Roulette // Chishiya x Banda // alice in borderland

Five

That morning was unusually cold. Chishiya noticed his tshirt still wasn't fully dried so he put on his hoodie and zipped it all the way up, leaving the wet clothing in his hospital room. He did feel better after a bath taken the day before; his hair got softer and the wound was doing noticeably better too.

When walking out he realized Banda hadn't shown up yet; normally he would wake him up, bring food and leave without a word. This time Chishiya was finally able to function normally so he assumed Banda wouldn't help him anymore. Sad. It felt nice to be someone's parasite for a short while. He reached the hospital's exit and found Banda standing there, looking right at him, waiting. Looked like Chishiya didn't have to search far then.

Now, the bath really helped both of them, seemed like; blood and dirt definitely didn't do them justice. Dark-haired man didn't look bad with a bit messy hair and a different white shirt. Him and Chishiya almost matched.

"I hear people around. Everyone's gathering for the game so let's go now" he said.

Chishiya nodded, following him through the main road coming from the hospital. They haven't spoken to each other since the previous day's talk at the pond and he really didn't know how to treat Banda anymore. He knew he was a murderer. Obsessive, manipulative, with a behavior Chishiya didn't always understand. He wasn't sure if they should stick together for long.

"Wanna think of a breakfast first? I could really use some calories" Chishiya said, looking around for an abandoned store or a mall.

"I already ate, so no."

"You haven't told me earlier."

"Not my job. You can walk all by yourself now, so maybe you could've figured out the breakfast part too."

Great. Not that Chishiya expected a lifetime long food supply but how could he even hunt for something if he hasn't left the hospital room for days? Just when thinking about it, Banda pulled out a small pack of cookies from his pocket. He sent the long-haired man a subtle smile. You piece of shit.

"Come on now. I wouldn't forget about you."

Chishiya recognized those cookies, he had a million of those in the Jack of Hearts game. It was interesting to him how Banda remembered. Or did he? Maybe it was just a coincidence. Chishiya was grateful regardless.

"Thanks." He gladly took the cookies and finished them just in time before they arrived to something that looked like a gym and construction site at once. The game arena was a dark platform, floating high up. Sixteen other people gathered around the big, white screen. Chishiya tried to recognize any of their faces, but couldn't.

There are three rules of the game.

1. Players participate starting in pairs, connected by handcuffs, and try to push other pairs off the platform.

2. If one of the players slips off the platform, the handcuffs are available to be taken off by the other connected player for 10 seconds. If player chooses to do so, they can remain on the platform by themselves and continue the game.

3. The game is cleared when six people remain on the platform.

Banda immediately showed up with a pair of weird, dark handcuffs, and closed them on his and Chishiya's wrists.

"When did I say I wanted to team up with you?" Chishiya raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't we partners? I told you you're not dying until our private game starts. I'm determined to make it happen. We need to trust each other here, you know?" Banda looked at him with a surprisingly soft gaze. Couldn't figure out what feelings were behind it though. "By the way, your hair looks pretty today." He winked.

What the fuck now. Why would you say that? Chishiya wished he wasn't cuffed to him and could just walk away. He didn't understand him and frankly, didn't need any comments about his look. Banda's smile changed a little. He looked lost in his thoughts and his eyes stayed focused on a platform above them. You better be thinking about some good strateg instead of zoning out, jerk.

Players went on some kind of elevator - more or less functional - that started to slowly but surely go up. Chishiya noticed most of the players were rather old but not too old, and two pairs were somewhat close to his age. He thought they could be a problem eventually. Not to mention he himself was still wounded, visibly.

"Any specific strategy you have in mind?" Banda murmured quietly. Chishiya knew he was probably not the greatest in physical strength-related games since there wasn't much to analyze and there were definitely very little options to manipulate other players. If any.

"Throughout the game everyone might get a chance to let their partner die and continue by themselves. It'd be more comfortable to be alone and some people might do that. But then it's just dead easy for a pair to grab someone like that, stand around them and push them off the platform, no? We're gonna have to stay together and not give up on each other when one of us slips off the platform. Also, let's hold hands; with all the pressure and movement the handcuffs will rub on our skin and sew it quick if we don't keep our hands still."

Banda just nodded in response, more or less satisfied with his words, grabbing his hand as they walked off the elevator. It was a little uncomfortable with the cuffs, but not impossible.

Chishiya noticed that time he was way calmer than Banda. The killer wasn't visibly panicking but he could hear his deep, irregular breathing. Was he afraid they'd lose? No, he couldn't be afraid of death. But he might have thought about Chishiya being injured and lowering their chances of surviving together.

"Hold tight."

As Banda said it, the game started almost immediately. It got very chaotic in just a blink, and they had to think fast in order to stay alive. Their movement had to be aligned, somehow. One couple had already fallen off when two other pairs' weight sent them to the edge. Witnessing that, Chishiya and Banda tried to stay in the center.

Some men quickly took their chance to attack, and Chishiya grabbed one of them just in time to push him on the ground. The other guy fell after him, kicked by Banda. Chishiya tried running away from the laying pair but Banda made him stop and pulled back in his direction.

"If they're injured they'd be easier to push off" he said, launching at one of the laying men and kicking them strongly. Another couple showed up behind them and they had to run more towards the edge. Chishiya tried to think fast but it was just pure chaos. I can't concentrate. I can't get my thoughts together right now.

Banda managed to kick someone in the legs, making an older couple fall but remain on the platform; one of them hit their head so hard blood splashed on the ground, leaving a cavity in his face. The man dropped unconscious. His partner panicked, trying to take off the handcuff and wake him up but she got pushed off with him by other people within just seconds. That went fast.

Chishiya wished he could've observed more but then felt someone punching him in the back of his head; at the same time Banda got too close to the edge and someone pushed him towards it. Fuck. Fuck, shit.

All dizzy, Chishiya didn't realize when he landed on the ground, with Banda hanging off the platform screaming at him to pull him up. Handcuffs lit up with the countdown.

"Chishiya! Come on!"

He blinked a few times, looking at Banda's face and their handcuffs. He could've got rid of him then and be fast enough to dodge other pairs by himself. Banda wanted one of them to die anyway.

"I'm sorry." Chishiya said, starting to take the handcuffs off. That was it. He should've let him die.

Or he would've continued if Banda didnt grab and pull on his uninjured arm, trying to get up and someone didn't attack Chishiya from behind at the same time. Within seconds, he only survived because Banda pulled himself back on the platform and brought Chishiya up with him.

"I'll pretend it didn't happen" Banda said, looking at Chishiya with anger. He grabbed his hand strongly. "I'll lead now. If you try to get rid of me again I'll drag you down with me. We're supposed to be partners and we'll remain as those, fucker."