#at least niragi won't get cold

[thecheshireprincess]

The Game Itself

Chapter II: Six of Diamonds, AKA Why We Don't Play Games Together

A Chishiya x Childhood Best Friend Reader (Niragi's sister!) AU Series

Content Warning: Canon-typical violence, minor character deaths, killing, mentions of blood and vomit, curse words

Edited 5/9/2025 with some language/stylistic changes

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You were right, it is a game.

Well at least, you're being directed to one. A game inside a game, even more brilliant. It's obvious that you weren't intended to have a choice in the matter, the entirety of Tokyo's city center being completely dark except for the bright white light of the sign. It seemed too cheerful, in a way. Inviting, yet foreboding. You aren't a fan, but what choice do you have?

You walk, bewildered, in step with Chishiya holding onto his right hand with both of yours, following the direction of the sign. Players This Way. Is that what you are now? Or is that what you've always been, always would be anyway? You can't believe this is Tokyo; you've lived here all your life and honestly never thought you'd see it so empty and dark. Creepy.

You cling to the blonde like he's your lifeline, briefly wondering where your conversation had been headed before your entire world shifted - were you entering new territory with your friend? Do you want to? Yes. But it doesn't really matter right now. No, right now you need to find out the rules of this place. You need to find a way to win - for Chishiya, for Niragi.

Niragi. Your mind shifts again, back to the conversation you'd had with your brother yesterday, "There is nowhere you can be taken that I won't find you, I promise." You scoff, wondering how he could hold up a promise like that when something so crazy, so sinister has happened to you in the blink of an eye.

There's a very real possibility that he might not even be here with you . . . you weren't yet sure if you hoped he was or if you hoped he wasn't. Chishiya abruptly stops walking in the middle of the street and you stumble back, dropping his hand in the process. "Why'd you stop?!" you exclaim in alarm, side-eyeing him incredulously.

He shushes you to explain himself, "Looks like we've finally found some other people." You follow the direction of his gaze, finding yourself faced with what was once a very popular ramen shop. The building itself was unassuming, with one floor to ceiling window looking into the lobby on either side of the large, ornately carved oak doors. It was through them that you saw a group of people gathered.

Encountering others in this place didn't bring you the sense of relief you thought it would. No, instead you feel your throat constrict slightly, the sign blinking outside the door drawing your attention. So you probably wouldn't be getting any ramen, then.

[Game Arena - 10:00 Minutes Until Registration Closes]

[Players Required: 10]

"Are we really expected to commit to playing a game we don't even know the rules to?" You scoff, crossing your arms over your chest in defiance. "What happens if we win?" What happens if we lose?

"Only one way to find out" Chishiya responds in a cool and definitive tone, covering his head with the hood of his white sweatshirt as he takes a step closer to the restaurant. Cold as ice, your friend. As long as you've known him, he's been able to turn off his emotions at the drop of a hat. Not that he has many to begin with, you tell yourself snarkily. Not a robot, indeed.

The man turns to look into your eyes one last time, gently gripping your forearm and pulling you close, "We don't know what we're up against, Koko. I need you to be as emotionless and observant as possible," he says in a softened tone, the one reserved just for you. If you hadn't known him your whole life, his sudden change in demeanor would probably have given you whiplash. But no, that was just Chishiya. "You want to win, right?" he asks conspiratorially, knowing exactly what he was doing with you.

Of course you do. Of course you will. You nod your agreement silently, steeling your face and making an attempt to lock your emotions away. Chishiya was right, you don't know what kind of game you're playing, what the stakes are. Giving away too much information could be your downfall. Chishiya pulls your hood up over your head too, and you almost want to smile.

You've started playing a game of your own.

A curious sound fills your ears as the heavy doors to the restaurant are pulled open without hesitation, a feeling of dread blooming in the pit of your stomach. There's no turning back now. A table rests off to the side with several cellphones laying on it; that catches your attention. Your cellphone hadn't worked since the life had been sucked out of Tokyo, but these ones do?

[One per player] The sign indicates.

Your eyes scrutinizingly flick over the people already waiting in the lobby; an old lady with cherry red lips and a piercing gaze, a tired looking man with glasses staring down at grease stained hands, a man with wild hair, and a dirty looking man with a ponytail and bulbous nose - he gave you the chills. Your attention is pulled to another figure lurking in the shadows, a stocky middle-aged man staring straight through you. Your eyes narrow at him as you determine that his confidence is high, that he is very much not afraid of what was happening to Tokyo. Whatever the game is, you hoped you'd get to play against him. He needed to be knocked down a peg.

The corners of your lips tilt just a tiny bit, feeling kind of excited - you love winning games. Once your brief surveillance of the room is complete, you turn to reach for one of the remaining phones. The screen lights up immediately -

[Identity Verification in Progress . . .]

After a second or two it confirms your name, causing your eyebrows to raise slightly in surprise. Chishiya exchanges a weary glance with you, but ultimately shrug it off. Niragi had always told you that technology was too smart for its own good and to be cautious how you used it. You softly roll your eyes while replaying that particular conversation in your mind - the irony of your software engineer brother speaking so conspiratorially about technology not escaping you. You're torn from your thoughts by a cheerful robotic voice and a bright ding.

[Registration Closes in 5:00 Minutes]

You take your phone and move to the side of the table, sitting down cross legged on the floor opposite of where the others are already waiting. Chishiya places himself directly behind you, leaning up non-chalantly against the wall. Protective.

The heavy door is thrown open, a pretty dark-haired teenage girl walking through. She is escorted by an older guy, likely in his late 20s, with his hand held on the back of her neck. You give them both a once over, curiously wondering about their dynamic. Curiosity killed the cat. You don't know their situation, so you avert your eyes quickly.

The couple completes their registration process and finds the darkened corner opposite of the cocky man you couldn't wait to take down. You admit to yourself that girl looks scared, though not of the man. You find some relief in that. He too, has a concerned look in his eyes but he is doing a better job at hiding his fear. You decide they must be first time players too.

After waiting in silence few more minutes, the door opens one last time, a pre-teen boy walking in. His skin is tanned and he looks muscular, definitely putting on a brave face. You're impressed by him. As he approaches the table, you see his eyes more clearly. Confusion. Fear. Insecurity. He takes the final phone on the table, walking over to the larger group of people waiting still by the window.

"C-can someone tell me what's going on? I was walking home from baseball practice and now suddenly I'm here . . ." he explains, trembling. Not a single person makes a move to answer his question or even acknowledge his presence. You feel kind of sad for him, knowing there is no way you would have gotten even this far at his age.

But you could feel Chishiya's eyes on the back of your head, willing you - imploring you - to keep you mouth shut. You dropped your gaze to stare instead at a dirty spot on the marbled floor in front of you. You had no idea what was going on either, so even if you wanted to help - did you? - you couldn't.

[Registration is now closed] The too damn happy robot informed you.

[Difficulty: 6 of Diamonds] Your left eyebrow involuntarily raises, a code for difficulty level? Huh. You were pretty quick on the uptake, a 6 out of 10 probably indicated the game was a little bit on the harder side, above average. You weren't sure what the diamond could mean, but you just shrug. It doesn't matter, you just have to win.

[Game: Blackjack] If it weren't for the tension seeping through the lobby like a dense fog, you would have whooped and hollered with joy. You were a Blackjack QUEEN, having beaten Chishiya, Niragi, and anyone else who dared to challenge you a ridiculous number of times over the years. Your heart is thrumming in your chest now. This will be easy.

[Time Limit: 1 Hour]

The robotic voice goes on to describe the basic rules, which of course you already know. From your place on the floor, you begin to study your surroundings again, eyes catching on the tiny sliver of the dining room that you can see from where you're sitting. You can't see much, but you do see something. Your blood goes cold and your mouth feels dry.

You understand what the stakes are now.

You blink rapidly, willing the dangling rope with a loop on the end to disappear, an illusion. No, it's there. And if your hunch was correct, there were nine more of them, just like that - one for each of you. You turn to see if Chishiya has noticed, but find his chestnut eyes locked in a staring contest with the slimy looking guy across from him. You briefly wonder if you'd have to break up a fight between them. Maybe they just liked each other's hair.

[Please divide into two teams of five]

Your ears perk up at the word 'teams'. Deliberately misleading then? You watch as the teenage girl and older man clasp their hands together as if to say "we're a package deal". Your eyes widen a little bit, thinking of what was awaiting you in the dining room. Your gut told you it was not a good idea to play with someone you cared about.

Because Blackjack is not a team game.

Chishiya reaches down to pull you up by your hood, like a mother cat carrying her kitten. You quickly turn around to face him, clutch the front of his sweatshirt and whisper, "we need to play on opposite teams. I'm not sure what will happen if we play together but I don't want to find out."

Your friend raises his eyebrow in slight confusion, but he can feel your hands shaking so he just nods. He grabs your hand and squeezes three times before letting go and turning you away from him. "It's just that I've beaten you so many times before, I really should give you a chance" you say loudly, laughing. With that, you walk toward the cocky guy and the couple who had already banded together.

And so it was you, the strange couple, the over-confident man who was about to get his butt kicked by you, and the pre-teen boy. Chishiya would play against the people who had been waiting against the window in the lobby when you arrived. Honestly, you wished them luck - your friend had no qualms about cheating in this game to win. This thought made you smile affectionately, Chishiya is the worst. Best.

As you round the corner into the dining room, the rest of the players get their first glimpse of what you had seen briefly from the lobby. Two round tables, five seats around each. Stacks of playing cards and chips were neatly placed in the middle. The ten nooses hanging mockingly from the ceiling were certainly the show stopper, though. Every single person in the room was transfixed by that detail, as if hypnotized by the way they swing slightly.

You notice something else as you approach the table to choose a seat; in front of each chair, nestled in a case of glass is a pistol. One for each of you. Your brow furrows, what kind of twist would this provide to the game?

[Please choose a seat] Bossy.

Everyone silently did as they were told, though most hesitated on placing their heads through the loop. You did so immediately, knowing it was inevitable. The knot tightened automatically to where it was digging into your neck; you felt the tightness in your chest begin to build in panic. Your eyes instinctively flicked over to find Chishiya, begging with your eyes for comfort. You found him looking back with the most serene expression, encouraging you to stay calm. To win.

[Special Rules: if a player is caught cheating, the other players at the table can exact judgement on them using their pistol. The cheating player will be dealt a Game Over. Each player may exact judgement only one time] Your eyes widen, glancing at the people around you. "They want us to shoot each other?!" the pre-teen boy wails, tears filling his eyes, "I don't wanna play." You feel your heart cracking for him, but stay quiet. Emotionless.

The cocky man shushes him rudely, about to say something more when the robot thankfully cuts him off.

[Rules for Individual Game Over: A player's chip count reaches 0, a player attempts to leave their seat or is incorrectly restrained, a player illegally transfers their chips or attempts to steal. All players will be given a Game Over if more than one player remains at each table after the hour is up]

[Rules for Game Clear: Be the last surviving player at your table]

Yep. There it is. Only two people were going to make it out of this room, one per table. You feel Chishiya's gaze on you again, glancing up wearily to find his eyes. After years of friendship, you know exactly what he's trying to say to you, words that would probably never leave his mouth, but that he meant with his whole heart:

I am so grateful you are not sitting next to me.

Because the thing is - you don't think you mind sacrificing the four people around you so that you can stay alive. You would not, however, hesitate to give your life so Chishiya could survive. Thank goodness you don't have to make that choice today.

♤ ♡ ◇ ♧

The rope pulls taut, yanking the teenage girl out of her seat with force and a sickening crack that causes your entire body to flinch in protest. The youngest two of your group were now down, there were two more players to go.

The older man that entered the venue with the girl that was now hanging lifelessly beside you has dissolved into hysterical tears. You tilt your head looking at him in shock - he had seemed so tough, so composed. You did not expect this reaction from him, especially in the middle of a game of life or death.

Though no one dared to ask, he explained through his tears, "she was my little sister. I promised my mom I would take care of her and I failed." You were now gaping at him, he was to that girl what your brother was to you, and you feel a wave of nausea hit you like a bus.

The poor man is barely breathing now, struggling in his seat and attempting to get the noose off. He screams at no one in particular to be let out, standing from his seat and continuing to tear at the rope around his neck. Your heart sinks, knowing what's coming next.

A player that attempts to leave their seat or is incorrectly restrained will be dealt a Game Over.

A red laser shoots down from the ceiling, striking the man through the forehead and killing him instantly. His body flops forward onto the table, blood pouring onto the table, spreading to soak your chips and the cards in front of you. His little sister died in this game, and he allowed himself to be killed because of it.

You had been unsure before, but you are absolutely certain now - you hoped Niragi was not in this world. You did not want to know what a place like this would do to someone like him. What seeing you, his little sister, in this world would do to him. No, he simply could not be here.

"Well, well. It's finally just you and I, sweetheart," the mockingly sweet voice of the man you swore to take down filled the tense silence. "Awww, poor thing. You must be so scared after all that violence," he cooed, noticing that there were tears soaking your face. You hadn't even known you'd started crying.

"You're too soft for this world, sweetheart. Even if you extend your Visa here, it won't be long before you're dead," his raspy voice continued talking, though you hadn't even given an indication that you were listening.

You finally do look up, meeting his glittering gaze. He was having fun here, the thought made you sick. Honestly, you were grateful that you and Chishiya had had your dinner interrupted because you would have thrown up by now if there was anything significant in your stomach.

"Extend my visa?" You ask feigning confidence, "what are you talking about?" The man laughs at your question. Luckily he seemed like a know-it-all so he'd probably actually tell you, if only to rub it in your face that he knew.

"What do you think you're playing for here, honey? Think of the games like your job, and the currency you're paid in is time," he barks out another annoying laugh that makes your ears want to bleed. "No one that I've met so far knows why we're here, we just all know that we wanna keep living! Wanna keep living? Gotta keep winning."

Winning. That word is music to your ears, you can do that. You are good at that. You draw in a deep breath, "Okay, tough guy. Let's see who wants to live more, then. It's your turn to deal," you say sharply, a newfound confidence in your demeanor.

You'd been counting the cards for a while. You knew that there was a high probability of getting dealt a face card and an ace at this point in the deck, which was truly a miracle - Blackjack. If you went all in on your bet now, you could end this game and get the hell out of here. Even if you weren't dealt a Blackjack, you still felt confident you could beat the dealer in this turn without going bust. The statistics don't lie, they never do. Most of the face cards should now be at the top of the deck, along with one final ace. One ace was played early in the game, the other two were played very recently, one of them involved in the death of the teenage girl.

You take a deep breath and push all of your chips into the center of the table. You were going all in, you wanted out of this chair and away from this lunatic. The man laughs, "you must be either stupid or completely insane."

"Could be both," you shrug, gesturing nonchalantly for him to deal the cards.

It's time to win this.

He places your first card in front of you, the Queen of Hearts. You smile sweetly, knowing that all was going according to plan. He takes his hole card quickly, almost catching your attention with an interesting motion. He slowly turns over your second card - it was the Ace of Spades you were looking for. You grinned triumphantly now, "Blackjack." The man's face didn't falter for a moment, creepily smiling back at you. He dealt his face up card - the King of Spades.

You waited, a little impatiently for him to reveal his hole card. You had WON, there is no way for him to have the ace he needs to counter your Blackjack.

The man just kept on smiling his crooked smile at you, showing you the card - Ace of Hearts.

You didn't even try to hold back your surprise, gasping as he placed it down on the table beside his other card. That card had just been played, it was at the bottom of the deck. "You cheated!" you accuse, "There is no other way that card came back up from the bottom of the deck!"

The man's smile turns into something of a grimace, showing all of his teeth menacingly, "what are you going to do about it, sweetheart? If you want to exact judgement, you'll have to shoot me."

You felt sick again, he was right. You'd never shot a gun before. Were you even capable of it? Killing another person. You finally flick your eyes over to the other table, you had purposely ignored them throughout the game to maintain focus. Mercifully, Chishiya was still sitting there, now with just the old lady left. He looks at you, and you know that he knows what you're asking. His lips flatten into a line, with one short nod in your direction.

It's this man's life or yours.

You smash the button to release the pistol in front of you. You pull it wearily into your hands and are shocked at how heavy it is. With your hands trembling, your heart racing so fast you think it might explode, you draw it up to aim at the man. His eyes widen slightly, but even so he almost laughs.

"You've managed to surprise me, little thing. Good luck. It's been a pleasure playing with you tonight." You pull the trigger before you lose what little nerve you have and the man drops dead beside you. Blood spatters onto your face and clothes from your close proximity, and you feel the world spinning. You are definitely going to be sick now. Your phone interrupts you:

[Game Clear, Congratulations]

[Six days have been added to your visa]

The rope looped around your neck loosened and you were able to stand up on shaky legs. You moved as quickly as you could to get out of the room that was filled with carnage, air thick with the scent of blood. You made it to the corner of the lobby before you collapsed to your knees, wretching up stomach acid and bile. Tears pricked in your eyes as you continued to gag and sputter. Wrapping your arms around yourself, you waited.

It was only a few minutes before Chishiya joined you, rubbing your back and pulling your hair out of your face. When you were able to get control of your body, he silently pulls you up to standing. Shakily, you stuff your bloodied hands in your jacket pockets, no longer wanting to look at them, at what they'd done.

As you walk through the lobby, you notice a single playing card sitting on the table that had previously housed the phones - Six of Diamonds. You exchange a weary glance with Chishiya, but ultimately pocket the card and don't say anything. There's nothing to say.

As you escape the ramen restaurant that you never ever want to see again, into the cool Tokyo air, you DO find something worthy of speaking out loud "we are never playing a game together again."

♤ ♡ ◇ ♧

The two of you trudge through the darkened hallway of your apartment complex. It was pretty creepy and kind of sad. You almost wished to see Himari, or one of her cats that would snuggle with you. Your body is exhausted from everything you've been through today, and now you're out of breath from climbing the stairs. You'd like to curse your brother out for choosing this stupid high rise.

You and Chishiya had decided on staying here for the night, as his home was significantly further from the city center than yours. You'd also thought it was a good idea to check if Niragi was waiting for you here. Remembering back to the game, though, you really hoped he wasn't.

You unlock the door and step inside, noting dejectedly that it didn't really feel like home anymore. Even though it had only been hours since you were last here, it didn't smell or feel the same as it usually did. You could tell your brother wasn't here, but called out for him anyway. You sigh tiredly and flop onto the couch, not exactly caring if you got blood and sweat on it. Having not received a response from Niragi, you knew there would be no repercussions. You close your eyes to rest, instead seeing visions of the teenage girl and her older brother dancing across your mind. You groan, pitifully.

Chishiya joins you a few minutes later, carrying some lit candles for light and a tray with some packages of snacks. Your stomach grumbles loudly, causing both of you to laugh. He hands you a bottle of water and you take it gratefully, chugging it down.

"I don't know how this is possible, but all the fresh food has already gone bad," he informs you, speaking for the first time since the game. "I had hoped to feed you something more substantial since you got sick, but you're just going to have to settle for cheesy puffs and cookies for dinner." He settles down on the floor in front of the couch, setting the tray with the snacks and candles in front of him.

You smirk at your friend teasingly, sliding to the floor to join him. "I won't lie I feel a little ripped off right now. Not only did I uphold my end of the bargain by finishing my homework, I ALSO saved our lives by making sure we wouldn't play at the same Blackjack table. I didn't even get my dinner I was promised."

The candlelight bounces softly on Chishiya's face, illuminating his signature Cheshire grin, "I'll make sure you get your reward. But for now, cheesy puffs." You rolled your eyes, but couldn't help the smile that crept up on your face anyway, snagging the bag of cheddar treats from his outstretched hand.

You shared the information the cocky man had given you earlier about the Visa system while you ate. It wasn't much, but it was a place to start you guessed. You still had more questions than answers. Where were you? How did you get here? How long are you going to be stuck here? Is your brother here? You didn't know how you'd even begin to find the answers to these questions.

But as you sit eating snacks on the floor of your living room with your best friend, you figured there was no rush. You did have six more days on your Visa, after all. After you'd had as much junk food as your system could possibly handle, you sigh and drop your head to Chishiya's shoulder, tired. He looks down to study you for a moment, before wrapping his right arm around you and pulling your head to lay on his chest. He runs his fingers through your hair, trying to coax you to sleep against him. The last thought that ran through your mind as you gave in to sleep repeated over and over like a mantra:

We're going to win this game, together.

♤ ♡ ◇ ♧

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The Game Itself Masterlist

[kinkyniragi]

Until the debt is paid – Chapter 4: Guidance

Pairing: Thomas Shelby x Reader

Genre: Smut 18+

Word count: 1,6k

Summary: As payment for your father’s debt, you’ve been handed over to Thomas Shelby—a ruthless criminal with a reputation as dangerous as his smirk. It’s getting dangerous for you—food and water are running low. Your attempt to coax some mercy out of Tommy comes at a cost…

CN: Power play, degradation, humiliation. Please note that this is all just fantasy. Things that happen in my stories should always be consensual. Take care.

Author’s note: After writing a lot of smut for Niragi from Alice in Borderland, I’m now diving into the world of Cillian Murphy. Feel free to leave comments and share my story if you enjoy it—I truly appreciate every bit of motivation to keep writing. Also, I’m not a native speaker, so if you spot any creative grammar choices…call them artistic liberties, ok?

***

<<Chapter 3

The second night in the stable is worse than the first. No surprise there. The cold has seeped into your bones, straw clings to your skin, and your stomach aches with hunger. You try to ignore the dull, persistent thirst scratching at your throat, but it’s no use. Your body betrays you with its needs, making it impossible to maintain even a shred of dignity.

You need water. Food. A chance to wash the filth from your skin.

But more than that, you need answers.

So, when the heavy barn doors groan open in the - you assume - early morning hours, and he steps inside, your pulse kicks up—fear and something else twisting in your stomach like a vice.

Thomas Shelby stands there, silhouetted against the dim lantern light, his ice-blue eyes scanning you with something in them that is neither amusement nor pity. Just quiet, calculating interest. The kind of attitude that strips away pretense, that pins you in place without even trying.

You push yourself up from the pile of hay, ignoring the way your body protests. You don’t want to look weak. Not in front of him.

"What about my father? I am sure he must have paid off his debts by now.” The words leave your lips before you can second-guess them.

The look on his face makes you realize that it was a mistake to have asked at all, though it’s crystl clear that this is all that counts for you right now.

"That’s a dangerous question, love."

A slow inhale, smoke curling from the cigarette between his fingers.

"He has time."

A pause.

"Let’s hope he uses it wisely," but there’s not a trace of real hope in his voice—if anything, quite the opposite.

A sick feeling settles in your stomach. Your mind screams at you to back down, to accept the non-answer, but you can't. You won’t.

"What does that mean?" You look at him with wide eyes, struggling to keep your dismay from showing.

His response is a quiet chuckle, one that carries no warmth. "When you plan something well, there’s no need to rush, you know?”

You hate the way he speaks in riddles and yet seems to reveal so much that he fuels your worries. So much on point that it hurts. A dangerous question, you almost get angry that you fell for it. No, at least you won't play this game anymore. But what's the alternative? Maybe he'll give out information if you try a different approach—less...directly.

„Look at you.“ His voice is smooth, the mockery laced with something almost gentle—almost. „Filthy. Desperate. Poor thing, eh.“

A pause. Then softer, yet audibly crueler: "It’s a shame, really. You could be something else entirely, under the right… circumstances." Even though his attempts to degrade you are so obvious, they still hurt you. Is he also alluding to your father's complicated role in Birmingham's gang activities? You couldn’t tell.

"You’re right. That’s why I can’t stay out here forever," you grasp at the only solid piece in the wreckage of his humiliation, ignoring the true intention. Your voice is steady, though it takes effort. "I need something to drink. Food. To clean myself up. Thomas, you know it," you try to appeal to his compassion even though you know it’s hopeless.

He takes a slow step forward, the floorboards creaking beneath his boots.

"Need," he repeats, savoring the word. "You do like making demands, eh?"

Your jaw clenches. This is fucking victim blaming. You won’t beg. You won’t—

His head tilts, as if considering. " And what makes you think that I will comply with your impudent demands?”

You swallow hard.

You won’t beg Thomas fucking Shelby.

But the thought of another cold night in this shed, weak and filthy, is worse than whatever game he’s playing—At least that is your assumption at this moment.

"Because I can’t be of any use to you if I starve," you say, lifting your chin. "You’re keeping me for a reason, aren’t you?"

Something flickers in his expression—approval, maybe. Amusement. Something darker.

"Clever girl."

He steps closer, his boots nearly brushing against your bare toes. You should step back, but there’s nowhere to go. For a moment, he simply looks at you, dragging his gaze over you like he's peeling away layers, stripping you down past skin and bone more effectively than hands ever could. You feel it, the way he takes his time, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make you squirm. The grime on your skin should be a shield, a layer between you and him, but under his eyes, it feels like an open wound.

You hate the way it unsettles you, how it coils something hot and unwanted in your core. He is everything you should despise, a man who holds power over you and enjoys it far too much. And yet, the slow drag of his eyes over your body sends a pulse of something dark and traitorous through you that you can hardly deny.

You force yourself to hold his stare, to ignore the heat creeping up your neck.

He can’t know.

He can’t see.

And yet, the slight curve of his lips suggests that he already does.

Then, with deliberate ease, he flicks his cigarette to the ground, crushing it beneath his boot.

"Fine," he eventually gives in, almost bored. "You can come inside."

Relief flutters in your chest, but it’s short-lived.

„If you ask nicely.“ He raises his head.

Self-assured.

Dominant.

Watching your struggle. His attitude carries something disgustingly arrogant in it, as if your resistance is just a minor inconvenience rather than a real obstacle.

You hate it.

„On your knees would be a start,” he says, his words cold and devoid of emotion. His face remains an impassable mask, offering no hint of what he thinks or feels, just the same unreadable expression that never betrays a thing.

Your body stiffens. You lift your chin, refusing to break under his unflinching stare.“

On your knees? Over your dead body.

Slowly, resolutely, you take a step toward him. Not submissively—never that—but with a quiet, simmering resistance. Your heart pounds, the scent of whiskey and smoke fills your nose. You meet his gaze head-on, daring him to push further.

„Not happening,“ you bite out.

Something dark flickers in his eyes, and his smirk spreads— disturbingly relaxed, knowing, pleased.

„Oh, I do appreciate watching you fight, love.“

He gives an affected sigh, the kind a teacher might give when a particularly slow student just can't grasp the lesson. „You know what,” he continues. “Women usually beg me for a place in my house. You, however… You’re just lucky I enjoy watching you act coy, knowing full well that you're going to do it anyway.”

You hesitate, heat rising in your cheeks. His eyes gleam with a dark kind of arousal, waiting. Expecting.

"I won’t kneel for you."

"No?" He snorts contemptuously and pulls a metal bottle out of the pocket of his coat, unscrewing the lid with one flick of his thumb.

Water. Your throat tightens at the sight.

His lips curl, as if enjoying your desparation. " You must be very thirsty, eh? Go on, love. Show some manners if you want me to share some drops with you!"

He swirls the liquid, letting it slosh against the metal walls of the bottle. "Shame. And here I thought you might be a fast learner."

Your pride wars with the raw, aching thirst in your body. You refuse to look at the water, but he notices anyway.

Of course, he does.

"Go on," he coaxes, voice deceptively smooth. "Ask nicely, and I’ll let you have some."

You swallow hard. Every second stretches, thick with tension. The stable is silent except for your breathing, the distant creak of wood shifting in the cold.

And then—slowly—you sink to your knees.

A victorious hum rumbles in his throat. He takes a sip from the bottle, then crouches before you, fingers tilting your chin up.

"Open."

The command is soft, but absolute.

Your lips part, shame burning through you as he leans in. He takes another sip, then—deliberate, taunting—he presses his fingers to your jaw, prying your mouth open further.

And then, he slowly lets the water spill from his mouth into yours.

It’s warm, laced with the taste of whiskey and something else, something distinctly him. You swallow instinctively, the relief of the water mingling with humiliation, fury, something you can’t quite name.

When he finally pulls away, his thumb brushes over your lower lip, catching the last drop of water before smirking.

"See?" he murmurs, savoring your reaction. "You just needed a little guidance."

His fingers lift, just barely brushing against your jaw. The touch is light—mocking in its gentleness. "Now, you’ll say ‘thank you’ like a good girl," he says in a stern tone. "And you’ll mean it."

Your hands curl into fists, but you force the words out between clenched teeth. The words catch in your throat, pride and desperation warring inside you.

The ‘thank you’ barely makes it past your lips, agonized and brittle.

A small, satisfied smile tugs at his lips.

"Very well. Peter will take you into the house right away and provide you with everything you need."

He turns, already walking away, but tosses one last remark over his shoulder. "I don't want to hear any complaints from him, got it? If I hear a single word of whining, I’ll make sure you regret it."

The stable door closes behind him.

Peter.

That disgusting man who ate bread in front of you while you starved.

And just like that, you realize—you may be stepping out of the shed, but you’re walking straight into the lion’s den.

Chapter 5>>

[life-is-more-than-just-a-game]

♠️ Being found in the Borderlands all by your own. ♠️

Summary: You have already been in the Borderlands for a few days and are familiar with the essential components. After a game, you've lost everyone you had a good bond with. You are the only one who was able to survive. Physically and mentally injured, you sit on the side of the road in the middle of the destroyed and desolate Shibuya district. Ready to drop everything - ready to give up - you'll be found by new players who may or may not have the willingness to help you back up when you've fallen so far.

Characters: Arisu, Chishiya & Niragi.

POV: gn!reader

Warnings: Threats, Weapon (Gun)

A r i s u

The sight of you reminds him a little of himself. He knows the look on your face when you stare in the middle of the void and don't make any effort to move from the spot, even though you know exactly how dangerous it is to just stay in one place and do nothing. When Arisu finds you, he immediately knows what's going on inside you, which is why he's already determined to help you in some way. The problem is that he doesn't know how to help you, considering he doesn't even know how to help himself.

And yet he dares to come to you after a moment's hesitation. Slowly, so you don't think he's trying to hurt you, but… even that wouldn't matter to you at that moment.

At least you don't even dare to look at him. You could say that your self-protection mechanism has left you completely. You're not afraid. No grief. Just… well, what do you feel? Nothing. Actually, it's just an oppressive void.

"I like to be part of someone else's suffering."

With these words, Arisu manages to draw your attention to him. He may get a confused, almost bewildered look from you, but it's worth it to him right now.

"All right, you don't have to say anything. Let's just… let's just sit here together for a little while and look into the distance. And if you need someone to talk to, then ... I'll be here."

What a strange guy, you think.

Still ... it's quite nice gesture, of course.

C h i s h i y a

Just on the way to the next game, Chishiya meets you. He actually had better things to do than take care of you, which is why he didn't want to pay attention to you at all, but he finds it strange that you don't respond to anything.

He's just a few feet in front of you and you're looking right at him. His gaze is focused on you, you don't react. He speaks to you with a "Hard Game Finished?" but you sit silently on your spot and don't even make the slightest attempt to give him an answer. Nonsense. Apparently, you didn't even hear him. What if he waves? You're still not moving.

That eventually makes him come over to you, just to see if you're at least reacting to it. It's sad to say nothing's happening here either. Only when he squats in front of you and looks straight into your eyes, do you at least give the reaction of you to move your eyes so that you don't look straight into his. Eye contact has never been your strength.

"Pale. Slight tremor. Indifference."

He doesn't care if you listen to him at all, but the fact is, he's going to have to give up the upcoming game after all.

"A slight shock, it looks like."

Without thinking about it, he sits down on the stony, cold floor, inspecting the wound in your face while keeping a healthy distance from you.

"I can stitch the wound when you come back to reality."

Why is he even telling you this? He'll have to start smiling about it himself. There won't be any feedback from you either way.

"It's okay", he says, "I have time."

N i r a g i

Most people who know him know how impulsive and violent Niragi can be, but as far as you're concerned, you have absolutely no clue. You didn't even mean for him to trip over your legs. You just sit on the floor and try to deal with the straightforward experience somehow. Forget the pictures of your comrades being brutally murdered. But now you are being prevented from doing so by being all the time riddled with a psycho, one might say, whom you have never even seen before in your life.

Normally, you'd apologize for what happened. I don't care if it was really your fault or not. As long as they leave you alone and go back on their way. And if there weren't any excuses, you'd at least take your legs and just walk away to get out of the situation.

Today, however, it is different. You let the curse and the provocation come upon you. Insults pass you by and don't interest you in the slightest. This, however, makes everything feel even worse. Don't you always say you shouldn't get involved with people like that? That you should just ignore them because then they'd stop harassing you? After all, it should be boring to just give monologues at some point, right? Not with Niragi, who will eventually point his gun at you, threatening to kill you if you continue to ignore him.

"Do it," you whisper softly to yourself, which is more than just serious. "Kill me," you continue, "there's nothing keeping me here any more…"

That's where you finally turn to the unknown, whom you have taken out of concept with these words.

He lowers his gun slowly and only looks at you with irritation. Did you really just say that? Did you really just give him permission to kill you with his own hands? To shoot you down?

"Wow."

Even him makes this speechless.

"Looks like someone's already done with their life."

Without saying anything else, he looks down at you in disgust, holding the gun loosely with both of his hands again, before only a bored "Hm" comes over him.

"Freak", he says, leaving you alone from now on.

Luck in unhappiness, you think ...

[sharpsuite]

Send “NO” to pin my muse against the wall to PROTECT THEM / niragi to chishi ..

↳ REASONS TO PIN MY MUSE

↳ Send “NO” to pin my muse against the wall to PROTECT THEM

It's not OFTEN they end up in the same game, but tonight is one of those rare cases where it happens. Namely made clear by the fact Chishiya holds up his numbered group with a cheshire cat grin just to annoy Niragi. He's at least kind enough to NOT say anything in the car on the ride over. He tunes out the sounds of the other people talking and breaks from the group as soon as possible. Which is standard. He usually slips off on his own as soon as possible and disappears till near the end. UNFORTUNATELY, this game didn't really allow for it. Or rather, it did, but the stupidity of others had sabotaged it. He'd been just fine until some girl went running in his direction down one of the walkways, blindly screaming and sobbing and drawing attention. No moving when spotlights are on you.

. Physical activity was not his forte but the approaching danger is enough to get him bolting out of his spot like an animal driven out by a forest fire. He doesn't expect a hand to suddenly reach out from one of the other paths along the edge and grab him, yanking him in a new direction. If he FLINCHES, it's just from surprise. Certainly not because of the feeling of someone unknown touching him.

He knows better than to make a sound though. Even when his back hits the wall and there's a body keeping him pinned against it, he keeps his mouth shut. What almost breaks his silence is the moment he realizes just WHO is protecting him. There's NO universe in which Chishiya wouldn't recognize that shirt or rifle even before he sees the face. Why? Niragi could so easily use the game as an excuse to get rid of him. No one would likely question it that much. So why had - ? The thought is left UNFINISHED as he hears a sharp scream and the collapse of metal - and the telltale splashing of her and hungry crocodiles below. The suddenly silence is expected ; and he has NO SYMPATHY for her. Well, people always did say the waterway levels in games were the hardest and that's exactly what this felt like. Or so he's heard; he doesn't play video games.

The sound of blood rushing in his ears is deafening. Logically, he knows this will only last for only FIFTEEN seconds. It feels like eternity when he's got cold stone digging into his back and Niragi in front keeping them safe from spotlight and risk of being sent into the water below. He doesn't fight or try to escape Niragi's hold; contrarily, some of the tension before seemed to have left the moment he realized WHO it was. But it's weird to feel the warmth of someone else's touch, much less being fully pinned against a wall. If it weren't for the danger, he's sure it'd scatter his thoughts. Maybe it does because this doesn't make any sense. Chishiya HATES when he doesn't understand, when things don't make sense and his control over a situation feels shaky at best.

The immediate danger fades as the spotlights turn off, leaving only the background lights on again. His head falls forward, forehead briefly resting against Niragi's chest for a few seconds while he catches his breath and tries to make sure his legs won't give out the moment he moves. They feel like they might. He does not choose to think about his allowance of himself to do that or the warmth.

He knows what he should say. That doesn't make it any less difficult because he's CERTAIN it's going to go to Niragi's head. It's easier like this with his face hidden than looking at him though. "...Thanks. " He manages to push out the word, despite the displeasure that comes with acknowledging his momentary reliance on someone else and the loss of control that entails.

Now is no time to be pondering he Whys or details of the situation. He shoves that all away to be unpacked ( or ignored for as long as possible ) for some other time. There's a game and they've got ten minutes left. When his head lifts, its with his usual confident, cunning look and casual delivery of CRUCIAL information. " I've figured out which of the elevators is the one to get out. We just need to get to it. " His eyes flick towards the rifle and then to Niragi. " Do you still have ammo? There's no rule about not shooting the spotlights. " He knows the gun holds 30 bullets, but whose to say Niragi hadn't used a good number of them? Hopefully there's at least enough for this plan. He offers a more TYPICAL look of vague amusement despite the fact he's still pinned. " Who knew there would be a day I was GLAD you and your rifle were around? Makes this much easier. "

/ @crue11

[aceofspadegrass]

Hey, so…I’m…

🥺

👉👈

My pet isn’t feeling ok and has to go to the emergency vet early in the morning.

Could you maybe please draw or write something for me to look at? I’m probably not going to sleep too well and it sure would help if I wake up with worry 🥺

Cat Cuddle Party

Characters Niragi Suguru, Last Boss, Cabot, Chishiya Shuntaro

Genre: Fluff. It's a Cat Cuddle Party. :D

1k words

Have a little pet fic then! A little comfort in the form of cats. A lot of cats. I hope your pet will be alright. Give them space pats courtesy of me. :(

Niragi wakes up to the sound of something shuffling about in the darkness of his room with only the sunrise filtering through the window to grant him any form of vision, and something bumping against his leg right beneath the blanket that covered him. He grumbles, sliding his hand down to see if he could locate what was possibly nudging him. Skin meets fur, and a gentle nuzzle against his hand, Niragi yawning and shifting his body downwards to cup his hand around the body, carefully pulling them out into the open.

Cabot meows, and pads up to Niragi’s face, pawing at his cheek. Niragi didn’t have the time or the mental ability to react fast enough when Cabot decided his face was a great place to plop her body on top of, Niragi letting out a slight huff, pushing the cat off of his nose and mouth. She remains on his eyes on forehead, almost spilling over, but she purrs in content despite it all.

“ Good morning, Cabot. Why are you in here.” Cabot says nothing, continuing to purr in content. There was movement below Niragi, off to his left, Niragi focusing on it as the noise quiets before he feels a rather hefty weight suddenly plop onto his legs, Niragi tensing and nearly kicking it off if he didn’t recognize the soft yet absolutely hilarious noise of his own cat Catra alerting him to her presence.

“ Morning to you too, Catra.” Niragi mutters, cat on both his face and covering his legs. Catra was not that heavy, so Niragi could handle her making his legs her personal couch. He didn’t feel like getting up at the moment, and the warmth both cats were emitting were almost enough to make him fall back asleep.

Well, he almost did, if he didn’t hear the door to his room opening. Niragi sits up, Cabot flopping off like a pancake dropped off a table. Niragi quietly mutters an apology to her, Cabot meowing and getting comfortable back on top of Niragi, just now on his lap rather than his head. The black bean waffle in the room looks over at the door, and standing there was Last Boss, in complete silence, staring back at Niragi.

Niragi squints with one eye and lightly tilts his head, Last Boss slowly blinking and shutting the door behind him. “ You here for your cat?” Niragi lightly taps the top of Cabot’s head, Cabot taking it in stride as she was squished. Last Boss only shakes his head, coming closer to Niragi. Now that he was closer, Niragi notices the blanket he was dragging behind him, a simple black one. Niragi says nothing as he watches Last Boss shuffle into his room, past the edge of his bed, and over to the other side. His eyebrow raises as Last Boss simply stands there on the opposite side of his bed, staring directly at him without a single word uttered out of the chocolate swirl ice cream man.

“…. What the fuck do you want.”

No response. Last Boss stands there with blanket in hand, Cabot staring at her owner but not relenting her spot on Niragi, making biscuits on his leg. Niragi was slowly getting more and more confused on what the heck was even going on, but he wasn’t really caring at the moment, laying back down without care of a person in his room for reasons unknown to him. Well, reasons unknown until suddenly his bed dips, and Niragi turns his attention back to a now horizontal birch wood of a man on his bed, Last Boss facing the ceiling. Niragi isn’t actually sure if Last Boss blinked the entire time he’s been here, but then again he thought Last Boss always looked like he’s seen some shit at all hours of the day.

He might’ve. Niragi has no idea what Last Boss does when Niragi doesn’t hang out with him. Maybe he tries to win staring contests in his off time.

Back to now though. Niragi nudges Last Boss, and he looks at the humanoid coal man, Niragi staring at Last Boss with narrowed eyes.

“ The hell do you think you’re doing.”

“…. Laying down.” “ Well obviously, you fucking bar of soap. I’m asking why.”

Last Boss blinks slowly, then points past Niragi. “ He said it was a cat party in your room.” “ What-“ Niragi starts, but he is cut off then another weight plops onto his body, more so on his stomach than the legs where Catra remains, and it wasn’t Cabot either, who had hopped off to again lay closer to Niragi’s head. No, this one was heavier, and way longer, Niragi turning his head back to the front only to see Chishiya laying across him, torso to torso, his face planted into the crevice just between Niragi and Last Boss. “ Oi, what the hell are you doing here, you fuck?! How did you get in?!” Niragi demands, and Chishiya very slowly lifts his head up, and again lethargically turning his udon body so he could stare at Niragi with a blank smile.

“ Laying on you because it seems you make a good source of heat.” Chishiya tilts his head in the direction of Catra, then over in Cabot’s direction.

“ Get the hell out of my room!” Chishiya only hums, then resettles himself on top of Niragi comfortably, letting out a short sigh. Niragi couldn’t kick him away, as Catra had his legs locked down, and even a few pushes by his hands didn’t duo the trick either, Chishiya stubbornly laying on him like a poorly constructed two person Jenga.

Niragi huffs in mild annoyance, but the gentle purrs of Cabot and the odd noise from Catra calms him by a little, Niragi swinging an arm to cover his eyes.

“ Fine. Whatever. I’m going back to sleep, it’s only sunrise and I’m still too tired to deal with this.” The only response he gets is more purrs, a slight hum of acknowledgement, and what sounded like Last Boss lightly snoring from besides him.

A weird start to his day, really. But Niragi didn’t want to dwell on it right now. Later on he can get Chishiya back for whatever the heck this was. Last Boss too, just because Niragi was feeling like it. Right now? Cat cuddle party.

[devinescribe]

Loving You Is A Nightmare

Chapter 17 of '100 Promises'

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

So sorry about my absences guys :( life is crazy right now

The next morning, you woke up. Your bed was empty and you smiled. At least he had stayed until you fell asleep. You got out of bed with a yawn. You stretched out, heading to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

You brushed your teeth, fixed your hair, and smiled at your reflection.

You got your clothes out for the day, finally feeling a bit better.

Getting dressed and ready was something you hadn't done in so long. But it felt so nice.

Chishiya had made sure you took a shower the night prior, so it wasn't necessary to take another one this morning.

You grabbed your riffle, walking out of the room. It was still pretty early, and not many people were up. Good. It was quiet. You knew that at least three people were up for sure. Last Boss, Aguni, and Niragi. Chishiya was always hit or miss.

It was suply run day however, so you would think the militals were up.

They weren't. You walked into the meeting room with a smile. "Goodmorning," you chirped. "Well you're awfully chipper this morning aren't you?" Last Boss teased. You laughed, and shook your head. "I dunno. Guess I am. Feels good to feel good," you said. You looked around the room. Last Boss, Aguni, Niragi, and two other militals in the room. Everyone else was either sleeping or black out drunk. Maybe one or two drowned in the pool. You never knew with the people at the beach.

"If more people don't arrive soon, we'll just leave. It's pointless waiting around for things you know won't come," Aguni stated. "Looks like we'll have some people to punish. Isn't that right (N/N)?" Niragi snickered. How could he act like he'd even talked to you the past week? Was he just going to avoid the topic, hoping you'd forget? "Yeah, guess we will," you responded with a small laugh. You couldn't ignore him. You couldn't. Your body would be in physical pain if you did. 

Why were you so dependent on him?

A few other people showed up, so you all decided to go.

You woke up feeling warmth besides you. You opened your eyes to see it was Niragi. What happened the night prior came back to you, and you smiled. Going back to sleep had never been easier. He held you tighter, telling you he was awake. It was still dark outside, letting you know it had only been a few hours. You closed your eyes, letting yourself fall back asleep.

______________

Walking around the desolate Tokyo was fun. Last Boss and yourself raided book shops and found a candy store. "Do you think we'll get in trouble?" You asked, stuffing more stuff into your bag. "No. Why would we?" Last Boss said, watching you arrange things.

You shrugged, getting up from the floor, and slinging your bag over your shoulder.

You followed the tattooed man out of the store, the wind blowing slightly. The wind blew your hair out of your face, and you just noticed your ponytail wasn't in anymore. You turned around, looking for the culprit. You were paranoid about this kind of thing. Your hair was less grabbable when it was up. You took pride in your beautiful (curls/waves/braids/ whatever you want to say), but when you went out, you always had it up. Especially for supply runs. You never could leave it down.

When you turned around, you saw Niragi standing behind you. "Hello seems I've taken something of yours. Do you want it back?" He asked with a teasing smile.

What could you do to get out of such a frustrating situation?

...

"No, not really."

And you walked off with Last Boss.

___________

You hugged him tightly as the boys screamed profanities at both of you. Tears were being held back, threatening to fall., and the cold snow melting into your clothes. The wind seemed to bite into your skin, making you shiver. "Such a fucking dependant slut. Bet you've fucked him so many times that is the only reason he stays with you," one of them taunted.

That actually hurt.

What if he was telling the truth? You couldn't bring yourself to think that, especially of Niragi.

"That's not... It's not true," you stated, looking up at the boys surrounding you two. "I'm sorry that you've never had anyone who actually cares about you, but people stay with people outside of sexual things. Maybe all you've ever had are fake friends and pity fucks, but I am not going to let you push me around and call me those names," you said, getting angrier by the minute. You hated this. Why didn't you stand up for yourself more? "You bitch," one of them laughed menacingly. "You say bitch like its a bad thing," you said, standing up, pulling Niragi with you. "We are leaving, and if you follow us, just know that I know exactly how to bring you down."

That was all you said as you walked away with Niragi. The farther you got from that bridge, the less tense you felt.

He grabbed your hand and squeezed it tightly. "You were so badass back there," he muttered. The street back to your houses was incredibly empty. The snow crunched under your feet, and you sighed.

The quiet was undeniably somber. Like you two had just been to a funeral. "I'm heading to the treehouse..." you mumbled, letting go of his hand. He stood, shocked by this, watching you walk away in the cold. He ran, catching up to you. He grabbed your hand, pulling you into a hug. "No... let's head to your favorite cafe. You're not going to be alone right now. I know how you get around Christmas. The last thing you need is to be alone."

_______________

"Like, who the hell does he think he is?!" You shouted in frustration, throwing your shoes against the wall of your hotel room. You quickly got rid of your jacket, throwing it into the corner of your room. "Hmmm... a cocky asshole?" The blonde man said, a lazy smile on his face as he stretched out onto your bed. You stopped pacing around the room, and sighed heavily. "I thought I would hate staying away from him... but I don't. Not right now. The six months he was gone were hell on Earth. I didn't think life was real. But this is different," you stated, flopping onto your bed, your waist crushing Chishiya's stomach. You heard an "oof" but nothing else, as his hand made its way to your waist. His hands were so cold, it made goosebumps rise on your skin.

"Sorry for ranting..."

A silence filled the room. He was thinking. How did he respond to that? Did he even respond? Why did he feel bad?

"It's... it's ok."

His words made you smile.

"Hey... (Y/N).... you have so many nicknames for Niragi... do... nevermind," he started, not finishing due to embarrassment. You sat up, and positioned yourself to lay next to him.

"What? You can say it," you said softly.

"I... do you have nicknames for me?"

His ears turned pink at these words leaving his mouth.

"I never thought you'd want some... but I can give you one or two if you'd like," you smiled. "I'd... I think I'd like that," he said.

It was unusual to see the usually apathetic man being soft with you.

You saw his eyes shut and open again.

"Tired?" You questioned, running your hand through his blonde hair. He flinched at the initial touch, grabbing your wrist tightly. You felt his hand shake slightly, and understood immediately. "Sorry... But you can go to bed," you said kindly.

Of course you understood. Why wouldn't you?

He laughed quietly, leaning into the touch of your hand, letting your wrist go. It made you smile.

Maybe Chishiya wasn't so bad.

"Well... goodnight Shi-Shi~" you cooed.

"What the hell are you doing in here?!"

Sorry updates are so slow :( I've really been trying to balance my life out and with semester finals coming up, I'll be really busy, so please don't yell at me-

[wellfell]

 there are some reactions acceptable to show to the way he laughs and jokes about the stench of death , yet akina decides none of them could please him at the moment . therefore silence sits on the tip of her tongue , cold fingers briefly pinch her nose in a useless way to get rid of the smell at least for a brief second . his attempt to make it feel better was in vain , yet the weird laughter that comes after it makes akina's chest raise with a deep intake of breath ; there , a small smile . her steps echo through the halls from behind him , rubbing one arm as she looks around for clues . big buildings always make her nervous , it feels like there's so little place to hide when the area is this big . ❛ aren't you so kind to me , niragi . ❜ comes her quiet voice at last , letting him stand behind her as she leans over to grab a phone . ' please wait ' . right , clubs , it seems they won't be relying on niragi's rifle tonight again .

 something she's been eyeing ever since she arrived here , he never put it down , he's not pointed it at her yet . lucky little akina . it takes a few minutes for the phones to declare what game they were playing , and akina immediately frowns . ' kagome kagome ' . ❛ i've played this game . . . ❜ she says quietly while she stares at the phone , but the sweet voice around them keeps describing it to the players . one of the players stare at her with hopeful eyes , it wasn't helping with the way it tried to explain what the game was about . she catches his attention with a brief tug on his shirt , and hurriedly explains . ❛ they'll blindfold you , and they'll sing a song , when it stops , you'll have to name the people inside the room you're blindfolded in . ❜ the trick was that whatever the game master was telling them , sounded too complicated and others looked lost . ' please , put the blindfolds on ' . the doors around them lock . she hands him the blindfolds . metallic , cold , sounds like it'll be blowing his brains up if he gets it wrong . ❛ stand close to me , you can recognize my voice , right ? if you say my name , i think the game will kill others . everyone - but us . ❜

@rahge​ said:  ❛  Someone’s flesh is rotting tonight ❜ from this

There was a method to his madness, and it was a complicated mess of neurons firing upon neurons as they worked through every possible scenario that could unfold once they stepped foot inside the remnants of the abandoned factory that had been chosen as their game location for the evening. There were a million different things that could be said about Niragi, but methodical wasn’t one of them. He was a spur of the moment kind of guy, impulse made flesh, so the method in his madness was often haphazard and ill-thought out, but tonight…

Tonight, was different.

Tonight, something was wrong.

“As long as it’s not ours,” he spoke drolly, almost as if he wasn’t the least bit concerned that she might be right. Weapon casually resting against his shoulder, he paused his steps long enough to get a read on the building in front of them. Three stories. Dark. Boarded up. Undeniable stench of death. Check. All the things that made walking into it like something seen in a horror movie. “They processed fish here. That’s probably what you smell.”

It wasn’t. But maybe he was trying to make her feel a tiny bit better – one of his exceedingly rare displays of kindness. Then, whatever kindness he’d been trying for disappeared with a harsh laugh. “Or maybe it’s just the idiots who weren’t as smart as us. Let’s go.” A step forward, followed by another slight pause. “Don’t die. It stinks enough already in there.”