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thecheshireprincess · 27 days ago

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The Game Itself

Chapter I: The Game Before the Game

A Chishiya x childhood best friend reader (Niragi's sister!) AU Series

Content Warning: Mentions of an abusive father, curse words, reader having somewhat low self-esteem and likely PTSD, Niragi is in here and he is NOT a menace; super soft actually

The Game Itself Masterlist Next Chapter

Your gaze snaps up from the laminated menu you were holding, in shock. "You were? Since when do you worry? I didn't know you could," you joke. Chishiya, though your best friend in the whole world, was usually far too arrogant and self-centered to worry about others.

He scoffed, "I'm not a robot, you know. I do have feelings in here . . . Somewhere."

Now you laughed loudly, your friend's funny response taking you by surprise. You'd never really taken the time to appreciate how much Chishiya made you laugh, or even how often he puts in the effort to make you smile. You looked up again, this time meeting his eyes instantly. His gaze on you was different this time - more tender, vulnerable.

♤ ♡ ◇ ♧

You wanted to cry, staring down at another barely passing mark in physiology. You've always been an amazing student. School was one thing in your life that came easy! Why was this particular class proving to be so challenging? If you couldn't even pass this class, how could you possibly hope to become a doctor in the next few years? You huff in annoyance with yourself and stuff the paper in your leather school bag.

If you were honest with yourself, you really didn't need this added to your plate today. You had slept fitfully all night, waking up with tears staining your face multiple times from the nightmares that had recently returned. You didn't dare wake up your older brother anymore, seeking comfort. You were going to be 20 soon - it was time to act like an adult. So needless to say, you are exhausted.

You drop your tired eyes to the desk in front of you, eyes tracing along a jagged crack in the laminate. You are aware of the probing stares of your blonde friend sat next to you, but choose to ignore him. You weren't in the mood to look at his likely smug face right now, knowing he'd probably gotten a perfect score. You scoffed in your head at this thought - at how perfect your best friend was.

At how perfect you'd never be.

You vaguely listened as your professor droned on with his lecture for the day, copying down notes from the whiteboard like a zombie and anxiously twisting your gold studded earring in your left ear. Every little thing was tipping your mood further and further into the red - the sound of the clock ticking, the squeaking of the dry erase marker on the board, even the nervous leg tapping of the student in front of you. Your blood was nearing a boiling point, and you gave up pretending to pay attention. Overstimulated, you quietly packed up your notebooks and pens early.

Chishiya could see that you were agitated, dark circles under your eyes, but knew there was nothing he could do to change it once you'd gotten to this point. He knew you had gotten no sleep, having spoken with you very briefly about last night before class started. Now, you'd probably gotten a less than satisfactory mark on the exam; you took those things very personally due to your upbringing. He'd have to help you study for the next test, motivating you to do so with snacks. The corners of his lips quirked up fondly, thinking about how you'd do pretty much anything for a treat.

When your professor finally, mercifully, dismisses you, you grab your already packed bag, pull your hood over your head, and bolt out the door. Despite having another class AND your daily library session with Chishiya still to go, you walk briskly, basically running straight home.

Your legs feel like jelly by the time you make it to the 3rd floor of the multi-story building, now dragging your school bag through the hallway and hoping the neighbors don't see you. You are definitely not in the mood for making small talk with Himari about her 19 cats and counting, nor with Ami about how you really should get to know and go out with her son.

Finally reaching your door, you yank on the brass handle, pulling it open and letting the comforting feeling of home wash over you. Unbelievably tired, you immediately fall to the floor, throwing your head back against the hard wood to catch your breath.

It hits you that the door had been unlocked, indicating that your brother was home. It wasn't like you hadn't expected that, he works from home, so of course he's here. And of course you would have to face him, but maybe not right away. You just need a little bit of time to decompress.

You focus hard, listening for movement in the house, knowing he is probably in his office. You stand up from your respite on the floor as quietly as possible, pulling your shoes off as you do. You gather your things, hold your breath, and sprint up the stairs to your room, hoping you were quiet enough not to alert Niragi to your presence.

You felt a surge of adrenaline course through you, reminding you of the way you'd always sneak out late at night with Chishiya when you were younger. Even in your bad mood, this memory brings a smile to your face.

Reaching your destination, you're greeted by the familiar and relaxing scent of chamomile and sandalwood. You close your door as quietly as you can, mentally cheering when it clicks closed almost without sound. You're free now to flop face first onto your fluffy duvet cover, which you do, exhaling heavily. You scramble to the top of your bed, pulling the sheets and duvet down to climb in, lying your head on the silky pillow.

Just as you've started to let your problems of the day melt away and your eyes are about to flutter closed, you're startled by a knock on your door. You acknowledge your brother's presence with a groan - damn it. Not so sneaky after all, then. You lay there breathlessly, thinking that he might go away if you ignore him. You hear him sigh and slowly twist the knob, peeking around the door to find you facing away from him in your bed.

You can feel his concerned gaze studying your form without lifting your head, but say nothing. You know he's got his left eyebrow raised and is wondering why you're home so early. You decide to pretend to sleep, but obviously know that won't fly with him.

Niragi is not like some oblivious parent from 90s television that can be easily manipulated into leaving their kids alone with an excuse here and an excuse there. No, Niragi is well practiced with you and your special brand of trouble. Your brother basically raised you your entire life but had really stepped up the last 8 years, having been granted custody of you when you were just 11 years old. Because of that, your bond was very different from other sibling duos, and honestly, there was no one that knew you better.

"Are you not feeling well?" He finally asks, realizing you weren't about to offer any information, and sitting down on the edge of your bed.

"No," you mumble quietly into the pillow, because although you weren't sick, you definitely didn't feel good. You feel the bed shift under Niragi's weight as he moves to put a cool hand against your forehead. You want to roll your eyes at the absurdity of it all - you're almost 20 years old and your brother is still trying to test you for a fever like you're 10. You can't find it within you to complain, though, allowing yourself to melt a little into his touch.

"You do feel a little warm," he admits, "but that's not the problem, is it?" And just why the hell is he so smart? You never get away with keeping anything from him. Apparently you couldn't even sneak into the house without him finding out.

"I'm tired and I just wanted to take a nap in my room, am I not allowed?" You snap in annoyance, pushing his arm away from you and rolling onto your back.

"Of course you're allowed, but you never do" Niragi responds to your tantrum calmly, "if you're home this early, you're either sick or something is bothering you. You're supposed to be in class right now, yes?"

You chew the inside of your cheek, feeling absolutely trapped. He studies your face a little longer, likely trying to read your mind - something he is shockingly good at. Instead, he moves to lay down on his back, mirroring your position. He doesn't say anything more, just waits patiently. After a minute or two of silence, he offers his left hand out to you. A peace offering, an offering for physical contact if you wanted it. Given your family history, Niragi was always cautious about physical contact with you, though you rarely turned it down anymore.

You feel your resolve cracking, stuck between wanting to be an adult and deal with your own problems and wanting your brother to fix them all for you. You couldn't care less when your inner child wins, finally sobbing and throwing yourself into Niragi's chest.

Adulting be damned.

He wraps his arms around you tight, hardly surprised by your emotional outburst. Though you'd like to think you have a solid poker face, you had truly always been emotional and Niragi didn't blame you. Your childhood had been tumultuous at best, that would unfortunately always be a part of you.

"IalmostfailedanotherphysiologyexamandIdidn'twannatellyoubecauseIdidn'twannadisappointyou" you wail, speaking as fast as you could into his chest, wanting to get it over with.

He brushes his fingers through your hair soothingly, the way he always has when you've been upset. "Why would I be disappointed in you? ALMOST failing? One test, one class?" He asks, confused, pulling you tighter against him as he feels your body shaking.

"I failed a test once in elementary school, remember?" you hiccuped, "Dad was so mad. So violent, I promised myself I'd never fail again."

Niragi understands now, sitting up and pulling you with him. "Koko, I'm not Dad. I will never be like him. If you're having trouble with a class, I want to help you, but I'm not mad or disappointed" he coos, using your childhood nickname to help calm you.

You and Niragi sit like that for a while as you will yourself to calm down. Tears are no longer flowing, and your embarrassing hiccuping has subdued.

"You didn't sleep well last night, I can see it in your eyes. You're having the nightmares again?" your brother questions you. You nod your head once, and he sighs a truly tired sigh. "Why didn't you come get me?" He implores.

You think for a while before responding, "I'm an adult. It's time to fight my own battles," you whisper sadly. Niragi stares down at you perplexed once again, "did you think that when you turn into an adult, you just magically stop needing people to be there for you? Because that's just stupid." You pause for a minute, taking in what he told you. You wanted to discuss the things that had been weighing on your mind since the early hours this morning, but you felt hesitant. Niragi squeezes your hand, encouraging you to let your thoughts out.

You let out a shaky breath, "I'm afraid that he's going to actually do it. I'm not in high school anymore, he has easier access to me. What if he finds out my class schedule, or comes to the hospital when I'm interning? What if he decides to kidnap me and take me somewhere really far away? No one will ever find me."

You brother listens deligently, not disagreeing with you because you were right; things had changed from when you were just a kid in school. The thought made his heart leap into his throat too, but he tamped it down, finally deciding on an appropriate response. Once again, Niragi pulls your head up to look at him.

"There is nowhere you can be taken that I won't find you, I promise."

♤ ♡ ◇ ♧

"I'm never going to pass physiology" you grumble in exasperation, throwing your head dramatically down on your book and slamming shut the notebook you'd been working in. It was the next day, and you'd actually gotten decent rest the night before. You'd thought maybe physiology would magically be easier too, but you were dead wrong on that front.

Chishiya makes no move to acknowledge your outburst, aside from raising one eyebrow from behind his own textbook. He's sitting across the oak table from you, studying for a class that the two of you don't share.

You sigh loudly again, having not received the response you wanted from your friend. Chishiya narrowed his cat-like eyes at your dejected form and nearly laughed, "seeking attention, are we?"

"Can't you just do it for me, Shiya? Please . . . You're smarter!" This time he does let out a low chuckle, to your great dismay.

"That's hardly true, and you know it. You're just being lazy" The boy corrects you and then takes a beat, "but I will help you."

You turn your head to the side, just enough to peek one eye up from where you're laying on your book to look suspiciously up at him, "you really will?"

He smirks, snapping his textbook closed. "Yes, and I would normally tease you about it longer, but Niragi told me this was a sensitive subject."

You gape at him for a minute, "huh? you guys just have secret meetings about me then?" You question him in surprise.

The corners of Chishiya's lips tilt upward, "something like that . . . it takes a team to keep someone like you safe and happy," he says with a smug look on his face. Your jaw drops at his words in offense until he waves you off.

"Anyway, let's set you a reward for reaching your goal" he says, directing your attention back to the work at hand. "We'll go to the cafe in Shibuya at 6 PM, but your homework needs to be finished AND correct. If you can do that, I'll buy you dinner" He grins a Cheshire grin before re-opening the notebook you had slammed shut in frustration.

You nod silently in agreement, feeling more motivated now that Chishiya was going to help you pass your class AND get you delicious food as a reward. He was your best friend for a reason, and you were definitely going to keep him.

Your stomach drops, though, seeing the time is already approaching 3 PM. 3 hours won't be enough time to finish this homework. You groan loudly again, this time catching the unwanted attention of the librarian, who shushes you angrily, sending daggers at your form. She never liked you, too much fun for her, you supposed.

Chishiya's eyes sparkle in amusement, "so it'll be a bit of a timed challenge, then" he whispers, "you've always enjoyed playing games, Koko. So let's play."

He's right, you have to agree. You DO enjoy playing games, but only if you're going to win. You steel your mind into focus, preparing to crush the homework as though you were on a game show about to win money. You narrow your eyes as Chishiya sets the first question in front of you, ready to play.

♤ ♡ ◇ ♧

[6:04 PM]

You and Chishiya run down the busy sidewalk, laughing and narrowly dodging other pedestrians, racing each other like you had when you were little. Finally, the brightly colored sign of your favorite cafe comes into view. You glance back at your friend, noticing he was lagging behind quite a bit. You surge forward to win the race, happy to win yet another game today.

Chishiya glares at you as you gloat, "you only won because it was a physical challenge. You know those aren't my strong suit."

You roll your eyes at the sore loser, and push the metal door to the cafe open, waltzing in triumphantly.

Chishiya led you to the neon blue booth against the window, the one with the picture of the fat tabby cat that you always sat in when you came here. The memories flooded your mind, making you smile at all the time you had spent here together. The boy notices your smile, the corners of his own lips lifting slightly, too. "You're in a much better mood today. I was worried about you yesterday," he admits.

He scoffed, "I'm not a robot, you know. I do have feelings in here . . . Somewhere."

"I love when you laugh like that for me," he whispered, not taking his eyes off of you. Your eyes widened, and your breath hitched in your throat. You suddenly felt like you were floating - what was happening? The atmosphere around the two of you had shifted into something akin to tension, but it wasn't a bad thing. No, in fact, you liked the way it made you feel.

Had you ever noticed how pretty his chestnut colored eyes were? Something inside of you told you that you needed to tell him immediately. You were just about to open your mouth to do so when bright lights flashed from outside the window to your left, pulling your attention from your friend.

"Are those . . . Fireworks? Before sundown?" You question breathlessly, tilting your head in confusion. Your bubble of intimacy popped in an instant. Chishiya broke his gaze from your face to follow your line of sight, looking as puzzled as you felt.

You stay frozen in awe for a second or two before moving to grab your phone to text Niragi. He was getting dinner in Shibuya, too, with some coworkers. You wanted to know if he was seeing what you were seeing. You tilt your head questioningly as you look at your phone, completely dead. You knew you had been charging it the entire time you were at the library, so it should have power.

"Shiya, my phone's dead . . . How is that possible?!" You questioned the boy across from you, distractedly trying to get it to turn on.

Standing up slowly from the booth, and staring at the space behind you, Chishiya responds "I think that's the least of our concerns right now, Koko" as he stares at the dark and now completely empty cafe.

You glance slowly up at him in concern before jumping at the sight now before you. The cafe had been brightly lit and filled with patrons not 2 minutes ago. Where had everyone gone?

You grabbed Chishiya's hand in fear, him pulling you up out of your seat and close to his body as you both began to look around.

You briefly wonder if you're being pranked. Could it be a flash mob situation? Someone famous making a Tik Tok? Or even some kind of game?

If this was a game, you weren't sure you appreciated being thrown into the middle of it without being told the rules.

♤ ♡ ◇ ♧

Next Chapter

The Game Itself Masterlist

A/N: I wanted to give Reader a nickname so it was easier for Chishiya and Niragi to address her directly. For a fun fact, Koko is my family's nickname for ME, so I am giving it now to you all 🥰 Buckle in, guys. We're just getting started ✨️

#aib chishiya #aib #alice in borderland #chishiya #chishiya shuntaro #ima wa no kuni no alice #fanfiction #chishiya alice in borderland #chishiya x reader #suguru niragi #niragi #niragi alice in borderland #niragi suguru

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