BLUFF [AIB]

Stage One: XV

[Started: 1/2/2023]
[Ended: 1/2/2023]
[Song: Will I See You Again by Thee Sacred Souls.]

♡    ♢    ♤    ♧
Alice In Borderlands
BLUFF
STAGE ONE: Rubatosis
"The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat."

♧ ♤    ♢ ♡
Chapter Fifteen
"Coffee Creamer."
♡ ♢ ♤ ♧

    Slowly Y/n sat up. Light came through the window illuminating the room. There was a rolling cart with a plethora of dishes on it in the middle of the room. Kuina was passed out on the couch curled up in a blanket. Chishiya was in an armchair close to the bed, peacefully sleeping.
     Y/n got out of bed and slowly made her way to the door. The pain wasn't excruciating but it was incredibly annoying. Just as her hand touched the doorknob she hear shuffling behind her.
     "What are you doing?"
     She looked back to see Chishiya standing there. "Um, getting coffee."
     "Okay." He said walking over to her. "Let me help you."
     He opened the door for her and let her slowly leave the room using the wall for support. He carefully shut the door not wanting to wake Kuina before wrapping one of Y/n's arms around his shoulder to help her walk better.
     "Try not to put too much pressure on it." He told her.
     "No shit."
     He chuckled.
     They got to an area by the kitchen and  Chishiya sat her down at one of the tables. "Wait here." He disappeared into the kitchen.
Y/n sat there like he said, calmly staring at the table. Footsteps came up behind her which she automatically assumed were Chishiya.
"I heard about your game. I thought this might make you feel better." It was Niragi. He placed a glass of foggy liquid on the table in front of her.
She didn't look at him. "I told you I don't drink."
He sat down in the chair next to her. "Haven't you seen where you are? This is the perfect place to throw your morals away. Just drink it."
It was a power play. He wanted her to drink it to exude some sort of power over her and she knew this. She also knew he would keep harassing her if she didn't drink it.
"It's not about my morals."
"Then what is it about?" He asked leaning forward. "I can't think of one reason why, especially because we're so alike."
'No, we're not.'
"Why do you think that?" She asked blankly.
He scowled. "You must not be good with faces. We went to school together."
'Oh shit.'
"I don't know about now but back then you were a cold-hearted backstabbing fake bitch." He laughed. "But what makes us so alike is our hatred towards people. I see it clear as day."
Y/n gulped looking away from him. "You're wrong."
'He's right.'
"I could be." He smirked and pushed the glass toward her. "Drink it."
She looked down at the drink. 'If I do this he'll go away.'
She picked up the glass her entire body tensed up. She lifted it to her lips and just as the liquid nearly touched her mouth the glass was taken away from her.
"You can't drink on pain medication," Chishiya told her placing the glass on the table.
'Wasn't aware I was on any.'
"Oh great, your here." Niragi stood up angrily. "Hatter wants to see you two."
Chishiya nodded. "We'll be there soon."
Niragi disappeared into the hotel as Chishiya took a seat pushing a coffee cup toward Y/n. He sat back drinking his own cup of coffee. Y/n's cup was a perfectly normal mix of creamer and coffee while Chishiya's cup was bordering straight creamer.
Trying not to laugh Y/n took a sip of the hot liquid before speaking. "Want some coffee with that creamer?"
He pushed back a smile. "I like it sweet."
She shook her head. "I knew you were a psychopath."
"I could say the same to you."
Y/n looked into her cup slightly embarrassed about what she was going to say. "I want to say thank you for everything you've done. You could have just left me at the game but you didn't."
He hummed expecting her to go on.
"I just don't understand why." She looked back at him. "I mean, why bring me here? Why save me?"
"I could say I wanted you here because you're a good ally to have, which you proved when you save me. I could also say I saved you because you saved me. But....I would be lying." Chishiya looked off into the void.
Her brow furrows. "Then why?"
He looked back at her. "Would you laugh at me if I said it's because I care about you?"
She blanked, pure shock evident on her face, and then. "Pft-!" She covered her mouth to muffle a laugh.
He sighed exasperated. "Ya ya, let it out."
"Oh my god!" She burst out laughing. She began taking deep breaths to calm herself down. "I'm sorry, it's just I didn't expect that from someone like you."
"Someone like me?" He questioned.
She nodded. "You just seem sorta heartless."
"Mmm you seem that way too but I had the brains to realize that's not true." He stated. "But I don't blame you, I haven't exactly done anything to make you see otherwise."
"Well if it makes you feel any better, I care about you too Chishiya." Y/n smiled.
"I didn't feel bad." He told her stubbornly. "But thank you." Finishing the rest of his coffee he stood up. "We should be getting to Hatter now."

♧ ♤    ♢ ♡