They lay there together on the floor smiling. At first they didn't notice their proximity, then Mugen began to feel it and grew uncomfortable.
"Hey - I thought of something interesting we could do" he said.
"It better not be something perverted" Fuu said cautiously.
"Nah, nah, nothin' like that." He turned to look at her grinning. "I think we should play a little cho-han. Place a friendly wager". He produced two dice from his pocket, held up for Fuu to see between his splayed fingers. His voice sounded like he wasn't letting on all he knew.
Fuu smiled to herself. 'He thinks he's going to hustle me' she thought. 'Hmmm, this could get interesting'.
Little did anyone know, but Fuu was no stranger to the dice. There were few vices that she liked. Overeating was one. Man she loved food. But the other true love was that of a good bet. It had to be followed through though. That was part of the allure and thrill.
There might be no honour amongst thieves, as the saying goes. But this certainly isn't true when it comes to betting - in Fuu's experience. And not only did Fuu enjoy a good wager. She was also very good at winning. Yes, this could get very interesting indeed.
"A dice game you say? Well, maybe I could be interested in that.
But tell me, what do you suppose we wager?" She asked, intrigued. She half expected Mugen to say something vulgar and wholly disappointing.
She was a little surprised when he came up with "Hmm, I dunno. But I did have one suggestion: how bout everytime we lose, we have to remove one piece of clothing? It's called 'dice strip'."
He paused half expecting Fuu to blow up and bonk him on the head for even suggesting it. But the other half, did secretly wonder if her competitive nature and curiosity might win her over.
"You're always going on about how you're not flat as a board, in under there. Well if
you loose you might just get to prove it" he said as he almost giggled, but his tone was set purely to egg her on.
She turned and knowingly smiled at him, a kind of secretive one-sided smile that surprised him.
"You're on". She said.
He covered his shock quite easily. Enabled by years of practice, always exuding a nonchalant air. He moved across the room and sat up on his knees, a small distance in front of him, clear and big enough to roll the dice. She copied his movements, kneeling on the bed futon facing him.
"Alright!" He cheered. "Let's play".
Mugen wound his arm up, spinning it so quickly it became just a blur. He yelled something illegible and then threw the dice hard. They ricocheted off the wall, both dice going in different directions.
"Cho!" He called out loudly.
"Han!" Fuu called.
...
"You threw them too hard" she said, the dice pinging all around her and Mugen's bodies as they locked each other in a competitive stare.
The dice came back eventually, and Mugen caught them underneath an upturned cup.
Fuu leaned forward to inspect the reveal, which was done with a huge flourish.
"Cho!" Mugen cried ecstatically. "Take it off bitch!" He yelled - a little too aggressively.
Fuu glared at him, fiercely.
"Mugen!" She scolded.
She stared at him coldly a good few seconds before reaching down, frowning, and untying her obi. She held her kimono closed as she tidily dropped the obi to her side.
"Naw, that doesn't count as clothing" Mugen whined.
"If course it does" she snapped back, "here, I'll throw".
The smile was back as she raised a knee, poised to throw. She gave a little speech about "placing your bets ladies and gentleman" and dramatically threw the dice at the wall. Skillfully, she caught them when they returned in the cup.
"Han" Mugen smirked, leaning forward.
"Cho!" Wagered Fuu.
The big reveal - it was Cho.
Mugen casually lifted a leg to reveal a dangling geta. He dropped it unceremoniously to the floor.
'when did he put those on?' Wondered Fuu. 'what else did he put on!?'. She did a mental calculation of their layers. Mugen: Jacket, shirt, shorts, underwear, one geta.
'He better not count his sword'.
Her: over kimono, under kimono, bandages, underwear
'hmm, pretty even'.
It was Mugen's turn to throw this time. Fuu lost again! 'How is this even possible?' She thought. 'Maybe he is hustling me '.
Mugen appeared to look away as Fuu shyly removed her outer kimono. She was left with her cream under kimono. She blushed, and then yawned loudly. It felt like she was getting ready for bed.
The next three turns Mugen had lost.
He was sitting, legs crossed, yawning, shaking the dice madly within his fist. Fuu reclined in her bed, her eyes dropping, she supported her head in her hand. It had got late.
"Arriba" Mugen yelled as he tossed the dice hard one last time. As he lifted the cup to reveal he thought of lying about the outcome. He looked over at Fuu, she was almost asleep. He had lost. His shorts were his last item of clothing - he wore no underwear.
Fuu perked up when she saw him looking at her.
"Huh?" She crawled over and peered down at the dice. "Squeee" she twirled in delight. "Ah, ha, sucker. How do you like those odds!" she taunted, then sat down on the futon on her knees, all business. "When you are ready" she commanded.
Mugen yawned, then blushed. He couldn't believe the bitch had beat him. This wasn't the way it was supposed to work out. He hadn't even caught a glimpse of her chest. Oh well, he wasn't ashamed of his body. He had no reason to be.
He jumped to his feet, legs wide apart fighting style.
Fuu blinked up at him.
He loosened the tie on his shorts. "Are you ready for this, because it's going to be an eyefull" he announced, giving her a shielded grin.
'was she ready for this?' She asked herself. Probably not. But she wasn't going to back down. She was victorious.
Mugen reached to rip off his shorts.
"Wait", Fuu announced. "I just want to let you know that I was a pot plant".
"Huh?"
"In the screen game. The one you couldn't guess. I was a pot plant".
"Oh yeah". He realised.
Mugen then chickened-out and walked over to look out the window next to the bed. It was quiet out there. A thin fog hung near the ground.
Suddenly without warning he pulled off his shorts revealing his bottom to the gaping Fuu. He chucked his shorts to the side and turned to face her, hands on his hips.
Fuu's face formed a funny kind of expression. A kind of goofy grin. Then she quietly shrieked and fell back into the futon, instantly asleep.
"Hey! Little bitch" Mugen growled offended. Then he himself crumpled onto his belly on the other side of the mattress and drifted off to oblivion sans a single item of clothing. They both snored loudly.