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Scratching casually at his chin, Itto grinned impishly at Y/N from his perch atop the wooden post, legs dangling. "What fresh calamity have you brought upon me now, Itto?" said Y/N with an exaggerated long-suffering sigh, though her lips curved in a half smile.
"Just a little entertainment for this Oni!" he said cheerfully, throwing his arms wide. "You can't refuse a friendly competition between rivals-turned-lover, can you?"
Y/N arched a brow, arms crossing as she shifted her weight onto one hip. "More like you needing an ego boost after losing the last five times in a row," she replied.
Throwing back his head, Itto let out a booming laugh that glinted off his myriad earrings. Then he fixed Y/N with an exaggerated look of injury, placing a hand over his heart in a dramatic gesture. "Must you wound me so?" he said. "I assure you, this time I have trained my little beetle warrior well! They will crush your ladybugs into glittering powder!"
Shifting her stance, Y/N smirked. "Is that so?" she replied. "My ladybugs happen to be in top form. I doubt your 'warriors' stand a chance."
Hopping down from the post in one nimble movement, striding towards Y/N, Itto scoffed. "How dare you doubt the mighty Oni beetle horde!" he said gesticulating enthusiastically. "They will swarm over your ladybugs like a plague, crushing them underfoot!"
Throwing back her head, Y/N laughed, the chiming sound like bells."You do love the sound of your own voice, don't you?" she said. "But today, I shall defeat your ego once and for all!"
The battlefield was drawn in the dirt, a perfect circle. The cages were placed at opposite ends, lids removed.
Itto's rhinoceros beetle charged forward, mandibles snapping fiercely as it tried to latch onto one of Y/N's ladybugs. The ladybug darted nimbly to the side, then swarmed up the rhino beetle's long horn. The huge beetle bucked and snapped its pincers, trying to dislodge the tiny ladybug clinging to its armor-plated back, but the ladybug held fast.
More ladybugs joined the fray, crawling all over the rhino beetle, pinching its joints and nibbling at its antennae. The rhino beetle swung its horn from side to side, knocking ladybugs to the ground only for more to take their place. The slash and clatter of beetle carapaces colliding filled the air, along with the zing of ladybug wings darting in for attack then zipping away again.
The rhino beetle flailed and thrashed, growing more frenzied, as a tide of ladybug crimson swarmed over its green armor. Finally, with a shudder, the mighty beetle crashed to the dirt, legs twitching in defeat. The victorious ladybugs fluttered into the air in a cloud of red and black, winging triumphantly around Y/N's head before landing back in their cage.
Y/N had triumphed gloriously.
With an exaggerated roar, Itto kicked the dirt in mock anguish. "Bested by ladybugs again?! The honour of Onis is lost!"
'But you already know I always let you win on purpose, Y/N.'
Giggling, Y/N tapped her foot impatiently. "And what about my prize, Itto?"
Sheepishly rubbing his neck, Itto offered, "T-Takoyaki?"
Y/N responded with an elegant eyebrow raise and scoff. "Think again."
Anxiety crossed Itto's face. "Then, uh, whatever my champion desires?"
A mischievous smile lit up Y/N's face like dawn. "Kiss me."
Itto beamed, his earrings jingling as he sprang up, embracing Y/N tenderly. He pressed soft kisses to her knuckles, like whispers of love.
'You always ask for the best requests, Y/N.'
Y/N laughed softly, wrapping arms around his neck and pulling him into a sweet kiss. Grinning as they parted, Itto suggested breathlessly, "Next time, let's skip straight to the kissing!"
Y/N tapped his nose playfully. "And skip all the fun?"
Itto pulled her close, whispering. "Our fun has just begun, my champion!"
Y/N kissed him once more. "In that case, the matches recommence tomorrow. But for now, I claim my prize..."
And pulled him into another loving kiss.