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It was all Souda’s fault, Hinata would grumble in retrospect.
His pink-haired classmate had come up with the brilliant idea of playing strip poker in order to have the chance to see Sonia undressed (Hinata wasn’t sure why he always got roped into his perverted plans, especially since he had a fair amount of respect for the princess). It just so happened that Nanami had been recruited as well, since Souda thought that Sonia might be more willing to participate if a group of their friends were playing together as opposed to just herself and the mechanic.
They set up everything beforehand (although Hinata felt less and less comfortable the more he felt like they were tricking Sonia into playing), and he and Nanami waited there as Souda went to fetch Sonia.
That had all been short-lived, however – while attempting to locate Sonia, Souda had caught words that she was aiding Gundam with feeding his hamsters. Koizumi recounted the way he ran off in tears – most likely to try and separate the two – before shaking her head and mumbling something that was likely about how useless he was (sometimes, Hinata had to agree).
So here they were – abandoned by the person who summoned them there to begin with. They’re alone with a pack of cards, some alcohol (where Souda had acquired it, Hinata couldn’t be sure – but then again, the supermarket did have everything…), and a healthy dose of awkward tension.
He was just about to suggest that they should put everything away – after all, it wasn’t like he’d really been interested in playing strip poker to begin with – when Nanami put a hole in that plan. She didn’t know what strip poker was, and his cheeks burned throughout the whole explanation. But instead of being dissuaded from playing, she was determined to master these “card games” as well (he hated that stupidly adorable face she got when she got into something).
And so, that was how Hinata Hajime and Nanami Chiaki wound up playing strip poker together. Against his better judgment, mind you, but he had yet to learn how to say no to her requests.
He didn’t realize just how unfamiliar she was with non-video games, though, until they were a couple of hands in and her feet were already bare. That isn’t scandalous in itself, but he’s surprised that she hasn’t won a single hand so far. He’s not an expert poker player by any means, and he would have thought that her SHSL gamer status would have been more helpful.
Still, he’s grateful for her many layers of clothing. Shoes, tights, backpacks, jackets, and hair pins all count (and he watches her shed them, one by one, hand after hand). He prides himself on staying composed, but if he were being honest he’d admit the flush on his cheeks and the unsettled feeling in his belly.
Next will be her shirt. He really should give her the chance to back down (stay dressed), but she shakes her head when he offers. She wants to win a hand, plain and simple, and she can’t do that if she quits now.
Ace high is Hinata’s victory (once again), and he does his best to avert his eyes as the shirt comes off. He tries not to look at her bra (white cotton—) – or what it contains – and forces his eyes on her face. She’s blushing lightly, and suddenly he wants to kiss her (or maybe more, he doesn’t even know). But that’s totally inappropriate, too, so he just averts his eyes completely. The carpet pattern’s very interesting, after all.
Flop, turn, river and – Hinata doesn’t think his cheeks could get any redder. Nanami’s gotten better at playing, but not good enough, and he almost doesn’t want to put his straight down because it doesn’t seem right, seem fair that he’s fully dressed and she’ll only be in her underthings.
But she’s stripping out of her skirt. He catches a glimpse of pink and hearts before his brain catches up with his eyes. It’s like he’s taking advantage of her – yes, he’s seen her in a swimsuit before (and he didn’t fare much better then, either), but this is somehow…different. More intimate. She’s less embarrassed than he would have expected, but they’re both pretty red.
He needs to stop this, now. Bad enough that he let it get this far, but he can end it before she has to fully bare herself. He gets her drive to try and master the game – she wouldn’t be SHSL gamer if she didn’t have the dedication – but this is crossing so many moral lines in his head that he can’t keep them straight. Technically, it’s cheating of a sort, but he figures that the good karma from protecting her dignity will more than make up for it.
(The way her eyes light up when he throws the game – when she wins a hand – is better than the sight of her barely-clothed body, anyway.)