Chapter Text
Arisu wanted to scream but the sound got trapped in his throat. They had finally found their way back together, he was finally back with Chishiya, but then The King of Spades, the fucking cockroach, was about to shoot Usagi when Chishiya stepped in the way.
He didn’t care if the King was going to shoot him, he just needed to get to Chishiya. If he was completely honest Arisu had no idea how he and Chishiya ended up together but what he did know was that it felt right, felt like he finally found his own place when he was with Chishiya, and now he might lose him.
Hell, Arisu had thought he was asexual before meeting Chishiya and when he suddenly started feeling physical attraction to the other man Arisu had freaked out. Usagi had been the one to talk him through it and explain to him what was happening for which Arisu was very grateful.
“Hello Alice,” Chishiya said in English and gave a bloody smile as Arisu fell to his knees beside him.
“Hello Cheshire,” Arisu did his best to smile back. “So, how do I help you?”
Chishiya raised a hand to Arisu’s face, “You can't.”
“Of course I can,” Arisu protested. “You're the doctor so just tell me what to do.”
“Arisu,” Chishiya said calmly. “The bullet ricochet inside my body and hit my spine.”
Arisu looked at him with wide eyes, “What are you saying?”
“I can't feel my legs,” Chishiya, calm as ever (so fucking calm), told him. “And you know that being unable to move is a death sentence in this place.”
“No, no, no, no,” Arisu shook his head in denial. “I’ll just carry you through the games, I’ll build something to help, I’ll… I’ll… I’ll…”
“Arisu, my Alice,” Chishiya smiled once again before his eyes widened. “No!”
Arisu was about to turn around but there was a loud sound, a burning pain in his neck and then everything was fading. He thought he could hear Chishiya screaming but it was like Arisu was under water, he was so tired and he just wanted to sleep but he fought to stay awake, fought to focus on Chishiya, but the pull of the dark was too strong and the last thing he felt was a hand in his hair before everything faded completely.
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Arisu sat up with a gasp. Something was holding him down and he started to fight, he needed to get loose, needed to get to Chishiya! With a grunt he managed to fight his way out of his binds only to hit the floor with a thump. The fall must have knocked something in his head because he could finally focus on his surroundings and he couldn’t really believe what he was seeing.
He was in a room he hadn't seen in God knows how long and the bindings he had been fighting were bedsheets. He just sat there, gaping at his bed and the wall of his room until there was a knock on the door and his father opened it to step inside.
“What's with the ruckus?” the man asked like Arisu had just seen him last night.
“I-I-I…” Arisu stuttered and couldn’t help but stare, he hadn't seen his father in such a long time.
“What are you doing on the floor?” his father asked with a frown.
“I fell,” Arisu finally managed to get out.
“Hmm,” the man narrowed his eyes at him before sighing and turning around to leave.
Was this what death was like?
Being stuck in his childhood room with his father’s constant disappointment aimed at him?
If this was the realm that you ended up in when you died, where was his mom?
Where was Chishiya? Or did him not being here mean he survived? God he hoped his Cheshire survived.
He knew he was spiraling but he couldn’t help it. Everything was just so confusing and Arisu had no idea what was going on and-
Every single thought in his head screeched to a halt as he looked at his tv where the screen suddenly lit up, he must have accidentally nudged his controller or something, and where the time and date was proudly displayed in the corner.
September 13 th 2020
That was almost four months before he ended up in the weird, twisted version of Tokyo!
Did this mean he… had a second chance? Could he avoid ending up in the parallel Tokyo? But if he did, would that mean he would never meet Chishiya? There was nothing in the entire world worth not meeting Chishiya, that was something Arisu was certain of.
But if he did get a second chance did that mean he could save Chota and Karube? Could he maybe even make sure they didn’t ever end up in the games at all?
---
Arisu spent the next two days in a daze, not daring to hope that this was actually real. On the third day he finally came to the conclusion that even if it was a death dream or something he would act like it was a second chance and do everything in his power to prepare for when he ended up in the games once again.
He started by getting money in several not so legal ways. Then he ordered a backpack that had several good reviews about being sturdy and able to hold a lot of things while still being somewhat small. He went on a shopping spree where he bought clothes more fitted for the twisted version of Tokyo, tight shirts, cargo pants, running shoes, basically clothes made for hiking and/or running.
He also went to a pharmacy to get things that could be useful, lying through his teeth about him and his friends going camping and hiking so the woman in the store wouldn’t look at him suspiciously when he asked for help.
He ran into a slight obstacle when he wanted to learn how to fight with a knife, guns freaked him out, and the man he found to teach him wouldn’t do so before Arisu told him the truth, the whole truth. In the end, when Arisu had told him everything he could remember, the man had looked at him and said ‘I’ll teach you everything I know as fast as I safely can as long as you tell me when I should be out of town to avoid ending up in this weird version of Tokyo. Deal?’.
Arisu had gladly agreed and then the torture… eh, training started. Each day he would come home with bruises on his body and aches everywhere but he continued to go back for more. He only had seven weeks left to prepare and he refused to waste it.
In his free time he read up on anything and everything he thought could be useful. Some of the books he focused most on were mental strength and how to make yourself stronger mentally to help you physically. If you had enough mental power over your own body a lot was possible that seemed impossible before… mostly this was for any Spade or Heart Games, he needed to be able to handle both of them better than the last time around.
Sure, Chishiya had taught him to compartmentalize and during his time in the twisted version of Tokyo Arisu had gotten colder, more calculating, but he needed to be better, stronger. If he was going to keep Chishiya, Usagi, Kuina and Tatta alive this time he would need it.
Chota and Karube had asked him several times what was going on with him but they knew he sometimes hyper focused on things, what surprised them was that it wasn’t a videogame he was stuck on this time around.
“I'm just trying to find something I'm good at that I can do for work,” Arisu lied softly, looking down at his ramen.
“Arisu,” Karube placed a hand on Arisu’s shoulder. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news but no matter what you do I don’t think your dad will suddenly be proud of you.”
Arisu felt a stab in his chest at that. Karube and Chota were the only ones who knew how his dad actually treated him, not even his brother knew. His father blamed him wholeheartedly for his mother’s death and behind closed doors and in private he never failed to let his son know that.
In the beginning Arisu had tried everything in his power to get his father’s love and respect but no matter how hard he tried he never succeeded and he knew Karube was right. Even after all this time some part of him still wanted his father’s love which Arisu admitted to himself was a bit fucked up.
“I know,” Arisu tried to smile. “But if I get a job, something I'm good at and enjoy doing, I’ll be able to move out.”
“You can come stay with me,” Karube offered as soon as Arisu stopped talking.
Arisu chuckled, “Thanks, Karube, but I think I want my own place.”
“Understandable,” Chota spoke for the first time. “I don’t think anyone would like to live with Karube in his tiny apartment. Hey, Karube, is it even legal to keep animals in such a small space, much less a whole ass human?”
“Hey!” Karube reached around Arisu to hit Chota who dodged with a laugh.
“Anyway, that’s not why I asked to meet up,” Arisu felt happy and calm around his friends whom he had missed so very much. “I come bearing gifts.”
“Isn't it a bit early for Christmas?” Chota looked at him. “I mean, it’s not even December yet.”
“December starts in two days,” Arisu pointed out… shit that meant he had less than two weeks before ending up in the games once again. “But anyway these gifts are more of a ‘thank you for always being there for me’ gifts than Christmas gifts.”
“Aww, you didn’t have too!” Karube mock wailed as he hugged Arisu and pretended to cry.
“I've changed my mind,” Arisu deadpanned. God he’s fucking missed this, missed them.
“No, no take backs!” Karube pulled back with humor shining in his eyes.
“You do know you didn’t have too, right?” Chota asked softly.
“I know,” Arisu smiled and pulled the gifts out of his bag. “Who wants to go first?”
“Give me, give me, give me,” Karube reached forward and chanted like a three year old.
“Thank you, Karube, for volunteering to go last,” Arisu smirked at him and handed Chota his gift.
“I hate you,” Karube sat down with a pout. All three knew that was a big lie.
The three friends looked at each other for a moment before all of them burst out laughing. It was freeing and something Arisu would treasure for a very long time. It was very true what they said about not missing something until it’s gone and for Arisu it had been such a long time since he had heard his friends laugh.
“Open it,” Arisu smiled at Chota after they had all calmed down.
Chota slowly opened the gift, eyes widening when he saw what it was, “Arisu, this is…”
“You’ve talked about going several times but have always backed out due to several reasons,” Arisu shrugged slightly. “Now you can't back out.”
“This is,” Chota almost tackled Arisu out of his chair as he hugged him. “Thank you!”
“You're very welcome,” Arisu hugged back. “I hope you have fun.”
“What is it?” Karube asked curiously.
“Tickets to the Osaka Comic Con,” Chota beamed and showed Karube everything that was in his gift. “Along with an all paid stay at the hotel for the week of said Con.”
“That’s amazing!” Karube smiled, happy for his friend.
“Yeah, I can't wait!” Chota exclaimed and once again hugged Arisu.
“You do know that according to this you have to leave in a week, right?” Karube said as he looked through everything.
“Yeah, but I promise to buy you a souvenir or something,” Chota laughed happily.
“You better!” Karube pointed at him with amusement dancing in his eyes.
“And now for your gift, Karube,” Arisu handed him an envelope.
Karube accepted it with excitement and opened it quickly before pulling out the contents of it and freezing with wide eyes.
“What is it?” Chota wanted to know, very curious thanks to the look on Karube’s face.
“Two tickets for a two week cruise,” Karube murmured softly, still staring at the tickets.
“I thought you could take Emi with you,” Arisu looked down. “You deserve to have some time with her away from all this.”
Suddenly Arisu was enveloped in a strong embrace, feeling more than hearing Karube speak, “Thank you, Arisu.”
---
Arisu was exhausted but he felt pretty good at all he had managed to learn from his sensei even if they had had very limited time. He collapsed on his bed, grunting slightly as his muscles ached, and looked up at the ceiling. Today had been his last lesson and his sensei was leaving Tokyo early tomorrow morning to get away from whatever was going to happen.
Now Arisu had three days left to prepare and he felt somewhat confident in what he had done so far. His bag was packed, he might have gone a bit overboard on the medical supplies and the Tylenol but whatever, he just had to remember to add the throwing knives his sensei had given him today and he would be all set.
“Dinner!” came the call from downstairs and Arisu got up with a groan, time to have dinner with his family, one of the last if Arisu remembered correctly. Before leaving he put the throwing knives in his bag and made sure they were secure and then he walked out of his room.
The look he gained from his father the moment he sat down made worry gnaw deep in Arisu’s stomach but his father was as pleasant as he always was, meaning not a lot, while his brother was present. The moment his brother left, he had been called in to work the last time around too if Arisu remembered correctly, everything changed.
“Go to your room,” his father ordered coldly.
“But I-” Arisu tried to protest, having not finished eating.
“Don’t talk back!” his father backhanded him across the face.
It didn’t happen often, his father hitting him or using physical violence against him, most of the time it was when something was going really badly for the man and he saw his ‘useless’ son as the one to blame.
With a calm that only came from having gone through games that had a high chance of killing him, Arisu stood up. Part of him wanted to talk back, really tell his father what he thought and felt but a bigger part decided against it, knowing he shouldn’t tempt fate and not wanting to end up in the twisted version of Tokyo injured.
“Thank you for the food, father,” Arisu bowed his head and hoped his father wouldn’t notice the sarcasm in both his voice and in his gesture.
His father narrowed his eyes at him before grunting, “Get out.”
A few moments later he laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Karube had left for his cruise with Emi two days ago and Chota had left yesterday which meant that neither of them were going to be in Tokyo as the games started and Arisu couldn’t help but smile. He had saved his best friends and that was worth a whole lot even if Arisu had to do it all over again by himself. He was glad he still had Usagi and Kuina, his sisters in all but blood, Tatta, who he was determined to keep alive this time around and, of course, Chishiya, the love of his life, in the games… even if they didn’t know him yet.