thinkoutsidethebox | COURT CONTINUATIONS

[...glancing between them, brow furrowing, though he keeps moving his hand idly over Nio's skin]

When did you have it done?

Ehh, you're really straightforward about that...

[it doesn't appear so thus far, though, as she looks back at her without much of a change in expression—maybe even a bit of a grin?—before addressing Togami]

I wonder! Young enough that I don't remember it so well.

Well, it would fulfill one of my objectives to trigger something like that, so it would be to your advantage in the challenge. Though, I wonder if I can really count it as you fulfilling it if I'm doing all the work...?

[she digs her nails into her skin a bit, under her collarbone]

[the objective was what I was concerned about but now I can't redirect things without being obvious! bleh!!]

Tch... She obviously doesn't actually care. Or if she does it's for some deeper reason beyond the tattoo itself...

[her gaze flicks to Togami for a moment with a small smirk after that comment, but she quickly turns her attention back to Erika]

Owowow... I got it, I got it, so the theme is being an S. Well, I dunno if it's in the spirit of that to get help from your victim, either...

[putting her hand over Erika's, applying a little more pressure and dragging her nails a little ways down her skin]

[her eyes glint a little as she doesn't break eye contact at that, taking the invitation to rake her skin harder]

Oh...? You don't mind a little pain either?

[no!! this can't be happening!!!

his grip on Nio's arm tightens—with enough force that it's also a little painful, really, although it's incidental—and his eyes narrow, calculating]

Just a little, anyway.

[smiling over at Togami, problem????]

That's to your advantage as well...

[She says, as if making a mental tally, and glances sideways at Togami herself]

...

[after a beat, he just puts an arm around Erika's waist, yanking her into his lap, before letting go of Nio and shifting his arms to restrain Erika more fully, covering her mouth with his hand]

Nevertheless, I don't intend to allow you to win the competition.

[making a small surprised sound as it happens, before frowning, looking a little put out]

You're awfully rough with your master, Togami-san...

[she also squeaks a little as she's pulled over, eyes widening, though after she realizes what he's doing she just giggles, muffled into his hand]

Perhaps if she wasn't going out of her way to indulge in my competition I wouldn't find it necessary. You can do whatever you want when the time limit expires. So what will you do now...?

[he still isn't relaxing his grip on Erika yet.]

... What should I do, indeed...

[after a moment's thought, slipping over the bed towards Togami's bed where he left his clothes, picking his tie from the pile]

[raises her eyebrows, and shifts to grip Togami's wrist, though she doesn't try to pull his hand away at the moment]

[he loosens his grip, but also doesn't try to pull his hand away at the moment.

more importantly, he is distracted by what are you doing over there Nio I'm keeping a close watch on you]