruntled mumblings were promptly silenced. Dark brown eyes stared in irritated disbelief as her friend dragged her toward the hotel elevator. A loud, exaggerated sigh was ignored as her friend rambled on. Gigi couldn't comprehend why she needed a new outfit, makeup, and all of that razzle dazzle for this double date.

She'd desperately fought but, alas, her friend had been victorious. Comfortable clothes were forcibly replaced with stiff fabric. Even her signature beanie had been thrown into the corner of their hotel room.

"Oh, stop pouting. This'll be a blast!" Gigi shot her friend a narrow-eyed glare. Her gaze silently remarked, "Yeah, for you." Well, maybe it wouldn't be all bad. She'd been promised free food and drinks. To be honest, that had been all she needed to know about tonight. Or so she had thought. How was she to know that her companion lured her in with sweet temptations only to trap her into some weird double date?

From what she recalled, her friend was quite "savvy" when it came to the dating scene so there wasn't a reason to drag her along. Little did the naive woman know that there was a specific reason for this rouse. It was, to put it simply, a setup. She didn't know that she'd be dropped off in the hotel bar so the two bringing plus ones could have her date's room all to themselves. It was certainly a roundabout way to achieve the previously mentioned goal.

"There they are! Hey, guys! Nice to see you!" Was it her imagination or did her buddy's eyes nearly pop from their head? They seemed entranced by the blonde man rather than his own companion. "Aww.. If I'd known you were bringing such a hottie... I'd love to be in his bed." Her friend mumbled beneath their breath, earning a questioning look from Gigi. "But, uh, anywaaay. This is Yeji~"

"You can just call me Gigi." she quickly interjected, nose crinkled in contempt toward her birth name. Introductions had hardly commenced when the second couple excused themselves. "Wait. Where are you going?"

Don't you dare leave me here by myself. But that's exactly what happened: left to fend for herself with her blind date. "Uh.. Do you think they'll be back? Or were we set up?" Bless her friend for their nice intentions but this was absolutely not what she wanted. (Of course, she wouldn't know until later that the intentions had been nefarious from the start).

Finally accepting her fate, Gigi waved over the bartender. "Do you guys carry soju?" He nodded an affirmative. "Sweet! I'll have a bottle and... What do you want?" Unless he wanted some of the soju because holy smokes. That was one big bottle. Could she possibly finish it by herself? Only one way to find out. Although, she did continue to eye the drink menu. Something with tequila sounded good... But that was a dangerous and potent liquor.

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

"Hurry up, Rosario! We're gonna be late!"
"I'm ready, let's go," the taller man droned, a slight note of annoyance in his voice. "Remind me again why I'm driving the both of us?" he asked as he grabbed his care keys. "You quite literally drove yourself here, after all."
"'Cause I gotta make sure you don't chicken out! Don't wanna disappoint the ladies, ya know?"
"I said I'd go, didn't I?" The pair walked out the door and Rosario paused to lock it behind them. "I'm a-"
"Man of your word, blah blah, yeah I know," Lucas said, rolling his eyes. "Still, you haven't been out on a date with a woman the entire time I've known you. Again, you might've chickened out, and I couldn't let you tarnish my pristine reputation like that."
"I've been out on more dates than you," Rosario reminded the man.
"You've gone out and hooked up with girls you met at bars," Lucas replied, pressing the elevator button. "That's not the same. Seriously, when was the last time you went on a real date with someone?"
"Freshman year of college."
"Oh, for fuck's sake, that was a literal decade ago!"
"I told you, I've gone out with wo-"
"That doesn't count!"

Ding!

"Ugh, you're hopeless. C'mon, loverboy."
"Morire."

​

"There they are! Hey, guys! Nice to see you!"

A woman's voice called out to the men as they entered the hotel lobby, one of two well-dressed women waving them over. Lucas gave them a broad smile and waved back. "Hey guys! Sorry we're a bit late, this guy drives like a grandpa," he said, jabbing a thumb in the taller man's direction. "This is Rosie."
The man sighed in exasperation, unsurprised by his friend's antic. "I'm Rosario," the blonde introduced himself, "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

The woman who'd called out to them seemed to have her gaze fixed on Rosario as he spoke, eyes wandering over him, muttering something under her breath, earning herself a strange look from her friend. "But, uh, anywaaay. This is Yeji~"
"You can just call me Gigi."
"Wonderful to meet you, Gigi," Rosario said, casting a charming smile in her direction.
"Wait. Where are you going?"
"Huh?" Rosario turned to look over at Lucas, who had disappeared. "What? Where did they?"
"Have fun you two!" Lucas called over to Rosario and Gigi as he and Gigi's yet unnamed friend walked away towards...the elevators?"
"Well then..."
"Uh...Do you think they'll be back? Or were we set up?"
"Knowing that one," Rosario answered with a sigh, "We won't be seeing them until the morning." Rosario didn't know why he was surprised.

"Do you guys carry soju?" Rosario looked over at Gigi, who had moved over to the bar. "Sweet! I'll have a bottle and... What do you want?"
Well, when in Rome.
"Another bottle of the same, please," Rosario said moving over to take a place beside Gigi. "I've never tried soju before," the man said as he took a seat at the counter.
"So, how did you get roped into all this?" Rosario asked, figuring he may as well try and make the best out of the predicament.

@Aerial

 

[Aerial]

..

"This is Rosie." Aw. What a cute nickname. Her friend muttered something about "how accurate the name was considering he had the beauty of a rose". Gigi chose to ignore her wide-eyed friend.

"I'm Rosario. It's a pleasure to meet you both." Well, looks like the man himself didn't take pleasure in the nickname. Rosario. It was certainly more fun to say - even in her head - than Rosie.

"Won't be seeing them until morning.." she repeated with an exasperated sigh. Why had she been tortured relentlessly today if her friend had always planned on ditching her? She could be nice and cozy right now. "Pfft. She couldn't even stay for a celebratory shot."

The sound of Rosario ordering another bottle of soju caused her eyes to widen, "You could have just shared with me. At this rate we'll have to drink right from the bottle to get through both." Gigi grabbed a pair of shot glasses and filled them to the brim.

She raised her glass, pouting as the overfilled soju rolled down her hand. "Geonbae!" The word rolled off her tongue freely. A ghost of a frown lingered despite her lips forcibly turning upwards. Yes, it was her first language but.. Irritated thoughts turned to her parents and she quickly rectified her mistake, "I mean.. cheers!"

"So, how did you get roped into all of this?"

Her stiff smile relaxed when a convenient change of subject presented itself. "I was promised food." It was an oh so simple statement that matched her flippant shrug. "And then forcibly dragged around a mall once I agreed." she shuddered. Shopping was draining, especially for the woman who typically ordered everything online.

"What about you?"

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

"A congratulatory shot?" the man repeated as he settled in his seat. "What are we celebrating?" The blonde had just ordered his drink (or rather bottle of drink) when he'd caught sight of Gigi's eyes going wide. "We have a long night ahead of us," the man joked with a faint smile, "I'm sure we'll manage somehow. Besides," the man picked up the other bottle as Gigi filled up their shot glasses. "These are kinda small."

The man picked up his own shot glass as the woman did as well. "Geonbae!" she said before correcting herself. "I mean.. cheers!"
Rosario chuckled slightly and lifted his own glass in response. "Congratulazioni!" The man knocked back the drink in one smooth motion, pausing to look at the glass curiously as he swallowed. It was surprisingly smooth, and tasted of hardly anything. Surprisingly good. Maybe it was just the brand though.

Rosario set his glass down and began to fill Gigi's shot glass again, and then his own as he listened to the woman explain how she'd wound up stranded at a bar with him. "Ah, baited, I see," the man said with a smile, trying to make light of the situation. "Lucas asked me to wingman for him. I said 'yes'. Against my better judgement," the man set the bottle down with a soft thud. "He's never needed help with women before, so I wonder what his real motivation is."

@Aerial

 

[Aerial]

..

"What are we celebrating?"

"Pfft. We? A bit presumptuous, eh?" the woman light-heartedly teased. "It's nothing really major. I was able to nab first place in a charity competition." She shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal especially since, in her eyes, it wasn't. Really, it wasn't all that impressive. She'd made sloppy mistakes throughout the tournament. Higher standards needed to be upheld, especially when people expected a certain level of gameplay.

"She's the one who signed me up." Behind her back, naturally. "I haven't played on a stage in a while." It occurred to her that she might possibly be speaking in tongues according to the man. Yes, the event had been largely advertised and hyped up. But that would mean little to someone who didn't follow the eSports scene or video games in general.

"Congratulazioni!"

She poured herself another glass and swiftly downed it. Gigi hadn't actually expected him to congratulate her. It'd been a while since she'd received celebratory attention that it was... embarrassing. She regretted bringing attention to the occasion.

"Actually, are you from the area? I don't know much about the local charities. They want the donation to be given in the LA area. Probably so the higher-ups can make a big fuss about their humanitarian work." she snorted. Straightening up in her seat, she lifted her chin up high as she imitated the "gracious hosts", "Ah, yes my adoring public. I hosted this event in hopes that it'd help our community. With my masterful planning, and totally nothing to do with the players or fans, we were able to make this a success. And if you threw a vote my way... Well, that certainly wouldn't do any harm." Melodramatic, perhaps. It certainly highlighted her disdain for the host organization.

"Ah, baited, I see." An instinctive pout pursed her lips together and puffed her cheeks out. Baiting had been something she excelled at... in game. Outside of game? Apparently, she was nothing more than a silly fish attracted by a shiny hook.

"Damn. I'm usually the master baiter." Gigi was too bummed to realize just how provocative that sounded.

"He's never needed help with women before, so I wonder what his real motivation is."

"Huh. Now that you mention it, Quinn's never had a problem either with anyone she's pursued. And there's been a shit load. Like, an impossible number to even keep track of. I guess that's a skill in itself." The situation just got even fishier. A sudden lightbulb went off, "Wait. Did she always plan to leave me? Is that why she asked me to hold onto her keycard? That bitch." She'd told Gigi that it was for safekeeping - that if she kept it then she'd surely lose it.

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

"Pfft. We? A bit presumptuous, eh?" Gigi scoffed, which earned herself a sly smirk as Rosario picked up the bottle again by the neck and gently shook it side to side, the liquid inside sloshing back and forth. "Well, I do happen to be the one you're drinking with. I'd say that makes us a 'we', at least for the time being."

"A charity competition? That's no small thing," the blonde responded with a sense of certainty. "Maybe not as impressive as something like the World Cup," he admitted, "though it certainly matters." Whether or not that charity was one hundred percent legit though, Rosario couldn't help but wonder.

A slow grin spread across Rosario's face as the woman began to mock the politicians that certainly had put the whole affair together. She was more knowledgeable than most people on this earth. Or, at the very least, she didn't keep her head in the sand. "Bravo, thank you for the lovely speech Madam Governer," Rosario applauded, playing along with the little joke, before sipping at the little shot glass, slower this time. "I am from the area, actually," he answered Gigi as she settled. "Moved here from Chicago mmm-...four years ago?" the man shrugged. "Long enough to forget, I suppose." The man knocked back the rest of his shot, thoughts of home less than pleasant. "What about you? Where are you from?" he asked as he began to pour himself another.

"Damn. I'm usually the master baiter." Rosario had lifted a brow in curiosity, an amused smile playing at his lips at the woman's choice of...phrasing. Though it probably wasn't intentional, the man thought it fun to entertain the notion for a moment.

"It would appear so," Rosario chuckled as Gigi came to the same conclusion about Quinn as he had about Lucas. They'd never intended to stick around. "On the bright side, you got a free night at a hotel, an empty room," the man seemed to emphasize his last few words before lifting the souju bottle again, "and good booze. I'd say you made out pretty well. Unless," Rosario cast the woman a playful smirk, "you find my company so unbearable already."

@Aerial

 

[Aerial]

..

"I'd say that makes us a 'we', at least for the time being." She didn't even try to hide the whites of her eyes as they rolled in exasperation.

"Maybe not as impressive as something like the World Cup."

Ouch. Had her absence from pro play truly deleted her legacy? "Been there. Done that." she dismissed with a shrug. If this had been a stream, she would have snipped at him for not knowing her. But, truthfully, the memories tasted more bitter than sweet after all that happened.

The woman erupted in a fit of giggles at his applause. It had been unexpected which made it all the better. Maybe his company would be preferable over Quinn's. "Either that or your memory sucks."

A prompt refill followed each empty shot glass. "What about you? Where are you from?" The grip around her drink unconsciously tightened. "Jeju-si." the name quickly spilled from her lips and hurriedly continued by, "Boston, Los Angeles, New York."

"On the bright side, you got a free night at a hotel, an empty room." Her face contorted as if she'd just tasted something sour: nose scrunched and tongue stretched out. "I wish it'd been free. Hotels are so damn expensive. Even when you only have one bed in them! It's not like I booked a luxury suite." It was impossible to tell whether the suggestion flew over Gigi's head or she purposely ignored it.

Suddenly, she shot up straight. A lightbulb had went off in her head and now shined through her eyes. "Mister Bartender, is there an open tab for Quinn White?" His nod elicited a mischievous smirk. "Could you please put this all on that tab? And we need some tequila! Or whatever expensive shit you got."

The bartender asked to see her an ID, to confirm that she was indeed Quinn White, but Gigi brushed him off with a hefty tip. "Hm." she hummed, "Nah. Your company is at an acceptable level. Just try to keep up~ We are going to get turnt, courtesy of one of our deserters."

The shots her friend was "so kindly paying for" arrived. Gigi picked one at random and recoiled the moment she swallowed it. "Holy shit. That fucking burns." Her sinuses felt great, though.

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

"Been there. Done that."
Rosario blinked slowly, before picking up the glass bottle and peering at it's label, trying to read it's ABV. "Either this stuff is stronger than I thought," the man said as he squinted at the tiny lettering, "or the men and women's soccer leagues merged when I wasn't looking."

In quite the contrast though, the man began to chuckle once Gigi had sat down and given him a sharp retort. "Ah, you could be right," the man laughed.

Rosario cocked his eyebrow in curiosity at the name of some foreign place that the man hadn't heard of before. Gigi was quick to move on though ,listing off a number of other, distinctly American, cities. "Moved around a lot then?" the man asked, his interest now piqued. "Where's that first one you said? J-ay-jue-chi?" Definitely didn't butcher that pronunciation. Great job Rosie.

"I wish it'd been free. Hotels are so damn expensive. Even when you only have one bed in them! It's not like I booked a luxury suite." Despite Gigi seeming to have completely missed what Rosario was insinuating (or perhaps she was just ignoring it) the man couldn't help but smile faintly with amusement. She was an entertaining one if nothing else.

"Mister Bartender, is there an open tab for Quinn White?" The man nodded in response as Rosario sipped at his drink, watching the exchange with interest. "Could you please put this all on that tab? And we need some tequila! Or whatever expensive shit you got."
"Ah, pro-gamer, soccer player, and master thief? I might just very well be in the presence of a legend," Rosario joked as the woman left quite a pretty 'tip' for the bartender, who promptly brought them some very expensive tequila.

"Oh don't worry about me," the man laughed as the shots were poured out. "I can keep up just fine." He too knocked back the shot, swallowing and then sucking air through his teeth. "Wooh, that is something," the man chuckled. "C'mon, round two," he urged the woman, nudging another shot towards her and picking up another for himself, quickly dispatching it.

"Alright, so, aside from getting left behind by your friend with some mysterious stranger and then putting hundreds of dollars on her card, what else do you do for fun?" Rosario asked.

@Aerial

 

[Aerial]

..

"Either this stuff is stronger than I thought or the men's and women's soccer leagues merged when I wasn't looking."

Her expression dead-panned, eyes narrowly examining as if to determine whether she missed a joke or... No, from what she could tell, his intentions were serious. He truly hadn't a clue what she was speaking of. "I meant... E-sports. The charity event was an e-sports tournament... just like the World Cup I mentioned. Well, I guess no one ever calls it the 'World Cup' so that's my bad." Silently, she added, But you live in California. California was one of the main hubs for competitive online gaming.

"Where's that first one you said? J-ay-jue-chi?" At first, her head tilted to the side. J-ay-jue-chi...? Oh! "Jeju-si." she spoke slower this time and carefully enunciated her words, "The largest city on Jeju-do, or rather Jeju Island. In South Korea." She possessed fond memories of her home city but they'd been soured by her parents. It was hard to disconnect the two from one another.

"Ah, pro-gamer, soccer player, and master thief? I might just very well be in the presence of a legend."

A devilish smile warped her expression into that of an imp. "I'm glad you finally recognize my legendary status. It took you long enough." she playfully joked back. "I suuuck at soccer and most physical sports but I gladly accept the title of a master thief."

He nudged her. Round two. That sounded like a challenge. Gigi did not back down from challenges. She matched his energy with ease and, in a flash, the second drink disappeared. "Les' go! Round three!" Her voice remained stable: no sign of slurring or heavy intoxication. Not yet.

"Alright, so, aside from getting left behind by your friend with some mysterious stranger and then putting hundreds of dollars on her card, what else do you do for fun?"

Another drink emptied without a blink. "A stranger... Thanks for reminding me! Now I can continue to use her charge without any guilt." She acted as if she'd actually cared before. "I could've been fucking kidnapped or something. Hell, I could still be kidnapped." Gigi pretended to size Rosario up. "I bite so don't get any funny ideas."

As for what she did for fun? "Uhh.. video games, stream, binge-watch anime, annoy the fuck out of my other friends." she shrugged. "Nothing special, really." Of course, she excluded her plans to destroy Terrasphere: she didn't want to say the wrong things to a potential narc. "What about you?"

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

"I meant... E-sports."
"...Ah..."
"The charity event was an e-sports tournament..."
"Right..."
"Just like the World Cup I mentioned. Well, I guess no one ever calls it the 'World Cup' so that's my bad."
"Ah, no no, I'm just an idiot, the fault is mine," Rosario apologized, sheepishly smiling at the woman in light of his own stupidity. Sure, he played video games just like most people, but he'd never paid much attention to competitive scenes. Getting his ass kicked by his friends was competition enough for the man.

"South Korea, you're from there?" Rosario asked curiously, having never really been outside of the US yet. It was a bit of a surprise, but the man had never travelled that far. In fact, he'd never even been on a plane. When he'd moved from Chicago to LA he'd driven the whole way.

"I'm glad you finally recognize my legendary status. It took you long enough."
"Ah, please forgive me, Great and Mighty Gigi," the man said with a mock bow, laughing. "You're kidding though, you seem like a rather athletic type of person," Rosario pointed out, giving the girl a once over with a raised brow of skepticism. "I'm sure you could outpace me, actually."

Ok, this woman could drink. That much Rosario could tell. And while the man was by no means a lightweight, the ease with which Gigi was knocking back these shots was beginning to worry the man. "Round three!" the man exclaimed before knocking back another drink, despite his concerns. No good decisions were ever made while sober after all.

Rosario chuckled as Gigi seemingly lost the last of her reservations about putting all their drinks on Quinn's tab. "Mm, I dunno, I think I could take you," the man joked back, nudging the woman with his elbow.

Rosario should've expected to have the question turned back on him. But he didn't, so he was caught a little bit unprepared. "Hmm," the man hummed as he thought about what his few hobbies were. "Basketball. I play the guitar. I enjoy reading, or playing video games as well on occasion. Recently I've taken up rock climbing," Rosario shrugged. "Anything that lets me turn my brain off after work, I suppose."

@Aerial

 

[Aerial]

..

"Ah, no no, I'm just an idiot, the fault is mine."
"Well, I won't argue with that."

"South Korea, you're from there?"
"Nah. I just mentioned it first because it sounded cool." Sarcasm heavily laced her tongue. Irritation spiked at his insistence on poking his nose into her business. But, through a ragged breath, she managed to simmer down. Another shot helped to level her head further and numb her brain to the intrusive memories. "I moved here when I was about.." one could practically hear her searching through the recesses of her memory, "Nine?"

"If you want to know specifics then just look it up." Interviews regarding her past weren't hard to find, especially when one had their own Wikipedia page. The internet documented her history more thoroughly than she ever could - than she could ever want to.

"Ah, please forgive me, Great and Mighty Gigi."
Hm. And why should I not punish you?"
"You're kidding though, you seem like a rather athletic type of person."
"Flattery will get you everywhere. Although, saying that makes it sound more like mockery."
"I'm sure you could outpace me, actually."
"Okay, now I know you're simply teasing me," her lips pursed into a pout, "I am fueled by energy drinks, Mountain Dew, and ramen. I would have a heart attack before I ever outpaced you." However, she refused to be bested by this man when it came to alcohol. Competitive energy urged her towards victory - to assert her dominance in this (imaginary) contest! "Back-to-back rounds - four and five!

"Mm, I dunno, I think I could take you." Another pout followed by an elbow to his ribs. An elbow that suffered more damage than she could ever do to him. Narrowed, brown eyes glared at the muscles his shirt barely contained. "Hmph. You may have the physical advantage and the high ground but I have strategic intelligence and the power of weird anime ideas on my side!" she pronounced her "strengths" loudly. Yeah, that last one was probably not something someone would normally admit to aloud.

"If you succeed in your kidnapping plans, I at least demand the right to hear your guitar skills." she grinned. "Also, no offense but.. You look like you suck at video games." And not just because he botched her identity earlier. Okay, so, maybe partially that. "You definitely give the meat-head physical sports vibes but video games? Nope, no matter how hard I look I can't see any potential in you."

It was strange how smoothly their conversations were going. Small talk was a struggle but light-hearted banter came with ease. "What do you do for work?" Her eyes keenly scanned every inch of his body; no attempts were made to conceal their silent probing. "A tattoo artist?" Based on his appearance, it was a satisfactory guess. However, it was a surface leveled guess. She could do better than that. "A rockstar? Ohh, a pro basketball player." He possessed the correct height based on her brief interactions with the sport.

"Wait, wait! You totally give off bodyguard vibes." Gigi nodded in agreement with her own statement. "Well, bodyguard or a mobster that threatens to throw people off buildings or feed 'em to the fishes." Oh, if only she knew.

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

"Nah. I just mentioned it first because it sounded cool." Gigi replied to Rosario's question, with no small amount of acerbity in her words. Even someone who was less socially capable could have put two and two together there. "I moved here when I was about...nine?"
"I see," Rosario replied flatly, letting the conversation die off there. Best not to prod the beast any further, it seemed this one might bite.
But, then again, maybe that wouldn't be so bad.

Listening to the gamer's diet, Rosario began to wonder how she hadn't dropped dead from lack of nutrients, or come down with some sort of fatal vitamin deficiency. As far as he was concerned, Gigi was a walking miracle. "Back-to-back rounds - four and five!" Dear God, what kind of freak of nature was she?

"...I have strategic intelligence and the power of weird anime ideas on my side!"
"Why do I get the feeling you're calling me stupid?" the man asked with a humorous smile. "I suppose I can't really stand a chance against the raw power of Meliodas though, so you win, Gigi. For now." Insert funny eyebrow wiggle here.

"I'll play for you some time," the man agreed with a soft chuckle. "You're right though, I'm awful at video games. I have to play on easy sometimes, it's honestly kind of embarrassing," Even more so considering the girl standing next to him was a literal professional in that field. But hey, Rosario already got ditched by his friend for a hook up, and was tricked into driving him all the way here cause his car was broken. At least he had company.

Rosario shook his head at each of Gigi's guesses, a small smile forming with each and every incorrect one. Well at least up until the last one. Rosario covered up his fading smile with another shot, followed by another swiftly after ensuring to keep pace with Gigi. And then one more, just to prove a point. "Nothing that interesting," the man answered, "Breaking knee caps isn't as interesting as feeding fish or throwing people off buildings." Rosario poured another shot into his glass and Gigi's before pushing hers towards her. His eyes flicked up to meet hers, not an ounce of humor hiding within them.

Well, at least until a smile cracked the surface. "Kidding. I'm a financial advisor, pretty boring stuff."

@Aerial

 

[Aerial]

..

"Why do I get the feeling you're calling me stupid?"
Without missing a beat, Gigi quickly utilized the opportune opening her "opponent" left himself vulnerable to, "Because I am." "Duh" implied by the fox-like nature her facial expression mirrored.

"I suppose I can't really stand a chance against the raw power of Meliodas though, so you win, Gigi. For now."
Wait, Meliodas? A few moments of silence passed by as she determined whether or not his implications were good or bad. Her crinkled nose revealed her final verdict. "Ew." If they were thinking of the same anime then absolutely ew. "Do I look that much like a pervert?" Innocent puppy eyes tried to sway his opinion. "Couldn't I be like.. Goku? I get the whole "incarnate of wrath" thing but I'm totally closer to being an epic Super Saiyan." Yeah, Super Saiyan sounded much better.

"I have to play on easy sometimes, it's honestly kind of embarrassing."
Oh. My. Gosh. Laughter caused the woman to snort oh-so-attractively. "Why.. Who would admit that? I appreciate the honesty but daaaamn. At least say you play on normal difficulty." Her tongue clicked against the roof of her mouth. "Oh, no. I thought a total normie was cute. The tragedy." Judging by her rosy red cheeks, the booze was finally beginning to catch up with the woman. "We're gonna have to remedy that. I'll be your teacher." A suggestive sentence that went unnoticed by the woman herself.

Glassy eyes looked entranced when he played along with her suggestion. But then the fantasy of a real-life GTA was cruelly stolen from her. "Kidding. I'm a financial advisor, pretty boring stuff." An instinctive boo rounded her lips.

"Mega boring. I like my version better." Although, realistically, living in such a world like the ones in video games would be absolute hell. Wait but she sorta-kinda lived in Terrasphere... No, no. That was different. Fuck she was confusing herself.

Thankfully, her attention became absorbed by a loose flyer left on the bar floor. Within seconds of picking up the paper, she looked up at Rosario with sparkling eyes. "Karaoke bar! Look, look. It's only a few blocks down. And there's a holiday discount!" The woman had already hopped to her feet, utilizing Rosario when she nearly lost her balance. "We gotta go! Pweaaasee?"

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

"Because I am," Gigi replied, striking the blonde with an incredulous look.
"Ah," the man chuckled. "Well thank you, I suppose my massive brain needs the ego check on occasion."

Although, his massive brain might want to spend some more time thinking about what characters it was pulling out from the annals of his mind. "Tsk," the man clicked his tongue as the woman replied with a look of disgust. "Hmm, I hadn't really thought of that." She didn't really seem like a Goku though. "No, you're not Goku," the man said with a wry smile. "I mean, look at these arms." The man pinched the girl's wrist and lifted it up and down a couple times, watching with amusement as her arm flapped. "You're too noodley for that. Maybe if you hit the gym and bulked up, sure. For now though," the man made a show of thinking some more, tapping a finger on his lips as he looked away. "Yeah, still Meliodas," he decided, flashing the girl a mischievous grin. RIP the puppy dog eyes.

The snorting that shortly followed definitely made Rosario glad that he'd denied Gigi's request to become a Saiyan. The man couldn't do more than roll his eyes and pour another shot (poor decision). "Yeah, yeah, I know," the man deadpanned. "I've heard it before."

"Oh, no. I thought a total normie was cute. The tragedy." Now that caused Rosario's ears to perk up, glancing over at Gigi with a raised brow. The red flush of alcohol was beginning to set into her skin, and suddenly the snorting laughter made a little more sense. "We're gonna have to remedy that. I'll be your teacher."

"Alright then," Rosario chuckled, knocking back his drink. "I think we can figure out some way to make that happen, Teacher."

That would have to happen later though. The woman bent down to the floor without much thought, grabbing a flyer off the ground. Rosario placed his hand underneath the counter to prevent the girl from smacking herself too hard on the surface in case she somehow managed that in her drunken state. Instead of knocking herself out though, Gigi nearly fell over. Rosario's arm was quick to provide her some level of support as it wrapped around her waist and helped keep her upright, calloused fingers pressed to her skin as began to plead with him to go to karaoke.

Normally, Rosario would've said no. But, despite not showing it, the man's inhibitions were already gone, the alcohol in his system already flooding his brain. "Fuck it, alright," the man agreed, standing slowly to not lose his balance like Gigi had.

@Aerial

 

[Aerial]

..

"You're too noodley for that. Maybe if you hit the gym and bulked up, sure. For now though." Widened eyes immediately welled up with tears. Her bottom lip quivered as she recoiled like a kicked puppy. An actress Gigi was not... Except when it came to devastatingly sad looks that mirrored the animal donation commercials whilst singing "In the Arms of the Angels". Yeah, right now, she looked like that poor dog left abandoned in the cold. Because that's what he'd done. Looked at her, ignored her, and threw her into the bitter cold!

The puppy dog eyes would prevail.

"You're so mean." For a second, her voice actually sounded hurt. Until she broke character and started giggling. "Little Goku was tiny once, too! So there's hope for me! I am totally Goku. I will HADOKEN you so heard that-" she paused, head tilting in a silent question mark. Hadoken.. Goku? "Oopsie~ That's Ryu's thing. Wait! That's it! I'm Ryu. I play a mean Ryu so why can't I be him?" Even the author was unsure whether Gigi now rambled to herself or expected Rosario to keep up.

"I think we can figure out some way to make that happen, Teacher."
"Yeji-nim will whip you into shape." she nodded, "Or will kick you to the curb and deny all knowledge of your existence if you fail. Do not disappoint your seonsangnim. Some rookies got sooo scared once when they did a practice session with her team." Why was she talking in the third person? Answer: unknown. Not even the gods and goddesses who ruled over the mortals could understand eccentric whims.

When he agreed to go to the karaoke bar, an excited little "eep!" displayed her joy. That or she was a small hamster that just got sat on. Either way, Gigi capitalized on the situation before he could change his mind. Hands attempting to drag the much larger man towards the exit. "C'mon mafii~"

After a miserable display of coordination, she managed to make it relatively unharmed out into the- "Oh my god. It's so fucking cold. My tits are hard. Feel them!" Her hands were pressed against her own (small) chest in dismay. "This wouldn't be a thing if I was dressed appropriately! Who wears whatever the fuck I'm wearing in winter? I am going to freeze and become a snowwoman by the time we're there- Oh, look! There it is!" Lamentations and woes turned into excitement and joy.

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

At first, Gigi's attempt at guilting Rosario was entirely ineffective. The man was resistant to puppy dog eyes. Utterly immune to any attempt at- "I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN IT, DON'T CRY." Crying though, yeah, that got him pretty good.

Of course, the man's guilt only lasted so long before the very drunk Korean lady went off on a tangent about Dragon Ball. "Because we gotta build you into a baby rhino, like Ryu!" Rosario explained to woman. "Don't worry, we're gonna get you there. I'm gonna personally drag your ass to the gym every day until you look like Chun Li or something," Rosario said, punching Gigi's arm with a bit more force than he'd intended. At least the man wasn't completely hopeless when it came to video games.

"Rosario thinks that Yeji-nim will lose to him in a singing competition though," the man countered as he stood and let himself be dragged out of the hotel bar by the smaller woman. "I'll cut you a deal," the man said, Yeji yanking his arm and jerking the man around despite being very capable of walking on his own. "Whoever sings better tonight, if I win, you gotta go to the gym with me. If you win, you can teach me how to do some pro-gamer moves."

The cold washed over the man's skin as the doors swung open, sobering him up for just a moment, a shiver shaking his body before he tugged his jacket a little tighter around him.

"Oh my god. It's so fucking cold. My tits are hard. Feel them!" Yeji shouted, drawing the gaze of a few passerbys. "You could glass with those things," Rosario laughed before taking his jacket off and draping it over the girl's shoulders. "I don't think it's too far, right?" the man asked, suppressing another shiver. "Oh, look! There it is!"
"Oh, thank god, let's go."

The door swung open, the bell over the door ringing as the pair entered. "So, uh, I've never been to one of these, how does all this work?" the man asked, looking over at his companion with a curious look.

@Aerial

 

[Aerial]

..

Hook, line, and sinker. Sucker. The power of the puppy dog eyes had, once again, gone undefeated. Previously misty eyes dried within a few blinks. A triumphant smirk accompanied a celebratory fist pump. Washed up? Hell to the nah. The former pro-esports player remained at the top - even in imaginary competitions that no one besides her ego cared about.

But... she still had it! Whatever it was.

"Ryu is not a baby rhino." Like duh. The Street Fighter was clearly a member of the human race; boring but true. "But I'm allergic to gyms." she replied defiantly. "Do you wanna kill me? Wow.. you're so cruel, Mapia." In an over-the-top, melodramatic movement, a hand pressed against her heart as if she'd been shot. Betrayed!

Before she could launch into a dramatic monologue about the pain of betrayal and the cruelty of humanity, the man proposed an offer.

"Whoever sings better tonight, if I win, you gotta go to the gym with me. If you win, you can teach me how to do some pro-gamer moves."

A competitive fire ignited in her veins. Such a direct challenge could not be refused. Although, if she lost... Nah. She wouldn't lose. Losing wasn't in her vocabulary. It was a word for losers. She was not a loser. Not in the least. Instead, she was a winner. "I accept your challenge and eagerly await your pitiful defeat." Arrogant but not cocky - That was a lie. She totally wore a cocky smirk.

The woman gratefully accepted his jacket and snuggled deep into the warmth it retained from his body. "Mm." she hummed. "Your cologne smells good." Something about cologne hit differently than perfume. "I'm keeping this jacket." she claimed the jacket in a nonchalant matter. "It is currently on my body therefore I now own it. My body, my choice." Her head bobbed up and down as if that made perfect sense.

When they arrived, Gigi cheerfully skipped to the front desk. A brief exchange led to the lady at the desk pointing her to an open booth. Which then led to the girl attempting to drag Rosario along. The small studio door opened with a light, airy chime. A holiday-inspired bell rested on the doorframe. There was something else, though.

Mistletoe.

The tradition surrounding mistletoe had always been questionable. Where had it come from? And why? What job qualifications did this particular plant possess? A dumb, garbage tradition that forced people into awkward situations. She should walk on through and ignore the dangerous red flag..

Buuut... Where was the holiday spirit in that?

Pivoting on her heel, Gigi suddenly turned, forced to tilt her head upward, to face Rosario. Huh. When did he get so tall? Unfortunately, not even tippy toes were enough to close the distance between them. Well, she'd just have to bring him to her level. With that decided, she attempted to snatch at his tie (or shirt if he wasn't wearing one) and forcibly pull him down. If she succeeded in step one, she'd move on to step two where her lips would seek his.

Cheeks and lips radiated warmth. A sign? Perhaps in his mind. The girl was simply drunk and flushed, though. Not a single steamy thought brought color to her face. Alcohol certainly didn't help solve any misconceptions; rather, it caused more misunderstandings and mixed signals.

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

There was little Rosario could do but roll his eyes at the Korean woman as she flashed him the cockiest grin he'd ever seen. "Oh, confident you'll win?" Rosario chided back, "Well, I'm gonna make you eat those words," the man promised.

Outside though, the girl softly hummed in the frigid night air. "Your cologne smells good," she said, earning herself a sideways glance and smile from the man. "I'm keeping this jacket. It is currently on my body therefore I now own it. My body, my choice," she continued to drunkenly ramble on. "Alright, it's yours," Rosario drunkenly replied with a chuckle, and his arm snuck it's way around the woman's shoulders and pulled her slightly closer as they walked.

Gigi was quick to take over as they'd entered the karaoke bar. A quick conversation, some gestures and pointing, and Gigi was pulling Rosario forcefully into the booth. Before the man knew it though, he hands had found the man's shirt collar and pulled him towards her. Her soft, warm lips pressed against his suddenly, and the man had to take a moment to figure out what was going on. As soon as he did though, Rosario's hand went to Gigi's waist, pulling her closer as he kissed her back.

By the time the two broke apart, the Rosario was already wearing a mischievous smirk. "Is that your strategy? Keep me on the backfoot?"

@Aerial

 

[Aerial]

..

He kissed back: error, error, motherfucking error. Mistletoe only demanded a little peck. Her entire body froze and tensed underneath his touch. For a moment, she became a marble statue. The cogs and wheels in her brain stuttered and churned until comprehension settled in.

Immediately, Gigi recoiled. Hands tried to forcefully shove the man as far away as her meager strength would allow. "What the fuck?!" Her cheeks became the sun. They burned bright and hot from not only the booze now; a mixture of embarrassment and irritation was written on her face. "Strategy?!" she repeated. Eyes searched his face for an answer. Or to see his thoughts. Unfortunately, the latter wasn't possible. And maybe that was a good thing.

"Mistletoe." she hissed as an accusatory finger pointed up at the perpetrator. "Then again... I guess... I should have said something. So, uh, I mean. My bad?" Logically speaking, Gigi shouldn't be mad about something she started. She overstepped a boundary and assaulted the poor guy without warning or consent. Despite knowing this, though, she still felt a strong urge to punch him.

She awkwardly sidestepped into the small, darkened studio. His Her jackets were thrown on the couch because - damn - was she hot. "Anyway," she cleared her throat, "Do you need time to warm up or are you ready to get scorched?" Confidence replaced clumsiness as the "incident" hid away in the recesses of her mind.

@Ansaldo​

 

[Ansaldo]

The girl shoved Rosario away, her face red. From...anger? Yeah, that looked like anger. Even in Rosario's inebriated state, he could still figure out that much. "What the fuck?! Strategy?!"
"Uh, y-yeah? What? I thought-"
Rosario's eyes followed the line drawn by Gigi's outstretched finger above his head. "Mistletoe."
"Oh..." Now it was his turn for his face to turn a deep shade of red as embarrassment washed over him.

How could he have misread the situation that badly.

"...I should have said something. So, uh, I mean. My bad?"
"N-no," the man stuttered, averting his eyes to the seats behind the woman. "I shouldn't have presumed."

Apparently just as eager as Rosario though to put it all behind them, Gigi quickly stepped into the booth and tossed Rosario's her jacket onto the couch and immediately challenged him to a battle of...voices. Because karaoke. Ya know. The thing they came to do before the total SNAFU they'd just bumbled into.

"Y-yeah," Rosario faltered before he brought a balled fist up to his mouth, coughing slightly as if to clear his throat. "Ready to get your ass kicked?" he asked with a faked renewed sense of confidence. "How does this work anyways? Do we take turns, or do we duo this?"

@Aerial