𝙱𝚊𝚍 𝙸𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚜 - 𝙺. 𝙱𝚘𝚔𝚞𝚝𝚘 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

Chapter Twenty One

"This is a really bad idea, Kotaro," Idoki blinked up at Bokuto as he stood behind her seat at the kitchen table the following night. "You know that, right?"

"I'll be fine, Sugarplum," Bokuto dismissed her worry as he leaned down and kissed the crown of her head. "It's just liquor, how bad could it be?"

"Famous last words," Masayuki snickered as he pushed his dinner plate off to the side and lined up five shot glasses before leaning back and retrieving a glass jug from the liquor cabinet behind him.

Idoki sighed. "You don't have anything to prove and even if you did, a drinking competition with my brothers isn't going to help that cause."

"It'll be a piece of cake," Bokuto smiled confidently as he reclaimed the seat beside her and eyed the jug Masayuki began pouring from.

"Kotaro, really. We've all been doing this since we were teenagers. Believe me, you're not gonna be having fun after a few shots of Tou-san's moonshine."

"If the man wants to drink, let 'im drink," Tetsunori chuckled before glancing at Bokuto with a smirk. "Ichigo's right though. You'll be on your ass in less than two hours - I guarantee it."

"Stop trying to convince him not to do it," Masayuki rolled his eyes. "He's clearly already decided and I refuse to spend another night on your floor. Romeo can spend a few nights on Couch City, it won't kill the guy."

"That's if you win, though," Arihito pointed out, sneaking the shot glass on the end for himself as his brother began to disperse them. "What if you lose?"

Masayuki laughed, jutting his thumb out at Bokuto as he looked at Arihito. "You really think this city kid is gonna out-drink me? It's like you don't even know me, baby bro."

"Stranger things have happened, Yuki," he shrugged.

"In all fairness, there should be a plan for both possible outcomes," Tetsunori shifted in his seat at the head of the table to face Bokuto. "What do you want if you win, Bokuto-san?"

All eyes were on Bokuto as he contemplated his options. And by contemplated his options, I mean deciding what was appropriate to ask for from the brothers of the woman he cared for but wasn't actually dating yet. "If I beat you, Masayuki-san," he hummed, his eyes lighting up as an idea popped into his head, giving him even more motivation. "You have to stop calling Ichigo 'Slugger'."

"Ooooooh," Arihito grinned, elbowing his middle brother. "Now that is interesting indeed."

Idoki's lips curled up in a gentle smile and she reached over to pat Bokuto's hand that laid on the table between them. "That's very sweet of you, Kotaro. But if you're going to go through all this trouble at least ask for something cool."

Bokuto chuckled, flipping his hand over in hers so their palms joined before lifting their clasped hands to his lips and kissing hers. "Getting your brother to stop calling you something that bugs you is totally worth it."

"Gross," Masayuki tapped the bottom of his shot glass against the table. "C'mon then, lover boy. The faster we get this over with, the sooner I can sleep in my own damn bed."

"We'll see about that," Bokuto smirked.

But of course, just like clockwork, nearly two hours later Bokuto was slumped over with his chin on the table, staring at his twelfth shot that made his stomach churn just thinking about it while the Idoki siblings, practically unphased, laughed up a storm at a story Arihito was telling.

Idoki's hand rubbed slow, soothing circles across his back as she listened to her younger brother. Feeling Bokuto take a deep breath, her attention was drawn back to him and she ducked her head down to whisper in his ear. "Ready to call it a night?"