#and somehow ended up with almost 2K words of it 😅

[tinylethologica]

Itto asking Sara if he can play with her spinning top!

notes: gotta be honest, anon, I drew a complete blank at first with spinning top because I forgot about that particular dialogue. here I was thinking you wanted kid!ittosara on a playground or something. (I even thought it was some kind of euphemism😅) thankfully, someone corrected me. this came out way longer than I expected and spiralled out of my control beyond your prompt; hope you don’t mind!

words: ~2k

when lightning pierces earth

Itto didn’t mean to interrupt. Really, he didn’t.

The only reason why he was skulking around the outskirts of Tenshukaku was to find the onikabuto cave. The Traveller had told him there was a cave hidden under  the Raiden Shogun’s residence full of the beetles.

When he’d heard, Itto’s eyes had lit up with amazement. A hidden cave! He’d almost started crowing about it to Daisuke but slapped his hand over his big mouth, just in time. It was supposed to stay a secret until their next duel; it wouldn’t do for Daisuke to somehow get there and pick out the best onikabuto before he did. So the next morning after the Traveller told him the information, Arataki “The Beetle Gladiator” Itto set out with only one goal: catch the biggest beetle he could.

On the way, when he walks under the looming shadow of the Tenryou Commission Headquarters, his chest pangs in disappointment. He wouldn’t have time to write a challenge to the Tengu on the bulletin board. Another day, he told himself. He couldn’t afford to be caught by the Commission today, especially not in Tenshukaku. After all, he has a match coming up, and unfortunately, Nimble Ninja was no match against Crimson Cyclone.

The rematch with Kujou Tengu would have to wait. 

So imagine his surprise when at the end of the secret cave, not only were there onikabuto that laid in wait for him, crackling with Electro energy, but also her.

Amidst the glowing plants of the cave and sitting on a rock, The Tenryou general herself. Kujou Sara.

“What are you doing here?” they both say simultaneously. Kujou Sara immediately tucks her hand behind her back.

Curious. Very Curious.

But he doesn’t get the opportunity to ask, because Kujou Sara narrows her eyes. Uh oh. “This is Tenshukaku. On whose authority are you here?”

Itto huffs and points a finger at the sparkling beetles. “The onikabuto,” he says dramatically, making buzzing noises in imitation of their flight. “They called out to me in a dream.” Well, that was a lie. But it’s as close to the truth as it gets. Itto did dream of onikabuto in what Shinobu said was an unhealthy degree. He thinks it’s quite a normal degree.

“Of course they did,” the Tengu mutters. She clears her throat. “Well, you need to leave.”

“Wha—Why?” He didn’t even get to catch any beetles yet. “What does the Tenryou Commission want with a cave of nothing but beetles?”

Kujou Tengu stiffens, her face red. Weirdo. “I don’t have to answer that.”

“You do if you want me to leave,” he says, stubborn tilt to his chin. A sudden thought occurred to him; he rears back, horrified. “Or are you here for the beetles too?”

“I’m not here for the beetles, you stupid oni!”

“Then are you here for?” he rebuts. “Because I’m not leaving without a fight.” Actually, that would be the best-case scenario. His hand twitches for the claymore strapped to his back, beetle all but forgotten. Challenging her face to face like this—isn’t it better than scrawling a message on the bulletin board?

The Vision at his throat warms in agreement. Itto wonders if he could get Kujou Sara to draw both her bow and her sword. He’s still proud of the fact that he’s managed to force her hand into using her sword—not many can claim to have met its sting. It’ll be another epic battle, just like their first. His blood is humming just thinking it.

But his eyes must have shown too much excitement. The Tengu rolls her eyes. “How you found this place, I don’t know. But I’m also not here to fight, Arataki. If you must know…” She mumbles something.

He strains his ears and catches a whisper of ‘game’ and ‘spinning top’. “What was that?”

The Tenryou General—temporary Commissioner now—scowls. “I said, ‘I was just here for some peace and quiet.’ Away from public disturbances like you. That’s all.”

“I could have sworn I heard that—”

“—you heard wrong—”

“—you said something—”

“—I did not—"

“—about a game.” His eyes light up. So she likes them too? “Can I play?”

“I said nothing of the sort.”

He squints at her. She meets his suspicious stare with flatness, but Itto isn’t stupid. At least, not when it comes to Kujou Sara’s actions—he notices too much, to his chagrin. Even while he’s during a duel against some egotistical kid who refuses to acknowledge his status as the best hopscotch player in Teyvat, she randomly comes to him.

The thoughts would drift harmlessly into his mind, but then pierce as fast as her arrows: the light of the setting sun reflected on metal—her sword, drawn against him; the black feathers adorning some of Yoimiya’s trinkets—the flutter of her wings, darkness unfurled; the strike of lightning during a thunderstorm—the flash of Electro, sparking her arrowheads. He’d paid for the last one with singed clothes and numbness in his veins when the lightning struck him in his stupor. All because she refuses to leave his thoughts alone.

So, no. Itto’s not fooled at all. “You’re hiding something behind your back. Is that what you were talking about?”

“I’m not. Your brain’s working too hard, Arataki Itto.”

She’s never said his name like that. He tilts his head. She steps back, hands still hidden behind her. The shimmering grass beneath their feet cast an ethereal glow on the walls, as their amorphous shadows blend into one.

“Then show me your hands.”

She jerks her head away, golden eyes avoiding his gaze. “I don’t listen to trespassers.”

“Awww, c’mon.” If he wins against her, just once, maybe then he won’t feel the burning urge to bash his face into a tree out of embarrassment every time thoughts of her bubble up. And because it’s fun. Everything seems fun when it’s a match against Kujou Tengu. “I’m good at games. Let me play with you!”

“You can’t!”

“I so can!” He snorts. “What, you scared of me?”

“That’s definitely not it,” she says dryly. The Tenryou Commissioner sighs. Slowly, her hands drift apart from behind her back, revealing a clenched fist. “It’s because this top can only be played with by one person—which I was in the middle of, until someone so rudely interrupted me.”

And then she unfurls her fingers. In her palm sits a small spinning top, decorated with the purple, circular tomoe symbol of the Raiden Shogun.

Itto inspects with the careful eye of one who has taken many toys from children. He’s become something of a toy connoisseur; he’s won many such trophies in battle, after all. It’s oddly familiar. He stares at it, and then slaps a fist over palm. “Ah! I remember Yoimiya making something like this in her workshop one time. So you like this kind of thing, Kujou Tengu?” He nods his head. Imagines a spinning top, etched with a feather design. It’d match her wings. His mouth not quite caught up to his mind, he blurts out, “When I get back to Hanamizaka, I’ll ask Yoimiya to make you another one if you like it so much—”

And then slaps a hand over his stupid, stupid mouth. What was he saying? Why did he want to do something like that? As if he wanted to see her smile when he gives it to her? Shinobu’s right. Kujou Sara is scrambling his brain into mush.

“Oh?” She quirks an eyebrow, eyes flashing with amusement.

“Nothing!” he squeaks. Kujou Tengu is your rival, his mind stressed, not your lover! The last bit sounded suspiciously like Shinobu. Itto coughs, cheeks warm. Hoping to divert the Tengu’s attention elsewhere, he says, “You should show me how to play with that top.”

“I must refuse,” she says immediately, tucking away said toy. “I said it’s a single-player toy, oni. It’s called ‘Solo’ for a reason.”

He bristles at her rapid dismissal. “Y-You can’t just refuse Arataki ‘The Pride of Oni’ Itto like that!”

Her face is serene. “I just did.”

She’s right. She’s totally, completely, utterly right. But still!

“I—You—” Itto points a shaking finger at her, pride wounded. Familiar words rise in his throat. “I challenge you to a sumo duel, Kujou Sara!”

“I refuse,” she says again, a small curl of her lips, as if mocking him. The worst part is that she’s walking toward the entrance of the cave as Itto’s left speechless, staring at her back.

“You’re leaving?” he calls out. He wasn’t hurt. He’s not. “Just like that, Kujou Tengu?”

Her back stills. And then she turns around. “If you keep this our meeting a secret,” she says, eyes half-lidded, “then I’ll agree to that rematch of yours, Arataki Itto. But not sumo.”

“You’re so on! Doesn’t matter what it is, ‘cause you’re going down against Arataki Itto either way, Tengu,” he flings back an automatic response. He doesn’t even pause to think what he’s saying. “Tomorrow, you and me, Hanamizaka at sunset!”

“Only if you keep your end of the deal, Crimson Oni.”

It only occurs to him after she leaves, so frozen was he in place, that she’s finally agreed to a rematch. “She agreed?” he whispers to himself. “She agreed!” And then for a good minute, the cave echoes with whoops of triumph as he celebrates his small victory.

He bursts out of the cave and sprints his way home, heart racing, lungs burning as his legs trample over sandy shores. He doesn’t even try to avoid the eyes of the Tenryou Commission. No one can catch him now; not when he’s got a challenge with Kujou Tengu on the calendar.

The first thing he’ll do when he gets back will be bragging to the gang. The Tengu never said anything about telling other people about their rematch, after all, and none of them—not even Akira, the most supportive of his underlings—had believed he’d be able to secure a rematch.

“Just give up, Boss,” they’d told him, face full of pity.  Ha! That’ll tell them to ever doubt Arataki ‘The One Who Cannot Be Denied’ Itto!

And after that, he’s going to gather all the trinkets he’s bought from Yoimiya and bring it to the duel. When he wins their battle, he’s going to parade them and rub it in her face about the fact she couldn’t get any of them. All sorts of scenarios race in his mind, going as fast as his running.

If he was feeling generous, if Kujou Tengu asked nicely and called him ‘Boss’ after her defeat, he’d share. Hell, maybe he’ll even gift her one as a consolation prize. A spinning top, maybe?

➴

It’s only after he returned home to Hanamizaka that he’s reminded of his mistake, because the first thing Akira asks is, “Hey, Boss! How’d the onikabuto hunting go?”

Oh. Ohhhhh. Itto’s brain combusts into a billion pieces. The onikabuto in the cave. The cave that he left without taking a single one.

But then he thinks of Kujou Sara. Of their promise… And can’t bring himself to be mad. “Good,” he says with frantic nods, heart thumping erratically. “It went pretty good.”

Maybe Nimble Ninja will get crushed by Crimson Cyclone (definitely). Maybe he’ll lose the battle to Daisuke (definitely).

But, Itto decides, seeing Kujou Sara again will be worth it. Definitely.