Dojo slithered his way into the Xiaolin Temple Archives, a dusty underground chamber filled with slotted shelves for scrolls, as well as bookcases for bound material. A small pink bandana was tied around the reptile's head, and he sported a matching apron and yellow gloves. Underneath one arm was the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner he was tugging along behind him, and a duster was carried in his other claw.

Entering the room and glancing around for an outlet, he straightened to find a familiar back to him surrounded by a mess of scrolls in various states of unroll. At current, the Dragon in question had let the one he was reading unravel to full length as he draped it over a canvas basket to study.

"Omi? Jeez, I guess maybe I was wrong about 'nobody' ever using this place...guess I don't feel so bad about losing that game of Mahjong to Master Fung once we made it 'interesting'..." Scooting up next to the short boy, Dojo took a nosy peek. "So whatchya readin', kiddo? More outdated social norms? I'd be happy to help ya out in avoiding a repeat there by removing the worst offenders." Jovially, he puffed a tiny flame. "Makes my job a lot easier. Heh heh..."

With an amiable enough smile, Omi looked at the arrival and gave a small tut. "No, my friend. I am simply researching flowers."

Plucking at the current scroll under Omi's hands, Dojo scrutinized the illustrations of petals and the complicated Latin sprinkled in amid the Chinese characters covering this incredibly boring topic at length. "So I see. Planning on pursuing an exciting career in floral arrangement?"

"Actually, Dojo, flower arrangement is a most zen activity that requires great attention to detail and patience. It is a worthy lesson in any warrior's training."

Putting a claw on one side, Dojo glanced off disinterestedly. "Yeah, yeah...and after hundreds of years, I still think that's bologna the Masters use when they lost a lesson plan. Or they just want a break."

Giving Dojo a measuring look, Omi decided not to dwell on the dragon's dismissive attitude. "Agreeing as a disagreement, to answer your question, my purpose in studying flowers was initially to discover what a 'sweet pea' is. It is something Jack Spicer calls me quite often, and so I wished to learn more. I discovered it was a flower, and apparently it is this." He pointed to an illustration of a flower with large folded petals, noted to be in the vibrant pink to purple range of hue. "It is quite pretty. I am unsure how it was ever meant to be an insult. Perhaps because the peas this plant makes are poisonous?"

"Uhhh-huh." Dojo seemed wary of this topic too. "You ever heard of sarcasm?"

"Ohhh yes," Omi perked and informed wisely, "My friends have done well to teach me the art of sarcasm over the course of their stay here. But it is not those uses I am curious about. I have simply found myself wondering why it is a name Jack Spicer favors, and why he might still choose to use it when he is not sarcastic."

Squinting, Dojo became suspicious. "Right...I heard you're gettin' a little too schmoozy with that there Spicer kid...you've reached pet names for each other?"

"Perhaps," Omi beamed, "If I find one. I am now researching flowers that are related to the sweet pea. It is most entertaining..! Do you think Jack Spicer would enjoy it if I called him a bristly locust?" He pointed merrily to an associated flower in the legume family and giggled to himself to think of addressing the other boy with a matching nickname. The expression would likely be priceless.

Even less enthused, Dojo granted, "Quite probably no. That does sound like an insult. And I guess to each their own, but speaking as one who is not entertained by speculating names for imaginary boyfriends they don't have, would you mind moving your swooning operation somewhere else? And close the scrolls neatly when you're done? You kinda made a mess already." His stubby arms brandished for the loose parchment rolled everywhere over the surrounding floorboards.

"Oh. My apologies, Dojo." Quickly, Omi moved to messily gather the scrolls he'd opened into his own small arms. "I will indeed get under your hair."

"That's 'out of your hair'."

Looking a bit grumpy, Omi retorted, "Pardon me for not being familiar with such a saying. I have never had any hair..!"

Watching the yellow boy stick his nose up and exit, Dojo just quirked a brow. "Now Omi-kid's coppin' an attitude about bein' bad at slang? Maybe that Spicer's rubbin' off on him. Cheese Ball's got it bad, too, if he's pickin' out cutesy nicknames. Hm. Wu, maybe? No, he's got no wu symptoms. Besides, I think that fakey infatuation one's still buried in...Bahrain, I think?"

He puzzled to himself for a good moment over Omi's new development and the questionable choices he was making in regards to his first proper love interest.

Shrugging to himself, Dojo figured, "Mmmaybe he'll get over it. Ya never know. And if not, all I know is that Jack better stay away from my Puppy Eyes, or he's gonna have to answer to Poopy Bear..!" To an imaginary Jack, he brandished his feather duster in threat. Good Jack had been far too handsy with Master Fung for the dragon's liking, and even planted a massive giddy smooch on his head. If Jack was getting romantic with Dojo's circle, the guardian within it was going to be just as defensive of his territory as last time. Moreso!

...

"Cease your cowering, Jack Spicer! You must face me if you wish to win! Though of course you will not, so I understand your hesitation!"

Inside a laser tag maze magically enlarged and warped with a Xiaolin Showdown twist, Omi called out to his opponent as he stalked the darkened hallways only interspersed with irregular neon glows. The low fog did not help visibility. Omi kept the oversized laser pistol he'd been granted poised. Shooting was not his area of expertise, but he refused to let that prevent him from victory.

"Maybe I like cowering!" Jack retorted, his voice hard to pin down from a given direction. "I mean...I'm being sneaky! I may only have one sensor left, but I'm totally gonna win!"

Both halves were partly true. Facing Omi for the first time since their talk had been terrifying. Jack had no idea what Omi was going to say, or what to say to him, and it just felt incredibly awkward to see him when he hadn't agreed to anything. He hadn't reached any satisfying conclusions for himself, meaning a reason that would let him deny Omi but still keep him around like nothing had changed, and he was afraid of any additional thoughts Omi might have on the matter.

On the other hand, Omi was acting like nothing had changed, in the battle department. Same as ever. Jack had no idea how he could do that so effortlessly, but he was doing his best to keep his personal and work lives separate too. And he'd still managed to challenge Omi to a Showdown. And sneaky was his element, so he was very much trying to use the shadows to his advantage.

"He's cheating, Omi!" Raimundo called from the side viewing gallery, "He's covering his sensors!"

Next to him, Katnappe sulked with her head in one hand, still sporting an X-style harness with all of the lights on it turned red. "Hmph. Wish I'd brought a blanket wu." She'd have cheated too if she could have.

Down below on the field, Jack sneered, "Awww, why'd you have to go and spoil the fun?" From above Omi, he dropped off a ledge and spun himself around in front of the other boy, the Porcupine Quilt swishing out of the way like a matador cape to make way for his gun as it fired rapidly.

Omi recoiled as he was struck in the shoulder, crying out and taking a sharp dodge to the right under the hail of brightly-colored fire.

Halting his fire, and knowing the smaller boy was cornered, Jack advanced smugly. "Just your other shoulder and your heart to go~," he mocked, "Still think I'm gonna lose, sweet-mph!"

Sharply, he smacked a hand over his own mouth, very cross with himself.

Behind his cover, Omi had perked with a very wide grin underneath his battle cowl, only to have it fall when the opportunity he had been waiting for cut itself off.

Instead, Jack corrected stiffly, "Sweet Jemima, that is not gonna happen!"

Above, Clay perked in his own spot of attention and pointed loosely towards Jack as he faced the others. "Hey..! Credit where credit's due, boy knows his classics."

Irked, Omi slid sharply out from where he hid. "No! Say it! Say the thing! I have been waiting for you to say the thing! Augh!" Under a fresh assault of lasers, he chose this time to roll and scamper up a ramp to one of many upper levels.

Activating his helibot, Jack skipped the need for ramps and just flew up past several floating, moving platforms and trained his gun as he scanned for retreating points of light. The big red spot on Omi's back, which had been the first green light Jack had knocked out, should be a good marker.

"Whatever you're planning, that's not how opportunity works, Opi! Now I'm definitely never saying it again!" There was a natural curious tug hearing there had been a wait at all, but just as well, Jack was now fearful for what such a slip of the tongue could earn him.

Not getting a response, and unable to find the other as he flew and weaved through platforms, Jack called, "Alright, now where'd you go?!"

"Try looking harder, Jack Spicer! Once again, my small center of gravity has worked to my advantage!" Having used his chi to cling himself to one of the rotating panels as it floated, as it now spun to reveal him, he flung himself at the hovering boy with a yell.

"Porcupine Quilt!" Swirling the fuzzy brown blanket around himself again, the thing glowed and hardened in an instant, the plush shag stiffening likewise in an encompassing coat of quills.

Omi's aggressive battlecry turned into a holler of fright as he flailed to stop himself, but could not. He slammed into the prickly mass before tumbling groundward. Peeking his head out from the protective covering, Jack cackled victoriously.

"Buster Bandage!" A white strip of cloth shot back upward past Jack's face, and he let out a questioning sound, followed by a yipe as Omi was fast following. The coils of bandage had firmly wrapped themselves around the small boy's arms, repairing the small injuries he'd just received, and once done with that, doubling as combat ropes with which to lash out. It could not do both at once, however, but Omi was switching to offensive anyway.

A midair dance began, the maze-like arena turning into more of a dogfight as the pair of fighters circled one another and fired shots. Jack and Omi both used their cloth to protect themselves, and it really did seem like this fight was going to be a draw, until finally Omi got the idea to switch focus, and snapped the bandage he wasn't dangling from forward to strike the quilt from around Jack's neck.

As it fell, the albino boy cried out sharply. He dived after it, Omi dropping to follow. As Jack landed to fetch his defense, Omi dropped to the other end of a short enclosed hallway. There was a brief stand-off, Jack mid-reach for the Porcupine Quilt and eyeing the gun still in his hand, and then Omi charged. Both parties yelled now, firing wildly. Omi ran a spiral through that short hall, up one wall, over the ceiling, down the other wall and back to the floor, weaving through Jack's hailstorm of laser bullets. He felt his remaining shoulder chipped and buzz to signal it was taken out, but as he reached the floor, he was prepared and crouched, only to spring himself back into the air in a front-facing flip.

Almost in snow motion, Jack watched the other propel right towards him. It was much harder to line up a moving shot with a distance weapon right in front of him, but more than that, Jack puzzled as Omi reached for his cowl while leaping.

It was as quick as it felt slow. Jack had no time to react as the smaller boy was quite suddenly in his face, the cloth covering his face tugged down and letting two soft lips kiss against his own as Jack leaned back in reflex from what he'd expected to be a violent assault, eyes wide.

Below, he didn't even register Omi had pressed the barrel of his gun into the sensor over his heart. He assumed the buzzing he felt there was just natural to feel right now.

Completing his flip with a three-point landing and a smug note of victory out his nose, Omi stood and held his arms out in reception of his delivered winnings as the field reset itself into a normal arcade and laser tag establishment, where the Wuyao Specs had been advertised behind a prize counter.

The round reading glasses dropped themselves atop Omi's forehead as the Porcupine Quilt and Katnappe's Woozy Shooter landed in his arms. Meanwhile behind him, Jack's jaw was agape as he made a couple of vague, high-pitched squeaks before collapsing to his knees, his feet splayed awkwardly sideways as he stared at nothing.

He wasn't the only one gawping, either. Everyone who'd been watching the fight wore an expression matching Jack's, though they were steadier on their feet.

Both hands slapping over his mouth this time, Jack whirled around where he sat, face entirely pink as he accused, "K-Kiss stealer!"

With only a small giggle to betray any nerves about the choice, Omi returned, "It is not the first time a kiss has been used offensively in battle~!" True enough, Raimundo had used one in taunt against Tubbimura, and Omi himself had previously employed one against Dyris the evil mermaid. The difference being that this time it had been on the lips, and it was rather significant to ongoing events.

First to recover from her shock, Katnappe crushed her eyes shut and turned her head, a palm going up in denial. "Okay, gross! Even as a win tactic, kissing Jack on the lips?! EW!"

Too busy blushing, Jack didn't even have a comeback.

Jermaine had one instead. "Yeah, but I don't think that's all there was to it. Dang, Omi-dawg, you're bold when you make a move!" Even knowing Omi was into Jack, he hadn't expected something like that!

"I performed several moves during the Showdown, but thank you~!" Omi declared, then turning to Jack, "But yes, while very helpful in securing my victory, I have been wanting to share my reflections, and since you did not want to say the thing, I decided a better way to inform you that I wish to engage in courtship more than ever!"

"Holy Toledo..." Raimundo scraped a hand down one side of his face, "Omi, you're really that serious about Jack..?"

Blinking, Omi looked to his friends. "While I do not see what a city in Kansas has to do with this...yes. And I wish for you to see how good it can be."

Closing his eyes grimly, Raimundo gulped as he quite literally swallowed his pride and half-lifted his arms in a loose shrug. "Well...I did give it my blessing..." He'd promised for the group that they'd give this a chance. Omi was making it very difficult, but he had to keep his word. "Jeez, I thought they were at like...holding hands, maybe."

"Not even that!" Jack argued suddenly, "Did you have to kiss me?! I've never kissed anybody before!" His face was not showing any signs of returning to its usual pallor anytime soon, and he had a highly defensive clasp over the entire lower half of his face. Sudden and brief as it had been, that one second of lip contact was frozen in his brain. Soft, intimate, personal, sweet. A small peck of affection, just for him. He could still feel it, lingering there. He couldn't take it!

"Oh? Me too," Omi beamed conversationally. He'd never kissed or been kissed on the lips either. Was that important? "That aside, have you reached a verdict on your own feelings, Jack~? Will you help me show my friends how we have bonded~?"

Feeling all eyes on him and flustered beyond belief, Jack could only retort sharply, finally taking his hands off his face to ball them into fists as he leaned forward and shouted, "No! Heck no! You think this changes anything?! I hate all of you! I'm evil and I hate you forever!" In haste to retreat, he forgot he was indoors, and as he activated his helibot to fly, crashed into the arcade ceiling. Bouncing off of it and swatting away the dust and debris, he awkwardly flew towards the exit and out the doors.

Omi's face fell into confused silence as he watched that less than graceful departure that so heartily denounced him. Around him, his friends seemed rather doubtful about Omi's assurance that this relationship was a good thing.

Deciding to take her own leave, Wuya only paused to give Omi a passing glance, folding her arms and finally giving her piece on all this. "I knew those playdates were suspicious. Emperor's Pet." Chase, Jack...Omi just had to be the favorite, didn't he?

Then the witch was on her way, Katnappe hunching and gagging to emphasize her own opinion as she followed. "You've got terrible taste, Opi...the worst."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Kimiko relented, "But I think I agree with Katnappe."

Omi was rather silent during the trip home, unsure if he'd done or said something wrong. The others tried to assure him it was all Jack's fault, or that he should just chalk it up to Jack being weird, but it did little to quell the small boy's worries.

However, as Dojo took the group in for a landing, the obvious figure of Jack Spicer was stood just outside the temple gate, fingers linked meekly behind his back as he kicked dirt and looked up at them all from a slightly bowed angle of his head.

"Jack~!" With a gleeful gasp, Omi sprang from Dojo before he'd even finished shrinking and flew through the air to clamp an extremely firm hug around Jack's head.

Ignorant to the boy's choked squirming, Omi then dropped himself to the ground as his demeanor shifted starkly to stern, a demanding finger snapping up at the taller boy. "What are you doing here? Do you wish for a rematch? Or perhaps to apologize for your rudeness?!"

Clutching his throat and sputtering to get his airway working again, Jack then straightened and pinched one cheek awkwardly. "Actually..? Kinda the last one, yeah."

Now everyone startled slightly.

Clay dipped his own head in a more challenging manner. "What trick you tryin' ta pull now, you low-down dirty hombre?"

"Hombre...is that new? I like it." Jack rubbed his chin in consideration, but then registered that he'd gotten sidetracked and that it was very much not appreciated. Holding his palms up and spreading his fingers, he got back on track. "I mean it, though..! Back there, all that...it was just too much to handle, okay? Way too much!"

Some measuring silences as the others figured, well, that didn't actually sound too unreasonable. If they'd been in his position, it very well could have been overwhelming.

Jack persisted, "Especially in front of the other villains, I really wasn't expecting to let the whole world in on...this. And I didn't even know how much you knew, but I guess it's kind of out of the bag now, and I guess I'm coming to terms with the fact that you are serious about this whole thing, Omi, and I kinda want to accept it, so I knew I'd find you all here and I could apologize for insulting you and running off." A deep intake of breath. "And if you really wanted, I figured I'd try coming over to your place for once. Maybe we can all hang out. While I ask for your...blessing, or whatever." A quick, strange glance at Raimundo. That had been a weird thing for him to say. Was he Omi's father or something?

More looks exchanged between the monks. Admittedly, this was a very different tune than what they were used to. It was weird in a way, but also maybe stood as a point that Omi had been right in saying he was becoming a different Jack.

Omi himself came forward and took one of Jack's hands in both of his. "I am most serious, Jack! And I am most pleased you wish to do hangs with my friends~! I have been insisting that this is something we must do!"

Coming forward behind Omi, Jermaine opened his arms in casual reception. "Hey, man, I been there. Sometimes you just don't get things right the first time around. I come from the wrong side-a town, too, so I get it. Betterment is hard."

Almost right after, deciding he'd better do this before he changed his mind, Raimundo agreed, following the others starting to head into the gate past Jack, "Alright already, let's see what all the fuss is about."

Next, Kimiko followed suit. "For fairness to Omi," she granted.

Clay took an extra moment, but trudged inside behind them. "What they said."

Lastly, Dojo hopped up to coil a loose drape over Jack's shoulder and jab an insistent claw into his chest. "I'm warning you, though..! One look at Puppy Eyes - I mean - Master Fung, and I'll be comin' for ya..!" Pouting his lip, he swirled his balled fists in an attempt to be intimidating before holding two claws up and indicating his eyes followed by Jack's. Then he hopped down to follow everybody inside.

"Wha..?" Jack just puzzled to himself for a good hard moment before deciding he was better off not knowing and entering the temple last.

With the monks changed into their temple robes, the group had convened in the grand hall, now standing around awkwardly. Well, aside from Omi, who practically had flowers dancing around his face as he reveled in the group being all together.

"So...what are we supposed to do?" Raimundo broke the silence. He had no idea how they were supposed to 'hang out' with Jack Spicer.

Jack ventured, "Maybe we could just watch a movie? Do you even have movies?"

Raimundo was about to bite back that the temple wasn't as stuck in the Dark Ages as Jack thought, when Omi raised a finger and insisted, "No movies! It must be something to promote togetherness!"

Jermaine shrugged. "Dominoes? Cards? Somethin' tabletop?"

"We played cards last time Spicer was here," Raimundo informed, thumbing towards the redhead, "And I kinda forgot why we don't. Omi cheats hard."

Jack's brow went up and he looked to the boy next to him. "You cheat? Wow. I'm impressed, Cue Ball." His arms folded as he actually let a smile crack. "The one time I don't cheat, turns out I shoulda."

Torn between the praise and insisting that his slate was clean, Omi just ended up blushing and sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"Like you shouldn't be able to stop him, Mr. Master of the Three Card Monte?" Kimiko scoffed, "Thought you were supposed to be all street smarts, Rai." She poked her temple in mocking.

"I could..!" Raimundo bristled, "It's that stupid Tiger Instinct! Dude's way too wily with it!"

Pondering all of this, Clay offered a friendly smirk and raised a finger in suggestion. "Cheat-off..?"

Clasping his hands together, Jack professed, "Oh my gosh, yes. I need to see the goody-goody cheese ball cheat. Please!" Grabbing Omi by the head, he lifted him in presentation and batted his eyes hopefully.

As he dangled, Omi folded his hands into his bell sleeves and slyly noted, "Well, Jack Spicer is our guest...if I must use trickery to humiliate you, my friends, then so be it~!"

Shortly, Raimundo, Jack and Omi were seated around a table, a fan of cards in front of each, the other three seated but not playing. They'd quickly learned this was really only a game between half of them.

"You know what is my favorite thing about Poker?" Omi shot a smarmy smirk across the table at Jack. "Since the rounds are called Showdowns, I get to defeat you in twice as many!"

"Dream on, Short Stuff!" Jack sneered back, "I've been cheating since I was a greasy, black-hearted toddler!"

"And I'm here, too!" Raimundo reminded in chipper sarcasm. "Would it kill ya to include me in the trash talk? Or is this just how you guys flirt?"

The other two looked at him, then each other like coming to a mutual realization, then back at Raimundo.

"Yeah, kinda."

"Perhaps somewhat."

Flatly, Raimundo just hemmed, "Cute. Anyway, I call." He shoved a small stack of chips into the center of the table.

"Oooo-kaaaay~..!" Omi said in sing-song, "But I must warn you, you would have been much better off using the Aces in your breast pocket..! I am raising!"

Eyes bulging as Omi called him out on such a specific hiding spot, Raimundo then forced his brow down. No way, Omi had to be guessing just to get inside his head. There was no way he knew about that! Raimundo had put the cards there before they'd even started!

Brazenly, out of defiance, Raimundo took his next chance at the pool to declare himself all in. The others met this and their hands were shown.

"And my house is full~!" Omi declared, showing a colorful hand of three Aces and two Jacks. With a short laugh, Jack revealed a hand that matched exactly.

Lips forming a taut waver, Raimundo showed that he'd only gone for three of a kind on his Aces. Clutching at his temples, he wailed, "Man, I shoulda gone with four of a kind! It's that Tiger Instinct, I swear! It gets inside your head!" With a dull 'klonk', his forehead met the table in defeat as he was forced to tap out of the game entirely.

"Do not feel bad, Raimundo. You did not stand a chance from the beginning~," Omi informed, "I am the master of deceit!"

"That's what you think," Jack shot back, "Do feel bad, Raimundo, 'cause I'm about to finish taking this whole temple down in one swoop!" If he beat Omi, he'd officially get to say he'd defeated all of the monks...at Poker, but it was still something!

The others couldn't help getting swept up in the action, mostly rooting for Omi to defend their honor, but Raimundo took a moment tapping the table idly with his forefinger in thought as the new round began, and then took a quick slide over into Jack's space to eye his cards.

Jack felt his hackles raise slightly at the lean, even less used to having someone who wasn't Omi invading his personal bubble so bluntly, but surprisingly, he adjusted just as quickly. In fact, in general, just having the others around made it so much easier to think about Omi in terms of dating. It made it feel...normal? Like the buffer of friends around made it less of a sore thumb with nothing to compare to. It was easier to digest the extra affection because he was already surrounded by a warm atmosphere, which was also strangely present. Breaking the ice seemed easier than any of them had expected, and without focusing on the idea itself being gross and unusual, it seemed to flow pretty naturally.

Cocking his head with interest as Raimundo leaned further to whisper in Jack's ear, shielding his mouth as he did so, Jack was surprised to hear Raimundo wanted to get back at Omi so badly as to give him tips on cheating here. Across the table, Omi simply held a pleasant smile as he observed.

"Five Aces!" Jack was declaring shortly, slamming down an impossible hand, "Beat that!"

Calmly, Omi returned, "Very well." In the next second, he slammed down his own hand. "Six Aces! Read them and begin the weeping, Jack Spicer~! That is what you get for listening to Raimundo! Veeeery predictable!" Hopping on top of the table as Jack and Raimundo both gawped, Omi performed a very bad but very happy victory dance.

Flatly, Jack turned to the Brazilian. "Boy, you really are lousy."

Hands faltering all over the place, Raimundo sputtered, "But I..! How did he..! There's no way he coulda..!" His fingers all clawed. "Tiger Instiiiiiinct!"

Everyone broke into a smattering of hearty chuckles over Raimundo's lament.

"Hey, yo, Jack," Jermaine leaned in on the redhead's other side, "Rematch in b-ball? Non-Showdown style, three-on-three?"

Spine straightening in delight, Jack recalled, "Oh, right! You play! Finally, someone besides me to play with!" A pause. "Wait, that didn't come out right. I used the Ring of Nine Dragons, okay? Wait, that might be worse." Being split into nine of himself to maximize teams, and have a referee, the division also meant his skills tanked and the games were kind of pathetic to behold.

Brushing that off, Jermaine guessed, "So...I take it you're in?"

"You're on, Tree Hugger!"

Jack ended up on a team with Omi and Raimundo, while Jermaine got Kimiko and Clay. Dojo was playing referee. The first thing Jack did after the dragon tossed up the jump ball, Jack having a height advantage, was pass to Raimundo, assuming the boy equal his height would stand a better shot at...making a shot.

Raimundo caught the ball, but juggled it for a couple of awkward seconds, then finally landing a few dribbles as he tried to move down the court. As he walked, he ended up kicking the ball back up to himself as he tossed it down, and in very strange blend of motion, ended up running with it like a soccer ball, juggling it with his feet alone and flipping as he met the wall of defense that was Clay, kicking the ball over his head and toward the basket, where it went in, but Dojo blew his whistle.

"O-kay, I'm not sure what that was," he announced, having been too dumbfounded by what he was seeing to make the call any earlier, "But I'm gonna call you on carrying, some kind of shooting foul, and general confusion on what sport you're playing."

Blushing heavily, the brunette sheepishly ran his fingers through his spiked hair. "I'm way better with my feet, okay? Sorry, it's like...instinct."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jack sighed, "Is it too late to trade players..?"

Folding his arms with a snort, Jermaine challenged, "You afraid you ain't good enough to carry the team, boy? 'cause I'm good enough no matter who I got." While Jack frazzled and offered a growl, Jermaine looked to the other frazzled boy beside him. "For real, though, Rai, no wonder I never saw you play the court..! Remind me to hook you up with a private coach. AKA, me." He passed the taller boy a brief wink, trying not to make him feel too bad about his performance.

Grabbing his arm with the opposite hand, Raimundo flushed slightly and did feel slightly better that he wasn't being outright mocked. Knowing the local basketball expert would be willing to help him iron out some of these issues was nice, too.

With an open shrug, Dojo ruled, "So I guess...that shot doesn't count, and a free throw for Team Jermaine."

Jack ruled, "As for us, Raimundo, you're taking defense. Opi, you're up the court with me." Getting serious, he took his coat off and threw it to the side, freeing up movement and space under his legs.

Only happy to get to exercise some teamwork with Jack, Omi scurried forward.

To Kimiko, Jermaine smirked, "You ready to bring the heat, Fire Girl~?"

"You know it~!" Kimiko chirped back.

This game was much more intense than Poker. All six teens played their hardest, and the score stayed incredibly even the entire match. Kimiko and Jermaine were a superbly nimble pair, passing and darting around their opponents like lightning. Jack and Omi found themselves strangely good at trick shots, however, forming some very unusual plays. Jack had only expected the ball to pass between his legs, for example, but when he found himself cornered, he likewise found Omi diving past his ankles for a hand-off and zooming down the court to make a basket. Clay and Raimundo were the least skilled at the sport, but made for some pretty good guards. Clay was just large and hard to move or shoot around, and Raimundo's quick feet were a boon to him here. He was nigh impossible to pass just because he would always be in front of you and in your face, dishing smack talk.

In the end, Jack's team won this time around, but not easily. Things didn't stay bitter, either, Jack simply professing how much better this was than playing with himself once the victory disses were handed out. He completely missed Raimundo muttering a quip about how he was sure Jack was experienced in playing with himself, and how Omi was sending him the sparkle eyes.

Dinner went easily, the monks naturally taking the time to pry into Jack's opinion on dating Omi. Jack swore up and down he had no plans to try and brainwash the bald boy, and he still hadn't even wrapped his head around the idea. But he also admitted that if they'd have him, he might not be entirely opposed to sampling the whole Xiaolin thing again.

This certainly rattled some bones, none of the monks expecting Omi to have been so accurate in claiming Jack seemed different. To them it hadn't seemed like Jack was swaying at all, but in actuality, he was practically on the cusp of giving good another shot?! As well, he somehow seemed much more...personable in this calmer setting. He wasn't overtly snide or scheming, he wasn't shifty-eyed and looking like he wanted to leave at the first available second, and he wasn't completely dismissing this as a waste of time. It actually seemed like he was trying to be friendly. And as weird as it was, just like they'd noticed the first time he'd tried his hand at good, having him around wasn't all that bad. Maybe there was still that slight tinge of suspicion with how things had gone in the past, but it still wasn't bad.

As the monks cleared the dishes, Omi inquired, "Will you be staying with us, Jack~? It would be most fun to have the sleeping overs!"

Definitely not expecting the stay to extend that far, everyone else blinked. Jack then shrugged amiably. "Eh. Why not? I've never had a sleepover. You got marshmallows?"

"And a Kimiko to toast them over," Raimundo quipped, earning a smirk and a chiding elbow from the girl as the pair carried stacks of dishes. "Only, uh...where we gonna keep him?" This poll went to his fellow warriors.

"He can simply stay in my room as last time..!" Omi volunteered.

Jack's brow went up. "That was your room? Huh. So...barren." The so-called room he'd stayed in last time had only had a couple of acupuncture charts on the wall, and a small chest at the head of the sleeping mat. He hadn't thought it was a real bedroom. "Well...so long as you don't make me wear your clothes again too." His last visit had entailed him borrowing monk robes from Omi, and they had expectedly been incredibly tiny on him. Practically short-shorts and a belly shirt. Jack had counted himself lucky he wasn't generally modest.

Delivering his stack of bowls to the kitchen and dusting his hands, Raimundo quipped, "Gee, sleeping together, wearing each other's clothes...the more I think about it, we sure they weren't dating all along?"

The others snickered. Jack felt his cheeks tinge and he quirked a brow as he looked at Omi. "You didn't sleep in the same room last time...did you?"

"No," Omi passed off, the implications going right over his head, "I chose to stay in the infirmary. But! If you would allow, I would very much like to sleep with you this time around~!"

As everyone snorted harder, Jack pinched his nose and blushed more. "Word choice, Cheddar Head..."

Looking back and forth between Jack and the others, Omi only became more confused. "Why? What is wrong with my wording? I do wish to sleep with Jack..!"

As the others were torn between laughing harder and getting grossed out at the accidental suggestion, Jack hemmed harder and let his posture sag. "In a literal sense? Not much. But let's just say that particular phrase can also mean the stuff you found while looking up what 'pansexual' meant."

Omi's eyes inflated in shock. "What?! But that was very much not sleeping! And...veeeerrrry upsetting!"

Jack shrugged. "Don't ask me where the stuff comes from, I can only tell you what it means."

"The wonders of language will never cease to amaze me..." Omi shook his head in marvel, then seemingly forgetting about that and pointing both hands several times in Jack's direction as he looked to his friends. "Seeeee? Seeeeee?" he pressed, "Jack does not hesitate at all when explaining~..!"

His fellow warriors rolled their eyes and hemmed various vague admissions that yes, Jack was saving them a lot of awkward stammering and fleeing by being so immodestly blunt.

Once everyone was in their pajamas, Jack simply opting to go coatless and remove his boots, they formed a circle in the space in front of their beds, Kimiko providing a flame on her open palm for everyone to roast marshmallows while they shared horror stories. Raimundo moved his poker overtop Kimiko's head, saying her hotheadedness would make it way better for cooking. She shot him a very unimpressed look and a low growl, closing her eyes in a moment of added concentration before a short flame did burst forth from her cranium and blackening Raimundo's marshmallow in one go. He took it back and smirked, saying the joke was on her because he still liked them burnt. As he tossed the gooey lump into his mouth, the girl just sighed.

Then a thought came as she was inspired by the pillow she sat on. At once, she'd pulled it out from underneath her and stood, hurling it at the tanned boy's face with expert precision.

Having been laid flat by the impact, Raimundo sat up with a fresh-forming smirk.

"So that's how you want it, huh..?" he challenged, then bellowed, "XIAOLIN PILLOW FIIIIIGHT!"

With large grins, the Dragon Warriors were all suddenly on their feet, armed with downy weaponry and flinging or swinging with dramatic force. Jack was perplexed and called out in fright, opting to place his head under the pillow he'd been using and cower with his rump in the air.

Feeling the pillow yanked from his grip, he let out another sharp cowardly note, only to find Omi now dual-wielding. "If you are not going to face battle honorably, at least give your weapon to someone who can!" Arms whirling like a windmill, he leapt forward to tackle Jermaine as he was vulnerable.

A new shadow falling over him, Clay quipped, "Sorry, parnder, but yer kind of askin' for it." And with a mighty 'thwomp', he struck Jack's lifted posterior with enough force to send the goth boy into a somersault and end up sitting on it.

Blinking, Jack just sat and absorbed the chaos for a bit. Okay, so a Xiaolin pillow fight was...a regular pillow fight, but very intense. It was clearly another friend thing, and the others were clearly having a blast. Jack wanted to be included..!

Hopping up, Jack's head swiveled to locate a pillow. All that was available was somebody's teddy bear, but it would have to do. With his meager weapon in hand, Jack held it aloft and joined the fray.

By the end of it, there was no real winner, as there never really was in a pillow fight, but everyone was feeling like sleep was the most inviting option by now. With a yawn and a stretch, Raimundo questioned as he glanced around, "Anybody see where Ninja Fred went?"

"What's the matter, Rai?" Kimiko teased, "Can't sleep without your bearsy-wearsy~?"

"For the millionth time, no. Because Ninja Fred is the good luck charm who fights off all the bad dreams..!"

"It's still adorable."

"Whatever. So where'd he go?"

Looking at the bear in his hand, Jack could only guess he'd been using Ninja Fred as a weapon this whole time. "Is Ninja Fred a bear..?" he asked back, holding it up.

"Yes..!" Perking immediately, Raimundo hopped over and retrieved the stuffed toy in a big hug. To the bear, he cooed as he swayed with it, "Who's a big bad ninja warrior~? Yes he is~! Did you protect Jack Spicer~? Oh, you fought so admirably~!"

Watching this blankly, Jack had to admit, "Not gonna lie. Pret-ty adorable."

Looking up from his snuggling, Raimundo groused, "Shut up. Ninja Fred and I don't need your comments." At a haughty march, he headed for his section of the curtained sleeping areas and laid down.

To the others, Jack shrugged openly. "What? I said it wasn't a lie."

Kimiko shrugged back. "Ehn. Some people just can't handle being cute."

With a round of general 'good night's, everyone drifted off to their respective mats. Jack made himself right at home on Omi's while the shorter boy tidied up a bit. Then with his own separate blanket wrapped around himself, Omi laid himself down as well and wormed his way underneath the arm Jack had plopped carelessly out in front of him. Here he barely got to enjoy his own bit of snuggling before Jack grunted dismissively and rolled over entirely, leaving his back to Omi instead.

In response, Omi spent a mere second considering before rolling over as well and hugging around Jack from behind, his smile returning. If Jack didn't want to cuddle him, he was more than happy to be the cuddler.

Staring flatly at the wall, Jack groaned again in mild irritation, ignoring the soft way his cheeks were glowing over the persistent affection.