video; un: steak.

[battlebound]

( Hey, Nippon network! It's been a while since you've seen this face, hasn't it? Not that you can actually see Steak's face at this moment in time, because the camera is focused on a towering pile of wooden blocks.

That's right: Steak's playing Jonga.

And we're at a tense moment, where his opponent — identity obscured, thankfully for them, by the pile of wooden blocks — is trying to make their move without toppling the whole thing.

Carefully, carefully... If you're holding your breath watching this, that's okay, because both Steak and his opponent are too.

And then comes the tumble, the crash. The destruction of all their dreams.

And Steak whooping and laughing as his victory shines before his eyes. )

HAHAHAHA— AS EXPECTED, I AM THE CHAMPION. ( And a sore winner. The camera finally pans to his delighted looking face as his opponent slinks off, and in the background, you can see a banner reading JONGA CHAMPIONSHIP. ) If anyone thinks they can defeat me, come to this bar! Or are you all too afraid?

( Please defeat him. He deserves it. )

Comments

[battlebound]

( It's a close race. Already several rows have been completely removed, each time with Steak biting his tongue and hoping for a favourable result.

Now, he stares at the waving, wobbling pile of blocks, the balance precarious, asking for one wrong move to topple it all to the ground. He won't let that happen.

Right now, he'll play it safe, removing a block from near the top with gentle, ginger movements. He doesn't go for the bold, decisive play, for once. He's learning.

Sort of. Almost. There's a definite twitch in his facial muscles when the tower trembles, when one wrong move could bring this all crashing down.

One moment's distraction could cost him this match. )

[gangfanged]

[It has to end sometime. There are only so many pieces that are safe, so to speak, and by now the din had grown relatively quiet around them.

After all, how often does a game like this go so long?]

You know, [Lilja remarks as she grips a piece with her fingertips, pulling slowly and smoothly forward.] I can't remember the last time I played a game without stakes. It's surprisingly enjoyable.

[The piece gives a faint scrape as it's pulled free, and she remains cool as the tower trembles again. If his next piece doesn't cause this to fall, she thinks, it might just be her loss.

Which honestly is a pretty intriguing thought. She rarely loses, and her games are rarely this long.]

[battlebound]

... Is that right?

( Honestly, his last few games have been such an easy sweep that if, by chance of this next move, he does lose, Steak won't be entirely upset. Much like his arm wrestling contest with Vodka: he'd been so impressed by her strength and skill that the loss would have been fair.

So, he takes a minute to look at the wobbling pile of blocks, and gently pushes his choice.

It shifts.

His finger twitches.

The pile of blocks comes tumbling down. )

... Shit!

( Okay, so it was a fair win, but he can still be annoyed that it wasn't his. )

[gangfanged]

Mm. There hasn't been much time for it where I came from.

[It's all she says as Steak puts his attention on the game again, practically holding her breath now. She's not without some measure of conceit, after all, and losing after this much effort would be... frustrating.

And... it topples, the sound of wood clattering in wood and tabletop drawing out a single, triumphant cheer, Lilja's hands curling to give a cute little fistpump.]

Ah, finally. You almost had me going there... now I'm a little sad there wasn't a wager.

[She's good-natured about it, pleased with both of their performances as she offers a smile.]