Having sex without having sex

After the weight of Ryota's revelation, the atmosphere in the room was palpable, almost suffocating. Some tried to process the information, while others sought solace in the distractions at hand. Among them was Himeno. She seemed to be drowning her own sorrows and discomfort in alcohol, becoming increasingly intoxicated as the night wore on.

Spotting Denji, she stumbled over, her movements unsteady, her words slurred. "Hey... Denji," she said, trying to focus on him. Before he could reply, she leaned in and planted a sloppy kiss on his lips. But as their lips met, Himeno's overindulgence caught up with her. She retched, vomiting into his mouth. Denji, shocked and nauseated, promptly passed out.

Himeno, despite her state, managed to lift Denji into a fireman's carry, hauling him to her nearby apartment. Once there, her inebriated brain continued to make questionable decisions. She turned to the unconscious Denji, a mischievous glint in her eye, and mused aloud, "Maybe we should...you know," her voice dripping with suggestion, though it was clear Denji was in no state to reciprocate

The sun streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting the room in a soft, amber hue. Denji blinked awake, his mind slowly processing the memories of the night before — the drinks, Himeno's forwardness, and their unexpected closeness.

Scattered clothes lay in a trail on the floor, leading to where Denji and Himeno lay, entwined in a mess of sheets. The weight of what had transpired pressed heavily on Denji's mind, and he turned to find Himeno already looking at him, her face flushed.

"Well, that wasn't quite what I had in mind last night," Himeno admitted, a hint of sheepishness in her tone. She sighed deeply, her hair a wild mess from the events of the evening.

Denji, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, managed a chuckle, "Yeah, me neither. It was... unexpected."

Himeno propped herself up, looking squarely at Denji. "Look, last night... We got carried away. Let's blame it on the alcohol and the moment. I don't want this to get weird between us."

"I completely agree," Denji replied, recalling how the previous night he had been lost in thoughts of Makima. The alcohol and his vulnerability had created the perfect storm for what had happened. "Let's just keep this between us. No need for added complications."

The room fell silent for a moment, but not uncomfortably so. There was a mutual understanding, a shared agreement that what happened was a product of circumstances rather than genuine feelings.

As they began gathering their clothes and getting dressed, Himeno's voice broke the silence, "By the way, you mentioned something about Makima, lollipops, and an indirect kiss last night. Care to explain?"

Denji, caught off guard, felt his face heat up. "Ah, that... Let's just say it's a long story."

They both chuckled, easing the lingering tension in the room. As they left the apartment, there was an unspoken consensus to move forward, not allowing a single unexpected night to disrupt their dynamics or friendships

As they stepped out of the apartment and into the hallway, a disorienting sensation washed over Denji. Everything seemed to blur and shift, and the atmosphere felt heavy and surreal. Before he could voice his confusion, the world around him began to dissolve, and he found himself back in the bar, still seated across from Himeno.

Shaking his head to clear the fog, he realized that none of the events at the apartment had transpired. It was all an illusion, a byproduct of his contract with the Illusionary Devil.

As the world continued to shift back to its normal hue, Denji found himself back in the bar, with Himeno seated across from him. His drink was still untouched and cold. The sensations and emotions of the intimate encounter still fresh and real in his mind.

Himeno, clearly oblivious to Denji's flustered state, sipped her drink. "You alright there, Denji? You've been staring at that drink for a while."

Before Denji could even process a response, an unmistakable sneeze echoed through the bar. His eyes darted to the source, and they locked onto Ryota, who was wearing an all-too-familiar smug expression.

"Oh, just played a little trick on someone's mind again," Ryota said, trying to sound nonchalant as he wiped his nose.

Denji's eyes narrowed, realization dawning. "Ryota... did you...?"

Ryota, grinning from ear to ear, struck a dramatic pose. "You thought it was a real moment of sex," he declared theatrically, "But it was me, Ryota, the Illusion Devil!"

Himeno blinked in confusion, looking between the two. "Wait, what? What did you do?"

Ryota simply laughed, clearly enjoying the situation. "Let's just say I gave Denji a little... taste of fantasy."

Denji groaned, burying his face in his hands. "You're a piece of work, you know that, Ryota?"

Ryota winked at him, "Always happy to provide some entertainment."

Ryota chuckled, stretching his arms behind his head. "Ah, yes. About last night. That was me, not Denji. Himeno and I struck a little... agreement."

Himeno nodded, sipping her drink. "I wanted to get closer to Aki, and Ryota had his own interests. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement."

Ryota interjected, "But the way you went about it, Himeno, was all you. I just created the opportunity." He smirked, his mischievousness evident.

Denji looked from one to the other, his confusion only deepening. "Wait, wait, so Himeno... you didn't actually take me home?"

Himeno shook her head, a sly smile forming. "No, it was Ryota in your place. Sorry for the deception, but the heart wants what it wants."

Ryota leaned forward, looking directly into Denji's eyes, "And in return, Himeno promised to help me find Reze's location."

Denji raised an eyebrow, "Reze? Who's that?"

Ryota leaned back, his gaze distant, "Someone from my past. Let's just say, we have some unfinished business."

Himeno added, "And I have sources that might help Ryota find her. So, it's a win-win for both of us."

Denji rubbed his temples, still trying to process the deception and the intricacies of the pact. "So, this was all just a game?"

Ryota smiled, a touch of genuine warmth in his eyes, "Life is a game, Denji. Sometimes you're the player, sometimes the pawn. The key is to always stay ahead."

Himeno raised her glass, toasting to their shared secret. "To new alliances and finding what we desire."

Denji just shook his head, muttering, "I need another drink."

Denji sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You know what? As messed up as it was, thanks, I guess. At least in my dreams, I had a taste of...well, whatever that was."

Ryota laughed, "Don't sound so disappointed. Illusions have their own kind of charm, don't they?"

Denji huffed, looking away, "You're more twisted than I thought. But yeah, I'll take what I can get."

Himeno smirked, "You're welcome. Anytime you need another dream date, just let me know."

Denji rolled his eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. "I'll keep that in mind."

Ryota leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know, Denji, it's like Schrödinger's cat. Did you have sex? Didn't you? Until you open the box — or in this case, decipher reality from illusion — both states exist simultaneously."

Denji frowned, "You and your weird references. But...yeah, I get it. In one world it happened, in another it didn't."

Himeno chuckled, "Trust Ryota to turn a weird situation into a philosophical debate. But hey, Denji, look on the bright side. In one of those universes, you got lucky."

Denji sighed, "It's my luck it turned out to be the universe where I'm still... in waiting."

Ryota laughed, clapping Denji on the back, "Don't worry, your time will come. But maybe next time, without my... interference."

Denji smirked, a devious idea forming in his mind. "Hey, Ryota," he began in a teasing tone, "Since you're so skilled with illusions and all, how about you give me an... interesting experience?"

Ryota raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"How about," Denji paused for dramatic effect, "You turn yourself into a girl and we... you know, see how that goes?" He winked exaggeratedly.

Ryota blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing. "You're... you're serious?"

Denji's smirk widened. "Think of it as compensation for your little prank. It's only fair, right?"

Ryota considered for a moment, a playful glint in his eye. "While I do enjoy messing with your head... That's quite the ask, Denji."

Denji leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Come on, it'll be fun! Plus, it's not like it's real, right? Just an illusion."

Ryota sighed, pondering the idea. "I suppose... But remember, it's all make-believe."

Denji clapped his hands excitedly. "Deal! But, you better make it convincing."

Ryota chuckled with sadistic tone. "Oh, trust me, if I'm going to do this, I'm going all out. Prepare to be dazzled."

Before the duo could proceed with their wild plan, a stern voice cut through their playful banter.

"Denji! Ryota!" Himeno's voice echoed with authority. The two turned to find her standing with crossed arms, a stern expression painted on her face.

"What the hell are you two plotting now?" She demanded, eyeing them both suspiciously.

Denji, never one to keep a poker face, immediately blushed, "Uh, we were just joking around, Himeno. Nothing serious."

Ryota nodded, trying to play it cool. "Exactly, just some light-hearted banter."

Himeno raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced. "Really? Because it sounded like you were about to dive into another one of your bizarre illusions, Ryota."

Ryota sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Alright, you got us. But it was all in good fun!"

Himeno shook her head, her stern expression softening slightly. "You two... Honestly, I can't leave you alone for five minutes." She walked over, poking Denji in the chest. "And you! Try not to get too carried away with these... fantasies of yours."

Denji grinned sheepishly, "Got it."

Ryota chuckled, "Guess we've been caught, eh?"

Himeno sighed, "Just... try to stay out of trouble. And no more weird illusions in public places, okay?"

Ryota saluted jokingly, "Promise!"

Denji nodded, trying to hold back his laughter. "Yeah, yeah, we'll behave."

Himeno rolled her eyes but couldn't help a small smile. "I'll believe it when I see it."

Aki, having overheard a portion of the conversation, shook his head in disbelief. "Every time I think you've hit the peak of your insanity, Denji, you prove me wrong."

Power, on the other hand, tilted her head with a mix of amusement and confusion. "Humans are so strange. Why would Denji want to do that with a genderbent Ryota? Does this increase your power, Denji?"

Denji, now even more embarrassed, stammered, "I-it was just a joke, Power. Don't think too much into it."

Power squinted, her crimson eyes gazing at Denji with playful skepticism. "Hmmm. I don't quite get it, but okay."

Aki sighed, rubbing his temples. "Honestly, I don't even want to know. But try to keep your... creative ideas to yourself, okay? We have enough problems without adding to the list."

Ryota chuckled, enjoying the chaos he'd indirectly contributed to. "Don't worry, Aki. I promise to use my powers responsibly."

Aki gave him a dubious look. "Just make sure Denji doesn't drag you into any more of his bizarre ideas."

Power giggled, patting Denji on the head. "Denji is just unique, that's all. Not everyone can understand."

Denji pouted, "Hey! I'm right here, you know!"

The group shared a laugh, shaking their heads at the absurdity of it all.