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There was no way in hell Ann was going to model nude. Not for Yusuke, not for anyone. And while she'd considered plans where she could distract him long enough to prevent her needing to strip, she'd rather not risk it in the first place. She'd been through more than enough humiliation already.
While thinking of backup plans, her thoughts drifted back to the one who insisted she should do this in the first place. Ryuji. Yusuke didn't seem to like him very much, and frankly, it was justified… but Ann still had an idea. If she could somehow convince both Yusuke and Ryuji to go along with this idea, there would be no need for her to distract Yusuke at all! All she would need to do would be sit and wait in Madarame's Palace with Akira.
Ryuji thought seducing Yusuke would be simple? Let's see him try it.
Ann : Heyyyy Ryuji
Ann : I have an idea but you're gonna need to promise not to get mad
Ann : Ok?
Ryuji : ok…
Ann : Soooo you know how I'm supposed to distract Yusuke right
Ryuji : right!
Ann : I'm just.. really not feeling up to it, you know? I mean, what if he… tries something weird…
Ryuji : i dunno man
Ryuji : you punch him?
Ryuji : he looks scrawny you could prolly knock him out
Ann : Yeah but… I was just thinking…
Ann : What have YOU done for the phantom thieves recently?
Ryuji : EXCUSE ME?!
Ryuji : i do tons of stuff! all the time!
Ryuji : where is this going anyway??
Ann : I was just thinking… Akira and Morgana are always doing things… they're busy during the whole affair…
Ryuji : right…
Ann : And… are you REALLY sure such a risque plan should be handed over to me?
Ryuji : yeah i mean youre the only girl. plus you're the one he wants as his model
Ann : What if I could convince him to want someone else?
Ryuji : could you??? and who would that even be anyway???
Ann : Oh, haha, you know… does Yusuke really look straight to you?
Ryuji : not really but akira is busy with leader shit n morgana is a cat
Ryuji : and its not like I could seduce him or anything
Ann : Are you sure..?
Ryuji : uh, yeah! he hates me! besides, why would i know anything about seducin guys??
Ann : Come on, what if you turn out to be really good at it?
Ann : Besides, I'm sure you can distract him better than I can
Ann : You probably won't even NEED to strip!
Ryuji : HELL NO!!!
Ryuji : why would i, a 100% HETERO guy, ever want to try seducing another dude??
Ann : Come on it's not like I'm into him either
Ann : Just… please, Ryuji? I really can't do this
Ryuji : …
Ryuji : fine, i guess if youre really THAT desperate
Ryuji : but you owe me one!
Ann : Great! Thanks! I'll get you anything you want!!
Ann : Now I just need to convince Yusuke!
Ann : About the modeling…
Yusuke : Ah! You're going through with it?
Yusuke : Thank you! I promise it will be worth your while!
Ann : Well, there's something I needed to talk to you about, actually…
Yusuke : Yes?
Ann : I really don't think I'm up for this at all… but I CAN get you a replacement!
Yusuke : Ah.
Yusuke : Well, you may introduce the two of us, and I will let you know then if she inspires me.
Ann : Onnnn that note… how would you feel about it being a male model?
Yusuke remained typing for a few moments. Long enough to make Ann a bit anxious.
Yusuke : He would have to be a considerable beauty.
Ann nearly pumped her fist in the air, until she remembered that Ryuji was not, in fact, a considerable beauty. Nonetheless, he would have to do, and Ann would have to make it work.
Ann : Right, but isn't art all about, like, pushing boundaries and finding beauty in the unexpected?
Yusuke : It can be…
Yusuke : I suppose, as long as his spirit is willing, I could make something beautiful from his image.
Yusuke : Even if, perhaps, he is not the most beautiful of people.
Yusuke : But if this does not work, would you agree to be my back-up plan?
Ann : Sure!
Ann : But trust me, It'll work.
Yusuke : Who is this model of yours? May I see a picture?
Ann : Ah, well, you've already met him haha
Yusuke : …
Ann : Soooo, my friend Ryuji… you know, the vulgar blond one?
Yusuke : I am unfortunately familiar. Surely you are not suggesting HE should be the subject of my next piece?
Yusuke : A painting of him would be an insult to art as a medium!
Ann : Wait!!! Wait!!! Please hear me out!
Yusuke : Fine.
Ann : He's actually gotten really into modeling lately! And he'd even be willing to pose nude
Ann : If you hate his face that much, you wouldn't even have to paint it!
Ann : He's… athletic, and stuff! I dunno! He's already agreed to do this soooo
Yusuke : Hmm.
Yusuke : I will consider it. But if you turn out to be plotting something, I will not hesitate to take legal action.
Yusuke : And send me a picture of him, anyway. I will try to find inspiration.
Ann : You got it!
Ann felt like celebrating. She'd done it! Or, well, almost done it, anyway. Yusuke had said he was only considering it, but… that's halfway there! Now, she would just have to wait for a follow-up text.
It was around an hour later that she recieved that follow-up. It was a simple message that read,
Yusuke : I agree to your terms, but only if you agree to mine as well.
Ann : I promise, we aren't planning anything. I really do want to help you out with your next piece!
Ann: And so does Ryuji. He can just be a little… forward! Sometimes!
Yusuke : That is an understatement.
Ann : Yeah I'm sorry…
Ann : Anyway, does tomorrow work for you?
Yusuke : Indeed. May I have Ryuji's contact info as well? We will need to organize a time.
Ann : Sure! Hold on a sec
And with that, phase one of her plan was officially a success. Now, Ryuji just had to… not screw it up. Which, yeah, maybe her hopes were a bit too high… but she wasn't sure she could do any better.
The next day…
Ryuji was so out of his depth it was almost laughable. The only advice Ann had given him was to "pretend that he was her", which was stupid. He was convinced the performance he'd give would be terrible, but he held his hopes on Yusuke being dense enough not to notice.
He was wearing an average outfit. A jacket, to sensually toss on the floor (he was hoping that would work), and a basic tank top underneath. Some sweatpants as well. He wasn't paying that much attention to what he was wearing, since it wasn't like he would actually go through with anything in the end. And if he had to… well, he'd be taking it all off anyway.
That wouldn't happen, though! He shook his head reflexively at the thought. There was no way in HELL he would ever pose nude for that guy. Or any guy! Maybe if a hot female artist had asked him… no, he shook his head again, before knocking on the door to Madarame's shack.
Yusuke opened it, and looked somewhat taken aback to actually see Ryuji standing there. "Ah- you… actually came."
"'Course I did. I really am serious about modelin' for ya, y'know," Ryuji answered, deciding in that moment to wink at Yusuke. He wasn't sure how it came across to Yusuke, but he felt cringe immediately after doing it.
"Good." Yusuke nodded, leading Ryuji (and, unbeknownst to him, Morgana) inside and towards the room they'd visited as a group last time. Once they had arrived, Yusuke spread his arms and declared, "now, bare everything to me!"
Ryuji felt his face grow slightly warm at the prospect, and he was only half acting when he said, "uh, w-would you mind turning around? It's still kinda embarrassing to have someone else watch…"
"Of course." Yusuke turned away from Ryuji. "Take your time. But, ah, not too much time… Sensei will be home somewhat soon."
"Yeah, 'course," Ryuji responded. In his opinion, Madarame couldn't arrive fast enough. He began to unzip his jacket, slowly removing his arms from its sleeves, before throwing it onto the ground in front of Yusuke.
Yusuke tensed slightly. "No, this is for art…" he muttered to himself, shaking his head. He was unsure as to why, but the thought of Ryuji undressing within his house made him slightly nervous. Perhaps if Ryuji had been a girl, it would have made sense— no, as an artist, nudity of any sort should not shake him. It would be ridiculous for this to make him feel anything but inspired.
Ryuji's voice came from behind him again. "Phew… hot in here, huh?"
Yusuke turned around briefly to witness Ryuji, now jacketless but still clothed, run a hand through his hair dramatically.
"I'm actually quite chilly," Yusuke responded, oblivious to Ryuji's intent.
Might be because you're so damn skinny, Ryuji thought.
"Anyway, if you're really that warm, perhaps stripping would help?" Yusuke urged him on.
The only item of clothing Ryuji had left on that he'd be willing to take off was his tank top. He was a guy, so who cared if he took his shirt off, right? Though, maybe Yusuke would be into that… but wasn't that the point? Ryuji mentally steadied himself, before lifting his tank top up and tossing it to the ground, next to his discarded jacket.
"You know…" he started, getting closer to Yusuke in a way he hoped was convincingly seductive, but knew probably wasn't. "I'm just not sure this room would be right for what we're about to do…"
The embarrassment had started to creep in again. Maybe he should've been acting like Yusuke was the girl instead of trying to act like one himself… but, seducing a guy is different from seducing a girl, right? Or was it different with two guys? Was it too late to switch demeanours? What was he even doing???
"What's wrong with this room?" Yusuke asked. "This is where I always paint."
"I dunno, it just doesn't feel… private enough," Ryuji answered. "I'm gonna be goin' full-on nude, right? In a room without a lock..?"
"None of the rooms here have locks, except… no, we absolutely cannot use that room. There's no need to worry about privacy, I'm the only one here," Yusuke responded.
"Yeah, but what if your sensei comes home and sees us…" Ryuji trailed off, hoping Yusuke's imagination would fill the rest in, and hoping equally that his own imagination would not.
"That won't be a problem. After all, I have specifically selected this timeframe so that he will not interrupt." Yusuke put a hand on Ryuji's shoulder. "Now, if you would…"
Ryuji jumped a bit at the sudden touch. Maybe he really should've been imagining Yusuke as a girl… if Yusuke were a girl, none of this would feel weird! As Yusuke's hand was still on his shoulder, he paused for a moment to imagine it… before immediately perishing the thought from his mind. He did not want to have to think about how he thought girl-Yusuke was kind of hot. Or the fact that she barely looked different from regular Yusuke.
"Sakamoto-san? If you don't want to do this, Takamaki-san agreed to be my back-up model," Yusuke said, breaking Ryuji out of his own thoughts. "If you are going to do this, I'd prefer it be sooner rather than later."
"Nah, nah, I'm doin' it!" Ryuji insisted, before grabbing Yusuke by the arm and dragging him into the hall. "But we reeeallyyy need to find a better room."
"Sakamoto-san, wh-" Yusuke was cut off by Ryuji sharply looking into the next hall over, to see Morgana still fumbling with the room's lock.
"Are you really serious about doing it?" Ryuji asked, tone serious, praying Morgana would get that lock open soon.
"W-well yes, but-" Yusuke's tone began to become desperate. "What's wrong with my room? I- I could even barricade the door with… something! Please, we can't go in there!"
"A barricade's just not that steady, y'know? I just… don't want anyone to find us…" Ryuji began fiddling with the waistband of his sweatpants, without any real intention to take them off.
"I understand, but…" Every part of this situation made Yusuke nervous. Mostly the thought of being caught in or even near that room by Madarame, but also, for whatever reason, the fact that Ryuji looked as though he were actually about to fully strip. Unlike the former feeling, the latter was something Yusuke had never experienced before, and he really wasn't sure what it was.
Ryuji heard the lock click behind him, and immediately grabbed Yusuke in one last attempt that he wasn't even fully sure would work. He pressed himself close to the other boy… not close enough that their torsos were touching, Ryuji most certainly did not want to go that far, but close enough for it to feel… intimate.
"S-Sakamoto-san?!"
Not only had Morgana just finished picking the forbidden room's lock, but Madarame had also just opened the front door. Everything was clicking into place, and Ryuji only had to do one more thing…
"Is painting me all you really wanna do?" Ryuji asked. He heard Yusuke swallow heavily. He couldn't tell if it was because being near that room made Yusuke nervous, or because his seduction tactics had finally started to work. Nor could he tell which option he hoped it was.
God, this was all so stupid. He was going to make sure Ann repayed him for this for months.
Before Yusuke could respond to his question, the two heard a voice from behind them that made Yusuke immediately tense up.
"Yusuke?"
"S-sensei! It's not what it looks like, I swear!"
Alas, he was unable to explain himself in that moment, as Ryuji dragged him into the forbidden room's open door… right in front of Madarame. Their plan had worked… hopefully. Ryuji really, really hoped he hadn't done all of that for nothing.
Later, in the Metaverse…
"The door's open, but… where's Ryuji?" Ann asked, looking around in hopes of seeing him somewhere.
"I'm sure he's alright," Akira responded, glancing backwards at the giant, now open, door. "Ryuji wouldn't go down that easily."
"I know, but… I still can't help worrying a bit." Ann continued to look around herself nervously. "I mean, I'm the reason he's even in there in the first place."
"Technically, Madarame is the reason—" Akira was cut off by Ann half-heartedly elbowing him in the shoulder.
"You know what I meant!"
Akira poked Ann in an attempt to get her to focus. "Shh. Listen. Do you hear that?"
"Yeah, it sounds like…" her eyes lit up. "Ryuji!"
And it was true. Above them, at that very moment, Ryuji was yelling his lungs out while falling from the sky… and he wasn't alone, either. The duo hit the ground with a loud impact, and Morgana followed suit, with a much softer impact.
In that moment, everyone in the vicinity could see how Ryuji had landed… and it just so happened to be in Yusuke's arms.
Once Ryuji himself noticed this, he nearly started screaming incoherently again.
"WHAT THE HELL, MAN?! PUT ME DOWN!!"
"Ah! My apologies," Yusuke responded, obliging Ryuji's request.
Thankfully, as Ryuji was wearing his mask, it was almost impossible to tell that his face was burning bright red.
"Oh my god, did you do it?" Ann asked, covering her mouth.
"Please don't phrase it like that…" Ryuji complained. "I tried, but obviously I sucked ass at it! You owe me big time after this!"
"Great job, Ryuji." Akira gave him a thumbs-up.
"Stop that! I see you trying not to laugh!" Ryuji turned and pointed accusingly at Akira, who was trying and failing to stifle a giggle.
He turned back to Yusuke. "Hey, man, listen… I'm sorry for leadin' you on. I never wanted to pose nude for ya, and I'm definitely not into dudes! We just needed to get that door open, and… it's, uh, a long story."
"Please don't sue us," Ann added, pleadingly. "I'm the one who asked Ryuji to try and seduce you into opening that door, so don't get mad at him, okay?"
"Ann! Shush! You don't gotta tell him that!" Ryuji groaned loudly in complaint, raking his hands down his face. "Uuuughhh.. I'm never doin' shit like this again…"
"Ah, is… that what was happening?" Yusuke asked, perplexed. "Well, there's no need to worry, Sakamoto-san. You did not 'lead me on'."
"Phew. And, uh, let's never talk about this again, yeah?" Ryuji said, almost pleadingly.
"Sakamoto-san?" Akira whispered to Ann. "Did he always call him that?"
Ann shrugged. She couldn't remember either.