Summer Blues[Kenichi, Priscilla]

"You're too kind, Priscilla. I'm only speaking the truth here. Lovely face, charming energy, bubbly spirit... all worthy of compliments across the board."

He certainly didn't mind voicing every compliment in the book regarding the lovely lady. After all, in such a short time, she had proven such fine company. If anything, he was simply overjoyed that his words were positively received. For a moment, he simply held eye contact with her, curious as to what that smile and the eye contact entailed. She seemed like she was planning something mischievous, but what? He would receive his answer the moment she dove down into the watery depths, promptly removing his swimming trunks from his lower half. The swift action rendered him speechless as he blinked, watching her swim off. Suddenly, it was a little colder than usual, and something felt exposed. But what? He wondered.

"Eh? Eh!? Hey, you! Come back with those!"

Unexpectantly turned into a skinny dipper, Kenichi couldn't help but laugh in faux embarrassment as he swam after her. He swam through the waters, bolting directly after as he chuckled. As a prank, while unexpected, he thought it was pretty good, and that only made him all the more endeared to the bright-haired woman as she emerged from the waters with his shorts in hand. Leaping up from the seas, he landed beside her with a playful pout as he attempted to grab his shorts. Of course, an idea popped up in his head, and his hand swiped forward at highspeed, subsequently attempting to pull her top away to return the favor. if the method proved effective, he would turn back to her with a grin.

"Two can play at this game!"

Well, there two things that could happen here. A slap to the face or indulging him in this particular brand of humor. Part of him was hoping for the latter, however.

"Come on, that's no fair! I'm only returning the favor. What kind of woman steals a man's swimming shorts, huh?"

Kenichi crossed his arms in faux indignation. A single glance at his expression would've been a clear denominator in determining that this man wasn't upset at all. The energy she exuded was nothing short of infectious, and that act of mischief only endeared him to Priscilla even more. Much to his good fortune, she wasn't offended by his bold retaliation.

His curious expression widened as he noticed Priscilla holding his swimming shorts hostage, her palm pulsing with cerulean energy as she threatened to incinerate the only thing protecting his modesty. Immersed in bold and playful mood as he was, Kenichi held her top up with one hand, holding his hand forward to emit a crimson flame. Two could play at this game, and the bright-eyed martial artist would not be the first to falter!

"How about a trade? I return the top, and you give me back my swimming shorts. Pretty sure neither of us would enjoy walking around the beach without our essential swimwear."

Kenichi was rendered speechless for a spell. Priscilla's shameless expression towards her exposed upper chest and lack of fear at the notion of him possibly burning her top to ashes was enough to give him pause, though that was more out of shock than any form of dismay. He was a bold man, to be certain, but there were certainly rules of propriety to be followed here, right? Wasn't this crossing line?

He was no stranger to the notions of skinny dipping or running around exposed under the special conditions of a silly dare. Those were common acts humans were easily capable of participating in under the right element, but Priscilla viewed the idea of operating without these things as natural as it was to breathe. Did that make him the odd one here? Was he overthinking things? Had he dissapointed her? Was the atmosphere compromised by his own inability to indulge her? Or was it none of the above? Mere overthoughts?

"No, I mean... it's not that. I guess I expected you to be a little more... panicked? I expected you to chew me out for threatening to burn your top, so color me a little... shocked, but maybe I'm the one overthinking things..."

Even if she displayed a daring expression, he didn't exactly feel comfortable with soaking in the view of her exposed chest for a prolonged period of time without earning it. In a word, she was extraordinarily charming, and he was certainly smitten with her radiant zeal for life. He was all about impressions and displaying that radiant confidence of his, but she seemed to care little for his bold act. Exchanging top and trunks, Kenichi rubbed the back of his head with a chuckle.

"Guilty as charged. Maybe I am being silly, but you know what? I'm fine with that. You're a charming woman, Priscilla. I suppose part of me would prefer charming and wooing you first, ya know? To feel like I earned seeing you topless rather than stealing it in retaliation. Of course, even if I was alright with it, I'm certain we would have invited a lot of attention if we wanted to explore the other parts of the resort..."

Like a lightbulb going off in his head, Kenichi reached out to grab her hand, pointing in the next direction. A drink and a meal would be a great way to continue their conversation, as well as move past this current one! Distractions were always a masterful strategy for times like these.

"Speaking of... you want to continue our fun at a bar and grill? Let's see who can beat the other in a drinking contest!"

Blinking softly as he listened to the woman in curious silence, Kenichi came to the conclusion that what bothered the average woman - the embarassment of being exposed and the notions of wandering around freely without fear or shame - hardly impeded Priscilla's state of mind. Should it have been expected since she was an arrancar?

Perhaps, but then, he didn't exactly imagine he would have freely been allowed to pull something like this with another arrancar for example. But even that thought was turned on its head. According to Priscilla, her friend was relatively the same in terms of their shared shamelessness.

He couldn't particularly say he was used to that brazen display of freedom, but it certainly held an endearing charm he couldn't quite describe right now. It was admirable to enjoy live as fervently as that. The moment she accepted his offer, he made a beeline to a lively bar a few meters away from their current position on the beach. Drawing a credit card from his pocket, he paired for numerous drinks in short order, turning back to Priscilla with a competitive grin.

"You know what? Maybe you're right. There's nothing wrong with letting loose and trying new things. Why not try something different?"

Drawing four shots to his end and four to her own at the bar counter, Kenichi prepared to face her in a drinking contest for the ages.

"What do you say we decide on what happens to the first one to get shitfaced drunk? Prank? Dare? Got any ideas, Priscilla? Show me what it's like to not be confined to my human standards."

In that brief moment where he found his face dangerously close to her own, a firm shade of red swept through his countenace like a blazing streak of fire. Once again, he found himself on the backfoot in the face of Priscilla's zeal. Even so, he maintained composure long enough for her to accept his answer, as the woman bolted forth in swift stride to indulge in every manner of drink ordered.

Competitive at heart as he was, Kenichi forewent any form of alcohol he considered basic, freely indulging in the most exotic drinks one could reasonably enjoy in this resort. Numerous flavors overwrote one another in a symphony of inberiated bliss as he slowly but surely found himself diving headfirst into the realm of intoxication.

"Someone's a pro at drinkin' over here! Look at ya... I'm impressed!"

Compared to Priscilla, who displayed no sign of intoxication, Kenichi was well beyond tipsy, but that hardly bothered the fiery martial artist as he, too, demanded more alcohol. His requests were, naturally, fulfilled in short order, as the bartender provided the both of them with their drink of choice. Cup after cup. Kenichi grinned back at Priscilla.

Was he in over his head? Clearly. Did he care? Not at all. After all, he deserved this. To simply unwind, to drown out all the thoughts that weighed heavily on his conscious. In this moment, Priscilla was a jubilant breathe of fresh air that erased all his turmoil with resounding ease.