[Round 3]
I drew a stick.
I looked at it. The red Kanji for [King] stared back at me.
I grinned. A dark, predatory aura filled the room. The temperature seemed to drop.
"Oh no," Shikamaru muttered, recognizing the look in my eye. "We're doomed."
"I am the King," I announced, standing up slowly.
I scanned the room. Ino looked nervous. Tenten gripped her drink. Sakura looked hopeful (probably praying I'd order Sasuke to propose to her).
I locked eyes with the blonde bombshell.
"Number 2," I said slowly, my voice dropping an octave. "Must come here and sit on the King's lap. For the rest of the game."
Silence.
Everyone checked their sticks.
"It's not me," Naruto said. "Not me," Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ugh," a voice groaned.
Ino Yamanaka held up the Number 2 stick.
"Seriously?!" Ino complained, though a faint blush dusted her cheeks. "That's sexual harassment, Kenji! I'm not a chair!"
"It's the King's order," I sat back on the plush sofa, spreading my legs slightly and patting my thigh. "Come on, Ino. The throne awaits. Or you can pay me 10,000 Ryo."
"Fine!" Ino stomped over, crossing her arms. "But if you try anything weird, I'll Mind Transfer into you and make you eat dirt!"
She turned around and sat down.
She perched awkwardly on my knees, trying to keep her weight off me, stiff as a board.
"Relax," I whispered, sliding my left arm around her waist to "stabilize" her. "You're stiff. You'll get a cramp."
[Passive Skill: Pheromone Release - Active (Targeted: Ino)] [Skill: Sexual Aura (Level 1) - Active]
Ino stiffened at the touch, but then... she melted.
The pheromones hit her. To her, I suddenly smelled like a mix of expensive cologne, danger, and something primal that made her stomach do flip-flops. She leaned back, her back pressing against my chest, her warmth seeping into me.
"You smell nice," she whispered, almost involuntarily, her head tilting back slightly. "Like... old books and... something muskier."
"That's the smell of authority, Ino," I chuckled, my breath tickling her ear.
As the others argued over who drew the next stick, I went to work.
My hand on her waist wasn't idle. My thumb began to rub small, soothing circles against her hip bone through the thin fabric of her crop top.
Ino shivered.
"Kenji..." she hissed under her breath. "Stop that."
"Stop what? I'm just holding you."
I shifted my legs.
The "weapon" I had upgraded earlier was currently resting right against the cleft of her buttocks. As she settled in, she felt it. A hard, unyielding ridge pressing against her ass.
Ino's eyes widened. She froze.
Is that...?!
She tried to shift away, but my arm tightened around her waist, pulling her flush against me.
"Don't move," I whispered, my lips brushing her neck. "You'll fall."
My right hand, hidden from the view of the others by the angle of her body and the coffee table, drifted lower. It slid off her waist and landed on her thigh. Then, it crept upward.
It rested dangerously close to the hem of her skirt. My pinky finger grazed the bare skin of her inner thigh.
Ino gasped softly.
"What's wrong, Ino-pig?" Sakura called out from across the room. "Uncomfortable?"
"N-No!" Ino squeaked, her face burning. "Just... hot in here."
She looked at me, her eyes pleading but also... hazy. The pheromones were working overtime. Instead of moving away, she did something unexpected.
She ground down.
Just a little. A subtle roll of her hips against my hardness.
[Critical Hit.]
I nearly groaned aloud. Oh, she's playing with fire.
I took the invitation. My hand slid fully under her skirt, my fingers dancing over the silk of her panties. I didn't enter—too risky with onlookers—but I traced the seam, applying pressure right where she needed it.
Ino bit her lip so hard it turned white. Her hands gripped my knee, her nails digging in.
"Kenji..." she whimpered, barely audible. "Please don't..."
[Round 4 - The Interruption]
Just as I was about to slide a finger under the lace, Sasuke drew the King stick.
"This is illogical," Sasuke stated, staring at the stick. "But rules are rules. Number... 1 and Number... 4. You must arm wrestle."
It was Sakura vs. Kiba.
"I will not go easy on you, Sakura-san!" Kiba shouted, flames of youth in his eyes.
"Bring it on, puppy!"
CRACK.
Sakura lost instantly. Kiba slammed her hand down with so much force that the shockwave threw her backward. She flew through the air and smashed into the drywall.
CRASH.
Dust billowed everywhere.
"MY HOUSE!" I screamed, pushing Ino off my lap (reluctantly). "Kiba! That comes out of your pay!"
"I do not get paid!" Kiba saluted amidst the rubble.
[The Afterparty - Late Night]
The mood was broken (along with the wall). The guests began to filter out.
Naruto dragged a drunk Kiba (who mistook sake for water) home. Sasuke fled through the window before things got weirder.
I stood at the door, bidding them farewell.
Ino lingered. She stood on the porch, hugging herself against the night breeze. Her face was still flushed, her breathing slightly uneven.
"Well," Ino brushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, refusing to meet my eyes. "Thanks for the party, Kenji. It was... surprisingly fun."
"Glad you enjoyed the seat," I smirked, leaning against the doorframe. "It's reserved for VIPs."
Ino blushed, the memory of the hard ridge against her backside making her knees weak. "You... your hands were wandering. You're the worst."
"I was just ensuring you didn't fall," I said innocently, stepping closer. "Safety first. But you didn't seem to mind. In fact... I think you pushed back."
Ino turned fifty shades of red. "I did not! It was... gravity!"
"Sure," I whispered.
I reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. My fingers lingered on her jawline.
"Hey, Ino."
"W-What?" she stammered, looking up at me.
"Stop by tomorrow," I whispered, my voice low and husky. "I have a special-order coming in. Fabric. Leopard print. And matching lace."
Ino's eyes widened. She bit her lip, looking at me up and down, conflict warring with curiosity in her blue eyes.
"You're crazy," she whispered.
"And you're interested."
She didn't deny it. She just turned around and walked away quickly, her hips swaying more than usual.
"I... I might be busy!" she shouted back over her shoulder. But I saw the smile.
I watched her go.
[System Notification] [Relationship Update: Ino Yamanaka] [Status: Interested / Flustered / Aroused.] [Shameless Points: +1,000.]
"Worth it