Nino Mod (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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ninoexchange2017-06-22 11:26 pm
nino_mod) wrote in ninoexchange2017-06-22 11:26 pm
Entry tags:
fic for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
piggywhale
For: piggywhale
From: :3.
Title: The binary code man
Pairing/Focus: Aimiya
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Summary: What would you do when your favourite video game character would visit you at home? And what would you say if he tells you that you need help?
Notes: Dearpiggywhale, I really had so much fun writing this story for you, and I hope you’ll like it. Thanks to my beta for the help. <3
The release will be tomorrow… we await a run on this game… thousands of pre-orders were made…
Nino heard the moderator say. He was sitting together with his friends in the coffee shop, but he was only half-listening to them. He had waited for this video game release for months now, and tomorrow he’d have it at home – finally.
“Hello, Earth to Nino, Earth to Nino!” He felt Jun poke his forehead. “Are you even listening to us?” Nino blinked. No, he had definitely not listened to Jun, Ohno or Sho. He was distracted by the advertisement on TV.
‘The new Assassin’s story’s on sale tomorrow… big run on the limited edition… new hero ...." Nino heard the newscaster say. He was really a nerd, but Nino didn’t care about it. He loved his hobby, no matter what the others said.
“Hello?” Nino felt Jun’s finger on his head again.
“Sorry, I was distracted.” Nino smiled at his friends.
“You are really addicted, Nino. Maybe you should go out more often,” Sho said.
Nino glanced at him. “No, thank you.”
“You know, you’ll never find someone if you don’t go out more often,” Ohno said.
Oh God, how Nino hated this sentence. “First of all: I am not interested in a relationship, and second: You sound like my mom, Satoshi.”
“You’ll disappear for the next weeks, right?” Jun asked while he pointed at an advertisement in a newspaper, which lay on the table next to them.
Nino looked at the slender figure. It would be the first time that the main figure was played by an Asian looking guy. He had dark black hair and sparkling dark-brown eyes and his body was muscular, but not really trained. He had the perfect body for sneaking around and climbing on houses and jumping from roof to roof – God, Nino would play this game all night long.
“You look like you have a crush on this …” Sho raised his hand and didn’t seem to know how to say it. “Figure…”
A crush on a figure? Nino laughed out loud. “Don’t be stupid. This is a game, Sho-kun. It’s not a human being.” Nino took the newspaper. Sadly, this figure wasn’t real, because he would have definitely been Nino’s type. Except for the assassin thing … going on adventures wasn’t Nino’s hobby, and talking about an assassin’s work wasn’t necessary, because Nino would have never been able to even kill a mouse.
“But Sho-kun’s right, you look like you are going to get a hard-on while looking at the picture,” Ohno laughed. Yeah, they made fun of him, but had they even looked at the picture? This guy was seriously good-looking.
“Ah, shut up,” Nino said. He was sure that his cheeks were blushing and the laugh of his friends didn’t make it better.
~~~
Nino took the package out of his mailbox. He could feel his heart beat rise. Finally, finally he’d start his game. He had applied for a two-week holiday, and he’d only leave his apartment to get something to eat, but everything else had to wait till he was done with this game.
He knew his friends were slightly annoyed because Nino had cancelled every appointment, but somehow Nino didn’t care about it. Nino made himself an instant soup and sat down on his couch after he had placed the game’s CD in his PlayStation. Immediately, the intro of the game caught Nino.
The main character looked already good on the cover, but in the game? Nino shook his head – yes, it was creepy to fall for a video game figure, but Nino couldn’t change it. He wished that such a guy would cross his way one day.
Nino took the controller from his table and pressed the X-button to start the game. He got lost in his own world and soon Nino didn’t even look at his mobile phone, which vibrated from time to time. Probably it was their Line group chat, but Nino had no time to chat with his friends right now.
When Nino heard his stomach grumble he stopped the game and looked at the small clock on the TV. 3.30 am, oh God, he had definitely lost track of time, but this game was just too addicting. Nino had loved the all the other parts of this game too, but this one was definitely the best. Running through an ancient Tokyo and Kyoto was the best gameplay Nino could have imagined. Not to mention the main character again …
Nino stood up and stretched his tired limbs and walked to his kitchen to get himself a really, really late night snack. He could hear the almost silent music of the PlayStation in the living room. For a moment Nino felt lonely. Of course he had his friends, and there was his family, with his five year old nice and his siblings, but there was something missing. He thought about Jun and Ohno, who tried to deny that there was something going on between them, but when Nino looked at them, he could definitely see that there was more than just friendship going on.
Nino walked back to the living room with his sushi bento box and a bottle of beer. The game was on pause and a close-up of the main character with his cowl and two knives in his hands. Nino looked into the character’s eyes – they were amazing, and Nino could swear that they looked real and kind of alive. “It's just a game, a game with an animated character,” Nino whispered. He shook his head – he wasn’t a teenager anymore, he wouldn’t fall for a game character like a 14-year-old boy.
Nino looked at his beer – damn, alcohol wasn’t good, and he wasn’t used to it anymore. Maybe he should turn off his PlayStation and go to sleep. Yes, he should do this now, tomorrow would be another perfect day to play his game.
~~~
Nino opened his eyes when he heard strange noises in his living room. He turned in his bed and looked at his clock. 9am, it was way too early, especially after he had only slept for four hours. He grunted and sat up.
“Jun, if that is you in my apartment, I am going to kill you, I told you that this is a spare key that you can use if something happens, but not a key to walk in and threaten me.” Nino slipped out of his bed and searched for his bathrobe.
“Shit,” he heard a voice outside – that was definitely not Jun. He had never heard this voice before – no, that wasn’t true. He had heard this voice, but last time it came out of his TV. Maybe he had forgotten to switch off his PlayStation? No, he was sure that he had done it.
“Who are you?” Nino asked. His heart started pounding against his chest when he approached the man in his kitchen. He looked strange, and … he … Damn, he resembled the main character in his video game, but that couldn’t be.
The man looked up and Nino stepped back automatically. He had never seen such intense eyes before, and the knives in the man’s hand didn’t make the situation better.
“Where am I?” The man asked. Now it got much creepier, because he also sounded like the video game character.
“You break into my apartment, and ask where you are?” Nino wanted to know. If his friends were playing a prank on him, he’d kill them. He knew he was a little bratty sometimes, but sending a man with knives into his apartment was a little bit too much.
“I woke up here this morning,” he explained. “I was about to steal the shogun’s silver blade, but then I got pulled in a kind of thunderstorm and got carried away till I lost consciousness and woke up here.”
That couldn’t be… Nino’s last mission had been stealing the silver blade. That was where he had stopped that game. “Aiba Masaki?”
The man bowed. “Yes. Indeed.”
Nino had the feeling that everything around him started spinning. He grasped for the chair and pulled it closer to sit down. “Are you okay?” Aiba asked.
“That has to be a bad joke. A real bad joke,” Nino murmured.
“I’ll go get you some water. Is there a fountain somewhere close to your home?”
A fountain? Nino blinked. Oh God … the whole game played in old Japan, so this guy really had no idea about Japan today? Still, Nino couldn’t believe that this was true. He looked around to maybe see some cameras his friends had placed in here to make him believe such nonsense. But there was nothing unusual in his kitchen – except this unknown guy.
“You can turn on the water tap.” Nino pointed at the item. “There you’ll get water.”
Aiba stepped closer to the sink and touched the tap, then he tried pushing it, till he pulled it up and some water started splashing out of it. Aiba shrieked and for a warrior of ancient times, he looked really cute. “That’s magic.”
“No, it’s not.” Nino stood up to take two glasses and filled them with water. “We are just in 2017 and not in 1716 anymore.”
“2017?” Now it was Aiba who looked pale. “That can’t be.” Aiba looked around. He stepped to the window and stared outside where the skyscrapers seemed to reach the sky, and loud traffic noise reached even the closed window on the 14th floor. “What the hell is this?” He pointed at the cars and busses down there.
“Welcome to the future?” Nino joked half-heartedly. He still didn’t know if he should believe the stranger’s words or if he was still dreaming. Yeah, maybe he was still in his warm and cozy bed and just imagining all these things here. Yes, that must be the reason for this.
Nino pinched the skin on his hand, but nothing happened. He tried it another two times, but he still stood there with a stranger in his kitchen, who told him that he was a main character of a famous video game. Video game … Nino thought and hurried to his living room. He looked at the cover of the game and there was… nothing. The face of Aiba was gone and when Nino started the game an unknown error occurred and he wasn’t able to start the game. Maybe he was really going insane.
Nino turned when he saw Aiba standing there with his knives, ready to attack the TV. He raised his hands. “Keep cool, Aiba-san. It’s nothing dangerous.”
“It looks like magic – like dark magic,” Aiba grumbled. His eyes got small and he was ready to attack whatever came into his way. That was really not good.
“No, no. It’s modern technique. Please keep calm.” Nino sighed when he saw Aiba relaxing but when his mobile rang, Aiba made some jumps and stood right in front of Nino, his knife cutting the mobile into two pieces.
“My phone,” Nino whined. “No, I need it.” He took the pieces and glanced at Aiba. Okay, this was definitely not a joke anymore. His friends would never allow someone to ruin his mobile, not when they didn’t want to die themselves. “You stop ruining things you don’t know, okay?”
“I am sorry,” Aiba said with a bow. “It’s just … I am programmed to fight against things which seem to be dangerous.”
“No, you stop this, until I say you are allowed to fight against something, okay?” Nino suggested. He didn’t want to imagine what would happen when Aiba ran through the streets, attacking each and every thing he didn’t know. That would definitely end badly.
Nino looked at the clock. 10am. He needed to get ready, because Jun and Ohno wanted to meet him for brunch. But what should he do with Aiba? He couldn’t leave him in his apartment. This guy would do something stupid if he were left alone. And Nino wouldn’t find a solution for their problem in a few minutes. So there was only one possible way. “We need to go now. I have an appointment with my friends. But first we need to change your clothes. I think I have something here from my big brother. He is about your size.”
It looked strange to see Aiba in normal clothes since Nino had gotten used to the coat and the kind of ancient robe with the leather belt and the knives and weapons attached to it. Aiba did seem to feel uneasy as well. He looked at himself in the mirror. The jeans and shirt fit him perfectly and Nino couldn’t stop staring, but finally shook his head to get away from his maybe not so innocent thoughts. “You look good.”
“I look like a harlequin. Is this really how you are dressing now?” Aiba asked. He stroked down his hips and turned to the side to take a closer look at his new style. With his cowl missing Nino could see Aiba’s slightly round face, and his dark eyes got lighter. His short black hair curled a little bit on his forehead and when he smiled, Nino had to take a hold on his table behind him.
“It fits you perfectly. Everyone will like what they see.” Nino smiled. Yes, everyone would definitely like Aiba’s appearance. Nino still wondered how he had remained so calm. Shouldn’t he freak out because of a stranger in his apartment? And then this guy pretended to be out of a game?
“What are you thinking about?” Aiba wanted to know.
“Maybe you should wear a jacket. It’s not that warm outside,” Nino lied. He took the piece of clothing from the chair and handed it to Aiba. “Let’s go, my friends are waiting.”
Nino turned to the door and wanted to leave the room when he heard Aiba opening the window. “What are you doing?”
Aiba blinked. “I’ll jump down.”
“Are you nuts? You can’t jump down from here. You’re going to die,” Nino shrieked.
Aiba stared at him, like Nino was the one being crazy here. “Why? I am doing it every day.”
Yes, he was right, Aiba did this every day, but in a game, and this was reality. This was the real world and he was for sure going to die if he tried something stupid like this. No way would Nino let him try that … “Oh my God, Aiba-san,” Nino yelled when he saw the slender figure jumping smoothly over the sill and out of the window.
Nino’s heart started pounding against his chest and he didn’t even dare to step closer to the window to take a look at the corpse on the ground. He tried listening to the sounds in the street. There had to be a yell or people screaming, cars honking, but nothing, there was only silence. Nino’s legs were shaking when he stepped to the window and took a look outside.
He looked down to the street, but there was no one to see. Nino shrieked when he felt something touch his forehead from above. He looked up to see Aiba hanging there with his hand holding onto a small brick in the wall. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Aiba laughed.
Nino felt his cheeks heating up. He felt the anger in him rise and he could hardly hold back an outburst. What was this Aiba-guy thinking? He couldn’t play Assassin’s Creed here in the middle of Tokyo. “You …” Nino pointed at Aiba. “Come down here, back into the apartment.”
Aiba shrugged and jumped down onto the sill and back into the apartment. There was no fear or insecurity at all in Aiba’s movements. It was like he was made for jumping off roofs and hanging on walls – which was probably the truth. “You can’t jump out there and, and …”
Aiba’s smile turned into a serious expression when Nino shouted at him. “I am sorry, I always do things like this.” He stepped closer to Nino and placed his hand on Nino’s shoulder. “Tell me please, how do you do things here?”
Nino tilted his head. “Aren’t you interested why you are here and what brought you here?”
Aiba shrugged. “I am binary code, Nino. I am well aware of the fact that I am not real. And I am not really astonished, because this is not the first time I am travelling. Though I never came to this world before.”
“Binary code?” Nino asked. Yes, he knew that the game was programmed, but he didn’t think that Aiba was aware of it. And what did he mean with ‘he had already travelled’?
Aiba nodded. “I am still a character, Nino. I can’t die and I can’t get hurt. So even if I am falling down on the street, I will dissolve and come back. Maybe to this place, or maybe to another one. That’s how it has always been. It seems I am made for saving people, and not only in my game.”
Nino didn’t know why these words hurt him, especially because he didn’t know Aiba, but something in him clenched painfully when he thought about Aiba leaving this place too early. “How about meeting with my friends? But we take the elevator.”
Aiba laughed. His lips curled into a perfectly shaped smile, which let Nino’s thoughts run wild. He shook his head and returned the smile before they left the apartment.
~~~
Nino was slightly nervous when they sat together in their favorite ramen store. “You don’t want to eat, Nino?” Ohno asked. “You look a little pale, is everything okay?”
Nino nodded. “Sure. I am just tired.”
"Say, Aiba-chan, you are from Sapporo?” Ohno asked curiously. Nino had come up with this story when they had met his friends half an hour ago, because he couldn’t tell them that this was a video game character he had found in his apartment. Jun would have called the police if he’d know that Aiba was a stranger.
Nino could see Aiba looking at him from the corner of his eyes. “Yes,” he finally answered.
“And you are an old friend of Nino’s family?” Jun wanted to know.
“He never spoke about you,” Sho hooked in.
“God, what shall this be? A cross-examination?” Nino grunted. He knew that the more questions they asked, the more Aiba would be whipsawed by the answers he should give. His friends stared at Nino like he had gone mad.
“You really are grumpy, Kazu,” Sho mused.
“I am not,” Nino crossed his arms. He knew he looked like a sulking kid, but if that helped to stop his friends from questioning Aiba, he’d do this all day long.
“Yes, you are, Nin-chan,” Aiba said laughing. Nino froze. How did he call him? No one ever dared to call him like this… he looked at Aiba and his other friends, who tried avoiding Nino’s glare.
“Never ever call me like that again,” Nino huffed.
“I am sorry,” Aiba said with a bow. “But why …”
Nino didn’t dare to say it out loud, but his ex-boyfriend had called him like that. He really hated this name, and he’d never ever let someone call him like this again.
“How about eating some Pizza,” Sho suggested out of the blue, and Nino formed a silent thank you with his lips. He didn’t want to talk about that now, especially not with someone he didn’t even know.
“Sounds good.” Jun looked up at Nino. “And you eat your Spaghetti alio e olio again?” He chuckled.
“What’s this?” Aiba wanted to know.
“Pasta with oil and garlic. It’s one of his favorite foods,” Jun said. “And yours?” He asked Aiba.
“Oh, I love meat and fish, and especially fresh grilled meat,” Aiba explained. “Fresh meat prepared with a bonfire is the best.”
“Oh, do you go camping often?” Sho wanted to know.
“Camping?” Aiba asked and Nino immediately sensed that this talk would go in a real bad direction.
“He is more the hotel traveler, but he has a small cottage in Sapporo where he is able to use a bonfire for preparing his food, right Masaki?” Nino explained with a smile.
He could see Aiba blinking at him, and he was sure that the other had no idea what Jun was talking about, but he finally just nodded. “Yes. Exactly.”
“So you could take the meat with fried rice. It’s really delicious,” Sho suggested while he rubbed his belly. He was definitely the one who knew the whole menu, because he had already tasted it all. “And you have to taste the beer here, it’s really good.”
Aiba nodded at Sho. “Okay.” Nino could see that Aiba didn’t dare to ask something again, because he already guessed that every question would be suspicious.
“Do you work here, Aiba?” Ohno wanted to know.
“I am in the video game industry,” Aiba said slowly, earning a nod from Nino.
“Oh, so you fit Nino perfectly. He is our game master,” Jun laughed. “The biggest nerd among the nerds.”
Nino could feel his cheeks flushing. “It’s not that bad, really,” he grumbled. “I play less than some years ago.”
“And you?” Aiba asked his friends. Brilliant, Nino thought. At least the focus was on his friends now, and Aiba didn’t have to answer more stupid questions.
“Jun and I own a music store,” Ohno said with a smile. Nino could see how Ohno’s eyes were sparkling. He had always been happy, but since he had gotten together with Jun and since they had fulfilled their dream with their own shop, he was the happiest person Nino knew – next to Jun of course, who smiled brighter than everyone else Nino knew.
“I am CEO of a marketing company,” Sho said. “But a food store would be so cool, but I guess I wouldn’t fit the door anymore after a few months,” Sho laughed. Nino could remember the times when Sho was earnest and hardly any smile escaped his lips. But since he had been in a new position in this company and his private life had changed with a marriage and a child, he was calm and just happy.
Nino wondered if he was the same? Or was he bitter and twisted? He worked a lot, and when he came home, he often stayed at home, playing a game, alone. He met with his friends, but they had hardly any time anymore for him. So he was definitely … lonely. Nino bit his lips. The bad feeling crumbled through his veins and he suddenly felt like throwing up. Was his life really that bad? Was that the reason Aiba had come to him? Because he was a loner? Someone no one cared about? He knew his friends were always there for him, but they got their own families. And Nino? He had his controller and TV, but no one else he cared about.
“Right Nino?” Jun asked, pulling Nino out of his thoughts.
“What?” Nino looked up. “Sorry, I didn’t listen.”
“Yeah, we realized/noticed that.” Sho rolled his eyes. “We said that you and Aiba really fit together. He is cute.”
Nino blushed and turned to see the place next to him empty. “Where is he?”
“Restroom,” Ohno chuckled. “And now tell us about your relationship.”
Nino didn’t like the six eyes resting on him, waiting for an answer. There was nothing he could talk about by now.
“We don’t have a relationship,” Nino grumbled. “We are just friends.”
“That’s really a pity, we thought that you maybe are able to open up again, and find yourself someone,” Jun said. “We don’t like seeing you alone,” he added.
“I am not alone,” Nino said. Something in him twitched painfully. Yes, he hadn’t been in a relationship since his last boyfriend had broken up with him, but did he really need someone in his life? Did he really look that desperate?
“You are maybe not alone, but you really locked yourself in during the last months.” Ohno shrugged. Okay, Nino had to admit that he really didn’t go out much, but the reason was not that he suffered because of this break-up, right?
“I didn't,” Nino complained half-heartedly. “Okay, maybe I got a little bit drowned by my bad feelings, but I am okay, really.”
Sho leaned forward and looked directly at Nino. “Aiba seems to be a nice guy, why don’t you give it a try?”
Nino nibbled on his lower lip. First of all Aiba was out of a game, and he didn’t even know him properly, so what if Aiba was a killer … okay, he actually was a killer, but here in his world? What if Aiba killed him? Or maybe Aiba wasn’t even interested in him? He couldn’t be already interested, because they knew each other only for one day. “I will think about it,” Nino said.
“Hey, what will you think about?” Aiba asked when he came back to the table.
“About what we could do tomorrow,” Nino lied. He looked at his friends who smiled at him encouragingly.
“I thought about doing some sightseeing?” Aiba asked.
“Have you never been to Tokyo before?” Sho wanted to know.
Aiba shook his head. “I hardly travelled. It’s my first time here, so I hope to see a lot of things.”
“Nah, I am sure Nino will take good care of you,” Sho smirked. If Nino had had something to throw at Sho, he would have done it.
~~~
Aiba had been at Nino’s place for the last week, but that day Nino wasn’t able to postpone Aiba’s wish to visit the sightseeing places around Tokyo. That meant that Nino had to get up, running through town for probably hours.
“Can we stop running around now, please,” Nino whined. He and Aiba had been walking through town for hours now and he could already feel his feet burn. He wasn’t used to running around such a long time and felt just tired and exhausted. Aiba didn’t even let him rest for one hour during lunch. They had just eaten ramen in a small store and after 15 minutes they had been on the road again.
“You really are not fit at all,” Aiba said. He turned to Nino and smiled at him. “You really look spent.”
Nino rolled his eyes. “You've been dragging me around town for hours, I am really not used to running around like this.”
Aiba chuckled. His whole face seemed to turn into one big smile. “Somehow you’re cute.”
“I am not.” Nino’s cheeks flushed. God, he had never been shy or easily embarrassed, so what was going on here? And next to the fact that the hot feeling rising in him was definitely not normal, Nino couldn’t understand why he felt like this. Aiba was a binary code – he had said that himself. He wasn't real, but why did Nino’s feelings seem so real? His heart beat faster and his stomach twitched.
Aiba looked up at a small building which seemed older than most of the other buildings around. “This house,” Aiba said. “It’s also in the video game.”
Nino smiled. Yes, true. The game’s inventors had said in an interview that they had used real old buildings in and around Tokyo for their game, but he would have never recognized it. “Why do you think so?”
Aiba stroked over the wall. He seemed lost in his thoughts. “It’s my house,” Aiba said. “I mean.” He turned to Nino. “In the game it’s my home.”
Nino looked through a small window. The house seemed to be abandoned. “Are you sure about it?”
Aiba nodded. “Yes, 100% sure.”
Nino could hear the sad tone in Aiba’s voice. Could it be that he missed his home? Of course – he was a total stranger here after all, and it wasn't even his century. It must have been hard for him to be in this world. “Do you want to go in?”
Aiba looked up again. “Wait a moment.” He looked around and jumped up the house and started climbing till he reached the roof and disappeared out of Nino’s sight. Nino turned nervously, but no one was around in this small street at this time of day. He sighed. At least it was never boring with Aiba.
The day before yesterday he had jumped into a hole and came back a few moments later with a stray cat, which had fallen in there, and yesterday he had climbed up Nino’s house to get to the rooftop to get the dried clothes from up there. Every time he did something like this, Nino felt his heart almost stop. He wondered if he’d ever get used to this? But maybe he didn’t need to get used to it, because Aiba would disappear sooner or later again?
“I am sorry,” Nino stumbled forward when someone bumped into him. “I am really sorry,” he said quickly and jumped up to run away before Nino could see him properly and scold him for not taking care of where he was going. He just saw the man’s back. Nino tilted his head. This guy reminded him of someone. He shook his head when he heard Aiba’s chuckle from the door.
“Are you so tired that you already sat down on the ground?”
“Oh shut up,” Nino grumbled. “Someone bumped into me.”
“Are you hurt?” Aiba said worriedly.
“No, I am okay, this idiot just ran away,” Nino explained. He looked into the direction the guy had run away and shook his head again. That was really strange.
Aiba stood at the door and waited till Nino slipped into the room. It was dirty inside, and no one had been living there for a long time for sure. There was a small table in a kitchen and right behind it was a small sleeping room, which led into a small garden. Aiba was right. This was definitely his home from the game. “That’s amazing. That’s really your home, Aiba.”
Aiba nodded. “Yes, it is.” He walked to the small garden.
“Do you miss the game?” Nino wanted to know, but he wasn’t sure if he really wanted to hear Aiba’s answer.
Aiba shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s nice here, but it’s not my home.”
“I understand,” Nino said. He hoped that the sad undertone in his voice wasn’t all that obvious. “Maybe we should search for a way to get you back to your world?”
Aiba looked at Nino. He seemed to think about what to say. Did he want to stay, or did he want to leave?
“I don’t know if there’s a way to get home,” Aiba said. He sat down on the border of the small terrace.
“But there was a way to get you into this world, so there has to be a way back, right?” Nino asked. “And you said this wasn’t your first journey, so how did you get back the last time?”
Aiba lay back and placed his hands behind his head. “I get called when someone needs me, that’s why I travel around.”
“But why are you with me? I don’t need any help.” Nino sat next to Aiba.
Aiba smiled a little. He turned his face to Nino. “Are you sure?”
Nino’s body tensed. He was healthy, he had friends, he was happy, wasn’t he? So why would he need any help? “I think I am not in the need for help.”
“If you say so.” Aiba shrugged. “I can just tell you, that my only way back home is to make you happy again. As long as you aren’t happy, I will stay.”
Nino wanted to retort something when he felt something hard hit his head. “Ouch,” he yelled and rubbed his head. He looked at the frisbee next to him. “Are you nuts,” he yelled, but there was no one. He just heard a voice behind the fence.
“I am sorry, I was playing with my dog, could you just throw it back?”
Nino took the item and threw it back. “Be a little bit more careful.”
“I am really sorry,” he heard the guy say. This voice… he knew this voice, he just couldn’t say where he knew it from.
“Are you hurt?” Aiba asked. Nino could see that the other suppressed a grin.
“No, I think that will just turn into a bruise, an evil bruise.” Nino grumbled.
“Oh, I am really sorry, can I make up for it?” The voice said again. “Maybe I can invite you? I have a small bakery down the street. I’ll give you something to eat if you come by in one hour.”
Actually Nino didn’t want to meet this guy, but something to eat sounded good. “Okay, we will come.”
“We?” The guy asked. “Aren’t you alone?”
Nino blinked. Was this guy making fun of him? Aiba had been talking with him here, so why did he ask this? Nino laughed and turned to look at Aiba, who was gone. “Masaki?”
“Yes?” He heard the guy’s astonished voice.
“Wait a moment, your name is also Masaki?” Nino asked. That was really interesting.
“Yes,” the guy chuckled. “That’s really funny.”
“Yes, it is, but Masaki is gone, maybe he is in the house. We’ll come to your place in one hour,” Nino said. He walked back into the house when the guy had agreed. “Masaki?” Nino said again. He looked up where a hole divided the first floor into two parts. He could see a shadow wandering up there. “Masaki?”
Soon a head appeared at the border of the hole. “Hey, are you done flirting?”
Nino breathed out deeply. Flirting? What was Aiba thinking here? He didn’t flirt with anyone, and he hadn't even seen the guy on the other side. “We are invited for coffee and cake by this guy.”
“I know.” Aiba jumped down next to Nino and landed smoothly like it was only a 20 centimeter jump. “I heard you talking.”
“We still have some time till we need to be there. We talked about your previous journeys, where have you been in the past?” Nino wanted to know.
“Oh, here and there,” Aiba said. “Mostly I am with people who are sad or lonely.” Aiba raised his hand. “You don’t have to say anything; I already know that you aren’t sad or lonely.”
Nino felt something in him twitching. “Well,” he started. “Maybe I am a little bit lonely?” It was the first time he was honest. He hadn’t even told his friends about his feelings, because in the end he feared they wouldn’t understand him.
“Why?” Aiba asked.
Nino shrugged. “Don’t know.”
Aiba came closer to Nino. “Don’t fool me, Ninomiya, you know exactly why you are feeling this way.”
“Okay, okay,” Nino sighed. “I was in a relationship till last year, and after we broke up I was kind of alone.” He rubbed his feet over the dusty ground. It sounded so stupid and he didn’t want to say it out loud, because he felt so dumb saying it, but Aiba wouldn’t let him get away now. “You know, Jun has Ohno, Sho has his wife and now a child, and I? I am alone.”
“But they are still at your side,” Aiba said. “They won’t leave you,” he added.
“I know. But there is no one when I come home in the evening, there is no one holding my hand when I feel blue,” Nino laughed out. “This sounds so cheesy and stupid.”
Aiba shook his head and placed a hand on Nino’s shoulder. “Everyone has the right to be happy with someone else, Nino. And it’s totally not stupid to feel this way. But that’s the reason why I am here.”
“So I am meant to live with you?” Nino asked.
Aiba smiled. “No, that’s not it.” He took Nino’s hand. “I am here to help you get happy again.” He pulled Nino along. “So, let’s go to this bakery.”
Nino did want to ask Aiba more things about how he’d help him get happy, or what would happen to him, but Aiba didn’t let him say anything further. They headed down the street and soon stood right in front of the shop.
Nino looked at the big neon letters above the shop’s door. “Masaki’s Great Bakery,” Nino read out loud. “That’s not really an innovative name,” he said and turned to Aiba, who was… gone. “Do you wan to fool me?” Nino asked. “Where are you?” He turned around, but Aiba was definitely nowhere around.
Nino sighed. Okay, then he’d go alone to this bakery. He was hungry after all. “Hello,” he said when he entered the room. There was no one in the shop at this time.
“Hello,” came a voice from the back of the shop. “I am with you in a minute.”
This was the voice from the guy in the other garden. Nino sat down at the bar and waited. He could see the guy’s legs through the door, the rest of his body was hid by a curtain with small penguins and pandas on it. Thoughts were running through Nino’s mind. Wait a minute… this voice … he hadn’t recognized it back in the garden, but he knew this voice.
“Aiba-chan?” Nino asked. He could see the guy’s head appear from behind the curtain.
“Yes?” the man smiled at him and Nino could feel the goose bumps on his skin appearing. This really couldn’t be.
“Impossible…” Nino said.
The guy’s smile faded. He stepped out to the storefront. “I know… I look like this guy from the new video game, I realize now that it was a mistake to give my face to a video gaming development company,” he sighed. “But they placed my face on this super cool body, and it looked so cool. I couldn’t resist.”
“No, that’s not …” Nino looked around, but his Aiba was nowhere around. “I mean… amazing that you are the face of this game. I recognized you immediately.” In the end this Aiba wouldn’t believe it if he told him that he had been in company with his game character.
Aiba’s grin got brighter. “So, what can I do for you? You look like you need a piece of cheesecake and a Matcha latte?”
Nino could feel his stomach grumble. That sounded really good. “Yes, you owe me something good after hitting me with your frisbee.”
“Oh, …” Aiba bowed. “You are the one I hit. I am really sorry. And I think I was the one who ran into you, I am also sorry about that. I’ll give you an extra big piece of cake.” He took a glass to fill some of the matcha powder into it. He then opened the vitrine and took out a piece of cake, which he placed in front of Nino.
“That was you?” Nino asked. He smiled a little. “And your frisbee hit me, that must have been fate,” Nino said with a smile.
“I was playing with my dog, and I threw the frisbee a little too high.” He filled a little bit of milk in the glass and started spinning a spoon in the glass, till the green powder got mixed into the milk. “I didn’t know that someone lives in this old house.” He took the hot milk from the milk frother and filled the glass with it. “I know that the guys from this vide game company used the house as an element in their game, but I thought it’s more a ruin than a house where someone can live in.”
“Oh no, I don’t live there,” Nino explained. “I was just interested in this old house.”
Aiba tilted his head. “You were there because of the game, right?”
Oh God, that was so embarrassing. When Nino would meet the other Aiba, he’d definitely scold him for doing this to him. “Yeah … probably …”
Aiba laughed. “You are really something.”
Nino didn’t know this Aiba, but he immediately got addicted to this smile. “This cake tastes delicious, and the Matcha latte is just perfect,” Nino said.
“Well, thank you.” Was this a small blush on Aiba’s face? “So you play this game?”
“Yes. I am kind of video game-addicted,” Nino admitted. The last months he had locked himself in his apartment and now he was sitting here with a nice guy, talking randomly about his life, and he really enjoyed it. Nino just wondered where the other Aiba was. Would he see him again? Or was he already back in the game, because he had fulfilled his duty here?
Aiba made himself a small black coffee and sat opposite Nino. “I am not really informed about games, but this Witcher seems to be a good game?” He took a sip. “My nephew likes to play it a lot, but I am terribly bad at playing these games.”
“I can show you.” Nino bit his lower lip when he realized what he had said. Had he really tried to get a date here? Oh God, since his last boyfriend, Nino had never tried to go on a date with someone else than his friends.
Aiba didn’t say anything and just stared at Nino, before he started laughing. “Do you ask me to go out with you?”
Oh damn… Now Nino would get dumped again. Maybe he should go and buy another game for his future lonely nights at home. And a bottle of whiskey. Yeah, he’d need something strong to drink. And he hoped binary-code-Aiba didn’t dare to come to his apartment tonight, because he’d scold him.
“Maybe,” Nino finally answered. He cleared his throat. “I am sorry. We don’t know each other. It was stupid to ask you.”
Aiba’s lips curled into an enormous smile. “I normally do not agree to a date with someone I have never seen before, but I don’t know. I have had a good day today, so I guess I say yes.”
The heat rushed through Nino’s body. His ears got hot, and he was sure his cheeks were blushing. “How about tomorrow?”
“Sounds good,” Aiba said. “I come to your place?”
Nino nodded. Had it always been that easy? But in the end this whole situation was because of Aiba’s help.
~~~
Nino didn’t know how he had gotten back home. He had left Aiba’s shop and walked down the streets, till he suddenly was back in his apartment. He was totally lost in his thoughts, and he still could not believe that he had really got himself a date.
Nino opened the door to his apartment and slipped out of his shoes. “Aiba?” He asked. Maybe the other one was still around? He didn’t think that he’d get an answer, so he almost shrieked when a head appeared at the kitchen door. “Did you manage to get a date?” Aiba grinned.
“Seems so.” Nino tried to sound as cool as possible, but he was sure that Aiba realized that he was far away from cool.
“Ah, I am so happy,” Aiba chirped. He was so different from the character he played in this game, and Nino had the feeling that he was getting more human. Nino didn’t want him to leave this place, but he knew what would come next.
He could already see some parts of Aiba’s hand turning into a green pattern of codes. “You are leaving me, right?”
Aiba nodded. “Yes. But…,” he tilted his head. “No, I am not leaving. You got the real Aiba, right?”
“Yes, but it’s not the same. You were a good friend to me,” Nino said.
“It was really nice to stay with you, Nino, but it’s time to leave. You won’t be lonely anymore,” Aiba said. He stepped closer to Nino and wrapped his arms around him. “I really enjoyed my time here.”
Nino could feel Aiba’s embrace till he had completely dissolved. Some tears were running down Nino’s cheek. He couldn’t believe that he had really found a friend in Aiba in one single week. But maybe Aiba was right, he had to go out, and he had to change his life, and maybe this real Aiba was the best step in the right direction.
~~~
Nino put the food he had ordered on the table and started unpacking the boxes. He took two plates and started placing the rice and the chicken curry on it. He looked at the clock. Aiba should be at Nino’s place in five minutes.
Nino set the table and only some moments later he heard the doorbell ring. 7pm – Aiba was perfectly on time. Nino didn’t care about being on time, but first he was terribly nervous right now, and second he had the hot food on the table and he didn’t want to warm it up again. Of course he could have waited till Aiba would be at his place, but he was so nervous that he had started preparing everything long before 7pm.
Nino opened the door and let Aiba come into his apartment. Nino’s heart made some jumps when he looked into Aiba’s brown eyes. He had really made it – he had a date. And he didn’t want to be all over happy about it, because he didn’t know if he and Aiba really fit, or if really something would happen between them. Maybe it was just Nino’s imagination, and Aiba wouldn’t like him. Or he wouldn’t like Aiba? Or… argh… he should stop thinking too much about things and concentrate on a nice and cheerful evening. And if he’d just find a friend in Aiba, it would also be a win for him.
“Hey, how are you doing?” Nino asked. He handed Aiba slippers and guided him to the living room and his dining table.
“I am fine,” Aiba said. “Oh, that looks delicious. I am already starving.” Aiba rubbed his belly. “You told me that you’d prepare some food, so I didn’t eat anything,” Aiba chuckled. “Except three muffins, and a piece of chocolate cake,” he admitted. “Oh, and a small Onigiri.” He tilted his head. “Okay, two Onigiri.”
“I have to confess that I didn’t cook it myself. I ordered it,” Nino said. He really wasn’t a great cook, and he didn’t want to ruin the evening with burnt rice and chicken curry without any flavor.
“That’s okay. I hardly have time to cook, so I order a lot of food.” Aiba waved his hand. “Or I eat cake, that’s the second option,” he laughed.
Nino couldn’t tell what it was, but he felt good with Aiba, even though this was not the Aiba from the game, but they had much in common. And this smile Aiba had was the same that binary-code-Aiba had. Nino’s belly made some jumps, and he had the same warm feeling in his body, he had had when he had first seen the binary-code-Aiba. Oh my god, was he really already falling for the other?
“You shouldn’t eat too much cake. It’s not really healthy,” Nino said. Oh God, now he sounded like his mother. He was really not used to dates anymore.
Aiba took place at the table and looked at Nino. “Thanks, mom.”
“I am sorry,” Nino murmured. “I didn’t want to sound like this.” Nino sat down. “I hope you’ll like the food. It’s from the ramen store down the street. I know the owner, he cooks really well.”
“You know, I really thought of cancelling our appointment today.” Aiba took a spoonful of the curry and chewed on it.
“Why?” Nino’s heart pounded against his chest. Maybe he wasn’t Aiba’s type? Or was he already in a relationship? Or was he interested in women? Or… or… or…
Aiba tilted his head. “I don’t know you. You came into my shop and asked me out on a date.” Aiba sighed. “You know, I normally don’t go on a date with someone I have never seen before.”
“Why now?” Nino asked. He hadn’t even eaten a single piece of his food, but his stomach felt like he had already eaten a whole steak with fries and bread and vegetables. He felt a little bit like throwing up.
Aiba shrugged. “Don’t know. I liked your eyes.” He giggled.
“My eyes?”
“Yes, they looked so honest, and I don’t know. I have a soft spot for light caramel eyes.” Aiba took another spoon full of food.
Nino blushed. Okay, why had he asked? This was really embarrassing. “Thank you.”
“Why were you in that house?” Aiba wanted to know. “I mean the real reason.”
“A friend of mine wanted me to visit this place. You know about my video game obsession and he told me that I need to see it,” Nino lied.
“I really don’t understand that hype around that game.” Aiba shook his head. He waved his hands when he realized what he had said. “I mean, it’s okay… I… oh, that’s embarrassing,” he stuttered.
Nino chuckled. “That’s really sweet.” Now the both of them blushed.
“How about I show you some games and you can tell me afterwards that you don’t like them?” Nino suggested – also to change the topic.
“Sounds good,” Aiba agreed with a smile.
~~~
They had placed the plates in the kitchen and Nino had prepared two beers and some chips for them. They were sitting in front of the TV and Nino showed Aiba various games. He would let Aiba chose the game for this evening.
“How about Assassin’s Creed – about the story with me,” Aiba suggested. He held the game in his hands and smiled at Nino. “I always wanted to see what they made out of me, but I don’t have a PlayStation at home, so I wasn’t able to play it.”
“Yes, okay,” Nino said. He’d see the other Aiba for the first time since he had disappeared. Was it stupid to think that Aiba was maybe not in the game? Maybe he was already somewhere else to help someone?
And Nino was curious if he was able to start the game. Last time he had tried it, this error had occurred, but Aiba was back in his game, so it probably worked again?
Nino started the game and Aiba’s character already appeared on the screen. So Aiba was really back in his place. “Wow, I look really good.” Aiba said astonished.
“Well, yes,” Nino agreed. He really looked good, not only in the game, but he didn’t say this out loud.
The played a while till Aiba put the controller to the side. “Okay, this game is really interesting, though it’s totally strange to play yourself.”
Nino hadn’t realized that he had stopped watching the screen and was staring at Aiba instead. “Is everything okay?” Aiba asked when he turned to Nino.
Nino’s mind went blank. He didn’t think about how, why, where, what and who anymore. He decided to go with the moment, and he decided to take this moment as his moment. Nino leaned forward and kissed Aiba without saying anything before or afterwards. He had his hand on Aiba’s cheek, brushing his thumb over Aiba’s cheek. “I am sorry, I just felt like doing this.”
Aiba smiled at him. “That’s okay. I guess, I hoped you’d do this.”
Nino could feel Aiba’s lips on his again and when they dissolved, Nino had the feeling that a green binary code was flickering on his screen, giving him a thumbs up.
piggywhaleFrom: :3.
Title: The binary code man
Pairing/Focus: Aimiya
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Summary: What would you do when your favourite video game character would visit you at home? And what would you say if he tells you that you need help?
Notes: Dear
piggywhale, I really had so much fun writing this story for you, and I hope you’ll like it. Thanks to my beta for the help. <3 The release will be tomorrow… we await a run on this game… thousands of pre-orders were made…
Nino heard the moderator say. He was sitting together with his friends in the coffee shop, but he was only half-listening to them. He had waited for this video game release for months now, and tomorrow he’d have it at home – finally.
“Hello, Earth to Nino, Earth to Nino!” He felt Jun poke his forehead. “Are you even listening to us?” Nino blinked. No, he had definitely not listened to Jun, Ohno or Sho. He was distracted by the advertisement on TV.
‘The new Assassin’s story’s on sale tomorrow… big run on the limited edition… new hero ...." Nino heard the newscaster say. He was really a nerd, but Nino didn’t care about it. He loved his hobby, no matter what the others said.
“Hello?” Nino felt Jun’s finger on his head again.
“Sorry, I was distracted.” Nino smiled at his friends.
“You are really addicted, Nino. Maybe you should go out more often,” Sho said.
Nino glanced at him. “No, thank you.”
“You know, you’ll never find someone if you don’t go out more often,” Ohno said.
Oh God, how Nino hated this sentence. “First of all: I am not interested in a relationship, and second: You sound like my mom, Satoshi.”
“You’ll disappear for the next weeks, right?” Jun asked while he pointed at an advertisement in a newspaper, which lay on the table next to them.
Nino looked at the slender figure. It would be the first time that the main figure was played by an Asian looking guy. He had dark black hair and sparkling dark-brown eyes and his body was muscular, but not really trained. He had the perfect body for sneaking around and climbing on houses and jumping from roof to roof – God, Nino would play this game all night long.
“You look like you have a crush on this …” Sho raised his hand and didn’t seem to know how to say it. “Figure…”
A crush on a figure? Nino laughed out loud. “Don’t be stupid. This is a game, Sho-kun. It’s not a human being.” Nino took the newspaper. Sadly, this figure wasn’t real, because he would have definitely been Nino’s type. Except for the assassin thing … going on adventures wasn’t Nino’s hobby, and talking about an assassin’s work wasn’t necessary, because Nino would have never been able to even kill a mouse.
“But Sho-kun’s right, you look like you are going to get a hard-on while looking at the picture,” Ohno laughed. Yeah, they made fun of him, but had they even looked at the picture? This guy was seriously good-looking.
“Ah, shut up,” Nino said. He was sure that his cheeks were blushing and the laugh of his friends didn’t make it better.
~~~
Nino took the package out of his mailbox. He could feel his heart beat rise. Finally, finally he’d start his game. He had applied for a two-week holiday, and he’d only leave his apartment to get something to eat, but everything else had to wait till he was done with this game.
He knew his friends were slightly annoyed because Nino had cancelled every appointment, but somehow Nino didn’t care about it. Nino made himself an instant soup and sat down on his couch after he had placed the game’s CD in his PlayStation. Immediately, the intro of the game caught Nino.
The main character looked already good on the cover, but in the game? Nino shook his head – yes, it was creepy to fall for a video game figure, but Nino couldn’t change it. He wished that such a guy would cross his way one day.
Nino took the controller from his table and pressed the X-button to start the game. He got lost in his own world and soon Nino didn’t even look at his mobile phone, which vibrated from time to time. Probably it was their Line group chat, but Nino had no time to chat with his friends right now.
When Nino heard his stomach grumble he stopped the game and looked at the small clock on the TV. 3.30 am, oh God, he had definitely lost track of time, but this game was just too addicting. Nino had loved the all the other parts of this game too, but this one was definitely the best. Running through an ancient Tokyo and Kyoto was the best gameplay Nino could have imagined. Not to mention the main character again …
Nino stood up and stretched his tired limbs and walked to his kitchen to get himself a really, really late night snack. He could hear the almost silent music of the PlayStation in the living room. For a moment Nino felt lonely. Of course he had his friends, and there was his family, with his five year old nice and his siblings, but there was something missing. He thought about Jun and Ohno, who tried to deny that there was something going on between them, but when Nino looked at them, he could definitely see that there was more than just friendship going on.
Nino walked back to the living room with his sushi bento box and a bottle of beer. The game was on pause and a close-up of the main character with his cowl and two knives in his hands. Nino looked into the character’s eyes – they were amazing, and Nino could swear that they looked real and kind of alive. “It's just a game, a game with an animated character,” Nino whispered. He shook his head – he wasn’t a teenager anymore, he wouldn’t fall for a game character like a 14-year-old boy.
Nino looked at his beer – damn, alcohol wasn’t good, and he wasn’t used to it anymore. Maybe he should turn off his PlayStation and go to sleep. Yes, he should do this now, tomorrow would be another perfect day to play his game.
~~~
Nino opened his eyes when he heard strange noises in his living room. He turned in his bed and looked at his clock. 9am, it was way too early, especially after he had only slept for four hours. He grunted and sat up.
“Jun, if that is you in my apartment, I am going to kill you, I told you that this is a spare key that you can use if something happens, but not a key to walk in and threaten me.” Nino slipped out of his bed and searched for his bathrobe.
“Shit,” he heard a voice outside – that was definitely not Jun. He had never heard this voice before – no, that wasn’t true. He had heard this voice, but last time it came out of his TV. Maybe he had forgotten to switch off his PlayStation? No, he was sure that he had done it.
“Who are you?” Nino asked. His heart started pounding against his chest when he approached the man in his kitchen. He looked strange, and … he … Damn, he resembled the main character in his video game, but that couldn’t be.
The man looked up and Nino stepped back automatically. He had never seen such intense eyes before, and the knives in the man’s hand didn’t make the situation better.
“Where am I?” The man asked. Now it got much creepier, because he also sounded like the video game character.
“You break into my apartment, and ask where you are?” Nino wanted to know. If his friends were playing a prank on him, he’d kill them. He knew he was a little bratty sometimes, but sending a man with knives into his apartment was a little bit too much.
“I woke up here this morning,” he explained. “I was about to steal the shogun’s silver blade, but then I got pulled in a kind of thunderstorm and got carried away till I lost consciousness and woke up here.”
That couldn’t be… Nino’s last mission had been stealing the silver blade. That was where he had stopped that game. “Aiba Masaki?”
The man bowed. “Yes. Indeed.”
Nino had the feeling that everything around him started spinning. He grasped for the chair and pulled it closer to sit down. “Are you okay?” Aiba asked.
“That has to be a bad joke. A real bad joke,” Nino murmured.
“I’ll go get you some water. Is there a fountain somewhere close to your home?”
A fountain? Nino blinked. Oh God … the whole game played in old Japan, so this guy really had no idea about Japan today? Still, Nino couldn’t believe that this was true. He looked around to maybe see some cameras his friends had placed in here to make him believe such nonsense. But there was nothing unusual in his kitchen – except this unknown guy.
“You can turn on the water tap.” Nino pointed at the item. “There you’ll get water.”
Aiba stepped closer to the sink and touched the tap, then he tried pushing it, till he pulled it up and some water started splashing out of it. Aiba shrieked and for a warrior of ancient times, he looked really cute. “That’s magic.”
“No, it’s not.” Nino stood up to take two glasses and filled them with water. “We are just in 2017 and not in 1716 anymore.”
“2017?” Now it was Aiba who looked pale. “That can’t be.” Aiba looked around. He stepped to the window and stared outside where the skyscrapers seemed to reach the sky, and loud traffic noise reached even the closed window on the 14th floor. “What the hell is this?” He pointed at the cars and busses down there.
“Welcome to the future?” Nino joked half-heartedly. He still didn’t know if he should believe the stranger’s words or if he was still dreaming. Yeah, maybe he was still in his warm and cozy bed and just imagining all these things here. Yes, that must be the reason for this.
Nino pinched the skin on his hand, but nothing happened. He tried it another two times, but he still stood there with a stranger in his kitchen, who told him that he was a main character of a famous video game. Video game … Nino thought and hurried to his living room. He looked at the cover of the game and there was… nothing. The face of Aiba was gone and when Nino started the game an unknown error occurred and he wasn’t able to start the game. Maybe he was really going insane.
Nino turned when he saw Aiba standing there with his knives, ready to attack the TV. He raised his hands. “Keep cool, Aiba-san. It’s nothing dangerous.”
“It looks like magic – like dark magic,” Aiba grumbled. His eyes got small and he was ready to attack whatever came into his way. That was really not good.
“No, no. It’s modern technique. Please keep calm.” Nino sighed when he saw Aiba relaxing but when his mobile rang, Aiba made some jumps and stood right in front of Nino, his knife cutting the mobile into two pieces.
“My phone,” Nino whined. “No, I need it.” He took the pieces and glanced at Aiba. Okay, this was definitely not a joke anymore. His friends would never allow someone to ruin his mobile, not when they didn’t want to die themselves. “You stop ruining things you don’t know, okay?”
“I am sorry,” Aiba said with a bow. “It’s just … I am programmed to fight against things which seem to be dangerous.”
“No, you stop this, until I say you are allowed to fight against something, okay?” Nino suggested. He didn’t want to imagine what would happen when Aiba ran through the streets, attacking each and every thing he didn’t know. That would definitely end badly.
Nino looked at the clock. 10am. He needed to get ready, because Jun and Ohno wanted to meet him for brunch. But what should he do with Aiba? He couldn’t leave him in his apartment. This guy would do something stupid if he were left alone. And Nino wouldn’t find a solution for their problem in a few minutes. So there was only one possible way. “We need to go now. I have an appointment with my friends. But first we need to change your clothes. I think I have something here from my big brother. He is about your size.”
It looked strange to see Aiba in normal clothes since Nino had gotten used to the coat and the kind of ancient robe with the leather belt and the knives and weapons attached to it. Aiba did seem to feel uneasy as well. He looked at himself in the mirror. The jeans and shirt fit him perfectly and Nino couldn’t stop staring, but finally shook his head to get away from his maybe not so innocent thoughts. “You look good.”
“I look like a harlequin. Is this really how you are dressing now?” Aiba asked. He stroked down his hips and turned to the side to take a closer look at his new style. With his cowl missing Nino could see Aiba’s slightly round face, and his dark eyes got lighter. His short black hair curled a little bit on his forehead and when he smiled, Nino had to take a hold on his table behind him.
“It fits you perfectly. Everyone will like what they see.” Nino smiled. Yes, everyone would definitely like Aiba’s appearance. Nino still wondered how he had remained so calm. Shouldn’t he freak out because of a stranger in his apartment? And then this guy pretended to be out of a game?
“What are you thinking about?” Aiba wanted to know.
“Maybe you should wear a jacket. It’s not that warm outside,” Nino lied. He took the piece of clothing from the chair and handed it to Aiba. “Let’s go, my friends are waiting.”
Nino turned to the door and wanted to leave the room when he heard Aiba opening the window. “What are you doing?”
Aiba blinked. “I’ll jump down.”
“Are you nuts? You can’t jump down from here. You’re going to die,” Nino shrieked.
Aiba stared at him, like Nino was the one being crazy here. “Why? I am doing it every day.”
Yes, he was right, Aiba did this every day, but in a game, and this was reality. This was the real world and he was for sure going to die if he tried something stupid like this. No way would Nino let him try that … “Oh my God, Aiba-san,” Nino yelled when he saw the slender figure jumping smoothly over the sill and out of the window.
Nino’s heart started pounding against his chest and he didn’t even dare to step closer to the window to take a look at the corpse on the ground. He tried listening to the sounds in the street. There had to be a yell or people screaming, cars honking, but nothing, there was only silence. Nino’s legs were shaking when he stepped to the window and took a look outside.
He looked down to the street, but there was no one to see. Nino shrieked when he felt something touch his forehead from above. He looked up to see Aiba hanging there with his hand holding onto a small brick in the wall. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Aiba laughed.
Nino felt his cheeks heating up. He felt the anger in him rise and he could hardly hold back an outburst. What was this Aiba-guy thinking? He couldn’t play Assassin’s Creed here in the middle of Tokyo. “You …” Nino pointed at Aiba. “Come down here, back into the apartment.”
Aiba shrugged and jumped down onto the sill and back into the apartment. There was no fear or insecurity at all in Aiba’s movements. It was like he was made for jumping off roofs and hanging on walls – which was probably the truth. “You can’t jump out there and, and …”
Aiba’s smile turned into a serious expression when Nino shouted at him. “I am sorry, I always do things like this.” He stepped closer to Nino and placed his hand on Nino’s shoulder. “Tell me please, how do you do things here?”
Nino tilted his head. “Aren’t you interested why you are here and what brought you here?”
Aiba shrugged. “I am binary code, Nino. I am well aware of the fact that I am not real. And I am not really astonished, because this is not the first time I am travelling. Though I never came to this world before.”
“Binary code?” Nino asked. Yes, he knew that the game was programmed, but he didn’t think that Aiba was aware of it. And what did he mean with ‘he had already travelled’?
Aiba nodded. “I am still a character, Nino. I can’t die and I can’t get hurt. So even if I am falling down on the street, I will dissolve and come back. Maybe to this place, or maybe to another one. That’s how it has always been. It seems I am made for saving people, and not only in my game.”
Nino didn’t know why these words hurt him, especially because he didn’t know Aiba, but something in him clenched painfully when he thought about Aiba leaving this place too early. “How about meeting with my friends? But we take the elevator.”
Aiba laughed. His lips curled into a perfectly shaped smile, which let Nino’s thoughts run wild. He shook his head and returned the smile before they left the apartment.
~~~
Nino was slightly nervous when they sat together in their favorite ramen store. “You don’t want to eat, Nino?” Ohno asked. “You look a little pale, is everything okay?”
Nino nodded. “Sure. I am just tired.”
"Say, Aiba-chan, you are from Sapporo?” Ohno asked curiously. Nino had come up with this story when they had met his friends half an hour ago, because he couldn’t tell them that this was a video game character he had found in his apartment. Jun would have called the police if he’d know that Aiba was a stranger.
Nino could see Aiba looking at him from the corner of his eyes. “Yes,” he finally answered.
“And you are an old friend of Nino’s family?” Jun wanted to know.
“He never spoke about you,” Sho hooked in.
“God, what shall this be? A cross-examination?” Nino grunted. He knew that the more questions they asked, the more Aiba would be whipsawed by the answers he should give. His friends stared at Nino like he had gone mad.
“You really are grumpy, Kazu,” Sho mused.
“I am not,” Nino crossed his arms. He knew he looked like a sulking kid, but if that helped to stop his friends from questioning Aiba, he’d do this all day long.
“Yes, you are, Nin-chan,” Aiba said laughing. Nino froze. How did he call him? No one ever dared to call him like this… he looked at Aiba and his other friends, who tried avoiding Nino’s glare.
“Never ever call me like that again,” Nino huffed.
“I am sorry,” Aiba said with a bow. “But why …”
Nino didn’t dare to say it out loud, but his ex-boyfriend had called him like that. He really hated this name, and he’d never ever let someone call him like this again.
“How about eating some Pizza,” Sho suggested out of the blue, and Nino formed a silent thank you with his lips. He didn’t want to talk about that now, especially not with someone he didn’t even know.
“Sounds good.” Jun looked up at Nino. “And you eat your Spaghetti alio e olio again?” He chuckled.
“What’s this?” Aiba wanted to know.
“Pasta with oil and garlic. It’s one of his favorite foods,” Jun said. “And yours?” He asked Aiba.
“Oh, I love meat and fish, and especially fresh grilled meat,” Aiba explained. “Fresh meat prepared with a bonfire is the best.”
“Oh, do you go camping often?” Sho wanted to know.
“Camping?” Aiba asked and Nino immediately sensed that this talk would go in a real bad direction.
“He is more the hotel traveler, but he has a small cottage in Sapporo where he is able to use a bonfire for preparing his food, right Masaki?” Nino explained with a smile.
He could see Aiba blinking at him, and he was sure that the other had no idea what Jun was talking about, but he finally just nodded. “Yes. Exactly.”
“So you could take the meat with fried rice. It’s really delicious,” Sho suggested while he rubbed his belly. He was definitely the one who knew the whole menu, because he had already tasted it all. “And you have to taste the beer here, it’s really good.”
Aiba nodded at Sho. “Okay.” Nino could see that Aiba didn’t dare to ask something again, because he already guessed that every question would be suspicious.
“Do you work here, Aiba?” Ohno wanted to know.
“I am in the video game industry,” Aiba said slowly, earning a nod from Nino.
“Oh, so you fit Nino perfectly. He is our game master,” Jun laughed. “The biggest nerd among the nerds.”
Nino could feel his cheeks flushing. “It’s not that bad, really,” he grumbled. “I play less than some years ago.”
“And you?” Aiba asked his friends. Brilliant, Nino thought. At least the focus was on his friends now, and Aiba didn’t have to answer more stupid questions.
“Jun and I own a music store,” Ohno said with a smile. Nino could see how Ohno’s eyes were sparkling. He had always been happy, but since he had gotten together with Jun and since they had fulfilled their dream with their own shop, he was the happiest person Nino knew – next to Jun of course, who smiled brighter than everyone else Nino knew.
“I am CEO of a marketing company,” Sho said. “But a food store would be so cool, but I guess I wouldn’t fit the door anymore after a few months,” Sho laughed. Nino could remember the times when Sho was earnest and hardly any smile escaped his lips. But since he had been in a new position in this company and his private life had changed with a marriage and a child, he was calm and just happy.
Nino wondered if he was the same? Or was he bitter and twisted? He worked a lot, and when he came home, he often stayed at home, playing a game, alone. He met with his friends, but they had hardly any time anymore for him. So he was definitely … lonely. Nino bit his lips. The bad feeling crumbled through his veins and he suddenly felt like throwing up. Was his life really that bad? Was that the reason Aiba had come to him? Because he was a loner? Someone no one cared about? He knew his friends were always there for him, but they got their own families. And Nino? He had his controller and TV, but no one else he cared about.
“Right Nino?” Jun asked, pulling Nino out of his thoughts.
“What?” Nino looked up. “Sorry, I didn’t listen.”
“Yeah, we realized/noticed that.” Sho rolled his eyes. “We said that you and Aiba really fit together. He is cute.”
Nino blushed and turned to see the place next to him empty. “Where is he?”
“Restroom,” Ohno chuckled. “And now tell us about your relationship.”
Nino didn’t like the six eyes resting on him, waiting for an answer. There was nothing he could talk about by now.
“We don’t have a relationship,” Nino grumbled. “We are just friends.”
“That’s really a pity, we thought that you maybe are able to open up again, and find yourself someone,” Jun said. “We don’t like seeing you alone,” he added.
“I am not alone,” Nino said. Something in him twitched painfully. Yes, he hadn’t been in a relationship since his last boyfriend had broken up with him, but did he really need someone in his life? Did he really look that desperate?
“You are maybe not alone, but you really locked yourself in during the last months.” Ohno shrugged. Okay, Nino had to admit that he really didn’t go out much, but the reason was not that he suffered because of this break-up, right?
“I didn't,” Nino complained half-heartedly. “Okay, maybe I got a little bit drowned by my bad feelings, but I am okay, really.”
Sho leaned forward and looked directly at Nino. “Aiba seems to be a nice guy, why don’t you give it a try?”
Nino nibbled on his lower lip. First of all Aiba was out of a game, and he didn’t even know him properly, so what if Aiba was a killer … okay, he actually was a killer, but here in his world? What if Aiba killed him? Or maybe Aiba wasn’t even interested in him? He couldn’t be already interested, because they knew each other only for one day. “I will think about it,” Nino said.
“Hey, what will you think about?” Aiba asked when he came back to the table.
“About what we could do tomorrow,” Nino lied. He looked at his friends who smiled at him encouragingly.
“I thought about doing some sightseeing?” Aiba asked.
“Have you never been to Tokyo before?” Sho wanted to know.
Aiba shook his head. “I hardly travelled. It’s my first time here, so I hope to see a lot of things.”
“Nah, I am sure Nino will take good care of you,” Sho smirked. If Nino had had something to throw at Sho, he would have done it.
~~~
Aiba had been at Nino’s place for the last week, but that day Nino wasn’t able to postpone Aiba’s wish to visit the sightseeing places around Tokyo. That meant that Nino had to get up, running through town for probably hours.
“Can we stop running around now, please,” Nino whined. He and Aiba had been walking through town for hours now and he could already feel his feet burn. He wasn’t used to running around such a long time and felt just tired and exhausted. Aiba didn’t even let him rest for one hour during lunch. They had just eaten ramen in a small store and after 15 minutes they had been on the road again.
“You really are not fit at all,” Aiba said. He turned to Nino and smiled at him. “You really look spent.”
Nino rolled his eyes. “You've been dragging me around town for hours, I am really not used to running around like this.”
Aiba chuckled. His whole face seemed to turn into one big smile. “Somehow you’re cute.”
“I am not.” Nino’s cheeks flushed. God, he had never been shy or easily embarrassed, so what was going on here? And next to the fact that the hot feeling rising in him was definitely not normal, Nino couldn’t understand why he felt like this. Aiba was a binary code – he had said that himself. He wasn't real, but why did Nino’s feelings seem so real? His heart beat faster and his stomach twitched.
Aiba looked up at a small building which seemed older than most of the other buildings around. “This house,” Aiba said. “It’s also in the video game.”
Nino smiled. Yes, true. The game’s inventors had said in an interview that they had used real old buildings in and around Tokyo for their game, but he would have never recognized it. “Why do you think so?”
Aiba stroked over the wall. He seemed lost in his thoughts. “It’s my house,” Aiba said. “I mean.” He turned to Nino. “In the game it’s my home.”
Nino looked through a small window. The house seemed to be abandoned. “Are you sure about it?”
Aiba nodded. “Yes, 100% sure.”
Nino could hear the sad tone in Aiba’s voice. Could it be that he missed his home? Of course – he was a total stranger here after all, and it wasn't even his century. It must have been hard for him to be in this world. “Do you want to go in?”
Aiba looked up again. “Wait a moment.” He looked around and jumped up the house and started climbing till he reached the roof and disappeared out of Nino’s sight. Nino turned nervously, but no one was around in this small street at this time of day. He sighed. At least it was never boring with Aiba.
The day before yesterday he had jumped into a hole and came back a few moments later with a stray cat, which had fallen in there, and yesterday he had climbed up Nino’s house to get to the rooftop to get the dried clothes from up there. Every time he did something like this, Nino felt his heart almost stop. He wondered if he’d ever get used to this? But maybe he didn’t need to get used to it, because Aiba would disappear sooner or later again?
“I am sorry,” Nino stumbled forward when someone bumped into him. “I am really sorry,” he said quickly and jumped up to run away before Nino could see him properly and scold him for not taking care of where he was going. He just saw the man’s back. Nino tilted his head. This guy reminded him of someone. He shook his head when he heard Aiba’s chuckle from the door.
“Are you so tired that you already sat down on the ground?”
“Oh shut up,” Nino grumbled. “Someone bumped into me.”
“Are you hurt?” Aiba said worriedly.
“No, I am okay, this idiot just ran away,” Nino explained. He looked into the direction the guy had run away and shook his head again. That was really strange.
Aiba stood at the door and waited till Nino slipped into the room. It was dirty inside, and no one had been living there for a long time for sure. There was a small table in a kitchen and right behind it was a small sleeping room, which led into a small garden. Aiba was right. This was definitely his home from the game. “That’s amazing. That’s really your home, Aiba.”
Aiba nodded. “Yes, it is.” He walked to the small garden.
“Do you miss the game?” Nino wanted to know, but he wasn’t sure if he really wanted to hear Aiba’s answer.
Aiba shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s nice here, but it’s not my home.”
“I understand,” Nino said. He hoped that the sad undertone in his voice wasn’t all that obvious. “Maybe we should search for a way to get you back to your world?”
Aiba looked at Nino. He seemed to think about what to say. Did he want to stay, or did he want to leave?
“I don’t know if there’s a way to get home,” Aiba said. He sat down on the border of the small terrace.
“But there was a way to get you into this world, so there has to be a way back, right?” Nino asked. “And you said this wasn’t your first journey, so how did you get back the last time?”
Aiba lay back and placed his hands behind his head. “I get called when someone needs me, that’s why I travel around.”
“But why are you with me? I don’t need any help.” Nino sat next to Aiba.
Aiba smiled a little. He turned his face to Nino. “Are you sure?”
Nino’s body tensed. He was healthy, he had friends, he was happy, wasn’t he? So why would he need any help? “I think I am not in the need for help.”
“If you say so.” Aiba shrugged. “I can just tell you, that my only way back home is to make you happy again. As long as you aren’t happy, I will stay.”
Nino wanted to retort something when he felt something hard hit his head. “Ouch,” he yelled and rubbed his head. He looked at the frisbee next to him. “Are you nuts,” he yelled, but there was no one. He just heard a voice behind the fence.
“I am sorry, I was playing with my dog, could you just throw it back?”
Nino took the item and threw it back. “Be a little bit more careful.”
“I am really sorry,” he heard the guy say. This voice… he knew this voice, he just couldn’t say where he knew it from.
“Are you hurt?” Aiba asked. Nino could see that the other suppressed a grin.
“No, I think that will just turn into a bruise, an evil bruise.” Nino grumbled.
“Oh, I am really sorry, can I make up for it?” The voice said again. “Maybe I can invite you? I have a small bakery down the street. I’ll give you something to eat if you come by in one hour.”
Actually Nino didn’t want to meet this guy, but something to eat sounded good. “Okay, we will come.”
“We?” The guy asked. “Aren’t you alone?”
Nino blinked. Was this guy making fun of him? Aiba had been talking with him here, so why did he ask this? Nino laughed and turned to look at Aiba, who was gone. “Masaki?”
“Yes?” He heard the guy’s astonished voice.
“Wait a moment, your name is also Masaki?” Nino asked. That was really interesting.
“Yes,” the guy chuckled. “That’s really funny.”
“Yes, it is, but Masaki is gone, maybe he is in the house. We’ll come to your place in one hour,” Nino said. He walked back into the house when the guy had agreed. “Masaki?” Nino said again. He looked up where a hole divided the first floor into two parts. He could see a shadow wandering up there. “Masaki?”
Soon a head appeared at the border of the hole. “Hey, are you done flirting?”
Nino breathed out deeply. Flirting? What was Aiba thinking here? He didn’t flirt with anyone, and he hadn't even seen the guy on the other side. “We are invited for coffee and cake by this guy.”
“I know.” Aiba jumped down next to Nino and landed smoothly like it was only a 20 centimeter jump. “I heard you talking.”
“We still have some time till we need to be there. We talked about your previous journeys, where have you been in the past?” Nino wanted to know.
“Oh, here and there,” Aiba said. “Mostly I am with people who are sad or lonely.” Aiba raised his hand. “You don’t have to say anything; I already know that you aren’t sad or lonely.”
Nino felt something in him twitching. “Well,” he started. “Maybe I am a little bit lonely?” It was the first time he was honest. He hadn’t even told his friends about his feelings, because in the end he feared they wouldn’t understand him.
“Why?” Aiba asked.
Nino shrugged. “Don’t know.”
Aiba came closer to Nino. “Don’t fool me, Ninomiya, you know exactly why you are feeling this way.”
“Okay, okay,” Nino sighed. “I was in a relationship till last year, and after we broke up I was kind of alone.” He rubbed his feet over the dusty ground. It sounded so stupid and he didn’t want to say it out loud, because he felt so dumb saying it, but Aiba wouldn’t let him get away now. “You know, Jun has Ohno, Sho has his wife and now a child, and I? I am alone.”
“But they are still at your side,” Aiba said. “They won’t leave you,” he added.
“I know. But there is no one when I come home in the evening, there is no one holding my hand when I feel blue,” Nino laughed out. “This sounds so cheesy and stupid.”
Aiba shook his head and placed a hand on Nino’s shoulder. “Everyone has the right to be happy with someone else, Nino. And it’s totally not stupid to feel this way. But that’s the reason why I am here.”
“So I am meant to live with you?” Nino asked.
Aiba smiled. “No, that’s not it.” He took Nino’s hand. “I am here to help you get happy again.” He pulled Nino along. “So, let’s go to this bakery.”
Nino did want to ask Aiba more things about how he’d help him get happy, or what would happen to him, but Aiba didn’t let him say anything further. They headed down the street and soon stood right in front of the shop.
Nino looked at the big neon letters above the shop’s door. “Masaki’s Great Bakery,” Nino read out loud. “That’s not really an innovative name,” he said and turned to Aiba, who was… gone. “Do you wan to fool me?” Nino asked. “Where are you?” He turned around, but Aiba was definitely nowhere around.
Nino sighed. Okay, then he’d go alone to this bakery. He was hungry after all. “Hello,” he said when he entered the room. There was no one in the shop at this time.
“Hello,” came a voice from the back of the shop. “I am with you in a minute.”
This was the voice from the guy in the other garden. Nino sat down at the bar and waited. He could see the guy’s legs through the door, the rest of his body was hid by a curtain with small penguins and pandas on it. Thoughts were running through Nino’s mind. Wait a minute… this voice … he hadn’t recognized it back in the garden, but he knew this voice.
“Aiba-chan?” Nino asked. He could see the guy’s head appear from behind the curtain.
“Yes?” the man smiled at him and Nino could feel the goose bumps on his skin appearing. This really couldn’t be.
“Impossible…” Nino said.
The guy’s smile faded. He stepped out to the storefront. “I know… I look like this guy from the new video game, I realize now that it was a mistake to give my face to a video gaming development company,” he sighed. “But they placed my face on this super cool body, and it looked so cool. I couldn’t resist.”
“No, that’s not …” Nino looked around, but his Aiba was nowhere around. “I mean… amazing that you are the face of this game. I recognized you immediately.” In the end this Aiba wouldn’t believe it if he told him that he had been in company with his game character.
Aiba’s grin got brighter. “So, what can I do for you? You look like you need a piece of cheesecake and a Matcha latte?”
Nino could feel his stomach grumble. That sounded really good. “Yes, you owe me something good after hitting me with your frisbee.”
“Oh, …” Aiba bowed. “You are the one I hit. I am really sorry. And I think I was the one who ran into you, I am also sorry about that. I’ll give you an extra big piece of cake.” He took a glass to fill some of the matcha powder into it. He then opened the vitrine and took out a piece of cake, which he placed in front of Nino.
“That was you?” Nino asked. He smiled a little. “And your frisbee hit me, that must have been fate,” Nino said with a smile.
“I was playing with my dog, and I threw the frisbee a little too high.” He filled a little bit of milk in the glass and started spinning a spoon in the glass, till the green powder got mixed into the milk. “I didn’t know that someone lives in this old house.” He took the hot milk from the milk frother and filled the glass with it. “I know that the guys from this vide game company used the house as an element in their game, but I thought it’s more a ruin than a house where someone can live in.”
“Oh no, I don’t live there,” Nino explained. “I was just interested in this old house.”
Aiba tilted his head. “You were there because of the game, right?”
Oh God, that was so embarrassing. When Nino would meet the other Aiba, he’d definitely scold him for doing this to him. “Yeah … probably …”
Aiba laughed. “You are really something.”
Nino didn’t know this Aiba, but he immediately got addicted to this smile. “This cake tastes delicious, and the Matcha latte is just perfect,” Nino said.
“Well, thank you.” Was this a small blush on Aiba’s face? “So you play this game?”
“Yes. I am kind of video game-addicted,” Nino admitted. The last months he had locked himself in his apartment and now he was sitting here with a nice guy, talking randomly about his life, and he really enjoyed it. Nino just wondered where the other Aiba was. Would he see him again? Or was he already back in the game, because he had fulfilled his duty here?
Aiba made himself a small black coffee and sat opposite Nino. “I am not really informed about games, but this Witcher seems to be a good game?” He took a sip. “My nephew likes to play it a lot, but I am terribly bad at playing these games.”
“I can show you.” Nino bit his lower lip when he realized what he had said. Had he really tried to get a date here? Oh God, since his last boyfriend, Nino had never tried to go on a date with someone else than his friends.
Aiba didn’t say anything and just stared at Nino, before he started laughing. “Do you ask me to go out with you?”
Oh damn… Now Nino would get dumped again. Maybe he should go and buy another game for his future lonely nights at home. And a bottle of whiskey. Yeah, he’d need something strong to drink. And he hoped binary-code-Aiba didn’t dare to come to his apartment tonight, because he’d scold him.
“Maybe,” Nino finally answered. He cleared his throat. “I am sorry. We don’t know each other. It was stupid to ask you.”
Aiba’s lips curled into an enormous smile. “I normally do not agree to a date with someone I have never seen before, but I don’t know. I have had a good day today, so I guess I say yes.”
The heat rushed through Nino’s body. His ears got hot, and he was sure his cheeks were blushing. “How about tomorrow?”
“Sounds good,” Aiba said. “I come to your place?”
Nino nodded. Had it always been that easy? But in the end this whole situation was because of Aiba’s help.
~~~
Nino didn’t know how he had gotten back home. He had left Aiba’s shop and walked down the streets, till he suddenly was back in his apartment. He was totally lost in his thoughts, and he still could not believe that he had really got himself a date.
Nino opened the door to his apartment and slipped out of his shoes. “Aiba?” He asked. Maybe the other one was still around? He didn’t think that he’d get an answer, so he almost shrieked when a head appeared at the kitchen door. “Did you manage to get a date?” Aiba grinned.
“Seems so.” Nino tried to sound as cool as possible, but he was sure that Aiba realized that he was far away from cool.
“Ah, I am so happy,” Aiba chirped. He was so different from the character he played in this game, and Nino had the feeling that he was getting more human. Nino didn’t want him to leave this place, but he knew what would come next.
He could already see some parts of Aiba’s hand turning into a green pattern of codes. “You are leaving me, right?”
Aiba nodded. “Yes. But…,” he tilted his head. “No, I am not leaving. You got the real Aiba, right?”
“Yes, but it’s not the same. You were a good friend to me,” Nino said.
“It was really nice to stay with you, Nino, but it’s time to leave. You won’t be lonely anymore,” Aiba said. He stepped closer to Nino and wrapped his arms around him. “I really enjoyed my time here.”
Nino could feel Aiba’s embrace till he had completely dissolved. Some tears were running down Nino’s cheek. He couldn’t believe that he had really found a friend in Aiba in one single week. But maybe Aiba was right, he had to go out, and he had to change his life, and maybe this real Aiba was the best step in the right direction.
~~~
Nino put the food he had ordered on the table and started unpacking the boxes. He took two plates and started placing the rice and the chicken curry on it. He looked at the clock. Aiba should be at Nino’s place in five minutes.
Nino set the table and only some moments later he heard the doorbell ring. 7pm – Aiba was perfectly on time. Nino didn’t care about being on time, but first he was terribly nervous right now, and second he had the hot food on the table and he didn’t want to warm it up again. Of course he could have waited till Aiba would be at his place, but he was so nervous that he had started preparing everything long before 7pm.
Nino opened the door and let Aiba come into his apartment. Nino’s heart made some jumps when he looked into Aiba’s brown eyes. He had really made it – he had a date. And he didn’t want to be all over happy about it, because he didn’t know if he and Aiba really fit, or if really something would happen between them. Maybe it was just Nino’s imagination, and Aiba wouldn’t like him. Or he wouldn’t like Aiba? Or… argh… he should stop thinking too much about things and concentrate on a nice and cheerful evening. And if he’d just find a friend in Aiba, it would also be a win for him.
“Hey, how are you doing?” Nino asked. He handed Aiba slippers and guided him to the living room and his dining table.
“I am fine,” Aiba said. “Oh, that looks delicious. I am already starving.” Aiba rubbed his belly. “You told me that you’d prepare some food, so I didn’t eat anything,” Aiba chuckled. “Except three muffins, and a piece of chocolate cake,” he admitted. “Oh, and a small Onigiri.” He tilted his head. “Okay, two Onigiri.”
“I have to confess that I didn’t cook it myself. I ordered it,” Nino said. He really wasn’t a great cook, and he didn’t want to ruin the evening with burnt rice and chicken curry without any flavor.
“That’s okay. I hardly have time to cook, so I order a lot of food.” Aiba waved his hand. “Or I eat cake, that’s the second option,” he laughed.
Nino couldn’t tell what it was, but he felt good with Aiba, even though this was not the Aiba from the game, but they had much in common. And this smile Aiba had was the same that binary-code-Aiba had. Nino’s belly made some jumps, and he had the same warm feeling in his body, he had had when he had first seen the binary-code-Aiba. Oh my god, was he really already falling for the other?
“You shouldn’t eat too much cake. It’s not really healthy,” Nino said. Oh God, now he sounded like his mother. He was really not used to dates anymore.
Aiba took place at the table and looked at Nino. “Thanks, mom.”
“I am sorry,” Nino murmured. “I didn’t want to sound like this.” Nino sat down. “I hope you’ll like the food. It’s from the ramen store down the street. I know the owner, he cooks really well.”
“You know, I really thought of cancelling our appointment today.” Aiba took a spoonful of the curry and chewed on it.
“Why?” Nino’s heart pounded against his chest. Maybe he wasn’t Aiba’s type? Or was he already in a relationship? Or was he interested in women? Or… or… or…
Aiba tilted his head. “I don’t know you. You came into my shop and asked me out on a date.” Aiba sighed. “You know, I normally don’t go on a date with someone I have never seen before.”
“Why now?” Nino asked. He hadn’t even eaten a single piece of his food, but his stomach felt like he had already eaten a whole steak with fries and bread and vegetables. He felt a little bit like throwing up.
Aiba shrugged. “Don’t know. I liked your eyes.” He giggled.
“My eyes?”
“Yes, they looked so honest, and I don’t know. I have a soft spot for light caramel eyes.” Aiba took another spoon full of food.
Nino blushed. Okay, why had he asked? This was really embarrassing. “Thank you.”
“Why were you in that house?” Aiba wanted to know. “I mean the real reason.”
“A friend of mine wanted me to visit this place. You know about my video game obsession and he told me that I need to see it,” Nino lied.
“I really don’t understand that hype around that game.” Aiba shook his head. He waved his hands when he realized what he had said. “I mean, it’s okay… I… oh, that’s embarrassing,” he stuttered.
Nino chuckled. “That’s really sweet.” Now the both of them blushed.
“How about I show you some games and you can tell me afterwards that you don’t like them?” Nino suggested – also to change the topic.
“Sounds good,” Aiba agreed with a smile.
~~~
They had placed the plates in the kitchen and Nino had prepared two beers and some chips for them. They were sitting in front of the TV and Nino showed Aiba various games. He would let Aiba chose the game for this evening.
“How about Assassin’s Creed – about the story with me,” Aiba suggested. He held the game in his hands and smiled at Nino. “I always wanted to see what they made out of me, but I don’t have a PlayStation at home, so I wasn’t able to play it.”
“Yes, okay,” Nino said. He’d see the other Aiba for the first time since he had disappeared. Was it stupid to think that Aiba was maybe not in the game? Maybe he was already somewhere else to help someone?
And Nino was curious if he was able to start the game. Last time he had tried it, this error had occurred, but Aiba was back in his game, so it probably worked again?
Nino started the game and Aiba’s character already appeared on the screen. So Aiba was really back in his place. “Wow, I look really good.” Aiba said astonished.
“Well, yes,” Nino agreed. He really looked good, not only in the game, but he didn’t say this out loud.
The played a while till Aiba put the controller to the side. “Okay, this game is really interesting, though it’s totally strange to play yourself.”
Nino hadn’t realized that he had stopped watching the screen and was staring at Aiba instead. “Is everything okay?” Aiba asked when he turned to Nino.
Nino’s mind went blank. He didn’t think about how, why, where, what and who anymore. He decided to go with the moment, and he decided to take this moment as his moment. Nino leaned forward and kissed Aiba without saying anything before or afterwards. He had his hand on Aiba’s cheek, brushing his thumb over Aiba’s cheek. “I am sorry, I just felt like doing this.”
Aiba smiled at him. “That’s okay. I guess, I hoped you’d do this.”
Nino could feel Aiba’s lips on his again and when they dissolved, Nino had the feeling that a green binary code was flickering on his screen, giving him a thumbs up.
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Dear anon, I am SUPER EXCITED just reading the summary. You pick my favorite prompt (yes!!) <3<3<3 I am soooo happy.
Sadly, I have a very early morning tomorrow (Boo!) I promise to come back tomorrow and give you a proper comment soon :D
Anon, I am back!!
OMG. OMG. I LOVE this ❤️ I am soooo happy and keep gigling throughout the story. You seem to know what would get me tick. Heheee. I am such a nerd with games too and I loveeee Nino acting like a hardcore, devoted gamer (that I am sure he definitely IS one.) Nino is perfectly right. What's wrong with loving games? Taking days off to play new release game is TOTALLY acceptable. LoL And later, when it turns out that Niko may have been game-addict/antisocial because he had bad relationship before. I was like 'Awww.. poor you, but I totally understand you'. I am really rooting for Nino here.
And Aiba as an Assasin's Creed's character. OMG. Seriously. How can he be any hotter? Aiba would look fab in Altair/Ezio costume (I am drooling just to think about it.) It's totally OK if Nino would fall in live with a game character like that (Nino I feel you!) I think Nino takes it pretty well seeing a game character jumping out to real world like that. I particularly appreciate that Aiba knows who he is (the binary man - such an adorable name). To tell you the truth, Aiba the game character is relatively nice and harmless (save for Nino's phone that he 'murders' lol) He is so lovely and charming and HOT (oh, did I say that already? *close browser of assassin's creed costumes*)
The scene with Jun, Sho, and Ohno are very funny. Love Sho there so much and wish he would get a spin off where he finally decide to run food supermarket/ food store chain :D they are very supportive of Nino (bless them!) I love it 😘
It really surprises me that Aiba actually exists in real world too and he is the model for the game character. That's a superb idea. I love it! Aiba in real world is sooo lovely too. Slightly less funny but that makes him different and more realistic. I really think he would be best fit for Nino.
By the way, I seriously love it that you make Nino so worried and so insecure, because I always fancy this idea in my mind. Thank you so much for portraying Nino like this.
Thank you soooo much, anon for this wonderful story. Thank you for creating the story from the prompt I have been dying to read. Thank you ❤️❤️❤️
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I'm also so glad that the real Aiba is willing to take a risk on a cute guy :D The ending was so cute! ♥
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I was wondering how you might bring Aiba and Nino together if Aiba is binary code and knows it, since I didn't really see a posibility of him becoming a real human... and then when someone bumped into Nino, it hit me - and I was right, binary Aiba would guide Nino to REAL Aiba! That was a really nice twist, making binary Aiba into some kind of cupid ^^ I really liked that =)
I also liked that Nino was first a bit hesitant (and that he was so affectionate towards the binary Aiba since he got attached to him over that one week - that guy was really cute and fun after all haha) but it's great that he worked up the courage to ask real Aiba out for a date in the end. That was so cute and I'm happy Aiba agreed! <3
Nino's friends were nice and mean at the same time xD I enjoyed that they were teasing him but that it was still obvious how much they loved and cared for him. Arashi friendship <3 <3 <3
Thanks for this fic, anon! ^^
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Thanks, anon!
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Thanks Anon-san!
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It was fun. Thanks, anon ^^
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This was cute! I liked the twist that there was a real Aiba out there and that game-Aiba helped Nino to connect with him. I liked the fish out of water game-Aiba trying to adjust to modern Tokyo, especially when he started jumping out windows!
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I really like how Nino introduces game-Aiba into his world, even though the challenges start with front doors already. XDDD Really, it's such good fun how game-Aiba goes about his business very nonchalantly while Nino feels anxious about the way he does things. Well, it's not every day that a friend of yours climbs around roof tops. ^^"
It's actually really sweet how welcoming Nino's friends are towards game-Aiba, wanting Nino to be happy and find love again. <3 They are really good friends.
Finding out how a new love in the form of real life Aiba should come to Nino's life was really cool. It feels like game-Aiba is giving Nino the courage to try to get something going and in that he appeals to real life Aiba. Like, they both have a good feeling about it, so they figure it's okay to give it a try and I guess sometimes that's just all that love needs - a bit of courage. Their date is a bit awkward, but that's just fine, because seriously, how awkward are first dates in general? ^_~ And hey, it results in a kiss. The first of many, it seems. :D So, Nino can get absorbed in an all new quest from there.
This is a lovely story, I enjoyed reading it a lot. Thank you for writing this. <3
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My bro always wants me to join him playing Assassins Creed but I don’t want to. However, if it's set in ancient Japan with Aiba as the main chara, I would totally do it!
I was really glab about the twist. I was worried that either Nino would be left alone or the game looses his main chara. But having a Real!Aiba was a great idea!
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It was really a fun story to read.