"Call."

"Call!"

"Yeah, I call,"

"Eh, I fold."

Raimundo threw his cards down, looking at the four cards lying in the centre of the room. His game was off tonight. But they all had their bad poker nights.

The Friday night poker game had been a mini-tradition amongst the four for over a year now. It first began when Raimundo happened to see Clay shuffling his deck, out of interest — and boredom — he suggested a game. After a couple games nights, the duo found the youngest monk intrigued by the game. It had taken a lot of teaching for Omi to finally begin to understand the rules of the game, but he got there, eventually.

It was a month later before they got Kimiko involved. It turned out she knew they were playing, but simply put it down to guy time and tried to keep out of their way. Raimundo and Clay couldn't suppress the laughs when Omi turned around and said, "Come and be a guy, Kimiko!"

So here they were, playing a year later. They made sure to have at least one game every Friday night, so long as they weren't fighting for a Wu or the world was falling into years of darkness. Again.

They'd taken to talking about anything. Omi loved to hear stories of their families and childhood memories. He loved informing them what he'd have done instead, should he have been there at the time.

Kimiko would tell them what games her father's company was working on next and when she'd be able to get them a copy to try it for themselves. She'd even excitedly told them one night that her father was going to let her create her own game within the next few years. Once she had an idea and some level examples, they'd get to work.

Raimundo liked to talk about sports, antics him and his siblings used to get up to, and also question Kimiko on what gaming information she may know of. It was usually a game she wasn't aware of.

Clay would talk about food, promising to make them all one of his many family recipes some day. He'd also update them on any news he'd hear about Jesse.

Omi, however, liked to simply listen to their stories. Asking questions when he needed to. Conversations he started were usually to do with recent Showdowns. He had an eye for noticing any different or subtle movements when watching battles.

Raimundo sat and watched the others. This part of the game was usually the quietest. Each one focusing on their cards and the possible outcome.

"I'm gonna raise," Clay spoke up, rummaging through his winnings. "Two packs of gum."

"Two?" Kimiko questioned, raising a brow.

Raimundo's focus turned to her. Kimiko had a fantastic poker face. She was almost unreadable. He'd begun to notice the corner of her lip would slightly turn upwards when she was doing good. But right now, she didn't have that.

"I call," Omi announced, throwing in two sweets equivalent to the gum.

Her eyes glanced down at her cards again. "Fold."

She sat back to watch the rest of the game. The room went back to its silent atmosphere, leaving a bored Raimundo.

"So Clay, Who was your first kiss?"

"Excuse you?"

The cowboy's face went from complete focus to utter shock in seconds.

"Come on, nothing wrong with talking about that,"

"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell, Raimundo,"

"Yeah, but we all know Rai isn't a gentleman," Kimiko added, causing laughter from two of the group.

"Kimiko!" Raimundo mocked a gasp, earning a smile and a giggle from the girl. "But no changing the subject. Clay, first kiss, go!"

"Why me?"

"Have you not kissed someone?"

"I have."

"Who?"

"You win," He smirked as he adjusted his hat. "Her name was Marie. We weren't together long, probably a couple months. She was really great. Not long after I found out I was comin' here and Jesse got jealous. So she interfered. Thought I'd give up my place here so she could go instead."

"Damn."

"We kept in touch for a short while, we're both happy doing what we're doing. That's what matters. Now. Your turn."

"Me?"

"You can't just ask me and not expect to be asked yourself."

"Fine, fine. Let's think,"

"You need to think?" Omi asked although he wasn't sure why he was surprised at his antics now.

"Alandra. Back in school, she was one of the cheerleaders."

"Trust you to get a cheerleader," Clay laughed.

The laughter died down before all eyes turning to Kimiko.

"No."

"Come on Kimi, we've shared it's your turn!"

"Why me?" She whined.

"Kimiko, have you not kissed someone before?"

She glared at the monk. "I have. But it isn't a story worth sharing."

"Why?"

"Because it'll ruin the mood."

Clay and Raimundo looked across at each other. Concern practically radiating off of them.

"Now we need to know," Raimundo said, a firm tone to his voice.

She stared.

"Fine." She signed. "We'd been together a few weeks when we kissed. He was my first boyfriend and I was really happy with him. Turns out, he and his mates had a bet. 'Who could get with the rich girl first'." She dared a glance at the others. A mixture of shock and rage seemed to be the go-to look. "I dumped him the first chance I got. I didn't trust any of the guys there after that, so I avoided relationships."

They sat, dumbfounded at her story. Kimiko rolled her eyes at the group.

"Told you it'd ruin the mood."

"New round?" Clay asked, already reshuffling the cards.

"Sounds good. I need to go charge my phone first, so I'll be back in a second." Kimiko picked up the dying phone before heading down the corridor to her own room.

"I wasn't expecting her to say that," Raimundo commented, almost regretting starting the conversation.

"I will literally pay you to give her a good first kiss."

"What the hell, cowboy?!"

"We all know you're into her. So you do something about it!"

"Fine," Raimundo grumbled, feeling like he was being evicted from the room.

Walking down the hallway he thought on what he could do. Or even say to her. She didn't seem too bothered by the story, but they were left pretty speechless.

He'd made it to her room, her door left open as she stood using the now charging phone.

"I'll be back in a minute, Rai"

"Okay," He looked to the door, shaking his head he turned to face her. "Kim, was that story true?"

"My first kiss?"

"Yeah,"

"Unfortunately. But it was a long time ago. It doesn't bother me anymore."

"Still. Sorry for forcing you to talk about it."

"I saw your faces, you were both thinking far worse. It was best to say it so you could both relax."

Kimiko finally looked up from her phone. Dropping the device onto her bed. "Besides, are you apologising?"

"I am capable you know,"

They both laughed quietly before Raimundo took a few steps forward. Suspiciously looking just below her eye.

"Can I help you?"

"You wearing mascara?"

"No?"

"You've got a smug just under your lashes—"

"Where?!" She went to grab a mirror before Raimundo held her arm, pulling her back.

"I got it, don't worry."

She watched as he struggled to even rest his thumb on her cheek. "What?"

"I don't want to poke you in the eye..."

A giggle escaped Kimiko's lips. The man before her would make their enemies bleed, but heaven forbid he'd risk poking her in the eye.

Closing her eyes, she gave a small smile. "Better?"

"Yeah,"

His thumb brushed across the top of her cheek. He couldn't think of a time he was this close to her when they weren't sparring together. The realisation that his hand was still holding her arm made him loosen the hold.

He'd kissed girls before. Hell, he was good at kissing. But they were different. They weren't this girl.

Raimundo snaked his hand from her arm to her waist, pulling her hips forward as he leaned in to press his lips against hers.

She made a small squeak at the motion before falling into the kiss. Her right hand holding his shirt as her left arm wrapped around his neck. She could feel him smile against her lips as he pressed into the kiss more. The hand on her hip tightening more as it pulled her against him.

Slowly pulling away, Raimundo rested his forehead against hers. His eyes watching her face. She was breathless, her cheeks wearing a perfect shade of red. She wore a cheeky smile as she bit her lower lip.

"And just what was that about?" Her voice was breathless and very intrigued.

"Well, I couldn't let you have a bad first kiss story now, could I?"

She let out a laugh, her face resting against his cheek. "No, no you definitely couldn't,"

"They're waiting to start the game,"

Raimundo went to take a step back, grinning as the hand on his shirt pulled him back. His eyes locking with the sapphire.

"You really think you can just kiss me and run?"

"It was meant to be a first kiss, Kimi, not a second or third..."

"Shh,"

Pulling him back, she made sure their lips connected before he could argue — even though that was never going to happen.

His arms went to her hips, wrapping around them to hold her as close as possible.

"Y'all joining the game or what?"

The two broke the kiss with a startled jump. Staring at the open doorway which held the smug looking cowboy.

"So that a no on the game, or?"

"Maybe later," Raimundo answered, using his element to swing the door shut.

"Rai!" Kimiko burst out laughing. Her cheeks redder than before.

He smiled at her face, her eyes glowing with a new passion. Cupping her face with his right hand, he kissed the redness on the right side of her face.

"So are we playing poker or continuing with this?"

"Shush you," she grinned with her words. Enjoying the kiss to her cheek.

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